Pge 4-Sunday, January 14, 1979-The Michigan Daily
4
inV 3al
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Eighty-Nine Years of Editorial Freedom
While Waiting for a New President
By John Ellis
Vol. IXXXIX, No. 87
News Phone: 764-0552
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan
Cauti onon Iran
-: ' HE TURMOIL in Iran has not
slowed despite the efforts of a
new government led by Prime
Minister Shapur Bakhtiar. Shah
Mohammad Riza Pahlevi is reported
to be planning a "vacation" in the
:United States. The National Front, a
broad-based coalition of businessper-
sons, workers, technologists, and in-
telligenstia, continues to support a
general strike. Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini, the exiled religious leader,
continues, along with the National
Front, to press for the ouster of the
Shah, although for differnet reasons.
And rumors of a military coup daily
become more believable.
Tens of thousands continue to march
in, the streets every day protesting the
presence of the Shah. He is opposed for
a variety of reasons; but one thing is
fear; the people of Iran want the Shah
.to leave permanently. The Shah may
do just that. The Prime Minister has.
said the Shah intends to take a
cvcation in the Uhited States. There is
.smne reason to believe that if he came
Wtr this country-a logical place to seek
:asylum considering it was the United
-States CIA which put him in power in
.1953-he would not leave. Much of the
rest of his family has arrived and there
zhare. been confirmed reports that the
Shah was looking for a sizable chunk of
California real estate on which to build
aA1astle, complete with mote.
Prime Minister Bakhtiar believes
:that the Shah's absence will help
defuse the situation. The Prime
Minister also said that if his ad-
ministration had one or two months,
the country could be returned to
- f~lative normality. Mr. Bakhtiar may
be too optimistic. A former member of
the National Front, Mr. Bakhtiar was
ousted by the group when he assumed
the position of Prime Minister in the
Shah's government. There is little
reason to think that the National Front
and Mr. Khomeini will change their
opinion of Mr. Bakhtiar and of what he
is doing just because the Shah had
taken a vacation.
There is a great deal of reason to
believe that if Mr. Bakhtiar fails to
bring order to Iran that there would be
a military coup. Mr. Bakhtiar has
dismissed reports that military
leaders, especially the younger of-
ficers, are planning such a coup. "But
if my government fails, a military
coup is very, very possible--indeed
probable," Mr. Bakhtiar said.
Considering past United States sup-
port for the Shah, it is extremely im-
portant for President Carter not to say
or do anything which could inspire
Iranian military leaders to take over
the government. The Iranian military
leaders would be heartened by any
statement from President Carter
which said that a military junta in Iran
could be supported by the United
States. A few ill-timed, careless wor-
ds-similar to President Kennedy's
comments about South Vietnam's
President Ngo Dinh Diem-could
greatly alter the course of events in
Iran.
Prime Minister Bakhtiar's gover-
nment must have every opportunity to
succeed. But most important is that
whatever transpires in Iran must hap-
pen without foreign intervention of any
kind. Whoever governs Iran should do
so only at the will of all Iranians.
When whatever number of
selection committees meet to
choose the next president of the
University of Michigan, there are
three sleeping problems here
which the candidates might be
asked about.
The problems are called to
mind by the following description
of Americe which was written in
1962 by Paul Goodman, a social
critic and activist who died ten
years later:
"But they never did anything
I admired or was proudof. What
a world to live in! There was
almost never a subtle decision,
an inventive solution, an ideal
motive, a forthwright act.
"One could die of inanition, of
the deprivation of meaning.
Yawning and hungry, people feel
asleep."
This description reminds me of
the Michigan campus today:
people look like they are sleep
walking. Among the causes are
conscience, community and
competition.
The University needs
conscience. This would not be a
single code of conduct by which
everyone's actions are judged.
Nor would it be mentioning moral
considerations in speeches while
making University decisions on
other grounds.
University conscience would be
a sense that what is ethically
good is paramount - not what is
economical, convenient, or -
olitically wise.
Such a conscience would be the
collective sum of the actions of
individuals who chose to make
ethical considerations the most
important ones in the University.
A president could set an example,
not by preaching about values,
but by showing that what is good
means something in his or her
actions.
That would be the ideal motive
of which Paul Goodman wrote,
not the best motive based on ones
ideals. It would also result in
forthright acts which might wake
us up, maybe even. in subtle
decisions or inventive solutions.
But even if people in the
University were acting on ideals,
how would anyone know it? The
place is too large. We operate in
units which are too big to know
who decides, much less on what
basis.
