sL £ICtgan 4ku t
Eighty-three years of editorial freedom
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan
Student input in
LSA
decision-making
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104
News Phone: 764-0552
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1973
Zoning proposal unsound
THE MOVE TO rezone a portion of the
campus area is an unfortunate at-
tempt to rush headlong into a decision
whose ramifications have not been stu-
died by the city. The proposal, we feel,
-should be defeated.
The area in question is presently desig-
nated by the city zoning ordinances as
the R2B zone. Basically, the R2B zone is
the area in which most fraternities and
sororities are located.
At present this zoning restriction does
not allow rooming houses, which Univer-
sity Housing officials assert would have
a "negative impact" on small group living
and would be the "least desirable" of pos-
sible alternatives for the structures. The
change, proposed by Keim Realty com-
pany, would allow former Greek houses
to be turned into rooming houses.
As Kelly Newton, acting for Keim, has
duly pointed out, student interest in
Greek housing has declined somewhat in
recent years. However, there are not mas-
sive numbers of vacant Greek houses as
he seems to imply. According to Inter-
Cooperative Council (ICC) vice president
and development chairman Bing Fred-
erick, there are only two such structures
now standing vacant..
IN ADDITION, there are some signs that
Greek life is no longer declining. It
would be unwise to proceed on the as-
sumption that fraternity and sorority
life will soon disappear altogether. Those
proposing the change'have also ignored
the fact that the number of students in
rooming houses has also declined con-
siderably since 1960.
The proposed zoning changes would
probably increase the demand for such
buildings among realtors, and thus sky-
rocket their prices.
Several groups in the community have
already made use of old fraternity and.
sorority houses, including the ICC, a
nursery school and the Rainbow Peoples
Editorial Staff
CHRISTOPHER PARKS and EUGENE ROBINSON
Co-Editors in Chief
DIANE LEVICK .......................... Arts Editor
MARTIN PORTER....................Sunday Editor
MARILYN RILEY.........Associate Managing Editor
ZACHARY SCHILLER .............. Editorial Director
ERIC SCHOCH....................Editorial Director
TONY SCHWARTZ.....................Sunday Editor
CHARLES STEIN . ........City Editor
TED STEIN..........................Executive Editor
ROLFE TESSEM .....................Managing Editor
STAFF WRITERS: Prakash Aswani, Gordon Atcheson,
Dan. Biddle, Penny Blank, Dan Blugerman, Howard
Brick, Dave Burhenn, Bonnie Carnes, Charles Cole-
man, Mike Duweck, Ted Evanoff, Deborah Good,
William Heenan, Cindy Hill, Jack Krost, Jean Love-
Josephine Marcotty, Cheryl Pilate, Judy Ruskin,
Ann Rauma, 'Sob Seidenstein, Stephen Selbst, Jeff
Sorensen, sue Litephenson, David Stol, Rebecca
Warner
DAILY WEATHER BUREAU: William Marino and
Dennis Dismacnek (forecasters)
Photography Staff
DAVID MARGOLICK
Chief Photographer
KEN FINK.......................Staff Photographer
THOMAS GOTTLIEB..............Staff Photographer
STEVE KAGAN...................,Staff Photographer
KAREN KASMAUSKI..............Staff Photographer
TERRY McCARTHY..............Staff Photographer
JOHN UPTON ....... Staff Photographer
Party. These groups and others, with their
more limited funds, would not be able
to afford these increased prices, and the
realtors would be home free.
In addition, those sororities and fra-
ternities which still exist would find
themselves confronted with increased
pressure to close down and sell out.
THE R2B ZONE was originally created to
act as a sort of "buffer zone" be-
tween single family residential areas and
business districts, to facilitate small-
group student living.
In effect, the proposed change could
transform the R2B zone against the wish-
es and without the consent of the resi-
dents of the area.
Many students and nqn-students as
well desire the chance to live in organiz-
ed small group situations, whether Greek,
cooperative or communal living. Their
chances will be increasingly diminished
if the proposed zoning change is ap-
proved.
