Page 4-Sunday, October 15, 1978-The Michigan Daily
OKING BA KTHE WEEK IN REVIEW
BAC
U
Fleming reviews turbulent decade
Retiring University President Robben Fleming
gave the last of eleven annual "State of the Uni-
versity" addresses last Tuesday, and used the
occasion to outline the challenges he expects the
campus to face in, coming years.
Money, in one way or another, will be one of the
biggest problems confronting the University,
Fleming said. Adequate state support will be far
from certain. he said, particularly if one or more
of the three tax proposals receives voter approval
from voters in November.
"The Voucher and Tisch amendments have a
primary impact on the K-12 system, but they
would certainly place pressure on other state
resources which might be available for higher
education," he said.
The Headlee proposal, which would put limits
on state spending increases, wvould be "less
devastating," Fleming said, as long as the
state's economy remained healthy.
Other problems facing the University include
a continuing decline in college age young people,
pressures for more vocationally oriented college
training, and government efforts to meddle in
University affairs.
Fleming, who took over as University
president at the height of student activism, took
part of his 30 minute address to review his often
turbulent 11 years in office.
"My hope during all that period was that we
would never have a brutal confrontation; that we
would never forget the virtues of dissent; that we
could continue to respect those who held views
contrary to our own; and that we could emerge
from all our troubles as a great and strong
university."
Added Fleming, "I think we did that."
MSA, Regents still at odds
Student government officials and the Board
of Regents were still in a standoff last week
over how much voice students would have in
selecting the next University president.
On Monday, the Michigan Student
Assembly (MSA) voted to proceed with the
selection process for members of the student
search committee, one of three groups which
the Regents asked to. submit names of.
possible successors to Robben Fleming.
However; MSA stipulated that the student
search committee would not begin its work
until MSA received assurances from the
Regents that students would be given an
adequate voice in the process.
Specifically, the student government
requested that the Regents:
" guarantee formal consultation between
the student, faculty and alumni search
committees; (This demand was a step back
from MSA's earlier insistence on a final
screening committee, with representatives
from all three constituencies, to narrow down
the number of candidates and submit a single
list to the board.)
" release the names of any candidates that
the board is considering which do not appear
on any of the search committees' lists. (At
present, the Regents have left open the
possibility that they will pick a president who
has not been considered by any of the search
groups.)
At week's end, several Regents contacted
by the Daily said they would be willing to
consider some modification in the search
process they had originally outlined. Thus,
what action the Regents take at their
upcoming October meeting will probably
determine whether student officials decide to
get involved in the presidential search.
Without such participation, the next
president may have difficulty in claiming to
represent the interests of the single largest
element in the University community-the
student body.
Colleagues back Samoff
Political Science Prof. Joel Samoff, who
has twice been denied tenure by the
department despite his outstanding record as
a teacher, got a boost last week in his bid to
stay at the University.
A group of 30 faculty members in various
departments signed a public letter urging
reconsideration of Samoff's tenure denial.
"Joel Samoff received a distinguished
service award October 9 from the
University," the letter stated. "This confirms
our belief that Samoff is a valuable member
of our community as a scholar, activist, and
teacher.
..(We) are much distressed by the
decision of the Political Science Department
to deny Samoff tenure. . . . we urge that
everything possible be done to keep him on
the faculty," the statement concluded.
While the Political Science Department
officially cited deficiencies in research as the
grounds for the tenure denial, many
observers attribute the action to Samoff's
leftist political beliefs, not his performance as
a researcher.
Samoff said he plans to officially appeal his
denial of tenure.
Diggs takes leave
Michigan Democratic Congressman
Charles Diggs lost his bid for vindication as a
federal court jury convicted him on all 29
counts of mail fraud and falsification of
forms.
Early last week, Diggs agreed to
"voluntarily" take a leave from his
congressional duties until after the November
election.
Federal prosecutors charged Diggs with
setting up an elaborate scheme to skim the
salaries of staff members and spend the
money for his own purposes. Several member
of his office staff testified against him.
Diggs was able to muster an impressive list
of character witnesses at his Washington,
D.C. trial, including Detroit Mayor Coleman
Young.
Diggs has represented his inner city Detroit
congressional district for 24 years. Despite
his conviction, most observers make him a
strong favorite for re-election from the
massively Democratic constituency.
Diggs was a founder .of the Congressional
Black Caucus. He contended-and many of
his constituents seem to agree-that race was
the reason he was selected for prosecution.