We have no community at
Michigan. There are exceptions,
but by and large we are not
structured so people can
participate in the decisions which
affect them or know each other
well enough to care. Everyone
knows this. A new president could
begin to change it.
Competition is aided by
keeping us in anonymous masses
and is the result of many false
assumptions.
Competition results from the
view that education is a
commodity which you get by
working on your own. It assumes
that education can be measured
by whether you got more of it
than others. In the end, that'
commodity must be marketable.
Of course there is a commodity
involved but it is not education.
We are learning how to compete.
There is a very marketable
commodity. But it has taken the
place of education. A new
president could be appalled by
this.
These words, conscience,
community, competition, are so
familiar - who wants to hear
No"
Date_
Dear Professor_
I would like to request that you not write
my grade on any of my papers or exams
in this course. I would prefer not to know
my grades, unless they are D's or E's and
I am in danger of failing the course.
Any written evaluations you can make
would be welcome. Thank you.
(signed)
them again? But what they are
about is what many want to hear,
and not hearing, have fallen
asleep, even while walking down
State Street.
Paul Goodman did not only point
out problems. fie otten made
simple, practical suggestions
about what people could do
themselves. The following idea is
not Paul Goodman's, but it might
well have been.
This idea comes from a
Michigan social work student and
wwould not require any
presidential action. It could be
put into practice immediately by
any student who chose to do so,
and it would do much to eliminate
the worst aspects of competition
in University study.
Competition is based on
grading. If you want to avoid
working for a grade, you might
send the following card to your
professor.
"Dear Professor...........
"I would like to request that
you not write my grade on any of
my papers or exams in this
course. I would prefer not to
know my grades, unless they are
D's or E's and I am in danger of
failing the course.
"Any written evaluations you
can make would be welcome.
Thank you.
"(signed)..............
For the even more daring, the
natural extension of this idea
would enable you to waive the
right to see your transcript. But
not knowing your grades during
the term would be a start.
There is much to be done about
conscience, community, and
competition at Michigan no
matter who is selected as the next
University president. But the
candidates might at least be
asked about these issues.
John Ellis is a frequent
contributor to the editorial
page. Copies of a card printed
with the above request about
grades are available from Mr.
Ellis at Canterbury Loft, 332
S. State.
=No
STHE LOOKING BACK WEEK
*/IN REVI.EW
'he search for a president
:" ,he University presidential selection process continued
this week as the Regents and the student advisory commit-
le tried to iron out the precise roles of each of the actors in
yihat promises to be a long-running drama.
While the students dickered with the Regents, it was
revealed that some members of the Michigan Student
; ssembly (MSA) tried to persuade the Assembly to com-
4rmise with the Regents on the selection process in order
to: gain favorable concessions on the Michigan Union
renovation proposal.
The faculty also took a significant step towards naming a
maw University president when its selection advisory com-
Inittee filed its "Needs of the University" statement.
:-The Regents declined to be more specific about the
Zrecise nature of student involvement in the presidential
election. Regent Robert Nederlander (D-Birmingham)
hid they had not yet plotted the full strategy of their own
inVolvement.
At a meeting Thursday night between four of the Regents
an4d the student presidential advisory committee Nederlan-
r said, "We have not gotten to these issues because we've
,een busy getting these committees together, getting the
t;r eds (of the University) statements together."
The student committee has been seeking assurances that
it will not be substantively eliminated from the selection
process as it moves into its final stages. Last semester the
student committee made ardent demands to secure the
right to interview all candidates for the University
presidency. The student committee felt that all of the ad-
2 visory committees formed by the Regents in Oc-
Stober-student, faculty, and alumni-should have the right
to interview all candidates considered. The faculty passed a
similar proposal last semester.
~.But the advisory committee guidelines passed by the
Regents only made provisions for the Regents to interview
the candidates. In November the Regents agreed to grant
the committees active participation in the process
"somewhere down the line." At Thursday night's meeting
the student committee tried to clarify their precise role in
. the presidential selection process. Student committee
Chairman Jeff Supowit finally aked for specific assurance
d that the student committee would at least meet with the
faculty and alumni committees. Nederlander responded
'that the groups could meet at any time as specified in the
guidelines.
The Regents pleaded with the student committee to keep
the names of their candidates for University president con-
fidential. "The sure-fire way to lose one of the candidates is
: to violate the trust among us," said Regent Sarah Power
(D-Ann Arbor).
