. Eighty-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Ml 48109 WATERMAN /BARBOUR A potential s tudent cen ter Tuesday, January 25,1977 News Phone: 764-0552 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Carter's pardon falls short AS PRESIDENT Jimmy Carter's first official act - a pardon of Vietnam draft resisters - a bold, in- cisive stroke, or was' it just another example of Carter moderation on an issue that can bear no moderate stance? The pardon is commendable, as far as it goes, but it falls patheti- cally short of\ the blanket amnesty that we have cried out for for years. Under Carter's plan, only those young men who "peaceably" protest- ed the war by evading the draft are covered by the pardon. Anyone who deserted after being inducted into the armed forces or resisted forced induc- tion "violently" must still face a re- view board to be considered for a pardon. Although many have hailed the pardon as a "radical move," it is actually regressive. There were broad- er amnesties granted after both World War II and the Korean War. Those two plans extended to everyone, re- sisters and deserters, except those who had committed felonies. These were reasonable programs, and we asked nothing more from Carter than to emmulate them - grant a blank- et amnesty, excluding only felons. But he refused us. Not only did he refuse to extend it to deserters, bt anyone who participated in an anti- war rally that ended in violence is also excluded, whether the person took part in the violence or not. That Carter has the audacity to' parade this regressive move as a com- passionate answer to the thousands of young Americans who can't return to their country simply because they recognized the absurdity of the Viet- nam War years before Washington is an insult to the intelligence of Am- erica. That the new president has not seen fit to even admit that the war was wrong - amnesty we think you were right, pardon says we forgive you, right or wrong -is an even greater tragedy. Carter had a chance to end the Vietnam war once and for all, and this. pardon falls disappointingly short. So far, the man from Georgia who gave us a big smile and prom- ised a new era of government looks very much like the leaders of old. '7 r ' Indira Gandhi's about-face: Trade-off for respectability? By SCOTT KELLMAN rHE RICH MAN'S table scraps are often the beggars feast. Such is the situation with the Waterman/' Barbour Gymnasium complex. Rejected for use by all academic units and consider- ed inappropriate for renovation and re-use by the Ath- letic Department Waterman/Barbour appears doomed to destruction. As in the case bf the rich man who thinks only of his own immediate personal needs and scarcely knows of the beggar's existence, so the University once again moves toward a major decision without the slightest consideration of its most insignificant and meaningless of concerns: The students. In March of 1976 the Regents approved a recom- mendation to raze the Waterman/Barbour Gymnasium complex. Soon after several interested groups raised serious questions about the present approach of the University in evaluating the uses, potentials, and his- torical value of older buildings on campus. Specifically members of the University community brought pres- sure on the Regents to study possible alternative uses for the building. WILLIAM STURGIS, Assistant to the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer was then empowered to review the Waterman/Barbour question. The result was the Sturgis Report - a superficial seven page type- written document which was prepared by a single Uni- versity official. This report was described by the committee for the Re-use of the Barbour/Waterman Buildings as follows: "The 'Review' gives the impression that it was pre- pared to justify the Administration's previous position and not to sincerely 'study' the numerous issues in- volved. If the purpose had been to describe the issues objectively or to research new facts about the situa- tion, the committee would have had at least several members who had come from different but pertinent backgrounds. It would also have had people more ex, pert in the engineering, economic, historic and archi- tectural issues." Most of the arguments presented by those supporting the demolition of the Waterman/Barbour rest on the assertion that it would be economically unfeasible to renovate the complex for alternative uses. THIS ASSERTION has yet to be supported by any- thing even resembling facts. Several reports have been presented by various Physical Properties Officials ar- guing that the buildings are "obsolete" and attempting to rebutt various claims of historical significance. Yet each of these reports and all estimates of costs has been based on faulty assumptions. The first of these assumptions is that the plant expansion of the Univer- sity is to be based on the Central Campus Planning Study. This study, which was completed in 1963, was made at a time when the student population was expand- ing at a much more rapid rate than at present. The enrollment of the University was projected to even- tually reach some 70,000 students. Considering the current population trends this enrollment figure can't possibly be reached in the forseeable future. Not only is this master plan hopelessly outdated and flawed by inaccurate growth projections, but it has also been largely ignored in past University construction decisions. Typically, the Central Campus Planning Study is only used when it supports a decision already made for other reasons. SUCH IS THE case with Waterman/Barbour, accord- ing to Edward Dougherty, Assistant to the Vice Presi- dent for Academic Affairs and author of the latest study, "the site will be used for a new Chemistry Building". The SturgisbReport substantiates this view with the statement, ". . . an expressed need for space for the Chemistry Department had been on hand for many years". These statements raise many questions. What are the needs of the Chemistry Department? What is the cost/ benefit ratio of a new structure for this purpose on that specific site? When and to whom have these needs been expressed? If these two buildings were to be torn down specifically to satisfy the Chemistry De- partments future needs then these questions would have been asked and resolved long ago. If these questions have been examined then Chemistry has an obligations to make the answers known so as to be judged in relation to the alternatives. If these questions have not been reviewed then we can only assume ei- ther gross incompetence on the part of the planning committee or that the true reasons for