New priorities for a degreened -U'
ie £ir4tdan Batht
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Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1972
NIGHT EDITOR: SARA FITZGERALD
What's new in Nixon's plan
Chemistry Prof. Thomas Dunn
is co-chairman ,of the Faculty
Reform Coalition Budget Com-
mittee and a member of t h e
Vice President for Academic Af-
fairs' Advisory Committee.
By PROF. THOMAS DUNN
IN MY OPINION, the University
as a whole has yet to face up to
the full implications of the com-
bination of the present economic
situation with the changes in the
social and political values of our
society.
We may disagree with the
trends, we may choose to fight=
against many of the excesses of
emergent anti-intellectualism but,
in the end, our only real defense
is to face the realities, -however
unpleasant they may seem, and to
plan for the future in new terms.
There are many who feel that
the present socio-economic cli-
mate is only temporary and that
a year or two will see a return
to the optimism of the late 50's
and the 60's. For many reasons,-
which are not relevant to the
substance of this article, I do not
accept such a point of view, but
even if I did I would be forced
to consider a reappraisal of our
present policies and practices in
the light of our immediate expec-
tations. What then, are our pres-
ent problems and what can we do
about them?
THE THREE MOST important
constraints are, firstly, that ; the
Univedsity budget will not ex-
pand in real terms within the
foreseeable future-say five years.
In fact, it will probably not even
keep pace with the present infla-
tionary rate. We must, therefore,
look forward to fewer real dol-
lars than we have now.
Second, the legislature has de-
creed that the University may not
further increase student num-
bers. We may not, therefore, ex-
pect increased revenue from stu-
dent growth and any further in-
creases in existing fees would al-
most certainly be offset by a de-
creased legislative appropriation.
Third, observing that our in-
come is essentially static, there is
no way in which the present size
of the faculty can be increased.
If the rate of growth of the'
THE DISTINGUISHING characteristic
of President Nixon's peace proposal
announced Tuesday night is its obvious
political motivation.
Nixon is presenting a seemingly rea-
sonable plan which will "end the war in
Vietnam." Nixon the peacemaker is try-
ing to undercut and defuse domestic
criticisms of the war, especially that
which comes from Democratic presiden-
tial hopefuls.,
While Nixon the peacemaker Is as-
sauging' the war critics, Nixon the anti-
communist is promising that America
will not throw her ally in Saigon to the
wolves.. Instead, he says, there will be
fair and free elections under interna-
tional supervision and the people will
choose the best government.
But the Nixon proposal, which is cal-
culated to seem more than generous to-
wards Hanoi, in reality entails no change
from -.the administration's previously
stated goals in Indochina.
All along, the Nixon administration
has been committed to keeping pro-
Western governments in power in South-
east Asia. The Nixon peace plan would
ensure that the pro-Western govern-
ments in Laos, Cambodia and South Viet-
nam continue.
THERE WILL BE a new presidential
election and President Thieu would
resign one month before it takes place.
But what does a western-style election
mean in a country which has never had
a tradition of democracy? It means that
the election will not be an election as
Westerners understand the word. It
means that the corrupt Thieu political
machine which has grown strong on U.S.
dollars will control the voters, if not the
ballot-box.
Furthermore, the peace proposal says
nothing about elections in the National
Assembly-a group which is now packed
with Thieu's men.
While the Western election would
serve to continue the present South Viet-
namese government, the cease-fire pro-
vision would ensure that friendly gov-
ernments in Cambodia and Laos stay
around for awhile.
While Nixon is insisting on conditions
favorable to administration goals, he
manages to imply that he is amenable to
previous North Vietnamese proposals for
an exchange of prisoners of war in return
for total U.S. withdrawal.
He complains that "we are being asked
publicly to set a terminal date for our
withdrawals when we have already of-
fered one in private." In this way, he in-
timates that he always has been willing
to accede to North Vietnamese demands
for a withdrawal in evchange for pri-
soners, but the Communists have some-
how refused to accept his concessions.
HOWEVER, what Nixon actually has
been asked to do is withdraw all U.S.
troops in return for POWs. What he is
offering, in private and now in public, is
to withdraw all U.S. troops if his South-
east Asian friends are allowed to stay in
power.
Because the Nixon peace plan virtually
demands that the present Southeast
Asian governments remain in power, it
has been assailed and is likely to be re-
jected by the North Vietnamese and Viet
Cong.
