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night: Cloudy with rain
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14
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One hundred five years of editori d freedom
1W
Wednesday
November 1, 1995
- -.140 !2m=" "" '''! lw!""- , , i -.Mb I
TA union calls
for workload,
wage changes
By Heather Miller
Daily Staff Reporter
Negotiations between the Graduate
Employees Organization and the Uni-
versity began at 6 p.m. yesterday on a
new contract to replace the current three-
year agreement, which expires Feb.1.
Ten individuals from a 12-member
negotiation team elected by GEO met
with a University team including Dan
Gamble, associate director of academic
human resources, and Barbara Murphy,
assistant to LSA Dean Edie Goldenberg.
The two sides talked for 2 1/2 hours in
the Michigan League.
"We established a basis for mutual
concern and trust,"
Julie Novkov, a
memberoftheGEO OUr p
bargaining team,d
said after the nego- emlOfnlti
tiations. "We have GEO' ci
tentative agree-
ments on a good set t
of ground rules."
GEO represents excellenc
graduate student
teaching assistants-
and staffassistants. GEO bargain
Yesterday also
ra
tir
JOE N
30 :members rally in front of the Fleming Administration Building yesterday, yelling toward President James J. Duderstadt's office for more pay and respect.
EO members ralyto show solidari
Heather Miller posals," said GEO member Rachel "What affects TAs affects all under- She said that while "peop
'ly Staff Reporter Barish, an anthropology graduate stu- graduates," she said. ties really rely on teac
Grasping red pencils in raised fists dent. "TAs have the same concerns we University's priorities are
the Graduate Employees Organiza- Mark Rogers, an American culture do," she said, noting that GEO is asking the administration rather th
n power salute - about 300 sup- graduate student, agreed: "I think we for limits in class sizes in its negotia- tion and education.
rters rallied on the Diag yesterday need to show the University we are tions. During the speeches on
emoon in support of the teaching committed to winning a decent con- "The victory of GEO is a victory for GEO members and suppo
sistantsunion's contractnegotiations, tract and having them treat us with all of us," she said, out orange postcards statin
hich began last night. respect." Julie Novkov, a member of GEO's supported GEO. The cards
Supporterswavedsignsreading"The GEO President Scott Dexter began bargaining team and a student in the lected in a mail bag and
niversity Works Because We Do" the rally by saying, "We're here to sup- political science Ph.D. program, said Duderstadt's office in the F
d "12 percent good enough for port the negotiating team. the University does not pay enough ministration Building.
uderstadt,goodenoughforme"while "Respect. It's aboutrespect," he said. attention to undergraduate education Supporters rallied with
anting "GEO." "Today we demand that respect." and TAs. "Duderstadt hear us say wh
"(The rally) is like a kickoff to show LSA senior Amy Carroll spoke at the "We are an important part of this is better pay" and "Tric
e University that we're behind our rally, representing an undergraduate university," she said. "This university Trick or treat. Pay me no
argaining team and bargaining pro- perspective on the contract negotiations. cannot run without us." See G
WESTRATE/Daily
no requirements for each department to
have such a policy.
The union wants to bring the num-
ber of minority TAs in line with the
demographics in the student body.
"What we've seen happening is that
minority TAs are under-represented,"
she said. "We think there's some dis-
crimination going on here."
Barish would like contracts written
to include a provision for proving dis-
crimination against TAs of color within
the University or a specific department.
GEO's fourth proposal concerns
academic excellence. Barish said the
University needs to improve training
for TAs and limit
class sizes.
P sals The union is
te calling for improve-
ments in benefits,
0 waivers and fees.
iI uuut u Currently, graduate
students who work
fewer than 10 hours
! a week do not re-
ceive health ben-
- Karen Miller efits. Barish said
ng team chair GEO believes the
University should
co-pay health ben-
efits for these TAs.
GEO President Scott Dexter said the
union also will negotiate for a new title
ofGraduate Student Instructor because,
he said, TAs do not simply assist, they
teach.
"Our proposals demonstrate GEO's
commitment to academic excellence,
and a recognition that graduate student
teachers are worthy of respect for the
work we do," said Karen Miller, chair
of the GEO bargaining team.
On the University side, Gamble said
he is optimistic that the groups will
reach an agreement by the contract's
Feb. 1 expiration date. "Our goal is to
have efficient, effective bargaining,"
he said before the session last night.
After the negotiations, he said, "I
thought it went splendid."
ty
marked a record
day for the union,
as it reached a 70
pe's priori-
hing," the
money and
ian instruc-
the Diag,
rters filled
g why they
s were col-
marched to
leming Ad-
chants like
hat we want
k or treat.
w so I can
EO, Page 2
percent membership rate among TAs,
GEO organizer Tamara Joseph said.
