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Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy,
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Monday
September 25, 1995
DPS suspects arson
in Baits II house fire
Housing Fire
A fire on the ground floor of a North
Campus housing unit is the first in
University Housing this year. The
cause of the fire is still under
investigation. There. have been three
fires near the.
University over "l
the last two Baits-Ewet
weekends. [ous j
Revised bill t
cut $10 bil*xh4lo n
By Anupama Reddy
For the Daily
Early Friday morning, residents of
Baits 11 Ziwet House, on .North Cam-
pus, were evacuated from their halls as
flames ripped through a ground-floor
room. According to the Department of
Public Safety, the fire started at 1:30
a.m. in Room 2101 Ziwet, and there
were no injuries.
"The fire is being investigated as a
possible arson," said DPS Capt. James
Smiley.
Engineering senior Chris Curtis. who
lives across the hall, said, "I heard a
whooshing sound and saw a yellow
glow under my door. I was only asleep
for 20 minutes."
Resident Woody Bynus called DPS
when his roommate told him there was
smoke in the hall. Those living on the
floor where the fire started were ques-
tioned by DPS Officer Randall
LaLonde. They noted that the room
was-unoccupied for only 24 hours be-
fore the incident.
Some residents thought it was a fire
drill since there had been several recent
drills in other dormitories. Then, three
fire trucks from the Ann Arbor Fire
Department and several DPS officers
arrived on the scene. Residents waited
for about an hour while the firefighters
entered the building, began to stop the
flames and drew the smoke out of the
room.
DPS estimated damages to be
$20,000, Smiley said.
"The corner of the bed, part ofa chair
and some carpet were burned," said
Ann Arbor Fire Department Investiga-
tor Ron Heemstra.
He also said fire doors should have
been closed to keep the fire from
spreading up the stairway and into
other halls.
Resident Matthew Booney said, " I
f
Inset
Area
2 orth
campus
i Campus
Bursle
'~Hall
s-
JONATHAN BERNDT/Daily
was on the third floor using the phone in
the hallway when I heard this rumbling
noise and explosion. I smelled smoke
and saw flames coming up the stair-
way."
DPS had no additional comment on
the motive, and further investigation is
still pending.
Inside: Fire in EELS Building forces
scientists to evactuate. Page 7.
IVTI WANI/Spec~iUl theDily
Firefighters cordoned off this section of
Ziwet House in Baits 11 after a fire
erupted early Friday morning.
By Ronnie Glassborg
Daily Staff Reporter
With Senate Republicans unable to
agree on reductions for student loans,
Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R- Kan.) is pro-
posing a new plan that calls for more
cuts to the direct loan program and
elimination of the interest-free grace
period.
"I don't think any of us come to this
session with any real relish for what we
need to do," Kassebaum, chair of the
Senate Labor and Human Resources
Committee, told The Associated Press.
With committee Democrats opposed
to any reductions to student financial
assistance, the Republicans on the com-
mittee need to agree on the cuts. The
committee plans to reconvene on the
plan tomorrow.
The proposed cuts would amount to
more than $10 billion over the next
seven years.
Kassenbaum's revised plan contains
a 0.85-percent fee charged to universi-
ties, based on the value of the federal
loans that the school makes available to
students and their parents.
The initial proposal - which would
have cost the University $1.7 million a
year - called for a 2-percent fee. The
new plan will cost the University
$723,000 a year.
"That's a move in the right direc-
tion," said Walter Harrison, vice presi-
dent for University relations. "I hope
they reduce -it another 0.85 percent."
The proposal also calls for an elimi-
nation of the interest-free grace period
after graduation on new student loans.
The initial plan reduced this to four
months from the current six-month pe-
riod.
Ken Tolo, senior adviser to U.S. Edu-
cation Secretary Richard Riley, criti-
cized the proposed elimination of the
grace period in an interview yesterday,
"Students appropriately need a short
time period following graduation to
complete their job search and assume
employment, and the six-month period
allows them to do that," Tolo said.
The new plan also would cap the
direct loan program at 20 percent of all
federal loans - dowvn from 30 percent
in the initial proposal. That wvouldelimi-
nate one-third to one-half ofthe schools
currently in the program.
Harrison said he has assumed the
University would not be eliminated from
the program since it was one of the first
to enter.
"At the moment, I'm concerned
See LOANS, Page 7A
Duderstadt to
earn- -ft $260,709
By Jcosh White
Daily Staff Reporter
Pursuant to a plan adopted in 1993, the University Board
of Regents voted to raise President James J. Duderstadt's
salary 5 percent and an additional sum of more than $16,000
at its monthly meeting Friday.
Duderstadt's salary increased to $260,709 for fiscal year
1996, $28,288 more than he earned in fiscal year 1995.
Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor) said at the meeting
that the 5-percent increase - which accounts for $11,621 -
and the $16,667 equity adjustment payment are funded by
"the auxiliary activities fund rather than from tax dollars in
the general fund of the budget."
The equity adjustment program has been in place for three
years, and Baker said the 5-percent increase for Duderstadt
is "'consistent with past practice."
"The merit increase and the equity adjustmentbring him more
into line with the salaries of other Big 10 presidents," said
University spokeswoman Lisa Baker.
