Eighty-one years of editorial freedom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan circus maximus Biggest egg vs. biggest ego by in dsay chancy «i I 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mich. News Phone: 764-0552 Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual opinions of staff writers or the editors, This must be noted in all reprints. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1971 NIGHT EDITOR: GERI SPRUNG Replacing VP Knauss NEXT TERM the University will once N again have an opening for a vice president. And the question is not 'who will fill the gap?' but 'how will it be filled?' When Robert Knauss, vice president for student services, announced his resigna- tion to become dean of Vanderbilt Uni- versity's law school, many minds in the University community jumped back to the events surrounding his appointment a year ago. Knauss was appointed by President Robben Fleming over the heads of a stu- dent-faculty search committee which had submitted five names. And many stu- dents are expressing concern that it may happen again. When Richard Cutler left the Office of Student Services (OSS) in the winter of 1968, Fleming, newly appointed, nam- ed Barbara Newell as acting vice pres- ident. Newell served for a full two years. MEANWHILE, Fleming went through the motions of setting up a half-stu- dent, half-faculty search committee to determine who would direct OSS. At the same time, students, faculty and administrators painfully struggled to re- vise the Regents bylaws which determin- ed the authority structure in OSS. In the end, the Regents' established a student- controlled policy board for OSS, but did not require the vice president to follow its advice. To circumvent this problem, the s t u- dent-faculty search committee sought only candidates who would promise in advance to be bound by the will of the policy board. By the beginning of 1970, the search committee had presented Fleming a list of five such persons for consideration. One candidate was disqualified by Flem- ing for refusing to hold an interview un- less there was a Daily reporter present. The other four withdrew from considera- tion, three of them severely criticizing Fleming's attitude concerning the vice- presidential post. Finally, during the summer of 1970, Fleming named Knauss to the position, without checking with either the search committee or the Student Government Council. Students and faculty members expressed strong disapproval of Fleming's blatant disregard for the existence of his search committee. Despite this, the University 'lucked out.' For Knauss, though not the student advocate many had hoped for, did agree Editorial Staff ROBERT KRAFTOWITZ Editor to abide by the will of the policy board and in the past year has completely re- organized OSS. BUT WE MAY not be so lucky the next time Fleming disregards the com- munity he is supposed to represent and unilaterally appoints a high official. When Knauss took the vice presiden- tial post, he warned that he would leave within two years. Fleming, knowing this, should have designed a search procedure long ago to avoid the two-year-long fiasco that occurred last time a OSS v i c e president was appointed. But he didn't. The still-infant policy board, says one person who served during its first year, may not be able to stand the trauma and disorganization that another interim vice presidential appointment would b r i n g. More importantly, the new vice president must be willing to insure the policy board's authority. During the last two years, F 1 e m i n g proved his incompetence to choose a vice president efficiently and justly. In con- trast, the policy board during the past year has proved its competence by work- ing with Knauss to reorganize OSS and by dealing wisely with such important is- sues as on-campus recruiting. SINCE THE policy board has no OSS staff members on it, and since it does not have the time to painstakingly inter- view and search for candidates, it should probably not be burdened with the selec- tion process. However, since the policy board will have to work more closely with the vice president than will Fleming, it should have ultimate veto power over Fleming's determination. Since Knauss is leaving early n e x t term, a replacement should be chosen by December to assure a smooth transfer of power. And since the Office of Student Services exists to serve students, the can- didates should be chosen by a committee composed by a majority of students. Perhaps a manageable size would be five students, chosen by SGC, two facul- ty members, chosen by Senate Assembly, the faculty representative body, and two elected OSS staff members. The group should submit a list of three to five names to Fleming by Dec. 1, and should previously have expected a writ- ten promise from Fleming to select one of the search committee's nominees. ACCORDING TO OSS sources, Fleming himself has suggested a similar plan, whereby four students, two faculty mem- bers and two staff members will consti- tute the committee. However, he suggests that SGC, Senate Assembly, and the OSS staff submit "boards" of candidates for the committee. He would choose t h e members from the suggested "boards." This is unnecessary and unacceptable. Democratic representation would only be undermined by Fleming having the final say in who sits on the committee. If Fleming agrees, for example, that stu- dents should be represented, he should let