Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 1997)
News Digest Courts hold Brown to tilling University must comply with Title IX gender quotas. WASHINGTON (AP) — In an ac tion hailed as a victory for sexual equality, the Supreme Court refused to free Brown University of rulings that the Ivy League school discrimi nated against female athletes. Although Monday’s court action is not a decision and therefore sets no legal precedent for other universities and colleges, the practical effect may be enormous. Lawyers for Brown had argued that lower court rulings in its case could require schools nationwide to offer varsity sports opportunities for women based on “a stark numerical quota.” Those courts had ruled that Brown violated a 1972 law known as Title IX. The law, credited by many with changing the face of women’s sports and influencing society’s attitudes about women, tens discrimination in education based on sex. All govern ment-run schools and private schools that receive federal money are covered by the law. Even before learning of the high court’s denial of review Monday, Brown officials submitted a plan for complying with Title IX. A federal trial judge’s must approve it. The plan calls for increasing by about 60 the number of varsity team positions available to Brown female athletes so their total number mirrors the overall student population. The school does not plan to cut any men’s teams, and would give varsity status to three additional women’s teams—lightweight crew, equestrian and water polo. Brown’s Title IX dispute dates to 1991, when Brown imposed universitywide budget cuts. The school, which then funded 16 varsity sports for men and 16 for women, ended funding for four teams — men’s golf and water polo and women’s gymnastics and volleyball. The move affected 37 men and 23 women. Some of the affected female ath letes sued, contending that Brown, in Providence, R.I., had violated Title IX. The court’s ruling elated women’s sports administrators. “I think the message that goes across the entire country today is that those who have been dragging their feet are duly warned that the time is now,” said Christine Grant, athletic director for women’s sports at the University of Iowa. “It’s a very clear message and long, long overdue.” In other action Monday, the Su preme Court: ■ Rejected the government’s effort to force Texaco to pay at least $1 bil lion more in taxes on Saudi Arabian oil it sold between 1978 and 1981. ■ Left intact a $1 million libel award won against ABC television by an Iowa manufacturer for a news re port (xi a Georgia county’s garbage recycling machine. ■ Let stand six Branch Davidians’ convictions stemming from a shootout that began the 1993 standoff at the cult’s compound near Waco, Texas. ■ Ruled in an Arizona case that parents seeking child-support pay ments from deadbeat ex-spouses can not sue states to force overall compli ance with federal efforts to help, but said some lawsuits might be allowed. Chirac dissolves parliament, calls new elections in France The country’s deficit must be cut in order to adopt the‘euro’ currency. PARIS (AP) — President Jacques Chirac dissolved the National Assem bly Monday and ordered early parlia mentary elections. Saying France “needs new elan ” Chirac asked voters for a new man date in the first round of parliamen tary balloting on May 25 and the June 1 runoff — about nine months ahead of the originally scheduled March 1998 vote. Struggling with 12.8 percent un employment, down in the polls and facing new budget cuts this year to qualify for using the European Union’s “euro” currency, Chirac was gambling that his conservative coalition could run now and still win. Chirac’s chief campaign battle cry before his May 1995 election was to fight unemployment. But initial efforts to slash long-held benefits and privi leges to create jobs ran into a wave of strikes that winter. Since then, unemployment has crept upward. Speculation had grown in recent months that Chirac could lose his majority if he waited for a vote next spring. In a nationally televised speech, Chirac challenged what he called “ar chaic solutions founded on ‘always more’ state, ‘always more’ spending, ‘always more’ taxes.” The president called for reforms “to allow a reduction in public spend ing, the only way to lighten the bur den of taxes and social charges that weigh too heavily on you.” Haflon/Wor_ Bomb threats disrupt London’s transit system LONDON — A string of telephoned bomb threats tied London’s air, rail and road traffic in knots on Monday and momentarily dis tracted politicians from the national election campaign. Authorities blamed the IRA. Prime Minister John Major, expressing contempt for the Irish Re publican Army, praised the “stoicism and good humor” of the travel ing public, which struggled all morning with citywide traffic snarls. No bombs were found. No one claimed responsibility, although the people who called in the threats used recognized IRA code words. Opposition still demands Netanyahu’s resignation JERUSALEM — Benjamin Netanyahu tried to shore up his gov ernment and his reputation Monday after escaping prosecution in an influence-peddling scandal, but opposition leaders demanded he re sign and face trial. The opposition asked Israel’s Supreme Court to overrule prosecu tors’ decision not to charge Netanyahu for his role