However, even if the plan were accept-
able to the North Vietnamese, and
American involvement in the war ended
completely, it would still be no reason
to hail the President as a peacemaker,
much less re-elect him. In ending the
war, the President would only be doing
what he should have done years ago. And
the good he accomplishes would only par-
tially offset the disaster of the American
people divided and American lives lost
since he took office.
-LINDSAY CHANEY
University had been slower, its
faculty would no x be uniformly
distributed in age from the re-
tiring full professor to the aspir-
I
Letters to The Daily
Faculty salaries
To The Daily:
. IT MAY BE helpful to your
readers to understand the con-
text of the MSU Board of Trus-
tees' decision to disclose faculty
salaries (Michigan Daily, January
23).
MSU is a publicly supported in-
stitution; its Board of Trustees
is a public body, and B o a r d
actions, by definition, are a mat-
ter of public record. Faculty sal-
aries are made a part of that
record by virtue of Board action
approving them.
Faculty salary information has
traditionally been protected from
public scrutiny, despite the fact
that ' access to it cannot legally
be denied. One consequence of this
practice, at MSU, is that selected
salary information has been dis-
closed to the public through un-
official channels. Predictably, that
has led to invalid interpretations
and unwarranted generalizations
which serve neither the best inter-
ests of the faculty nor those of
the University.
The action taken Friday repre-
sented what, in the view of a ma-
jority of MSU Trustees, constitu-
tes a more responsible course of
action: official disclosure of salar-
ies in a document containing re-
lated information necessary to rea-
sonable interpretation (e.g., longe-
vity, term of appointment, a n d
assigned time fraction).
-Patricia M. Carrigan, Ph.D.
Michigan State Univtrsity
Board of Trustees
Jan. 25, 1972
An omission
To The Daily:
I BELIEVE in giving credit
where credit is due. Therefore, I
should like to praise Dave Burhenn
for his, concise and precise ac-
count of the public hearing held
at City Hall Wednesday, Jan. 19,
covering An°n Arbor's financial
crisis and possible solutions to it.
This hearing was particularly im-
portant since the public will be
asked next month to participate
in an advisory vote on the 1% flat
rate income tax accompanied by
a millage reduction in the proper-
ty tax.
It is regrettable that the Daily
does not likewise believe in giving
credit where it is due. There was
no mention in the article that the
public hearing was sponsored by
the League of Women Voters. To
my knowledge the LWV is the only
organization in Ann Arbor that has
had or plans to have hearings for
the public on this vital topic.
So I say to The
ture, "play fair.".
henn, give credit
in this case, to
Women Voters.
Daily, in the fu-
And to Mr. Bur-
where it is due,
the League of
-Polly Warner
Jan. 20
T ~
Winding down the war, winding down
the war; me and Richard Nixon,
winding down the war.
ing assistant, but the growth of
the 50's and 60's meant the ac-
quisition of large numbers of
younger men-most of whom are
not yet in their 50's.
The net result is exemplified by
the College of Literature, Science
and the Arts in which there is
likely to be an average of only
about 8 retirements per year for
the next ten years. This, from a
total LSA faculty of about 1200!
As Dean Rhodes recently said, "It
looks as if we shall all grow old
gracefully together."
HOW THEN, are we to continue
to recruit the young men upon
whom the continued viability of
the University depends? How are
we to establishdprograms in new
areas without the new money
which has been so readily forth-
coming in our immediate past?
The answers to the second ques-
tion may be difficult, -but they will
still probably tour out to be a'lot
easier than those regarding fac-
ulty. There is no doubt, however,
that the essential element in both
of them is long range planning
coupled with priority budgeting.
President Robben Fleming's
memorandum of Nov. 22 regard-
ing planning and budgeting has
already been discussed in these
pages and its appearance must be
welcomed by all who feel that
thme period of laissez faire and
unrestricted academic entrepre-
neurship has come to an end.
Anyone who has had experience
establishing an organization such
as Fleming envisages, with Uni-
versity-wide input into budgetary
planning, will readily appreciate,
the problems of translating an
organizational chart into an oper-
ational organization, but this,
surely, is an immediate necessity.
Even thought it is no secret that
politicians and administrators
alike, show little reluctance to
surrender the making of unpopu-
lar decisions to democratically.
elected committees; this must not
be allowed to stand in the way of
establishing such broadly - based
committees.