Rachel Barish, co-chair of GEO's
grievance committee, said the union's
platform, ratified in March, includes
requests in five major contract areas:
® The GEO bargaining team wants
to negotiate changes in wages and
workload. GEO is asking for a pay
increase because TAs are currently
earning "4.4 percent less than the Uni-
versity financial aid office says it costs
to live in Ann Arbor," according to
union figures.
Barish also said it is not uncommon
for a TA to work more hours than they
are originally toldthey will have to cover.
GEO would like a written hiring
policy. Barish said currently there are
Alinton
wams of
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -On the eve of
eace talks, a somber President Clinton
arned the leaders of Bosnia, Serbia and
roatia that their negotiations may be
he last chance we have for a very long
me" to end the deadliest conflict in
urope since World War II.
Delegations headed by Presidents
lobodan Milosevic of Serbia, Franjo
udjman of Croatia and Alija
etbegovic of Bosnia were to arrive
esterday evening for talks opening to-
ay at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
The leaders expressed cautious opti-
ism. "It seems that after all those
eace conferences we've had since
990, the world leaders have a joint
osition," Tudjman said. Milosevic
rged "a spirit of impartiality and ob-
ctivity."
"So much is riding on the success in
ayton, and the whole world is watch-
g," Clinton said at the White House in
send-off for Secretary of State War-
n Christopher and U.S. mediator Ri-
hard Holbrooke.
Holbrooke, author of a basic agree-
ent on the division of Bosnian terri-
ry and postwar power-sharing, spoke
autiously about the chances for peace
fter four years of war.
"We have a very tough job ahead of
s, we are not here to promise success
ut only our best efforts," he said on his
rrival at Wright-Patterson.
Medical students'trick-or-treat'
for canned goods for the poor
By Alice Robinson medical student who helped organize
For the Daily W wan th the event.
Good-n-Plentys, Kit Kats and diced
yams were among the items that showed
up in last night's trick-or-treat bags.
But the University medical students
who received diced yams and other
canned goods did not toss them out;
they will be donated to Ann Arbor's
Hope Clinic, which provides free health
care and serves as a year-round food
bank.
More than 50 enthusiastic pre-med
and medical students braved the chilly
weather and hit the streets, collecting
more than 2000 cans and reminding
residents to think of those less fortu-
nate.
"(We wanted) to bring out awareness
that there are a lot of people who do not
have proper housing, a place to live,
health care and food to eat," said Neil
Vidwans, a medical student and partici-
pant.
Along with soliciting cans, the stu-
dents distributed fliers thanking
homeowners for their generosity and
explaining that students were members
community to
know that U-M
cares, and we
want to abolish
the idea that UsM
is a cold place"
- Houda Dagher
Medical student
of the American Medical Association.
The innovative idea was originally
proposed several weeks ago at a meet-
ing of the Michigan State Medical So-
ciety.
"We had the plan a year ago, and
about a month ago the idea spread to
Wayne State University and Michigan
State University. The Michigan State
Medical Society decided to help us with
the whole thing," said Houda Dagher, a
"One of our aims was to raise aware-
ness about the Hope Clinic, so people
know that it's out there," said Steven
Chen, a medical student who brought
the idea to the University.
The project stemmed from a leader-
ship camp Chen attended, where par-
ticipants were encouraged to take the
idea back to their high schools. "I've
been told schools across the country are
doing it," he said.
By going out into the community,
participants wanted to dispel the myth
that medical students are all books and
no heart, Dagher said. She said people
often view the University as uncon-
cerned because it is so research-ori-
ented.
"We want the community to know
that U-M cares, and we want to abolish
the idea that U-M is a cold place," she
said.
"I feel like medical students get into
the profession to help people, and this is
something we can do to make a direct
See CANS, Page 2
JOE WESTRATE/Daily
University students C. J. Lee (right), Eric Huang (middle) and Pao Lin Chi collect
cans for Ann Arbor's Hope Clinic.
" .
Detroit volunteers help to keep Devil's Night quiet
DETROIT (AP) - Thousands of
volunteers who hit the streets as the sun
set apparently smothered Devil's Night,
a Halloween Eve arson tradition that in
some years has ended with hundreds of
buildings torched.
"Last year and the years before you
first year as mayor, had failed last year
carry to on the success of his predeces-
sor, Coleman Young, in eliminating
Devil's Night as a .contributor to
Detroit's notoriety.
"I think there was a lulling ... sort of
believing we had the problem resolved,"
fined the youths. They were allowed to
leave only when a parent or guardian
picked them up.
"Having the judges here is an imme-
diate impact on the kids and on the
parents," said Police Lt. Richard Shelby.
Officials would not say how many
Ann Arbor remained calm, quiet;
lone fire-bombing called 'minor'
By Jodi Cohen
Daily Staff Reporter
adding that the rain would act as a
deterrent.
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