,..... Weather Tonight: Rainy, low in the mid-50s. Tomorrow: Rain, high in the lower-60s. it I an tt t One hundred four years of editorialfreedom Tuesday September 19, 1995 (ae. ,. .. ,,, 4 , n _^ , Investigatorsuspectarson Fire department rules out natural causes in $400,000 blaze By Zachary M. Raimi Daily Staff Reporter The Ann Arbor Fire Department has ruled out natural causes for the fire that ravaged much of the former Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house late Saturday afternoon, and officials suggested yester- day that the fire may have been arson. "We looked at all possible sources of ignition and we've been able to elimi- nate the electrical system and the heat- ing system," said Fire Marshal Scott Rayburn after investigating the site yes- terday. "There is a very good chance it could be arson." Assembly officers to present budget Proposal would provide additional $16,500 for student groups By Michelle Lee Thompson Daily Staff Reporter After a week of number-crunching and compromising on the part of three Michigan Party members and one Stu- dents' Party member, the Michigan Stu- dent Assembly will hear a1995-96 bud- get proposal tonight. Of those responsible for the draft - MSA President Flint Wainess and Vice President Sam Goodstein, Treasurer Adam Clampitt and Budget Priorities Committee Chair Remco Van Eeuwijk - Van Eeuwijk is the lone Students' Party member. "It's really a difficult spot to be in - I know I'm one against three," said Van Eeuwijk, a Rackham representative. "But I think this is a workable budget." This year's budget, which allocates substantially more funding to BPC and the committee discretionary fund than in the past, took weeks to churn out. In accordance with MSA's Compiled Code, the assembly must wait until next Tuesday's meeting to propose amend- ments and vote on the figures. MSA controls $216,120 in revenue from a $2.94 fee paid by every student as well as interest on that income. This year's proposed budget allo- cates $83,000 of that money to the Bud- get Priorities Committee, which in turn doles out funding to various student groups. The figure represents a $16,500 in- crease, which follows an $11,500 in- crease the previous year. "Student groups are one of the most important things that MSA funds" Wainess said. The committee's discretionary fund, designed to hold money for later use by committees was allocated $6, 167. "This is really an incentive for com- mittees and commissions to work hard," Wainess said. Following a student vote last spring See MSA, Page 7 Also, Rayburn said the fire caused $400,000 in damage. An initial estimate Sunday pegged the damage at $100,000. The complete report of the depart- ment's investigation is expected to be finished today. "It appears that there were vagrants living in there and we're tracking down some of them," Rayburn said, referring to homeless people. Rayburn would not comment on which types of evidence found on the scene that have led the fire department to believe homeless were involved. But officials have not eliminated the possibility that members of the frater- nity, popularly known as Sig Eps, may have been involved. "We have not ruled that out," Rayburn said, but added that the investigation does not point to students at this time. Scott Sandier, LSA senior and former president ofthe fraternity, said he never thought former members were involved. The fraternity, located at 733 S. State St., returned its charter to the national organization last fall. The group re- ceived strict sanctions from the national organization and the University's In- terfraternity Council in response to a hazing incident last fall. The house is owned by the Sigma Phi Epsilon Building Association, which was formed by the fraternity's local alumni chapter. The University was in the process of purchasing the house before Saturday's fire, and University officials said Sunday they were still interested in the property. It is unclear how the fire will affect the negotiation of the purchase. .Jacques Vauclain, director of hous- ing and education for the Virginia-based national Sigma Phi Epsilon organiza- See FIRE, Page 7 J i .. , _ . : _ ... The Michigan Arson Prevention Committee has offered up to $5,000 in reward money for leads on how the fire at Sigma Phi Epsilon started. Large red ,~ ~ ~signs were posted , around the house. yesterday, displaying a phone number to call. KRISTEN SCHAEFER/Dadiy President sets vision for future in speech Duderstadt titles new strategy to plan for changes 'Vision 2017' By Stephanie Jo Klein Daily Staff Reporter University President James J. Duderstadt unveiled his vision of the university of the future to the faculty's Senate Assembly yesterday. Kicking off the "Distinguished Speakers Series," Duderstadt spoke of the University's capabilities to handle its challenges. "The University has been extraor- dinary in its ability to adapt to change in society as both a public and re- search university, he said. Yet, to face the future, Duderstadt said he envisioned a more strategic, policy of change. . The president called the new strategy of Univer- sity transformation Duderstadt "Vision 2017," re- placing the old "Vision 2000," which focused on positioning the University as a leading player in the educational scene of the 21 st century. As the answer tochanginglocal, state and national demographics, Duderstadt said the strategy "serves to challenge, excite and embolden members of the University community." The four goals of the strategy in- clude "attracting and retaining excep- tional students and staff; providing