Let us make no mistake about
it-these program evaluation and
budget priorities committees will
inevitably reach some very un-
palatable conclusions with respect
to some of the present programs
and priorities of this University.
It is unthinkable that
otherwise.
it can be
WE MUST earnestly hope that
the committees do not function
only at 'the top.' Their functions,
particularly those of program
evaluation and long range plan-
ni ag, must be exercised at alllev-
els of the University and in all
departments. institutes and ad-
ministrative units. -Just as in good
budgeting procedures, there should
be a flow of information in both
directions, rather than the one-
way flow towards the top which
has been the distinguishing mark
of our budgetary processes in re-
cent years. In the end, the recom-
mendations have to be translated
into action and this can only be
achieved in a university of this
type, at this time in our history,
by a broadly based consensus.
Any systematic evaluation of the
units of the University as envis-
aged above, implies a pre-existing
philosophy, since it, is clear that
values, other than purely finan-
cial ones, are integrally involved
in any such judgment even on
the basis of cost, and it is this
which requires us to minutely ex-
amine our philosophical attitudes,
as well as our financial realities.
Many of these decisions will be
agonizint ones but failure to make
them will mean, in the end, only
what we have refused to face
our problems.
SOME OF THE questions which
will have to be asked are .
What is the prime function of the
University? Is it to provide job-
trained professional dentists, law-
years, scientists, medicos and en-
gineers? Is it to apply its re-
sources directly to the solution of
the more 'pressing problems of the
cities? the environment? poverty?
racial prejudice?
Should the University offer a
well-defined service, the direction
of which can be changed simply
by the addition of money? Should
it align itself, as a university, with
whatever political party or social
cause which happens to hold sway
at any particular moment in time,
thereby seeking to publicize its
relevance? Should it chart its
course on the basis of whatever
See DEGREENING, Page 3
4
Rhodesia: Preserving racism
FOR OVER seven years, the state of
Rhodesia has been largely ignored
by the rest of the world, severed from its
former status as a British commonwealth
nation, quietly pursuing a policy of mi-
nority rule by 250,000 whites over five
million blacks.
Now, unless world opinion is focused
in support of equality for all the people
of Rhodesia, the current racist white
government is likely to be legitimized.
Currently, the prospects for self-deter-
mination for Rhodesia's blacks are at a
particularly crucial point. After deciding
the possibility of substantially altering
Rhodesia's government had passed, Bri-
tain agreed last November to seek a com-
promise agreement with the present Rho-
desian government.
Without involving the black majority
at all, white Rhodesians and Britons
negotiated a plan aimed at changing
Rhodesia's reputation for white suprem-
acy by promising eventual black partici-
pation in government. Black Rhodesians
had little faith in the proposal and rioted
last week to demand equal rights. F9ur-
teen unarmed blacks were killed.
BOTH GOVERNMENTS had good reason
for wanting to patch things up. Rho-
desia's refusal to structure her govern-
ment in a democratic manner was em-
barrassing to the British, while her re-
belliousness worsened diplomatic rela-
tions in general. Washing her hands of
the whole affair would be a welcome
relief to the British from the criticism of
spawning a racist regime.
For Rhodesia, patching up her dif-
ferences with Britain would remove
Editorial Staff
ROBERT KRAFTOWI'rZ
Editor
JIM BEATTIE DAVE CHUDWIN
Executive Editor Managing Editor
STEVE KOPPMAN .... .. Editorial Page Editor
RICK PERLOFF .. Associate Editorial Page Editor
PAT MAHONEY .... Assistant Editorial Page Editor
.. .O 7W nrJ r8a noe on i V i -
whatever threats remain to her legiti-
macy while reopening trade relations
with her former biggest trading partner.
However, the compromise that the two
nations are currently trying to imple-
ment is a compromise in name only and
represents a desertion by Britain of the
goal of equal rights for the black ma-
jority.
First, the proposed governmental
changes themselves would prevent equal-
ity under the law. For example, blacks
have been told by the British that "if
honestly implemented, (the new laws)
would lead to majority rule." But this
would occur under the laws only if the
number of blacks who can meet educa-
tional, income and property qualifica-
tions increases. However, the white lead-
ers have done everything possible to dis-
courage this development in the past
and will likely continue to do so.
