I& LOCKILIST&TI The Michigan Daily - Monday, November 13, 1995 -3 ' I Campus group to protest :Contract' on Digtoday At noon today, a campus umbrella group plans to display petitions con- taining 4,000 signatures opposing the GOP's "Contract With America" on a 40-by-5 foot banner on the steps of the Graduate Library. The banner will then be sent to Wash- ington to be displayed in front of the White House as part of a national vigil against welfare-reform legislation. The petition campaign was conducted by the University-based Coalition Against the Contract "On" America, which is composed of more than 30 campus and community groups. Since its formation, the coalition has also con- tacted elected officials to urge them to vote against "Contract" legislation and organized demonstrations. DNR public hearing set for today A public hearing on environmental protection is scheduled for today from 7 to 9 p.m. in Lecture Theatre 101 in the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College by the state House Democratic Task "Force on the DNR Split. The Task Force, appointed by state House Democratic Leader Curtis Hertel, will investigate the impact of the breakup of the Michigan Depart- ment of Natural Resources on envi- ronmental protection policies. State Rep. Liz Brater (D-Ann Ar- .bor) chairs the task force. "Thisais an opportunity forthe public to have direct input in the policy-mak- ing process at a time when drastic changes are being proposed and adopted in state laws affecting natural resource *protection, pollution control and clean- ups, pI urge people to come out and let us know what they think," Brater said in a statement. Forum planned to discuss workplace discrimination A free panel and discussion titled "Employment Discrimination: Sexual ,Orientation and the Workplace" is scheduled to be held at the Law School today in Room 120 in Hutchins Hall from 3:30 to 5 p.m. A reception in the Faculty Dining Hall is set to follow the panel discus- sion. The scheduled speakers include Tamra King, entertainment director of Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defa- mation; Amelia Craig, executive direc- tor of Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders; Prof. Roderick M. Hills Jr., plaintiff's counsel for Evans vs. Romer; Dr. Jayne Thorson, assistant dean of the Medical School. O-VisitingProf. Paula Ettelbrick, legis- -ative counsel for the Empire State Pride :,Agenda and former director of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, will also speak The panel is sponsored by the Rain- bow Law Students Alliance, the Em- ployment and Labor Law Association, and the Aut Bar. - Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Laura Nelson EMU looks into arrest of student YPSILANTI (AP)-Eastern Michi- gan University is investigating the ar- rest of a student during a brawl after some black students complained he was unfairly singled out. Aaron Johnson, 21, from Detroit was arrested last Tuesday. Campus officials said he was charged with aggravated assault after he deliber- ately punched campus Officer Ken- neth Hardesty, splitting his lip and chipping his tooth. Johnson is also accused of taking Hardesty's pepper spray. But supporters say Johnson, a 21- year-old English major, was merely try- ing to break up a brawl involving 20 female students and inadvertently el- bowed the officer. "Aaron is breaking up a fight between women, the officer shoots pepper spray on everyone and then arrests Aaron," said Mondarell Ross, president of the Black Student Union. "That's injustice, and when you need someone to police the police, that's a bad situation." Ross said his organization wants as- surances from university officials that minority students can expect to be safe from police harassment. Yarisha Green, who witnessed the fight, said the 6-foot-3-inch Johnson was trying to separate the combatants when he inadvertently elbowed the of- ficers. She said she believes he was targeted for arrest because of his size and dreadlock hairstyle. A second student also was taken into custody and later released. "When the officer walks in, sprays Mace, grabs Aaron by the hair and puts his knee into his back, I'd say he was picked out of the group," Green said. "I can't say (the incident) was so much racial, but when police arrest two males and everyone around is female, that's over-reaction at the least, and targeting black males at worst." Cathy Tinney, an EMU vice presi- dent, said two university officials have been assigned to