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November 14, 1967 - Image 4

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The Michigan Daily, 1967-11-14

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.. .. . . . .

Seventy-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
UNDER AUTHORITY OF BOARD IN CONTROL OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

THE VIEW FROM HERE
The Perfectly, Perfect SGC candidate
BY ROBERT KLIVANS

-ARM

Where Opinlcns Are Free, 420 MAYNARD ST., ANN ARBOR, MICH.
Truth Will Prevail

NEWS PHONE: 764-0552

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Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
or the editors. This must be noted in all reprints.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14;1967 NIGHT EDITOR: DAVID KNOKE
On teReerend
STUDENTS SHOULD VOTE No on the anything, a large bicameral body would
question of a constitutional conven- probably become more bogged down in
tion (Issue Two) in today and tomor- its own rhetoric and procedure than
row's SGC election, is the present SGC.
While recognizing the desires of If students pass Issue Two and a
those who- are seeking to make SGC Constitutional Convention is establish-
mord representative", we believe that ed, administrators will have an effec-
poor timing and the priorities of cam- tive excuse for a slow-down on needed
pus -problem demand rejection of the reforms. Would SGC function as well if
constitutional convention. Should the University officials could point to the
voters ,approve such a gathering, it referendum as a rejection of Council's
would be. held during the winter, in the authority?
initial stages of Robben Fleming's ad- Despite criticism, SGC has proved
ministration."The legitimacy of SGC, to be a highly workable and compact
which has been making substantive organization. It is beginning to effec-
gains for the student body, would be tively mobilize support in housing and
seriously undermined. With a conven- counseling areas, and it is now start-
tion ieeting, in effect, to tear SGC ing to confront major problems with
apart, ouncil leaders would find authority. A constitutional convention
themselves hard-pressed to effectively now would be changing horses in mid-
confront maj or problems. . stream, with no assurance that the
enn orimportant, the conven-new steed is sturdier than the old.
tion would drain :energy -and .interest Vote NO an Issue Two.
from important Council activities intoE
the petty playground of structural re- THE OTHER REFERENDUM, Issue
foria. The deployment of considerable One, asks for a campus decision on
maaow nd timeto a massive re-6. SGC's- Student-Community Organiza-
structuring when. students are being tions motion of last Spring. Students
bled by merchants, tooled by landlords, should vote YES to preserve the pres-
and ignored by administrators wold ent structure, which permits an auton-
be a ,senseless distotioni of priorities. omous SGC-sanctioned group to deter-
mine its own membership composition
Moreover, few seasoned observers of within reasonable limits. If this motion
student government will even concede were overturned, it would be a serious
that structural reform is relevant to blow to the freedom and self-deter-
any problem ailing SGC. Rather, SOC'smblo o frstdomtanduse
success 'or failure ;s a function of the
personalities serving on- CounciL If -THE SENIOR EDITORS
A Case(of"Too Many Indians

TODAY BEGINS the Student Government Council
elections, and-as those of us forced close to the
candidates have learned-this semester's slate once again
represents the typical, intelligent University student on
the extra-curricular make. They mouth the same plati-
tudes ("If elected, I intend to improve the relationship
between the student and his representatives"), make the
same demands ("A more responsible, representative gov-
ernment is needed"), and eventually-become the same
unapproachable councilmen when elected.
All of which of course got me thinking. After all, with
the vast computerized, information services on this cam-
pus, it should be no problem to find the Perfect Candidate
for SGC. Always searching for a better idea, I rambled
over to the computer center and processed all the qualities
desired of the ideal SGC member against the data on
every student at the University. In a half hour the com-
puter had coughed out an answer: Jason Good.
JASON GOOD-who had lived in a dorm as a fresh-
man, a fraternity as a sophomore, an apartment as a
junior, and now was spending his senior year in a co-op.
Jason Good-who worked simultaneously as sit-in chair-
man of Voice-SDS and subversive groups chairman of
Young Americans for Freedom. Jason Good-who is
serving his third year in ROTC while taking Conscientious
Objector lessons at draft counseling service. Jason Good-
who represents the perfect candidate for SGC. So, I
naturally invited Jason down to the MUG yesterday for
a special Daily interview.
"Jason, according to the IBM 4090, you're this cam-
pus's ideal candidate for SGC!"
Jason face turned pale white. "If nominated I will not