in a political ally’s short-lived appointment as attorney general. But such an action ap peared unlikely. Weather keeps investigators from suspected crash site EAGLE, Colo. — Wind-driven snow Monday kept an Air Force recovery team known as the “Ninja brain surgeons” from dangling over a steep Rocky Mountain slope to examine the suspected crash site of a missing warplane. A powerful helicopter needed to drop the team was grounded by the weather at an airport 40 miles away. A blowing snow advisory and howling winds whipped through the search headquarters, about a mile below the snowy mountainside where shards of gray metal were spot ted Sunday. The Air Force believes the wreckage is the A-10 Thunderbolt war plane that vanished April 2. Jury questioning finished in Oklahoma bombing trial DENVER — The judge and attorneys finished questioning pro spective jurors Monday in the Oklahoma bombing trial after a labori ous 16-day process. The final panel of 12 jurors and six alternates was tentatively sched uled to be picked Tuesday after U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch hears some pending motions. The judge was considering selecting an anonymous panel to hear the case against Timothy McVeigh. A total of 99 people — from unemployed contractors to a wealthy businessman — have been brought in for questioning since March 31. Six were dismissed in open court and an unknown number were ex cused after private sessions between the judge and attorneys. Crooks, don’t go to Smith County, Texas TYLER, Texas — What more could a sheriff with 238 employees, horses, a 40-hound search team, boat patrols and personal watercraft need? Armored personnel carriers, of course. Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith has added two to his crime-fight ing arsenal, unveiling the vehicles last week. Each 13-too machine holds eight people. They have infrared sight ing systems and can withstand 50-caliber bullets and even hand gre nades. Used sparingly in the Gulf War, the vehicles had been stored for years. Smith County got them free under a government surplus equipment program and will make them available to authorities throughout east Texas. The vehicles will be used as a last resort when armed suspects refuse to surrender. Smith said all the heavy metal may have a “psychological effect on the crooks.” , Iowa student killed at VEISHA Police are looking for videotapes taken near where the man was stabbed. AMES, Iowa (U-Wire) — A 19 year-old college student died Sunday after being stabbed during Iowa State’s VEISHA celebration this weekend. Harold “Uri” Sellers, 19, was stabbed once in the chest and found on the front lawn of Adelante Frater nity, 318 Welch Ave. Sellers was stabbed with a sharp instrument, probably a knife, said Sgt. Jim Robinson of the Ames Police De partment. Police believe there may have been a fight before the attack. It isn’t known if alcohol was a factor. No arrests have been made. Sellers, of Monroe, Iowa, was a student at the Des Moines Area Com munity College in Ankeny, Iowa. Friends of his who attend ISU said Sellers told them he was coming to Ames Saturday for the VEISHA cel ebration. The man who stabbed Sellers is believed to have fled the scene with two other males. Police said witnesses at the scene saw the three males leave the area, heading south down Welch Avenue and then east on Knapp Street. Police are looking for a white male, age 19 to early 20s, about 6 feet tall, medium build, short black hair, pos sibly with facial hair consisting of a mustache, goatee and long sideburns, wearing a black leather coat, blue jeans and a tan shirt. Robinson said police have inter viewed dozens of witnesses and are attempting to locate any videotapes that were being filmed on Welch Av enue at the time of the incident. He said several Adelante members may have been on the fraternity’s second floor balcony, which overlooks the front lawn, when Sellers was noticed. Editor’s Note: The Ames Police Department’s phone number is (515) 239-5133. _ 0ajjy Questions? Comments? Ask for the appropriate section lNCPrO.SHO.Hi editor at 472-2588 or e-mail dn @ unlinfo.unl.edu. Editor: DougKouma A&E Editor: Jeff Randall General Manager: DanShattil Managing Editor: Paula Lavigne Photo Director: Scott Bruhn Advertising Manager: Amy Strothers Assoc. News Editors: Joshua Giilin Art Director: Aaron Steckelberg Asst. Ad Manager: Cheryl Renner Chad Lorenz Web Editor: Michelle Collins Classified Ad Manager: Tiffiny Clifton Night Editor: AnneHjersman Night News Publications Travis Brandt Opinion Editor: Anthony Nguyen Editors: Bryce Glenn Board Chairman: 436-7915 AP Wire Editor: John Fulwider Leanne Sorensen Professional Don Walton Copy Desk Chief: Julie Sobczyk Rebecca Stone Adviser: 473-7301 Sports Editor: Trevor Parks Amy Taylor FAX NUMBER: 472-1761 The Daily Nebraskan (USPS144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St., Lincoln, NE 68588-0448, Monday through Friday during the academic year; weekly during summer sessions. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by calling 472-2588. The public has access to the Publications Board. Subscription price is $55 for one year. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St., Lincoln, NE 68588-0448. Sec ond-class postage paid at Lincoln, Neb. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1997 DAILY NEBRASKAN