1991-04-08; Central Michigan Life

              C'
■ NEWS
Not much choice
Eleven candidates seek 28 SGA positions
Page 6
Central
Michigan
■ SPORTS
HEEEERE'S BASEBALL!
Columnists take look at Opening Day
Page 10
MONDAY
April 8, 1991
VOLUME 73, NUMBER 75
© 1991 CM LIFE
MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN 48859
(517) 774-3493
18 PAGES
Chippewa Indian Tribe Spring Powwow, held at Finch Fieldhouse.
POWWOW COMES TO CAMPUS
Celebration
fills Finch
with tradition
by JEFFREY JOHNSTON
Llr-b  M;inau;ny Editor
The words of announcer John
Bailey as he introduced the
mens traditional dance contest
set a respectful tone.
"When we dance this way. we
honor (our ancestors*,"* Bailey
said.
Two days o<" remembrance and
celebration at Finch Fieldhouse
paid tribute to Indian heritage
as CMU hosted its third annual
Powwow Saturday and Sunday.
The event drew more than
4.500 spectators as it brought
together members of the campus
.community, the Saginaw
Chippewa Tribe and other
Indians from around the state —
which is home to the Three Fires
Council of Ojibwe, Ottawa and
Potawatomi tribes, and across
the nation.
As a line of people stretched
from Franklin Street to the
ticket counter, the event began
just  after  1   p.m. Saturdav with
Many crafts were available at the Powwow,  including
these  Native American  spears.
I lie first of three grand entries.
Bearing; Hags at the head of
their ranks. Indian dancers led a
procession through the field-
house as a traditional singing
group, or drum, beat a steady
accompanying rhythm.
The dancers' path, traditionally called the circle, traced an
oval just inside the fieldhouse
jogging track. At its center,
several drums took turns
performing throughout the after
noon.
Each drum consists of about
five or six members. Seated
around a large, flat drum,
drummers keep time with
padded sticks as they sing
generations-old music in Indian
languages. Six drums, with
names like "Lone Wolf." "Two
Hawk" and "Wolf Shadow," took
part in CMU's powwow.
See POWWOW Page 1 5
High number
of visitors
may lead to
new location
by JEFFREY JOHNSTON
LIFE M.maymg Editor
Spectators packed the stands
and shoppers wound paths
around traders' booths lining the
walls at CMU's third annual
Powwow.
This year's gathering, which
brought at least 4,500 people to
Finch Fieldhouse, featured more
of everything than in previous
years — more traders, more
dancers and more visitors.
Announcer John Bailey said
participants and spectators
represented tribes from across
the United States and Canada,
and even Aztec Indians from
Mexico.
Sharon George, assistant
director of the Office of Student
Life, said 1,300 students received
i'ree    tickets    in    their    classes.
See MORE Page 18
Two SGA members
vote a g a i n st MCC
'diversity' guideline
by KAREN EMERSON
LI Ft News Editor
and STEVEN PONIATOWSKI
LIFE Staff Writer
Two Student Government Association members — including the
presidential candidate — voted against a diversity guideline requiring
Michigan Collegiate Coalition student delegations to have minority
representation.
Sue LaCore, Waterford junior and SGA presidential candidate, and
Dave Rose, Lake Orion freshman, opposed the diversity guideline.
At the Spring General Assembly this weekend at Central, MCC
members voted 20 - 4 in favor of the diversity policy, said Darlene
McManus, SGA senator and legislative affairs chair.
McManus is LaCore's vice presidential running mate.
LaCore said she was not sure exactly how many MCC representatives favored or opposed the guideline.
But she said the 20-4 figure "is way off."
MCC is a student lobbying group that includes representatives from
each of the state's 15 public universities.
The diversity guideline requires a group of three delegates to any
See MCC Page 13
Day of Action planned
to oppose ROTC policy
by CORRIE PERNIK
LIFE Copy Editor
Members of the University
community opposed to the
Department of Defense policy
discriminating against
homosexuals will join in a
nationwide Day of Action
Wednesday.
A press conference protesting
the government's policy and the
way it " discriminates by
excluding homosexuals from the
ROTC commissioning program
will mark the Day of Action at
Central, said James Jones, assistant professor of German.