run, if elected I will not serve," he screamed, rising from
his chair and heading out the door.
"Hold it, Jason," I pleaded. "I'm not here to draft
you, but to find out what the ideal candidate thinks. Now
sit down and be frank with us. For instance, what do you
think of SGC's action last Thursday eliminating all stu-
dent driving permits and refuting the Regent's by-law as
illegal?"
"That was a bold and brilliant move! As the Student
Traffic Chaos Board pointed out, the Regents have no
legal, right to tell an 18-year old he 'can't drive while a
21-year old can. Transcending the legal issue is the moral
injustice of the Regents telling students how to live their
lives. The Regents have no moral right to regulate any
student behavior. In fact, that moral right does any state
body have to distinguish between a 14-year old and a
16-year old driving a car? In fact, what right does the
state have to determine any personal conduct rules for
anyone?" bellowed Jason, frothing at the mouth and
hollering out his student power line for all to hear. "What
the hell right do parents have to tell children how to
live? Decisions must be made by those most affected.
And since you yourself are most affected by your own
behavior, you make the decisions! That's what I call
'personal power'!" cried Jason, who was by now standing
atop the table, waving his hands to the crowd that had
gathered.
"But isn't that anarchy?" I asked.
"ANARCHY, SHMANARCHY. It's better than Regent-
al monarchy," wailed Jason, who was only now wiping
off the saliva that had dripped down his chin onto his
ragged work shirt and $25 sweater.

"Let's calm down, Jason, and go on to something less
emotional. Perhaps you have some opinion on the need
for a Constitutional Convention to restructure student
government?"
"Why I'm really in favor of that. In fact. I'd like to be
a delegate."
"Oh yes?"
"Of course. After all, how do you think John Hancock
became famous? Who knows whether he contributed
anything to writing the Declaration of Independence? He
had the flashiest signature."
"That's very interesting. But let's get back to student
power. What about the relations with the Vice-President
for Student Affairs?"
"Why, I've never had relations with the Vice President
for Student Affairs!" defended Jason, obviously distraught
by my questions.
I DECIDED TO draw a conclusion to the interview.
"There has been a lot of criticism of SGC as a 'sandbox
government.' How would you correct this image if you
were a candidate?"
"That's easy," answered Jason. "SGC has laws, rules,
and bureaucrats. Ithas courts, appeals, and legislatures.
It's only lacking one thing."
"And that's what?" I queried.
"Guns," said Good, grinning with the wisdom of the
long-lost answer for the 'oppressed majority' on college
campuses. "Guns, bullets, bombs, and bayonets," he
screamed.
With that final outburst he left, trotting out of the
MUB for his one o'clock lecture on "Man's Inhumanity
Toward Man.

m

a

Letters:Two Views of the Constitutional Convention

WHEN CLARK KERR coined the phrase
"multiversity", concerned followers
of the course of higher education en-
visioned their alma maters being turned
into' the IBM's of the future; huge cor-
porations with courtesy and the 'human
element' lacking. The university was to
become aninstituti6n run by a chain of
command, all factors gravitating upward
until the small unit of student and pro-
fessor would disappear from the conscious
of the power-directors.
In many ways, America's university has
suffered the opposite plight. As Roger W.
Heyns indicated here last week, "The
frustration 'of the modern university is
that there is no one in charge." Students
demand "rights"-the ability to influence
decisions and to request actidn. Legisla-
tures want quality, but at a minimum
cost and with the least sQcial and political
agitation. Parents and - alumni ask for
excellent education, a good image, and
a quiet, orderly campu.-
IJEYNS CALLED FOR a new "authori-
tarianism" to give the institution the
ability to cope with the .myriad of re-
quests, .lade of it; and to remain above
the status of mediator of warring fac-
tions .
He wants a focal poirt for planning,
for responsibilityphe wants a director of