investigate the arrest. Hardesty has been placed on paid ad- ministrative leave until a full report is completed. Johnson declined comment because of the pending charges. Elias hired as Ann Arbor city. attorney a I Safety first University students celebrate in the bitter Ann Arbor cold after the Wolverines score a safety, the second score in Saturday's game. The Wolverines beat the Boilermakers, 5-0, in a game at which the wind chill was -8'F. Athletic Department byla draft postponed one mionth By Amy Klein Daily Staff Reporter A draft of bylaw changes that would tighten University control over the Ath- letic Department will not be ready by Thursday's Board of Regents meeting, President James J. Duderstadt said Fri- day. This will mark the second delay for the bylaws, which were originally sup- posed to be ready for the regents' ap- proval at last month's meeting. General Counsel ElsaCole and Chief Financial Officer Farris W. Womack are members of the committee working on the draft of the new bylaws, which are now scheduled to be presented at the regents' December meeting. "We sign contracts for tens of mil- lions of dollars," Duderstadt said Friday in an interview with The Michigan Daily. "Significant policy implications and public relations implications are things the regents will want to weigh on." Duderstadt said the new relationship between the Athletic Department and the central administration will be mod- eled afterthe system of communication established with University Hospitals. "I want to make certain these changes tighten financial and personnel con- trol," Duderstadt said. The committee is now checking the changes against regulations of both the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA will begin certifying ath- letic programs during the next year, and Duderstadt said the University's de- partment would be one of the first to be considered. "I want to be absolutely certain we're squeaky clean when we go through," Duderstadt said. The board asked Duderstadt in July to investigate the relationship between the Athletic Department and the admin- istration, following the department's decision to buy out the remaining $386,026 of former football coach Gary Moeller's contract. By Maureen Sirhal Daily Staff Reporter After nearly a year of searching, in- terviewing and debating, the Ann Ar- bor City Council has approved a con, tract to hire Abigail Elias as city attorT ney. The unanimous approval occurr during the council's regular meetir, last Thursday. It was the last meeting forthree retiringmembers:PeterNicolas (I-4th Ward), Hal Smith (D-3rd Wat) and Peter Fink(R-2nd Ward). Elias had previously declined nomination for the position because'she worried it would prevent her from spending time with the child she afnd husband Terry Collins are adopting. She voiced these concerns in a letter written to the council and to Mayor Ingrid B. Sheldon last month. Elias is expected to begin by Aprilf:, and the contract gives her sevedl months before she would need to move to Ann Arbor. The city charter te- quires top officials to maintain city residency while serving in their posi- tion. The contract also gives Elias an an nual salary of$84,928 and up to $2,090 in relocation expenses. In additiob, Elias may take 20 days paid vacati. Unlike the contract ofher predecess , former City Attorney Elizabeth Schwartz, Elias' contract does nothave a guaranteed term, but, as writtepn the city charter, the council mayterne nate Elias at any time. Councilmember Jane Lumm (Rpd Ward) said she believes Elias wasof- fered a contract similar to those giveno other city employees. Councilmember Patricia Veie&i- Dixon (D-I1st Ward) said that incotii g council members will have a mirih easier time now that the attorney aPA city administrator positions have been filled. Council members who were elected last week take office today. Elias is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Brandeis University. Prior to her work as a lawyer for the Detroit branch of Miller, Canfield, Paddo'k and Stone, Elias served as head coun$il for the city of Detroit. Elias could not be reached for con- ment this weekend. SPLIT Continued from Page 1A Laurence Deitch (D-Bloomfield Hills) and Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Ar- bor) for plotting to oust Duderstadt from his position, but members of the board firmly denied the governor's statements. John Truscott, the governor's press secretary, said yesterday that the truth is finally coming out. Engler