necessary resources and environments for people to push the limits of their abilities; building a University cul- ture and spirit which values adven- ture, leadership, and community;eand developing a flexible capacity for change," Duderstadt said. Hegalso cited recent programs, such as the Michigan Agenda for Women and Value-Centered Management - the University's new budgeting proce- dure and a recommitment to under- graduate education as examples of the new direction the University will be taking. "The success (of the University) may be our greatest challenge," Duderstadt said. "We can not rest on our laurels" The University's billion-dollar in- vestment in capital construction was also mentioned. Duderstadt noted the necessity of re- structuring the campus as well as its programs, although "many people think the Wolverine has been replaced by the (construction) crane." The presidentjokingly mentioned the possibility of the "edutainment" indus- try taking over the role of the Univer- sity. The prospect of Microsoft or Disney buying out the University did not sit well with assembly member Mark De- camp. "I think the likelihood of it happen- KRISTEN SCHAEFER/Daily Ryan Neice, an LSA sophomore, roller blades past the 'Triton' fountain. The fountain remains in operation from late April until after Homecoming in the fall. Fountain rests in Ingalls By Kiran Chaudhri Daily Staff Reporter It greeted you at Orientation with a splash. It watched you as you walked to your first class. Sometimes it's red, sometimes it's fishy, sometimes it's bubbly. It's "Sunday Morning in Deep Wa- ters," the fountain in Ingalls Mall be- tween the Modern Languages Building and the Michigan League. Commonly known as the "Triton," the bronze fountain was built in 1940 by sculptor Carl Milles through a dona- tion by Charles Baird. Milles was com- missioned to make the fountain in memory of Thomas McIntyre Cooley, one of the original professors of the Law School when it was founded in 1859. The fountain "...was inspired by the sculptor's memories of boyhood ad- ventures with his own father and broth- ers," states the dedication plaque in the concrete beside the Triton. A lot of history surrounds this infa- mous waterspout. A popular campus myth, explained University Planner Fred Mayer, describes how the foun- tain changed shortly after its construc- tion. It was rumored, Mayer said, that one day as Mrs. Horace Rackham (as in the Rackham Graduate School) was driv- ing by the fountain, she noticed that the Triton's height obstructed the view of iall as campus tradition her husband's building, the Rackham dumped into the Triton's waters, he Building. said. In response to her complaint, the Vickers said such pranks occur about fountain's pedestal was lowered. six times each school year. Despite the mythical and forbidding He also commented on the array of appearance of the bronze god, students items found tossed into the fountain, still have mischevious fun with the ranging from pennies, to rubber bugs, watery landmark. to socks and shirts: "You name it," he Passing by the fountain the Saturday said. of the Michigan-Memphis game, stu- The fountain remains in operation dents may have noticed that the water in from late April until after Homecoming the fountain was red. in the fall. "That was the first time anyone has Duringthe time it's running, the foun- (dyed the water red)," said Jack tain "is a focal point," Mayer said."You Vickers, a University plant depart- always see mothers bringing their chil- ment plumber. "Normally, people put dren there, people having their lunch soap in it." there. In the past, even goldfish were "It has become an attraction." Washingt Post to print Unabomber's manifesto Gains bMuslim soldiers jeopardize Bosnia peace plan SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - A U.S. peace initiative, promoted by diplomats over Bosnian Serb resis- tance, was mired yesterday in new problems - the unprec- edented battlefield gains of the Serbs' enemies. While NATO airstrikes battered the rebel Serbs and forced them to agree to withdraw their heavy weapons from around Sarajevo, the army of the Muslim-led government and allied Croat forces have taken huge chunks of territory from the Serbs. Croat and government forces claim they have captured some 2,400 square miles - or just more than 12 percent of Bosnia - in the past week. The Bosnian Serbs' losses are so severe that many observ- - .ern n. n . ., , 3rm Cn~f C ,Jnnrt,-A Vnondinrn av ,~, ® The New York Times agrees to print manuscript in today's editions of the Post Los Angeles Times SAN FRANCISCO - Acceding to the request of the elusive Unabomber, The Washington Post and The New York Times agreed yesterday to pub- lish the deadly terrorist's 35,000-word manuscript in today's editions of the Post at the request of the nation's top law enforcement officials. flrcniteconcern-, that nublicaition of Post and The New York Times have jointly faced the demand of a person known as the Unabomber that we pub- lish a manuscript of about 35,000 words," said Post publisher Donald E. Graham and Times publisher Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr. in an unusual joint state- ment. "If we failed to do so, the author of this document threatened to send a bomb to an unspecified destination with intent to kill.' "From the beginning, the two news- papers have consulted closely on the issue of whether to publish under the threat of violence. We have also con- sulted law enforcement officials. Both UP PHATr U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke (right) I