action, or architect of progress. Leader-
ship in the modern university does not
exist. A university today is run by media-
tion, arbitration,, and organization, but
not by leadership. Heyns wants the uni-
versity to become less of a structure for
action and more an instigator of progress.
A university should be a single force mov-
ing ahead instead of a group of joined
forces pulling the whole apart.
To obtain this sense of direction, a
university must clarify the power roles:
it must give specific powers to the
branches of the university administra-
tion, it must clarify the areas in which
students and faculty have influence,
where they have advisory or decision-
making status. Universities are now test-
ing methods, trying to determine the
proper role of its overseers, its adminis-
trators, but in testing different methods,
in letting itself be ruled by the factions
of the non-academic community, the uni-
versity runs the risk of losing its own
voice in that society.
THE VALUE OF the academic voice is
that it is an unpressured, hopefully
rational voice. It would be °'unfortunate
if such an important social critic silences }
itself through a leadership void.
'-CAROLYN MIEGEL 3

To the Editor:
THE ISSUE of reorganizing
SGC faces the students in the
campus elections today and to-
morrow. A referendum offers the
student body a chance to estab-
lish a Constitutional Convention
which may produce a more repre-
sentative Student .Government
Council. Now, we understand the
reasons presented in The Daily
by Urban Lehner for voting
against the referendum. Mike
Davis, Administrative Vice-Presi-
dent of SGC, may be correct in
assuming that a Constitutional
Convention next semester may
undermine some of SGC's power
to bargain with the new adminis-
tration. But since The Daily does
not feel that it is worthwile to
print arguments which favor a
Con-Con, we would like to put
forward our views.
It has been said that a reor-
ganized SGC will still have many
flaws, and we can't argue with
that. However, we can foresee a
structure of Student Government
which would present, more chan-
nels of communication between
students and council than now
exist. Though a Con-Con would
not perfect SGC, it could certain-
ly improveit. As to the comment
that a Constitutional Convention
would weaken the bargaining
power of Student Government
Council, we ask the question: how
nuch power should SGC exercise
if it is not truly representative of
the students? Our position is that
first we examine SGC to see if a
new structure, might 'be more
representative of the student
body. If a new Council is called
for, then let the new SGC, not
the present one, do the bargain-
ing with the administration.
We would like to point out that
there are some "influential and
respected" student organizations

- j
t"'-^ - "---
"Stisiswhth-ay
"So is s u.,a tey meant by Black Power . ..."

next semester might undermine
some of SGC's power to bargain
with the new administration. But
since The Daily does not feel that
it is worthwhile to print argu-
ments which favor a Con-Con, we
would like to put forward our
views.
It has been said that a reor-
ganized SGC will still have many
flaws, and we, can't argue with
that. However, we can foresee a
structure of student government
which would present more chan-,
nels of communication between
students and council than now
exist. Though, a Con-Con would
not perfect SGC, it could certain-
ly improve it. As to the comment
that a Constitutional Convention
would weaken the bargaining
power of Student Government
Council, we ask the question:
how much power should SGC ex-
ercise if it is not truly representa-
tive of the students? Our position
is that first we examine SGC to
see if a new structure might be
more representative of the stu-
dent body. If a new Council is
called for, then let the new SGC,'
not the present one, do the bar..-
gaining with the administration.
We would like to point out that
there are some "influential and
respected" student organizations
on campus which support the
Constitutional Convention. They
include: IFC, IHA, West Quad
C o u n cil, Engineering Council,
Markley Council, and the College
Republicans. We join these or-
ganizations in urging the students
to vote yes on the referendum
calling for a Constitutional Con-
vention.
--Wally Rhines,
Pres., Engin. Council.
-Michael Renner, Chrm.,
College Republicans
-Diane Dreyfuss,
Vice-President,
Markley Council