Apparently the impetus for rooming
houses has not been thwarted by the
mere fact that such living situations are
illegal in the R2B zone.
It seems that two former Greek houses
are presently being operated as rooming
houses, at least in spirit. According to
Frederick, the owner of the house is nam-
ed only as the manager in the contract
to avoid the appearance of a rooming
house. The house is being called a soror-
ity, devoid of group functions, with both
males and females living there.
Newton has said that to him "it sounds
like ICC is afraid of competition - and
I think that's the wrong attitude."
COMPETITION, OF course, is the name
of the game in our society, and in
this situation Mr. Newton and landlords
generally stand to gain a great deal at
the expense of those for whom profit is
not the sole motivation.
In presenting his request for the zon-
ing change, Newton stated that under
present zoning ordinances "these struc-
tures cannot legally be put to alterna-
tive uses which are economically feasi-
ble." Translated, this means that they
cannot be used for profit by realtors and
landlords.
It is time that the profit motive be
shoved into the background to make way
for more important considerations, such
as what sort of living conditions people
in this community desire. Zoning changes
should not be approved precipitously, but
should be made after careful thought and
deliberation with people-oriented consid-
erations in mind.
The City Council will probably take up
the issue at its Nov. 5 meeting. We urge
interested parties to attend and voice
their disapproval of this proposal.
TODAY'S STAFF:
News: Gene Robinson, Steve Selbst, Char-
lie Stein
Editorial Page: Marnie Heyn, Eric Schoch,
David Yalowitz
Arts Page: Sara Rimer
Photo Technician: Steve KaganI
Editor's note: This is the first of
two articles on the LSA governance
proposal, the first dealing with the his-
tory of student input into LSA decision-
making. The second, appearing tomor-
row, will discuss the proposal itself.
By JONATHAN KLEIN
DISTRIBUTION requirements, foreign
language requirements, concentration
requirements, grades, exams . . . Who
makes all these rules that make getting
an "education" such an oppressive exper-
ience?
In the College of Literature, Science, and
the Arts, this decision making authority
rests with the faculty. Once a month, the
Governing Faculty meet for two hours to
discuss and determine policies of the Col-
lege.
Students have never had much to do with
the whole process of running the literary
college. Even after the cries for "stu-
dent power" in the sixties, undergraduates
in LSA have little say in the affairs of
their College.
Students are allow to participate on the
College committees here and there - Cur-
riculum, Policy, Administrative Board -
but all major decisions of these commit-
tees must still be approved by the par-
ent body, the Governing Faculty.
On Monday, this rather staid group will
be confronted with a proposal to change all
this. They will vote on a Governance Pro-
posal which would remove the authority for
the governing of the College from their
hands, and place it with a student-faculty
representative assembly.
THE PROPOSAL, co-sponsored by Eng-
lish Prof. Marvin Felheim and LSA Stu-
dent Government member Chuck Barquist,
would entrust to students, and faculty an
equal responsibility in governing their Col-
lege community. However, the chances for
"The idea that students can't exercise intelligent
judgement as well as bring a needed perspective
to these matters is simply wrong. The argument
about confidentiality is equally fallacious. Since
when does the faculty have a corner on the mar-
het for trustworthiness?"
S:{..44:::":x::: :titi :irti {o m e m .,
passage of such a "radical" proposal with-
out strong student support are slim. Power
structures are not easily toppled.
Failure and frustration haunt the history
of attempts at student participation in
College governance. The first significant
positions students held in the College were
on the Curriculum Committee. Some time
in the late sixties three students were add-
ed to the six faculty members board, a
great step forward for student "input."
But to guard against the capricious use
a bastion of conservativism in the past.
Since all tenure, personnel, and budgetary
matters are considered there, students have
been traditionally excluded.
Last year the Committee turned down
a LSA Student Government proposal to
add two student members without vote.
It was reasoned that students should not
be allowed access to such sensitive in-
formation as where our money goes, who
is hired, who is fired, and why.
The idea that students can't exercise
to the College. It reports regularly to the
Governing Faculty, and student members
have even been granted the "right" to
speak in Faculty meetings.