students select their own people to represent them. A carefully formulated search commit- tee, representing the constituencies most involved in OSS, is desperately needed, and there is potential to set up such a structure. Given this potential, any such circus, as went on the last time the Uni- versity needed an OSS vice president, would be intolerable. -TAMMY JACOBS ONE OF THE most keenly com- petitive events at the annual Michigan State Fair is the Biggest Egg competition. Farmers from all over the state enter their larg- est eggs in hopes of obtaining re- cognition as the Biggest Egg Champion. This , year, the tension was heightened when the judging panel became deadlocked as it tried to choose between an entry submitted by Merlin Haymaker of Grass Lake and George Bellows of Cedar Ridge. Finally, the judging panel turned the matter over to an inde- pendent expert - an embryologist from Michigan State University - who would make the final deci- sion based on oral arguments pre- sented by both parties in the case. Haymaker presented his argu- ment first. "Your honor," he be- gan, "for the past five years, I have been the Biggest Egg Cham- pion, so you may rest assured that I have extensive experience in the matter. "Very commendable," said the judge. "MY EGG measures 6.7 inches on its major axis, and 4.3 inches on the minor axis," continued Haymaker. "As you can see, this is indeed a large egg," and he held the egg up for the judge to see. "You have stated your position well," said the judge nodding his approval. "Now, Mr. Bellows, you may present your argument." "Your honor, I , wish to make my case very simply," said Bel- lows. "My egg measures 45 inches on its major axis, and 27.8 inches on its minor axis. "What kind of bird laid that egg? A Peking duck?" scoffed Haymaker. "As a matter of fact, it was a Shanghai chicken," replied Bel- lows, thumbing his nose discreet- ly. AFTER EXAMINING the egg, which Bellows had brought in a padded pickup truck, the judge agreed that "you seem to have the largest egg." "Just one minute," spoke up Haymaker, "It would be a grie- vous error for you to award the Biggest Egg Championship to Mr. Bellows, without hearing all the evidence." "Very 'well," said the judge. "You may present additional evi- dence." "All right, said Haymaker, as he cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together. "Consider, if you will, while every other farmer in the state drives a yellow, green or brown station wagon, Mr. Bellows drives a red pick-up truck. Win- ning the Biggest Egg Champion- ship would only provide him with a forum for his fanatical pickup truck ideology." "Hmm," said the judge. "I WOULD not deny Mr. Bel- lows his right to drive any vehicle he desires" continued Mr. Hay- maker, "but until he becomes civilized, he has no business be- ing Biggest Egg Champion." "This information sheds new light on the matter," intoned the judge solemnly. "What say you, Mr. Bellows." "I say you're both crazy," shouted Bellows, jumping to his feet. "Tle contest is for the big- gest egg. It makes no difference what kind of car I drive and I disagree with the term 'fanati- cal'." "QUIET, ORDER in the hen- house," said the judge as he banged his gavel on a barrel, "This is indeed a dilemma." While the judge was contem- plating thesituation, one of Hay- maker's neighbor s and a good friend of the family, came over and put his hand on Haymaker's shoulder. "Merl," he said. "It looks like this other fellow has got you beat. Why don't you concede grace- fully and avoid an embarrassing situation." "Fair - weather friend," snarled Haymaker. "Get your hand off of me. I don't ever want to see you again. And if any of your cows get into my cabbage patch, I'll shoot them." The neighbor backed off quick- ly. At this point the judge be- gan to speak. "MY FRIENDS, I have reached a decision',' he said. "I have de- cided on a course of action which will make everyone happy. I will give the title of Biggest Egg Champion to both Mr. Bellows and Mr. Haymaker, which you may call a two-egg policy." $ 4 aI - -t t t -T f The Icemon Cometh Letters to The Daily Court Decision To The Daily: YOUR READERS may be in- terested to know what Ann Ar- bor City Councilman James Ste- phenson, leader of Council Re- publicans, had to say while stu- dents were away, about the re- cent Michigan Supreme Court decision giving college students the same voting rights as other citizens, that is, the right to vote where they actually live. "At first blush, I think it will mean bad government," he said, explaining that students don't pay taxes. Coining a new phrase, Stephenson called it "represen- tation without taxation." He added that, "a lot of stu- dents at the U-M who are mod- erate and who are likely to vote Republican are too -busy going to school and don't have time for politics." Meantime, Washtenaw Coun- ty Young Republicans were searching for reasons to explain disaffection with the GOP on Stephenson campus. They appeared to have overlooked at least one reason. -Walter Scheider Sept. 9 New draft bill: Curtaling deferments JIM BEATTIE -Executive Editor DAVE CHUDWIN Managing Editor STEVE KOPPMAN .., . ditorial Page Editor RICK PERLOFF. .. . Associate Editorial Page Editor PAT MAHONEY ..... Assistant Editorial Page Editor LYNN WEINER. ....Associate Managing Editor LARRY LEMPERT Associate Managing Editor ANITA CRONE ..... .. Arts Editor ROBERT CONROW ..Books Editor JIM JUDKIS .. ,......... Photography