If the voters decide to return Diggs to the
House, his colleagues will face the decision of
what action to take against Diggs. The
Supreme.Court has ruled that Congress has
the power to expel members guilty of
felonies. But such an action might alienate
black voters, who are a vital part of the
Democratic coalition.
Campaigners stump campus.,
With the November election less than
month away, the candidates flocked to A
Arbor with increasing frequency last weekt
pump hands and hustle votes.
On Friday, both Governor William and h1
wife, Helen, Milliken paid visits to campus.
The governor stopped in at well-knowni
student watering hole, the Village Bell, 4d
mingle with students and sip a Stroh's.
A group of sorority women in attendan.
were tickled at the chance to meet the state's.
chief executive, and broke into impromptu
song for his benefit.
That afternoon, Helen Milliken dropped by
the Diag to stump for her husband, and to put
in a good word for Republican state Senate
candidate William Coburn, who accompanied
her. Among the voters she ran into was
campus hanger-on "Dr. Diag," atop his usual
perch. Helen Milliken paused to shake his
hand.
She was puzzled, however. "Does that mar
always stand on that garbage can?" sh
asked while visiting Daily offices later.
Indeed he does, she was assured. Such is
Ann Arbor.
The incumbent scored some points last
week on an issue which many had predicte
would be his downfall-PBB.'
Democrat William Fitzgerald agreed to
withdraw a controversial radio
advertisement attacking Milliken's handling
of the PBB contamination problem. A
scientist quoted in the ad, former University
Prof. Thomas Corbett, said his remarks were
taken out of context, and the Milliken camp
made the most of it.
PBB was probably Fitzgerald's strongest
drawing card in his effort to overcome
Milliken's 10 point lead in the polls.
On Friday, Milliken signed a bil
compensating farmers who suffered PBB-
related losses with $500,000 in state funds. He
also issued a call for a conference in Detroit to
study chemical contamination hazards
similar to PBB.
Greene camp debacle
Another underdog showed the strains of
high pressure campaigning last week.
Supporters of Earl Greene, the Democratic
Ann Arbor City Councilman who was a las.
minute choice to face incumbent,
Congressman Carl Pursell in November, has
faced difficulties convincing voters that he is
a serious candidate.
Last week, one of his campaign organizers.
apparently showing the strain of the uphill'
fight, brought unsubstantiated charges against
a Greene volunteer, saying he was a spy for
Republican Pursell.
"I guess they're a little paranoid around,
here," reacted David McAnich, the Greee
campaigner who was fired on the espionage
charge.
McAnich, a student at Eastern Michigan ;
University (EMU), had a history of liberal,
political activity, and once got into a shouting
match with Pursell during an EMU campaign
stop.
The Ypsiltanti coordinator for Greenes
campaign, however, said McAnich acte4
suspiciously and asked too many questions.
A spokesman for Pursell denied that,
McAnich had any connection with his
campaign.
Added McAnich himself, "I just wanted to
help Greene out a little. The whole thing i
ridiculous."
FLEMING FACED many challenges during his 11 years as University president.
strators occupy his office during a demonstration for higher minority admdissions..
Above, demon-
. ..... . o
Eighty-Nie Years of Editorial Freedomin
Vol. LIX, No. 34 News Phone: 764-0552
Diggs
... I
II
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan
a.a
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Letters to the Daily
Terror in Cambodia
C AMBODIA IS A COUNTRY few
Americans know anything about.
Most remember it from the Vietnam
war when the Viet Cong used that
country as a refuge. It was then-
President Nixon who ordered U.S. in-
vasion of Cambodia in 1971 which
fostered strong protest on college
campuses and resulted in the murder
of four students at Kent State Univer-
sity by Ohio National Guardsmen.
There were, at that time, reports of
masive corruption in the U.S. backed
Lon Nol government and of occasional
student and leftist uprisings there, but
Vietnam was the focal point of In-
dochina for most Americans-another
country little understood by most
Americans.
Three-and-a half years ago,
however, there was a coup d'etat in
Cambodia; Lon Nol was replaced and
Cambodia was renamed the
"Democratic Kampuchea." Since that
time, there have been unconfirmed
reports, many from refugrees of Cam-
bodia, that the new regime has caused
or permitted the murder of thousan--
help the refugees of Cambodia by sen-
ding $8 million through the United
Nations to Thailand,'where many have
found at least a temporary home. This
is to be highly commended. U.S. Attor-
ney General Griffin Bell is also con-
sidering admission of some of these
Cambodian refugees, about 15,000, to
this country under his "parole"
authority. Mr. Bell has expressed
some concern that this would be an
improper use of his authority. But if
Mr. Bellstill considers America to be
the land of the free, we are confident he
will allow the Cambodian refugees to
enter the U.S.