But the Policy Committee, however pro-
gressive it may seem, is merely another
example of the deceptive philosophy of
"student input." Students may make sug-
gestions, but never decisions. The Policy
Committee has sent two major pieces of
legislation to, the Governing Faculty for
approval, one providing for student parti-
cipation in the tenure process, the other
calling for a total pass/fail underclass ex-
perience with pass fail options for upper-
classpeople. Both proposals were defeated
by the Faculty by wide margins.
FRUSTRATED AND disillusioned w it h
these failures, concerned students and fa-
culty members are rearticulating the is-
sues of College governance. Many who
had worked long and hard to make grading
and other reforms work began to sense
that change would not occur until the
sources .of power themselves were at-
tacked. Student concerns will .iot be consid-
ered unless students have a real voice
in decision making. Who is making the
decisions: this was recognized as the real
problem facing educational reform.
The Governance Proposal now before the
Faculty was introduced last spring. After
a long delay, it will finally receive consid-
eration next Monday. Without strong stu-
dent pressure, it is unlikely that the Gov-
erning Faculty will vote itself out of exist-
ence - power relationships do rot change
easily. But it is essential that the College
community - faculty and stulents - be-
gin to consider and debate these important
issues of College governance.
Jonathan Klein is president of the LSA
S/udeni Government.
of their voice, the Faculty has made all
Curriculum Committee decisions subject
to the approval of. the Executive Com-
mittee, a high-powered all faculty body
which controls the College's budget and
personnel policies.
In 1972, when the Curriculum Committee
made an important recommendation on
grading policy calling for greatly expanded
pass/fail options, it was delayed for near-
ly a year by the Executive Committee.
AND WHEN the Curriculum Committee
last year recommended increasing the
number of its student members to six.
the motion was again pigeonholed by the
Executive Committee. But the students still
have "input".
The Executive Committee itself has been
intelligent judgment as well as bring a
needed perspective to these matters is
simply wrong. The argument about confi-
dentiality is equally fallacious. Since when
does the faculty have a corner on the
market for trustworthiness?
THE GOVERNANCE Proposal now on
the Faculty agenda dates back to a sim~
ilar one conceived by a student-faculty
committee three years ago. That plan
wouldhave created an eighty member stu-
dent-faculty governing body, but was tabled
by the Faculty in favor of the alternative
plan for a Student-Faculty Policy Com-
mittee.
The Policy Committee, a parity body with
six students and six faculty, has a broad
charge to deal with any matter of concern
I
letter fi*oi the editor
One
last try for a publicnuisance
By CHRISTOPHER PARKS
FROM ITS INCEPTION, the
Maple Village Shopping Cen:cr
has been a major bummer for
everyone deliberately or unwitting-
ly involved with it. Physically de-
cayed and financially derelict, it
has been a Waterloo for developers
and a pain in the ass for city
officials - and it's in trouble'
again.
Like the "spare change" pan-
handlerston State Street, the cent
er's present owners are tugging im-
ploringly on the City Council's
sleeve. But the city, weary from
years of hassles with the place, is
in no mood for another handout.
Even council's Republicans,
whose solicitous concern for the
well-being of developers is legend-
ary, are fed up with the Maple
Village folks. "If the place goes
broke," says John McCormicK i R-
Fifth Ward), "I wouldn't even
care."
And it may do just that. Far be-
hind the convoluted and byzantine
financial dealings used to keep the
place afloat lies the fact that bus-
iness-wise Maple Village just ain't
makin' it.
THE CENTER is some $45,000 in
arrears on its city taxes, it has
defaulted on its mortgage, and -
according to the attorney for Mapie
Village's tn-part ownership - the
place hasin't made a cent from
the day it opened.
Here's the deal: Maple Vil"age
can't pay its debts unless it can
start turning a profit. Maple Vxl-
lege can't turn a profit - or so
the owners would have us beiieve
-unless it expands and, of course,
it can't expand without capital.
Now, for you and me, this would
mean just one thing - Bankruotcy.
When you screw things up, you pay
for it.