Con IHA
To the Editor:
D ON RACHETER'S campaign
SGC has brought out a very
poor attitude on his part toward
his present position on IHA. He
has often been asked why he will
not resign his IHA post if he is
elected to SGC. On WCBN he an-
swered that he has time to do
both because being Executive Vice
President of lEA is not really that
big a job-all he does is draw. up
agendas and do other odd jobs
that Steven Brown gives him.
Steven Brown is hardly a tyrant
who would not his vice president
take any initiative. And if Mr.
Racheter cannot see that there
are many ways that he could be
working to improve IHA (and
that it needs a lot of time and
effort put into it)?,- then he is
sadly lacking in imagination and
leadership.
Racheter's actions and posi-
tions have been inconsistent and
contradictory. He is already hold-
ing one important office, and yet
he is running for another posi-
tion that is also very demand-
ing. Under these circumstances,
running for SGC was an irrespon-
sible action. By doing so, and by
the statements he has made dur
ing his campaign, Racheter has
shown his disregard for IHA.
Regardless of the outcome of
the election, I hope that Don
Racheter either changes his at-
titude or resigns from IHA.
-Connie Cleaton '69
Reminder
To the Editor:
We would like to remind grad.
uate students that they are eligible
to vote in the SGC elections.
-Marsha Daigle
-Stu Katz
-Ron Cohen
Graduate Assembly

4

on campus which support the
Constitutional Convention. They
include: IHA, West Quad Council,
Engineeringd Cou n c i1, Markley
Council, and the College Repub-
licans. We join these organiza-
tions in 'urging the students to
vote yes on the referendum call-
ing for a Constitutional Conven-
tion.
-Steven A. Brown
President, IHA
-Wayne A. Miller
SGC Candidate
-Carl J. Bloch
SGC Candidate

More of Same
To the Editor:
THE ISSUE of reorganizing
SGC faces the students in the
campus elections today and to-
morrow. A referendum offers the
students a chance to establish a
Constitutional Convention which
may produce a more representa-
tive Student Government Coun-
cil. Now, we understand the rea-
sons presented in The Daily by
Urban Lehner for voting against
the referendum. Mike Davis, Ad-
ministrative Vice - President of
SGC, may be correct in assuming
that a Constitutional Convention

4

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.
-i ne Geneollogyo ar s Campaign

00

By WALTER SHAPIRO

To the Northwood Terrace Assn.

MARRIED STUDENTS living in Univer-
sity housing, especially those who
withheld $10 from their September rent
check to protest a rent increase, have
formed an organization to represent their
grievances to University housing director
John Feldkamp.
Both Feldkamp and the married ten-
ants are, enthusiastic about the new
group, Northwood Terrace Association.
This is a word of caution to the latter.
'You protested because the administra-
tion didn't give you "adequate notice" of
the rent increase. (Because you are com-
pelled under the lease to give 60-day
notice before moving, out, you felt the
University should. similarly be compelled
to give 60-day notice before increasing,
the rent.)
The administration relented after 171
of you withheld the $10 hike in Septem-
ber.
But the University is big business, and
operates like a large firm--in self-
interest. Where it can cut corners, it will..
When adverse publicity hurts, it will work
to change the boos to applause.

distasteful connotations of that sort of
work.
REALIZATION OF THIS should provide
a clue for further dealings with the
University. Feldkamp is willing to listen
to, you because you're probably still rep-
resentative of the outrage prompted by
the rent increase, not because you're good
people, acting in good faith.
Your course should be determined by
how you can bring about a re-drafting
of the lease which is slanted toward the
University. That should be the whole
point of the rent strike.
-W. REXFORD BENOIT
Endorsements
IN SUNDAY'S DAILY the Senior Editors
made their recommendations for fill-
ing Student Government Council vacan-
cies. (The elections will be held on cam-
pus today and tomorrow with the vote
tabulation beginning tomorrow night
after the polls close.)
An r11 An f^"- +,I -i +1 ,03o X7 t 1YA11