and Truscott were in Haiti until yesterday, visiting with members of the Michigan National Guard. "The governor wouldn't have said what he did without knowledge of the problems on the board. It was poor judgment on the part of some of the (regents)," Truscott said. "He exposed it and now it's out in the open." Following the governor's statements, Deitch said in September there was no information that could implicate any of the regents in Duderstadt's resignation. "I don't expect anyone - regents or administrators -to say anything about this because there is nothing to say," Deitch said. Truscott said that while the governor does not plan to speak again on the issue of Duderstadt's resignation, the letter supports the theory of a conspiracy. "Clearly there were a few (regents) that really wanted him gone," Truscott said. "It's too bad because they've driven away a world-class president." But Harrison said that there is still no evidence of a coup. "I certainly don't think the document speaks to any con- spiracy," he said. Duderstadt also has continued to deny any regents' involvement in his deci- sion to resign. In an interview taped last Thursday that aired yesterday on WXYZ-TV, Duderstadt said he did not know of a board conspiracy. "I was unaware of any particular plot to oust me as president," he said. Uprooted tree kills one, injures two in car crash By Zachary M. Raimi Daily Staff Reporter An uprooted tree smashed into a pick- up truck on Washtenaw Avenue early Saturday afternoon, killing one person and injuring two others, an Ann Arbor police officer said yesterday. The deceased, a 36-year-old man, was riding in the right front seat. The driver was a 38-year-old man, and a 41- year-old female was in the back seat. Police did not release the victims' names yesterday. AAPD Sgt. Richard Blake did not know the extent of their injuries. Blake said the incident occurred at 1400 Washtenaw Ave., near the inter- section of South University and Washtenaw avenues. Blake said the tree was blown by the strong winds that whippedthrough Ann Arbor on Saturday. He added he did not know what kind of tree it was. Blake said the damaged vehicle, a Ford Ranger, was "not driveable." The truck had to be cut in order to remove at least one of the passengers, Blake said. "There was some extrication, but I don't know to what extent," he said. The Ann Arbor Fire Department aided in the rescue efforts. The officers on the scene, Gary Oxender and Staff Sgt. Dennis Betz, were not available for comment yester- day. Blake said no similar problems were reported in Ann Arbor on Saturday. "... 'The main thing I've got to say,' Stephen said last night, 'is none ofus are going to get high until all of us get high.' "Stephen, a spiritual teacher from San Francisco, is traveling across the country with a caravan of 200 followers, teaching his religion of 'conscious awareness,' love, and non-violence to all people who will listen. "Last night, he brought his phi- losophy to 650 people who gath- ered in Rackham Lecture Hall. ..." aMa2 Reason #2 You're J Celebrating te Weekend Celebrate with something good. Call Domino's Pizza. 6111E.1An761-9393 1031E. An St -1200 Packard I~l~rnlu1AIJG4±U kmA What's happening In Ann Arbor today .GROUP MEETINGS L Burning Bush Campus Ministry, 930-0621, Michigan Union, Watts Room, 1st Floor, 7-8:15 p.m. 0 Nlnjtsu Club, beginners welcome, 761-8251, Intramural Sports Building, Room G-21, 7:30-9 p.m. U Orthodox Christian Fellowship, 665-9934, Michigan Union, Welker Room, 7 p.m. 0 Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club, men and women, beginners welcome, 994-3620, CCRB, Room 2275, 7-8 p.m. Which He Edited," sponsored by Shaman Drum, Shaman Drum Bookshop, 315 South State Street, 4-6 p.m. Q "Cultural Discrimination in Hous- Ing Evictions: Qualitative Qualifi- cations of a Quanititatlve Model," Richard Lempert, spon- sored by Research Club, Rackham Building, West Conference Room, 4-5:30 p.m. U "Explaining Illusions," Daniel Kahneman, special colloquium se- ries: evolution theory and the be- havioral sciences, sponsored by Reserach Center for Group Dynam- Q "Spilling the Beans," sponsored by American Cultures Depart- ment, Michigan Union, Koessler Room, 12 noon STUDENT SERVICES Q Campus Information Centers, Michigan Union and North Cam- pus Commons, 763-INFO, info@umich.edu, UM *Events on GOpherBLUE, and http:// www.umich.edu/~info on the World Wide Web Q English Composition Board Peer Tutoring," 741-8958, Mason Hall, Room 444C, 7-11 p.m. :.