Page 4-Sunday, February 11, 1979-The Michigan Daily THE WEEK LKBCIN REVIEW a Soviets pull out, of Russian, festival It was to be an extravaganza, the illustrious result of more than four years of intensive nurturing and1 planning. The Russian Arts Festival, which began a week ago Saturday with a sold-out concert at Hill Auditorium by the Moscow Philharmonic, was to continue on campus through April 2. The festival will go on, but due to the intolerance of the Soviet government and a lack of sensitivity on the part of University officials, one of the gems of the program, an exhibit called "The Art of Russia, 1800-1850" won't be in- cluded. ON TUESDAY the Soviet Union cancelled the traveling exhibition because it took offense with a slated poetry reading by Soviet defector Josef Brodsky, and a quotation in the festival brochure from the work of exiled author Alexander Solzhenitsynr University officials decided to go ahead with the show-minus the art-and sputtered at the Soviets for refusing to distinguish between politics and art. "The Russians objected because they feel Solzhenitsyn and Brodsky are not adequate representatives of Soviet art," said Bret Waller, director of the University Museum of Art, "but this is not a festival of Soviet art. And while Solzhenitsyn and Brodsky are not Soviet citizens, they certainly are Russians. In fact, they are considered by many to be the finest Russian writers of today." INTERIM PRESIDENT Allan Smith said the planners had asked for trouble by planning the objectionable quote and poetry reading. Brodsky himself called it a "stupid move." The next day, the two Soviet curators in charge of the 150 Russian paintings, graphics, and objets dort wanted to find a new audience. So they flew to Columbus to investigate the possibility of displaying the exhibit there. On Thursday, the Ohio State University Provost, Robin Wilson, still waiting to hear whether OSU would host the show, strongly supported the University's decision to shrug off the Soviet move. "For the University of Michigan to do anything other than it did," said Wilson, "would have been intolerable." OSU, he added, would have done the same thing. So that's where it stands. "As far as we're concerned," said Vice President for Academic ,Affairs Harold Shapiro, "the art exhibit is over." It raised the point once again, though, of the duties of the University. The Regents have had occasion in the past to ad- dress the question of the role of the University as a moral agent. The decision to continue keeping investments in cor- porations which do business in South Africa, for example, was made amid charges that the University was holding it- self only to its economic, rather than its moral, obligations. The case of the Soviet art exhibit is one more piece of evidence that the University cannot hope to isolate itself from the rest of the political, nonacademic world.. . The 'U" faces up to Carter s inflation rules The nation's breadwinners have been sputtering about inflation for some time, but now the hallowed halls of academia are also feeling the economic crunch. University officials have announced they will probably comply with President Carter's voluntary wage and price guidelines. THIS WEEK the administration will present a resolution to the Regents calling for a seven per cent limit on salary in- creases. University Vice-President and Chief Financial Of- ficer James Brinkerhoff said the University must stay within the guidelines if it hopes to secure federal grants this year for over $5 million. The government has already submitted one such request to the University. Last year, faculty salaries rose 6.5 per cent and Univer- sity administrators had originally hoped to budget at least 10 per cent increase in order to keep pace with salaries offered at other universities. But that 10 per cent hike was probably shot two weeks ago when Gov. William Milliken recommended a substantially smaller alloction of state funds for the University than was requested. As for price, which essentially means tuition, the Carter' guidelines probably will not affect the amount of a possible tuition hike for next year. Under Carter's stipulations the University, and any other business, should not hike pricesi more than one half of one per cent less than the average in- creases of 1976 and 1977 prices. According to Brinkerhoff, these limits would allow next year's tuition to be increased approximately 9.5 per cent over this year's price. Last year, tuition was raised an average nine per cent.. Students vote ignorance in presidential poill Last Saturday, Daily reporters tapped an often elusive University news source-the students. Results-of a random telephone survey of 200 students revealed there is a general lack of awareness about the current search for a new University president. Fifty five per cent of those polled said they could not name the current University president (LaW Prof. Allan Smith is filling in for now) and 38 per cent said they were unaware a search is un- derway. Former President Robben Fleming, who left the University in December, still hauled in 13 