POLITICS '68 hit Ann Arbor Fri-
day night and when the yell-
ing died down and the crowds had
melted away the remaining feeling
was a mixture of confused bore-
dom and thwarted expectation.
While Sen. Eugene McCarthy did
little during his visit to excite the
political adrenalin, his almost in-
tentionally lackluster performance
provided a revealing glimpse of the
Minnesota Democrat's strategy and
style. -
To the sign-carrying crowd of
3,000 massed on the diag, McCar-
thy didn't have to say anything
revolutionary, radical, or even par-
ticularly anti - Johnson: Almost
anyone there that drizzily evening
would have been capable of men-
tally improvising a hellfire and
brimstone anti-war oration for
himself.
The Senator realized that his
mere appearance at the rally was
sufficient for the students and
faculty gathered there to easily
project their virulent objections
to the President's Asian adventure
onto the man who has recently
hinted that he may oppose John-
son in the primaries.
THE SENATOR'S performance
at the Second District Democratic
Congressional dinner in the Union
Ballroom was even more restrain-

forward-looking Democratic Par-
ty.
This is probably the most polit-
ical effective justification which
McCarthy can give for opposing
President Johnson's foreign poli-
cies within the ranks of the Dem-
ocratic Party. It was the kind of
low-key speech with McCarthy can
be expected to make often in the
next few months at party fund-
raising dinners.
THE PROBLEM underlying both
speeches was the unique tightrope
McCarthy is attempting to walk,
carefully balancing himself be-
tween the expectations of enthu-
siastic audiences and the accusa-
tions of heresy from professional
Democrats.
McCarthy's appearance here in-
dicated that his solution to this
dilemma is to employ his semi-
academic, low-key style to hint
at the thought and aspirations of
his anti-war audiences. For like
most successful politicians, he is
adept at suggesting, rather than
explicitly delineating political ideas.
The senior Senator from Minne-
sota recognizes that a highly emo-
tional anti-Johnson crusade has
been steadily growing across the
country. All it has lacked is a
leader. And since the anti-war
forces are already mobilized, it is
not necessary for McCarthy as
thircarn-ho k rar to rik ft,

1970, McCarthy comes from a
state where a primary system and
a weak party structure have led
to a long record of tolerance for
political independence and dissent.
THE ABORTIVE failure of the
liberals' 1948 dump-Truman cru-
sade strongly reinforced the dic-
tum that you cannot deny renom-
ination to an incumbent president.
The movement, entranced with the
political possibilities of an exceed-
ingly reluctant General Eisen-
hower, was rooted in the;lack of
an active anti-Truman candidate.
With McCarthy on the verge of
entering the primaries as an active
candidate, all historical parallels
breakdown. And if the anti-John-
son sentiment is as overwhelming
as the polls seem to indicate, it is
not inconceivable that McCarthy
could radically change the entire
political picture with a few major
primary victories.
Even if unsuccessful at the Con-
vention, McCarthy will have great-
ly strengthened his credentials as
the heir to the Stevensonian con-'
stituency of academic liberals and
idealistic youth.
But the weakness of the McCar-
thy candidacy is that he has not
significantly updated the mid-cen-
tury liberal legacy of "the man
who has made us all proud to be
called Democrats."
What McCarthy will offer the

ii

4

4

McCarthy at the Diag Rally

will undoubtedly be lauded as an
act of political courage. And if
political courage means taking
gambles at high odds, then this
is precisely what McCarthy is
doing.

any assessment of contemporary
political realities indicates that un-
less the variables are massively al-
tered, Senator Robert Kennedy
will enter the White House for two
terms fnllnwing the .Tnhnsonian in-

I

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