In other business:
Chief Financial Officer Farris Womack announced at
Friday's meeting that the University was named the 1995
Corporation of the Year by the Michigan Minority Business
Development Council.
"This shows our continued commitment to minority business
,. eat the University," Womack said. "We have long wanted to
w In this award, but this is the first year we have ever won it."
Regent Nellie Varner (D-Detroit) said the award was quite
an accomplishment.
"We should appreciate this as a major milestone for the
University," Varner said. "It reflects the image ofthe Univer-
sity as one that welcomes minority business. It is really very
rewarding. to see the University recognized for it."
Despite a recent fire at the former Sigma Phi Epsilon
fraternity house, the University continues to negotiate with
the property's owner about buying the real estate located on
the corner of State and Hill streets.
A fire caused more than $400,000 in damage to the house
a week ago Saturday, and complicated the sale of the prop-
erty to the University, Womack said.
"We continue to talk," Womack said. "We are waiting for
additional information on the damage to the building before
we can really know what the status is. We had agreed to buy
the property for a certain price before the fire, and now we
have to look at what happened, what type of damage there is,
and we have to keep talking with the owners.
"The University is still interested in the property."
Residents upset by
U' plan to relocate
bistoric A2Z home
By Amy Klein
Daily Staff Reporter
When the University purchased a his-
toric Ann Arbor home, administrators
viewed the sale as a solution to many
problems - a parking lot would he
built and the house would be moved to
the Nichols Arboretum. But for city
residents the problems were just begin-
ning.
After pleas from residents last week,
the University Board of Regents de-
cided to postpone the relocation of the
historic Burnham House, pledging to
work more closely with the community
to find a mutually acceptable spot.
The University purchased the prop-
erty at 940 Maiden Ln. last May for
additional parking for the Kellogg Eye
Center, and residents agreed that the
existing Burnham House should be pre-
served and relocated.
Last week the University unveiled a
plan to move the house to the Geddes
Road entrance of the Nichols Arbore-
tum as the new Urban Environmental
Education Center, which would host
environmental programs and tours for
school children, adults and University
students.
The University originally intended
to construct a new building for the cen-
ter - until estimates revealed a $1.5
million undertaking.
Members of the Oxbri+_,c Neighbor-
hood Association, which represents the
area surrounding the north and west
sides of the Arb, criticized University
administrators at public comments last
Thursday for failing to consult the corn-
mun ity.
"Once again the University has acted
in a unilateral fashion without consult-
ing its neighbors," said Barbara Levin
Bergman, an Ann Arbor resident.
"Someday you may want something
from the citizens in my neighborhood
-there is quid pro quo on these thing.
Following public comments, many
regents agreed that residents should be
contacted in the future planning for the
educational center.
"I think there's a complete linkage
between the University and Ann Arbor,
which implies reciprocity and respect,"
said Regent Laurence Deitch (D-
Bloomfield Hills). "This site, even
See BURNHAM, Page 7A
In mem riam 'TONYA BROAD/Daily
Volunteer Chang-ming Fan, of Saline, lights candles to line the running track at Domino's Farms for the
"24-hour Relay for Life," benefiting the American Cancer Society. Several University groups sponsored
teams for the event held In memory of Ann Roddy, who died of cancer in 1994. See story, Page .3A
rk Sf ' A iA~iiB EG I NS4
Jewish students choose between classes, worship
By Kate Glickman
For the Daily
Jewish students and faculty face a
difficult decision this time every year.
They must choose between classes and
worship services for their new year,
Rosh Hashanah.
"Traditionally, students who observe
the holiday refrain from work to focus
on the Jewish community, introspection
and the coming of the New Year," said
Marni Holtzman, Hillel program direc-
tor.
But observation becomes tricky for
Jewish students when their religious
faith and academic dedication clash, as
the University does not cancel classes
for either Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kip-
pur.
Students called Hillel this week to
"I am missing two movies out of 12.
I.'m going to have to work hard to
catch up."
- Jesse Levine
LSA senior
Marching,
band to play
tonigt at
Members hope for live
coverage of show on
Monday Night Football
By Kate Glickman
For the Daily
The Michigan Marching Band will
give a special performance tonight on
national television when it plays at the
Silverdome for the Lions-49ers game.
ABC will air the 9 p.m. match as its
featured game for Monday Night Foot-
ball. The band's pregame show will
She said professors are strongly urged
not to penalize any student for religious
observation.
"The University hands out notices of
all religious holidays to faculty at the
beginning of the year and asks pro fes-
sors to try to accommodate," said phys-
ics Prof. Paul Berman.
"I know there are students who won't
be here," he said. To help Jewish stu-
dents who won't attend his class
work or religious observation, Levine
said.
"~Considering the amount ofJews who
attend this school, it wouldn't be a bad
idea to cancel classes," he said, "be-
cause even if work is made up for,
holding classes gives Jews a tendency
to think twice, and they shouldn't have
to.
Observant Jews said the pressure to
attend class prevents some students from
The Michigan Marching Band musters on the steps of Revelli Hail before the
Michigan-Memphis game earlier this month. The band will play before kickoff
during halftime at tonight's 49ers-Lions game at the Pontiac Silverdome.
crowd our members' schedules."
Members of the band say they are
thing. It just seems more important that
you get everything right," he said.
I