But these measures of relief for the
refugees are not enough. The genocide
in Cambodia continues unabated.
Eighty Senators signed a letter sent to
Secretary of State Cyrus Vance urging
he put the issue of the Kampuchea
regime's treatment of Cambodian
citizens on the agenda of the U.N.
Security Council. The letter was
initiated by Sen. George McGovern (D-
S.D.). The other signers of the letter
vary greatly in political philosophy but
Another opinion
on the Mideast
To the Daily:
Congratulations on your
editorial of October 11, 1978
entitled "Lebanon for the
Lebanese." The attempt to be
even-handed comes through well,
and the reasoning in the essay is
tight. Please allow me to
comment on: 1) the moral issues
raised; 2) the juxtaposition of
Israel and Syria; 3) the tradeoff
of a separate Egypt-Israel pease
at the expense of exacerbating
civil war in Lebanon; 4)
Palestinian rights vis a vis
Jordan and Lebanon; 5) the
Camp David accords in terms of
the prospects for war and peace;
as well as 6) the process by which
a Palestinian homeland may be
born.
In connection with the moral
issue, one senses a lack of zeal.
For example, when the Daily
discusses Indochina, Southern
Africa, and Latin American
problems, there is great
emphasis on morality. Where is
the concern for the Christian
militia and civilians who are
being slaughtered by their Syrian
regular army brothers? Were a
moral norm used, there would be
a ringing denunciation of such
occupying power in the West
Bank and Gaza, why not apply
the same standard to the Syrians
in Lebanon?
In addition, consider the
editorial's recommendation that
America tell Israel that,
"... Camp David means nothing
if Israel continues to escalate her,
role in Lebanon." Such a
suggestion risks sacrificing the
momentum of a separate Egypt-
Israel peace in order to sacrifice
the Lebanese Christians! Is that
the trade-off The Daily desires?
Hopefully not.
With respect to the
Palestinians, the editorial states
that in September 1971 ". . . King
Hussein drove the Palestinian
refugees out of his country across
the border into Lebanon."
Omitted from this assertion are
the following facts. On
September 6, and 9,'1970, the
Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine hijacked three
civilian jetliners and blew them
up in Jordan three days later. As
a result of a challenge to
legitimate authority in Jordan
from Palestinian guerillas, the
King proclaimed martial
law to quell civil unrest on
September 16th. After a Syrian
-Palestinian-Iraqi attempt to
foment revolution failed a crack-
Failing to take Jordan during.
1970-71, does the right to a
homeland justify the PLO's
attempt to conquer Lebanon
during 1975-76? Recall that the
PLO challenge to Lebanon
prompted a coordinated Syrian-
Christian move against the PLO
in the summer of 1976.
Finally, the Daily editorial
goes after the Camp David
accords saying that they: 1)
failed to address Lebanon's
problems, and even agitated these
problems; 2) are rejected by
Jordan and Saudi Arabia
ostensibly because they do not
go far enough ". . . in
guaranteeing Palestinian rights
to a state"; and 3) have not
decreased the chances of war
because the conflict in Lebanon
may spill over to an Israel-Syrian
et al war. Camp David does not
claim to be a comprehensive
settlement of the interrelated
disputes in the Middle East.
Rather, it is mainly an attempt to
strike a bargain between to of the
states most capable of waging a
general war that could escalate
into a super-power confrontation.
Second, Camp David has an
indirect effect on Lenanon by
providing Syria with an umbrella
under which it could hide while
slaughtering Christians: knowing
that the accords of Camp David
do not go as far as some would
like in the direction of
guaranteeing a Palestinian state.
Nevertheless, a process has been
set up from whence such a state
might eventually emerge. If
Palestinian Arabs who wish to
live in peace with Israel take part
in the administrative machinery
implied by Camp David,
Palestinian Nationalism could
crystallize into a legitimate
political authority within five
years. To refuse participation
because a state is not guaranteed
now, is to miss a chance for one
later. The history of the Middle
East conflicts is often called a
history of missed opportunities.
Let us move incrementally in the
pursuit of an ultimate
comprehensive settlement.
-Raymond Tanter,
Professor of
Political Science
Thoughtful editorial
To the Daily:
I wish to commend you for
your thoughtful editorial entitled
"Lebanon for the Lebanese." It
revealed an understanding of the
political background of the
conflict and a compassion for the
people in the area who continue to