Editor NIGHT EDITORS: Rose Sue Berstein, Mark Dillen, Sara Fitzgerald, Tanmmy Jacobs, Alan Lenhoff, Jonathan Miller, Hester Pulling, Carla Rapoport, Robert Schreiner, W. E. Schrock, Geri Sprung. COPY EDITORS: Lindsay Chaney, Art Lerner, Debra Thal. DAY EDITORS: P.E. Bauer, Linda Dreeben, Jim Irwin, Hannah Morrison, Chris Parks, Gene Robinson, Zachary Schiller, ASSISTANT NIGHT EDITORS: Kenneth Cohn, John Mitchell, Beth Oberfelder, Kristin Ringstroin, Kenneth Schulze, Tony Schwartz, Jay Sheye- vitz, Gloria Jane Smith, Sue Stark, Ted Stein, Paul Travis, Marcia Zoslaw. By RICHARD H. POST rJHE COMPROMISE bill worked out in House-Senate confer- ence (H.R. 6531) will, if passed, contain unpleasant reading for students and will augment the ad- visability of applying early for I-O (conscientious objector). The bill authorizes the President to order inductions until July 1, 1973, and gives him discretionary power over student deferments. Until the bill is passed, any men entering college are legally en- titled to a II-S under the old law. In addition, the bill provides spe- cifically that men enrolled full- time as undergraduates in college during the "1970-71 regular aca- demic school year" shall be al- lowed deferments until graduation, so long as they qualify under the old II-S rules. Under the bill as it presently stands, however, the President may, and probably will, eliminate the II-S for those entering col- lege in the summer of 1971 or later. Furthermore, the compromise bill would abolish I-S(C) defer- ments. Instead, the bill provides that full-time graduates and un- dergraduates who are sent induc- tion notices be given postpone- ment of the date of induction "until the end of the semester or term." For s e n i o r s the delay would be until the end of the year. Thus, the right of personal ap- pearance and/or appeal at the expiration of the I-S(C) would be lost, since, a simple postponement of induction carries no such right. Furthermore, it is possible that men currently classified I-S (C) would lose their deferment and become draft eligible immediately when the bill becomes law. Also, the President has said he will not defer graduate students, although the new bill would give him this authority. Presumably, he will continue to grant the II-S to students of medicine and allied professions, however. Divinity students and certain undergraduates pre-enrolled in di- vinity schools will probably also be eligible for deferments of some sort, but not the IV-D exemption now given. Finally, passage of the bill would result in the elimination of the I-S(H) deferment for high school students. As a poor substitute, the bill states that students ordered for induction must be allowed postponements of the date for appearing for induction until they graduate or become 20. In several ways, then, the new law is likely to produce large num- bers of registrants with postponed induction orders. Many postpone- ments will last for months, some for a year or more. Thus, many more men than now do so are likely to apply for CO status after receiving induction orders. As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's Ehlert decision this past spring, however,- this alternative will be virtually impossible. For u n d er the decision local draft boards have been instructed not to accept applications or claims for CO after issuance of an in- duction order. Those who for any reasons de- cide that they object to partici- pating in a war after receiving an induction order are thus simply expected to submit to induction and then argue it out with the military. But this seems a highly unreas- onable procedure, for of course, by virtue of his very submission to the order a registrant appears to be insincere in making his claim. In spite of this draft board instruction, indeed, even because of it, late applicants for CO status years and now exceeds six percent of the current total of registrants. Also, the rates of "no show" and of refusals to accept induction after making a "showing" have risen sharply. For the last foul' m o n t h s of inductions - March through June - the number of men actually submitting was only about one third of the dumber of men ordered. But these things involve legal difficulties for the registrants. So it is vital that men who might ever wish to apply for CO status do so promptly - or at least prior to receiving an induction order (as well they might if the current bill is passed). With this in mind, it seems reasonable that students ought to wright to their Senators at once, and perhaps to encourage their friends and parents to write also -to protest the unfairness and injustices of the new bill and of the draft itself. This is of course .not an easy question to, sway Senators on, since voting against the draft in- cludes the risk of losing support at home. But it is hardly an in- surmountable problem. For Sena- tors may kill the bill by voting to recommit it to the Armed Services Committee. This would not be a particularly risky venture since it would involve voting neither for nor against the bill. In addition, those with problems or questions related to the draft should seek advice at the Draft Counselling Center at 502 East Huron Street. It is open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. and from 10 a.m. until noon on Saturdays. IFYOU R1ui IS A L6 - ( TH1 I K iTAT- AWJ OUT OF OUR -AY TO PROVE TO YCX) LRU NOT LYWO- K K1 9 AREl " ° O AR LA~5 W-2dl' £A6 24