The Day of Action, organized
by the United States Student
Association, is a national effort
encouraging President George
Bush - to rescind the defense
department's discriminatory
policy.
This is the first year CMU will
participate in the Day of Action,
Jones said.
The press conference will
include statements from the Gay
and Lesbian Association for
Student Support, Student
Government Association,
Faculty Association and Jones,
who represents gay and lesbian
faculty and staff, he said.
One SGA member read a
statement at Academic Senate's
March 26 meeting encouraging a
vote to either force ROTC to
comply with CMU's
non-discrimination policy or
remove the program from the
University.
The defense policy is "plainly
inconsistent   with   principles   of
equal opportunity and l-espect
for human dignity," said FA
President Guy Meiss.
The policy consequently
undermines   support   for  ROTC
on campus, said Meiss, associate
professor of journalism.
He said an FA statement
about ROTC asks Congress to
abolish the discriminatory
policy, Meiss said.
Jones    also   will    distribute
See ROTC Page 12
Open forum
to address
animosity
toward gays
by CORRIE PERNIK
LIFE Copy Editor
Prompted by an influx of
letters to CM LIFE regarding
the morality of homosexuality
and harrassment against
homosexual students, a
concerned    professor   scheduled
an open forum on homophobia.
The forum will feature faculty,
staff and students with experience or training on issues related
to homophobia, said James
Jones, assistant professor of
German.
The plethora of letters to
CM LIFE, sparked by an initial
See FORUM Page 18
—— ——• The    D.r u g   War,    C M U    Style —	
HUAD works to dispel party image!'Hemp Tour' to feature discussion
by THOMAS BUCHOLZ
[ IFF St.iff Writer
While a demonstration promoting the use of
marijuana takes place today, other students are
busy getting ready for the third annual Hands
United Against Drugs rally Wednesday.
Leighann Panczak. co-coordinator of Hands
United Against Drugs, said it is coincidental the
two events are so close to each other.
"Organizations at CMU are trying to break the
image of the typical party school, and through
Hands United Against Drugs we will make sure
that everyone knows of the p.,- ential problems that
drug abuse can cause." said Panczak, a member of
Alpha Sigma Alpha social -^rority.
"Some people think that drugs are only causing
havoc in large cities, such as New York and Los
Angeles, but in reality, drugs have reached smaller
towns like Mount Pleasant." she said. "It's up to us
to educate the public."
The rally, sponsored by Residence Hall
Assembly and Alpha Sigma Alpha, is scheduled
from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday in Warriner
Mall. In case of rain, the event will be rescheduled
for Thursday.
President Edward B. Jakubauskas and Mount
Pleasant Mayor Conrad English will speak at the
rally. They are expected to mention names of
organizations that can help people with dependency problems, Panczak, New Baltimore junior,
said.     • . '
After the speeches, the crowd will join hands and
circle Warriner Mall to form a bond of friendship
.'   See HANDS Page 14
by KRIS BANFIELD
LIFE Staff Wnter
Final arangements have been made for a rally
in support of marijuana — with one twist: people
representing both sides of the issue will serve on
a discussion panel.
The Hemp Environmental Activists, a student
group at CMU sponsoring today's rally, asked two
CMU faculty members to serve on a panel
convening at 5 p.m., said Ken Perrin, treasurer of
HE A.
"They're view is basically one-sided . . . we
don't agree and so we want to have panel
discussion and bring out both sides," said Perrin,
Hemlock sophomore. "Our group isn't saying
drug abuse is good. We are suggesting marijuana
is something that   can be used and not abused,
just as alcohol." - :
In addition to a few speakers with the Hemp
Tour — a group that travels statewide expressing
the benefits of the hemp plant — others on the
panel will be at least one recovering marjuana
abuser; Mark Minelli, . Health Advocacy Services
manager, and Ross Rapaport, professor of
counseling.
CM LIFE Editor Laura Phillips, North Branch
senior, will serve as the panel's.mediator.
Minelli said the panel discussion will allow
speakers to express their opinions as well as
provide scientific data and answer audience
questions. •-
"I think it's good  to have an open view of things
See RALLY Page 14 :
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