But that's not the way things
work in the world of corporate fi-
nance. Rather than just throwing
in the towel, Maple Village'; pul-
led off a nifty financial end run.
They convinced a finance com-
pany in Chicago toaouy their de-
faulted mortgage and lend them
half a million dollars for their pro-
posed expansion. All this i, se-
cured, believe it or not, by pro-
jected profits from the new ten-
ants.
AND THIS IS where City Coun-
cil comes in.
One of the conditions of the loan
is the city's approval for Maple
Village's expansion plans. Un-
fortunately, City Council s mem-
ory is not as short as the develop-
ers would like.
From the beginning, the center's
position - across Jackson Road
from the Westgate center - made
that stretch of highway an auto-
motive circus of horrors.
Originally, entrances to Maple
Village from Jackson Road creat-
ed a spine-chilling traffic cross-
flow with people bopping back any'
forth across the street to and from
Westgate.
In February, 1970, counc'l made
them close the entrances in an at-
tempt to fix things up.
It didn't work.
Now, to'enter Maple Village from
the west, you have to go past the
place on Jackson to the Maple-
Jackson intersection, hang a left,
and go north on Maple. Despite
a drop in traffic flow of over 7,0600
cars from 1970 to 1972, the acci-
dent rate has not gone down.
AND THEN, THERE'S the lit-
tle matter of Maple Village's dil-
apidated "parking lot" which bears
a striking resemblance to the lui
ar landscape or a Southeast Asian
battlefield.
The place has become such a
chronic nuisance that straightening
it up has come to rival warm sum-
mers and mild winters for depth
and breadth of popular support.
Everyone from the HRP's hippie
radicals to the GOP's corporat-
reactionaries made action on Maple
Village a campaign prr)'uise in the
last election.
So, when Maple Village's cor-
porate mouthpiece c-ome to' City
Council Monday to ple,.l his bos-
ses' case, it was like Arthur Brem-
mer showing up for a garden par-
ty at the governor's mansion in
Montgomery, Ala.
The ambience, to put it mildly,
was hostility.'
Councilman McCormick - who
has already gotten phenomenal
mileage out of this issue - led
the attack, demandibg assurances
that the center's neo-Dogpatch
parking lot would oe resurfaced
and landscaped so th it it "Won't
fall apart again in six months."
NORRIS THOMAS (D-Firs:
Ward) wanted to know if Maple
Village had any intention of paying
its taxes.
William Colburn (R-Third Ward)
complained that a fur:her expan-
sion of the center would only ag-
gravate Jackson Road'; already
considerable traffic hsss'es.
On the defensive, the mouthpiece
- one Anthony Pieroni - was al-
ternately contrite and defiant.
It was a truly fine lawyer's per-
formance - the , basic deadpan
with nervous grin and pained gri-
mace variations.
He poured out his bosses' trials
and tribulations and asked for just
one more chance.
Council, in no mood to be eilhor
generous or patient, made a lot
of threatening noise, about not ap-
proving the expansi-n without leav-
ing themselves a "club" to hold
over Maple Village's corporaia
head.
BUT THE ULTIMATE club ap-
pears to be in the hands of the
Maple Village ownership.
Pieroni pointed out, with no ex-
cessive subtlety, that his clients
might just declare bankruptcy,
pick up their marbles and g o home
if the expansion is not aoprcved.
The city would get neither its
basic taxes nor the parking lot re-
novations.
And then - the bombshell.
Maple Village, Pieroni said, hasz
an option to sell an unde2eloped
hunk of land fronting on Jackson
Road.
Whoever buys it would find them-'
selves landlocked and migt weil
take the city to court to force the
reopening of the sealed-off Jackson
Road entrances.
So, the way it works out, every-
body's screwed and nobody wins.
And the Maple Village me is ges
on and on and on .
For now, the city is le.-ing the
center go ahead with its plans,
with certain stipulations:
- No building permits will be
issued to the center until paving
Daily Photo by STEVE KAGAN
and landscaping of the lot is at
least 80 per cent complexe. and
- The over-all "area plai' will
not be approved if the Jal<:on
Road parcel .is sold.