Second, Britain's and Rhodesia's intent
to deny blacks any significant political
voice is evidenced in their plan's presen-
tation. Although Britain has publicly stat-
ed that she is committed to the principle
that that the terms must be acceptable
to both Rhodesia's 250,000 whites and five
million blacks, she has deceitfully side-
stepped any accurate means of measur-
ing black approval for the plan-such as
holding a referendum among all Rhode-
sians. Instead, a Committee on Rho-
desian Opinion - composed largely of
former officers in the British colonial
service-has launched a massive propa-
ganda campaign aimed at convincing
black Rhodesians of the plan's worth.
IN THIS LIGHT, it should not be sur-
prising to read that black Rhodesians
should want to prevent such a white-
wash from being perpetrated or, consid-
ering blatantly supremist views of the
white ruling minority, that 14 unarmed
blacks should be killed protesting the
proposals.
The rioting that occurred in response
to the committee's visit surely is jus-
tified by the refusalsof the racist Rho-
desian government to give blacks any al-
videre est red ere
IAT&T vs. FCC:
Preserving the status quo
4
by pat mahoney
I
F EW, IF ANY, monopolie4 regulated by
the federal government have a more
desirable position than American Tele-
phone and Telegraph (AT&T). The Fed-
eral Communications Commission (FCC),
which sets the long distance telephone,
rates that AT&T charges, relies on AT&T.
for its information about the company.
Since Congress created it in 1934, the
FCC has never conducted "a full and open
investigation of the fairness of AT&T's
long distance rates," according to Rep.
William Ryan '(D-N.Y.).
Last month the FCC's problems were
publicized in a dramatic way. On Decem-
ber 21, by a four to two vote, the FCC
decided to abandon' its investigation of
the internal finances and structurebof
AT&T and its subsidiaries which has been
postponed since 1965.
While telephone rates are far from a
new problem for consumers and regula-
tory agencies, their importance has in-
creased in the past two years as utilities
have sought increases. In Michigan, for
example, the Public Service Commission
allowed Michigan Bell Telephone Company
to increase its revenue by $14.7 million on
August 31, 1970. Originally Michigan Bell
had requested a $48 million increase. With-
in four. months, in December 1970, Michi-
gan Bell applied .for an additional income
of $59.6 million with $19.8 million on an
interim basis. Last December, for business
customers only, an increase of $18 million
was apporved. The entire request is still
being reviewed.
"EVER-INCREASING sums of money
for the escalating construction programs
required to keep up with customer de-
mand for new nd improved services" was
ane of the eplanations Michigan Bell
gave for the 1970 rate increase. Other rea-
sons included "galloping inflation"' and
rising costs while the company's rates were
fixed.
The Public Service Commission's deci-
sion was based on giving Michigan Bell a
7.95 per cent rate of return. In 1970, the
company's average rate of return was 7.31
per cent and last year 7.21 per cent.
Similar problems have beset other utili-
ties with fixed rates and rising costs. Dur-
ing the 1960s, rates were often reduced,
but inflation has reversed that trend.
Michigan Bell's 1970 increase was the first
since early 1960 and in that period rates
were cut six times.
These troubles. however, only increase
the need for the FCC to find out more
ahout the AT&T's ouperations than the rate'
3f return it wants. Part of the agency's
abandonment of Phase TI of i's investiga-
trm. "as blamed on a lack of resources.
AT&T has $50 billion in assets and 800,-
000 etnploves around the world. The FCC
bureau that would conduct the study has
a $3 million annual budget and 162 staff
workers. To correct this imbalance, Sen.
Harris and Rep. Ryan have introduced a $2
million anpronriation for the inves'i.gation.
Even if this proposal is approved, its
nnorters will need to get a commitment
frnm fa T,V afr- a-manniaf sm.v
AT&T to earn will cost the average con-
sumer $13 a year in telephone bills, Sen.
Fred Harris (D-Okla.), estimates.
, * ,
MICHIGAN BELL and New York Tele-
phone are two of the 23 companies in the
Bell system wholly owned by AT&T. So
far the FCC has agreed to investigate only
the rate of return AT&T may receive.
Electric is the cheapest supplier of com-
munications equipment, as AT&T claims.
Methods by which capital investment
(rate base) is computed have been unchal-
lenged. When a new tenant moves into
an apartment. AT&T counts the costs of
turning on the telephone as part of its
equipment expenses. Thus, the company
earns a profit first on the cost of manufac-
turin- the telenhone and then. again every
A