per cent. WHEN ASKED about international issues, the top respon- ses were concern over the Iranian crisis (20.5 per cent), U.S. relations with China (16 per cent) and world-wide economic problems (15.5). And what's the most important University issue? "I don't know" was the most common answer from 33 per cent of those polled. .The scientific method of the survey was, at best, informal, but you get the idea... Iranian students struggle to keep touch with home Even if they're from nearby Livonia or Pinckney, Mich- igan, that phone call or check from home means a lot to students. But when home is tottering near civil war, Ann Arbor only seems all that much further away. And for over 200 Iranian University students, infrequent telephone calls are the only communication between - the students and their families. There is no mail in or out of the country and there's no check from Dad because the banks are on strike. Chances are Dad's on strike too. "EVEN IF something happened, they wouldn't tell me because they don't want to worry me," said one Iranian student of his family. Perhaps the worst part of the crisis is not knowing what has happened, much less what will happen. Iranian students are forced to rely on sketchy media reports which often con- flict, or are outdated before they appear. But it's all-they.have, and as one Iranian student asked a reporter: "Please be quiet, there's something about Iran on the radio." The Week in Review was compiled and written by Editor-in-Chief Sue Warner. The University Art Museum, where a scheduled exhibit was cancelled, in part because of poet Josef Brodsky (inset). GIhi 31rb43gan ?BUIIQ 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Eigh ify-Nine Years of Editorial Freedom LETTERS: Hospital should use student nurses Vol. LXXXIX, No. 111 News Phone: 764-0552 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan U can't ignore children W HEN THE UNIVERSITY assisted in the development of the two campus day care centers, Pound House and the Child Care Action Cen- ter (CCAC), it recognized a respon- sibility to help provide child care for students and faculty who could other- wise not afford full-time babysitters. But in its decision this week not to help the CCAC-which must leave its home in the School of Education due to fire code violations-relocate, the Univer- sity seems to be turning its back on that responsibility. The result is dozens of families who must add their names to long waiting lists elsewhere and who must somehow find daycare for their children. For some, the only alternative may be to leave the University. There is no way to dispute the fact that CCAC cannot stay where it is. Fire codes are far more stringent for facilities which must care for small children, and they should be. Fire escapes which are in easy reach of adults may be totally useless to one who is only two or three feet tall. This, however, should not let the University off the hook when it comes to finding a suitable facility. CCAC officials have pleaded to the University for much needed assistan- ce. But early this week, the Univer- sity's Executive Officers (the six vice- presidents and Interim President Smith) announced that the child care need "fell very low" on their list of priorities. student interns receiving psychology credit) will have to disband. We feel that this is unfortunate and unfair, especially in light of past University support and an implied commitment to provide child care. To leave the CCAC empty handed now would make the efforts of the past ten years seem futile. Obviously the University cannot take on an obligation to provide every child of every student or faculty member with daycare. But the University does need to recognize that for some, at least, this is more than just a salient issue. It can mean the difference bet- ween getting an education or not get- ting one. The University has come a long way with child care, but letting the CCAC die would be an injustice to everyone concerned, and a slap in the face to those who depend on it. EDITORIAL STAFF Sue Warner..........................EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard Berke .......................... MANAGING EDITOR Michael Arkush, Julie Rovner ....... EDITORIAL DIRECTORS Brian Blanchard ........... ...UNIvERSITY EDITOR Keith Richburg ................................. CITY EDITOR Shelley Wolson..................... PESONNEL EDITOR Elizabeth Slowik ........................ FEATURES EDITOR Dennis Sabo............................. SPECIAL PROJECTS R.J. Smith, Eric Zorn.....................ARTS EDITORS Judy Rakowsky. Owen Gleiberman ..... MAGAZINE EDITO1S STAFF WRITERS: Sara Anspach, Ronald"Benschoter, Leonard Bernstein, Tony Bloenck, Mitch Cantor, Marianne Egri, Julie Engebrecht, Mary Faranski, Ron Gifford, Marion Halberg, Vicki Henderson, Steve Hook, Elisa Isaacson, Tom Kettler, Carol Koletsky, Paula Lashinsky, Adrienne Lyons, C.J. Maleski,. Tom Mirga, Mark Parrent, Kevin Roseborough, Beth Rosenberg, Amy Saltzman, Steve Shaer, John Sinkevics, Bill Thompson, t - 1 - --~.... v..... u wari itt.ffr,.. UWolff.Tmothv To the Daily: Re the 'U' Hospital's dilemna, my solution is so simple and doubly practical that probably it will be rejected immediately. Put the student nurses to work. This not only will relieve the staff shortage (there must be over a thousand of them), but also will give the students valuble needed experience. As it is now, they are x graduated as theoreticians. They would work free while gaining commensurate practical experience, as my class did during the forties. I had a son in 'U' Hospital a few years ago with Hodgkins disease and I was appalled at that time with the overload on R.N.s while students on the floor were scarce or absent. The only thing is, the U. of M. Medical Center as a whole, cured him. -Nancy Maynard Graffitti To the Daily: Having dug Saturday, January 27 the Daily out of the garbage to read in the stall, I was more than delighted to find Roger Pen- sman's article "Nuke the Whiles." His treatment of the graffiti was of special interest to me; however, I seriously doubt that he has toured the Dennison (P and A) building in the past year and a half. While "Pete Bogues People Out" may have been popular in years past, I think there are other "art forms" which have drawn more atten- tion. Having taken classes in the building for three of the past four semesters, I have, due in part to my own personal interest, kept track of the various scrawls in the staircase. Through rumor and late night phone calls, I have heard that some of the choice declarations have become topics of questions for trivia contests throughout campus. Pensman promises us with another article on "more current samples." I think my background would enable him, to procure some primary source infor- mation, especially regarding the development of the graffiti writ- ten since the painting of the stairwell in Fall, '77, and will avail myself as such. I am looking forward to reading his views on current graffiti in his future article. -James P. Hughes 'U' Hospital To the Daily: There is an old story about the panhandler, who, upon being asked as to why he needed $5.00 for a cup of coffee, replied, "I like to put all my begs in one ask-it." This is what the University of Michigan is doing with respect to the proposed $250 million hospital. And it is unsupportable. The "University has so many other needs that it is ludicrous to tie up much of the available funds in one grandiose project., The physical plant is declining in quality as the old buildings grow older. Anyone with classes in the Natural Sciences and Chemistry buildings can tell you of the renovations that are needed. What about the plans for the site of the old gym? Hopes of making the University into the in'stitution of world renown that it deserves to be do not depend upon prestige projects, but upon high quality faculty and students-who are attracted by high quality facilities in all fields. What is the rationale of the new hospital? Granted, high quality medical care is a desired goal, but the University is not a medical school only. The Univer- sity of Wisconsin just opened its new medical center. It opened' several years late and was several millions over budget. I hope that the Big Ten rivalry does not exceed into the academic world. To spend $250 million to impress alumni or play political games is to waste those funds. Instead of using state and federal funds, why not raise private donations? There exist, undoubtedly, some person or per- sons of wealth and prestige, e.g medical school alumni, who would want a first-rate medical center named for them. That way, those state and federal fun- ds could be used for the whole University. The Union could be made more useful to students, improvements and renovations could be made in the Nat. Sci. and Chemistry buildings, increased , dormitory space could be provided, and, scholarships and increased salaries could be of- fered to maintain the highest level of people at Michigan. -Jeffrey Shearier China hypocricy? To the Daily: With regards to your Feb. 1 editorial on China ("The New Order"), I would like to bring a few points to light. First, you say that "The U.S. must permit China to decide its own internal affairs." Do you also support leaving Russia's own internal affairs alone? If so, how can the Daily support President Carter's stance on human rights? Secondly, the Daily suggests that we not concentrate on profit, but rather, enter into trade for China's benefit. Lastly, the editorial states that "The U.S. has a responsibility to help poorer nations such as China." Really? Our respon- sibilites are only to aid those countries politically friendly to our system of government and its ideals. When our policies become that of handing out Carte Blanche welfare to every poor nation un- friendly to the United States it will be a sad day indeed. In short, it looks to me that the Daily gives its stamps of ap- proval to the government to be hypocritical for China's sake. -Howard I. Steiner r VT it-u A BWACAT. 8 A_ "KSrw svo) r ARPA Et~ I r ew AT FMOO1-CHS. ii 4! L. J WA-r T fri te m cqI4 F6f d erW 4 ()! rA rCC W-rIl_ _ 71C PP,-'%I a n 5- - NF.RE COMA ;HE