IN THEORY, this should straigh-
tn things out. It should force Map-
le Village owners to meet their
public responsibilities at the same
time giving them just one last
fling at making the place at least
a marginal success.
But it was significant that no
one at City Council seemed exactly
overjoyed after Monday night's
meeting. Optimism was hardly
rampant.
Some places are congeni al mis-
takes - doomed from birth to a
long, wearisome life as a public
nuisance. Maple Village may be
one of them.
4
Letters,
To The Daily:
DURING THE four years I
spent as an undergraduate at this
university, I suffered the usual
array of minor physical maladies
which afflict many of us: c o 1 d s,
strep throat, mononucleosis, etc.
During those four years I was fre-
quently frustrated and angry by
the type of treatment I received
in the Medical Clinic.
Believe it or not, however, this
letter is being written in praise of
an aspect of the University Health
Services. There is a service pro-
vided for students of which most
of the University Community is
probably only vaguely aware if
indeed cognizant at all.
I spent the past week as an in-pa-
tient in the Infirmary which is lo-
cated on the third floor of the
Health Service Building. I under-
went minor surgery at the Univer-
sity Hospital just over a week ago
and my recuneration nrocess re-
Infirmary a pleasant surprise
and upset since I had suffered an
unbelievably painful operation that
day. I was emotionally drained and
in much physical discomfort.
I received neither sympathy nor
alternative suggestions from the
secretary who initially fielded my
request. I then contacted the doctor
who performed the operation and
even he showed no concern for
my dilemma. I grew increasingly
appalled by what seemed to be
total insensitivity of these peopie
to the physical and emotional
needs of a patient.
In desperation I finally called
the chief surgical resident a~ Uni-
versity Hospital. At last I encount-
ered someone who seemed genuine-
ly concerned about my predica-
ment. He suggested the Infirmary
at the University Health Service
as a place I would receive tho kind
of care I needed for my "recup-
eration process."
On the basis of my years of ex-
as a patient and me as a person.
So I shall take this opportunity to
thank them.
--Cheri Plavnick
Grad
Oct. 24
diag rally
To The Daily:
THE FRIDAY noon diag rally
in support of the impeachment of
Nixon was unfortunately an ex-
ample of typical Ann Arbor poli-
tical action. Once again, the cen-
tral issue was clouded behind a
mist of radical rhetoric. The caus-
es of the farm workers, ITT and
Karl Armstrong are legitimate,
certainly, but at this point only.
have have the effect of diluting,
the effort of removing an incom-
petent from office.
The leaders of this demonstra-
tion speak to a very small seg-
met of the camnus community.
with Nixon's actions, not wilh the
people who are opposing Tiim. On
many Ivy League campuses, im-
peachment groups have maintain-
ed a particularly moderate posi-
tion, so as not to give Nixon an
anti-student rallying point. T h i s
factor must be a major considera-
tion here, also.
It is vital that Nixon be thrown
out, and to accomplish this end,
it is vital that as many people as
possible be brought into an im-
peachment movement. Therefore,
I urge the radical leaderchip to
tone down corollarv demands, and
concentrate on re noving Nixon.
Other issues will take care of
themselves wien iesponsil'c gov-
ernment retijms to the United
States.
-Gary Kreiysman '73
Oct. 27
SACplans
2. Implementation of the Black
Action jMovement demands'1 as
agreed to by the University in
1970.
3. Adequate financial aid for all
those who need it in order to at-
tend the University.
4. Re-evaluation of the residency
requirements with intent to revise
and clarify.
5. Support for the demands of
the Teaching Fellows Uoion.
6. Complete disclosure of all Uni-
versity financial inftrmnation, in-
cluding salaries and departmental
allocations.
, Many people agreed that a broad
campaign would hays to be waged
to force the Regents zo adopt these
demands. SAC decid-d to follow a.
two part strategy which consists
of an intensive educational cam-
paign to get out det.Wed informa-
tion about the demads and the
University's financia. situatIon, and
AI
i