Threatening Phone Calls Harass University of Michigan Students

State and federal authorities are currently investigating a series of threatening phone calls directed at members of gay and anti-racist groups at the University of Michigan.

No progress has been made in finding the person responsible for the three phone calls, which were made during the past two weeks, according to the Ann Arbor Police Department. But the investigation will continue "until something turns up," said Sergeant John Bodenschatz.

A spokesman for the FBI said yesterday that the federal authorities will only remain part of the investigation if they find enough evidence to show that a civil rights violation has occurred that would warrant continuing investigatory procedures.

The first of the calls was made to a student member of the United Coalition Against Racism (UCAR). The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she received an answering machine message from a man who threatened to rape and kill her because of remarks she made in The Michigan Daily promoting the UCAR movement on campus.

Within a week after the first threatening call, two student members of the Lesbian and Gay Rights Organizing Committee (LaGROC) reported receiving two consecutive calls from a man who said he hated gay people and threatened murder and rape.

Sophomore James E. LaForest said he and his roommates tried to have the call traced after the man called a second time to talk to senior Carol E. Wayman, but that the police were unable to do so.

"We had the man on the line for seven minutes. The police were very unhelpful, "LaForest said. "The caller threatened to kill gay men, and he wanted to come over and rape [Carol] and all lesbians in general."

Threatening telephone calls are not uncommon on the university campus, but the seriousness of these threats distinguishes them from previous incidents, Bodenschatz said.

Authorities believe the three phone calls may be related, although the recipients of the calls said that the descriptions of the voices they heard did not match.

Several days after the first call, the Daily received a call from a Black male who said he had made the call. But the recipient of the call said she did not think the caller was the same person who had threatened her because he did not know details about the call she received.

The student government, the Michigan Student Assembly, offered a $2500 reward after the first threatening phone message for information that would help identify the caller, according to the Daily.

The phone calls are the most recent incidents of harassment directed against Blacks and gay people on the Michigan campus.

"There's people out there who really don't want Black students on this campus," said the UCAR member who was threatened. During the past months, flyers reading "Niggers get off" have been posted on campus, she said.

Students said university authorities have not responded adequately to the threats, and do not seem to be confronting the attacks on Blacks and gays.

"I feel relatively insecure when I go out at night because I know the climate, and I know of gay people who have been recognized and beaten on campus. It's a threatening atmosphere," LaForest said.

But UCAR and LaGROC members who were threatened said they are not very worried about their own safety. "The person hasn't followed up. I think [the publicity] has sufficiently scared them off," said the UCAR member. She added that the FBI has cars patrolling her street for her protection.

Wayman said the FBI has not contacted her or LaForest about the calls. "They don't seem too interested in what's going on with gay people right now," she said.

Charles Moody, the vice provost for minority affairs at Michigan, said he could not comment on the phone calls because the investigation is ongoing.

"They've made comments, but in terms of anything tangible, they haven't done anything," said the UCAR member who was threatened. She added that administrative apathy is part of the reason racism on campus has increased over the past year.

"Things have been happening, and our administration is failing to take things seriously. The campus has been polarized and the administration doesn't take any action," she said.

The school's Board of Regents yesterday passed an anti-discriminatory policy ensuring disciplinary action for people who discriminate against members of the campus community on the basis of their race, sex, ethnicity, or sexual preference, said Keith Molin, the director of university communications.

The policy, which was designed by Interim University President Robbin Fleming, will go into effect at the beginning of May. During April, the Board will accept recommendations from students, alumni, or national groups who wish to amend the policy.