Meanwhile, it was revealed last week that some mem-
bers of the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) may have
voted in December against boycotting the University
presidential selection process with the hope of securing the
Regents' support on other issues, especially Michigan
Union renovations. Assembly Vice-President Kate Rubin
Immm"
LSA-SG sparks controversy
Two leaders of the Literary College Student Govern-
ment (LSA-SG) came under fire this past week in two
unrelated developments.
First, Robert Stechuk, the Advocacy Coordinator of the
student government, was attacked by the Union of Students
for Israel (USI) and an unnamed group of LSA students
concerned with freedom of speech for lending the gover-
nment's endorsement to a group protesting the appearance
of Israel's former Prime Minister Yigal Allon on campus in
mid-December.
Stechuk lent the student government endorsement
without the approval of the body. Stechuk said he felt he
was "authorized to represent" the government and he wan-
ted to protest Allon's visit because the University did not
provide a Palestinian spokesperson to offset Allon's com-
ments.
Victor Kay, leader of the USI, said Stechuk's endor-
sement "took a lot of nerve. He may be overstepping his
limits and abusing his power. Advocacy Coordinator, by its
name, implies some sort of process."
Kathy Friedman, vice-president of the LSA-SG said she
did not know the issue was being considered by anyone on
the body. She said she would have argued against the
protest endorsement if it had been debated.
Second, Talib Abdul-Musquit, a newly elected member of
the LSA-SG is being taken to small claims court by Xanadu
Cooperative, a member of the campus' Inter-Cooperative
Council. The suit accuses Abdul-Musquit of leaving the coop
after one month without paying his bills.
Abdul-Musquit had been living at the coop with aid from
the Washtenaw County Department of Social Services. But
because the department can only pay for boarding services
with food stamps and the coop does not accept food stamps,
Abdul-Musquit was told to leave by the department. He now
claims that the $177 in unpaid rent should be paid by the
department.
*But Abdul-Musquit also oes $130.66 in unpaid phone bills.
He claims the department should pay for all his living ex-
penses while at the coop.
Gov. William Milliken delivered his annual State of will have been governor of Michigan for longer than any
the State message Thursday. The speech was totally other person in history, mentioned the need for
devoid of any substantive plan of action by the state's austerity, he revealed no programs or trends his
executive branch in the face of voter passage of the administration will pursue.
Headlee Amendment in the November election and the Milliken said nothing about state expenditures for
pervasive tax limiting sentiment of the electorate. higher education. Michigan currently ranks 33rd among
Although Milliken, who if he completes his third term; all states in the money.allocated for higher education.
U' housing rates may rise
Arnson said he couldn't remember all of the Assembly's
discussion on the day of the vote, but that "there was some
concern about relations with the Regents as a whole. It (the
Union resolution) might have been on peoples' minds."
The Assembly voted 12-10 in December not to boycott the
presidential selection process and to carry through with
naming a student presidential advisory committee.
While the Regents and the students bickered over their
relationship in the process, the faculty submitted an 11 page
"needs of the University report." The needs statement is
the faculty's appraisal of what problems the next president
of the Univesity will have to cope with.
The faculty statement said that the successor to interim
President Allan Smith will have to fight what faculty mem-
bers perceive as a continual deterioration of certain
University programs, so the University can reassert itself
"as a world leader." The statement also pointed to the
The Single Student Rate Study Committee, made up of
students and administrators, has recommended a 6.89 per
cent average increase for all University housing next year.
The recommendation was passed on to, Housing Director
Robert Hughes and, although the increases must be ap-
proved by a chain of University administrators before final
approval by the Regents, the housing increase is generally
consistent with the recommendation of the rate study
committee.
The Committee also recommended weekend con-
solidation of food services at several central campus dorms
starting in the fall. If approved, the policy change would
mean West Quad residents would eat weekend meals in
South Quad; Mosher-Jordan residents would eat at
Markley, and Alice Lloyd residents would travel to Couzens
Hall.'
cording to the study committee, will save each University
housing resident $12.
The recommended average dollar increase for all studen-
ts next year will be $141.21 per student. Dormitory resident
fee increases will be 6.4 per cent, Oxfordhousing 8 per cent,
Fletcher Hall 5.1 per' cent, and 9.5 per cent for Baits Hall
apartments.
If the increases are approved, dormitory doubles will cost
$1868.21 per year, an increase from the present $1759.50
rate, while singles will cost $2215.52, an increase from the
present $2047.50 rate.
The study also recommended that resident advisors be
allowed to live in University Housing for free. This was the
first year in which the RAs had to pay any fee at all. The
study recommeded revoking the $141.75 room and board fee