demolition are now being hidden and obscured. CLOSE EXAMINATION of the University Reviews to date reveals yet another major problem. These studies assume that the only units with space needs are those which are presently placed on the University priority list. This list generally titled, "Projects Re- cognized in State Legislation for Planning, or Under Consideration for Non-State Funding" is not an inclus- ive priority listing for space, but only for construction. The existence of such a list infers that the Planning Committee which drafts this list has solicited requests from all units within the University which may have space needs. Unfortunately, such is not the case. Though no one seems to know exactly who sits on the Planning Committee, it is obvious that the interests and space needs of many units were unrepresented and not even analyzed in drawing up the priority list. This is particularly true of student needs. As in so many areas of the University, student concerns are secondary and student representation discouraged. Not only do we have no input into the priority setting process but future student activity facilities are not even on the list. This has created a situation where the University of Michigan has fallen far behind other comparable midwestern universities in the quality of facilities pro- vided for student activities. SEVERAL DECADES AGO the U of M set the exam- ple in this area by constructing the first University building dedicated solely to Intramural Athletics, one of the first Unions in the Midwest, the Michigan League, and the Student Activities Building. It must be noted, however, that even these buildings were supported by special students assessments above and beyond tuition. Recently, this pacesetting trend has been completely reversed. Northwestern University, a private institution in dire financial straits, has just completed a new central student activities center. Similarly, most other Big Ten schools have not only student run unions lout also student activities buildings housing student organ- ization offices, workshops, and meeting spaces. Conversely, Michigan's Union and League are bas- ically conference centers dominated by hotel opera- tions, faculty-staff restaurants, and University Admin- istrative offices. The "Student Activities Building", built to be "a center for student activities" is now a University office building with WCBN - the only stu- dent activity relegated to a corner of the basement. STUDENT ORGANIZATION SPACE is limited to a mere 15 per cent ofthe Union and five offices in the league. Some groups have been forced to rent off campus space to hold University based organizational meetings. Still other student organizations are forced for alternate uses is aptly expressed by Regent Thomas Roach in the following, "Most of the architectural value of the building is inside, - and (the hand-tooled wood- work) would have to be mainly removed to adapt them for any other use". Other reservations center on the cost of remodeling the building for other uses. Herein lies the beauty of transforming Waterman/Barbour into a Student Activities Center. No new construction or remodeling would be necessary. Because of the unique combination of large open spaces and scattered offices as well as a theater, Waterman/Barbour could be used by all student groups. John Cook, Vice Presi[ dent of Public Relations of the University Activities Center produced a list of 45 possible uses for the com- plex. Some of these were; small concerts, office spade, play rehearsals, productions, jam sessions, storage space, information center, exhibitions, discos, and many more. Chris Bachelder also pointed out that the large gym floor would easily accommodate, the Fenc- ing Club martial arts groups, Folk Dance and Sailing clubs among others. THIS IS BY no means an exhaus'ive listing. We feel, however, that our point has been made. The Waterman/Barbour complex is a valuable structure and would facilitate extensive housing of student activities. Therefore. we agree with the recommendations of the Committee for Re-use of the Barbour-Waterman Build- ings. Specifically, we recommend that the Regen'ts (1) con- tinue to hold demolition in abeyance indefinitely, (2) authorize a feasibility study of the best alternative short- and long-term uses of the buildings, (3) put that o8 WETERPW4 GYMASIUM FVRE SITE OF AN EMPTYLOT I A *~*.**t~.*,* * * Al. TN WHAT CAN ONLY be termed an incredible about-face, for the mo- ment at least, Indira Gandhi has, restored the pretense of* democratic government to India. She has sched- uled a parliamentary election to be held in March, had lifted the abso- lute censorship of the Indian press, and has begun releasing the thou- sands of political prisoners that have been arrested over the past nineteen months. Why she is doing this is very diffi- cult to fathom. Is it a grandstand play, designed to show the rest of the world that India is indeed a demo- cratic nation that needed temporary martial measures to pass through a period of crisis? India's relations with the United States and other Western European nations have been very bad. Maybe the potential economic bene- fits of Gandhi's moves outweigh the possible risks of an election. That is, if there are risks. While removing some of the authoritarian measures, it is essential to note that the state of emergency that Gandhi announced in June, 1975, to justify the measures, has not been lifted. The implication of this oversight is ominous: just exactly how free will the March elections be? Will the op- position party be allowed to freely assemble? The spiritual leader of the opposition Jaya Prakash Narayan, in a speech given on Sunday, expressed his doubts. Referring to the restora- tion of certain civil liberties and veil- ed assurances by the Indian govern- ment that they would not interfere with political rallies, he said: "All that has been done is to assure peo- ple that these powers will be used sparingly for the next eight weeks. What will follow if the Congress wins is all too clear." If it is "all too clear" then why is Gandhi taking the risk of holding an election, where theoretically, she and her party stand a chance of losing? Maybe, she doesn't feel it is much of a risk. And based on the results of other "free" elections in recent history, Vietnam, South Korea to name a few, it's possible that Indira has shaved the dice before opening the casino. It is hoped that Gandhi's relax- ing of the oppressive policies of the past 19 months is a portent of bet- ter things to come in India's future. It doesn't however, erase the brutali- ty and the tyranny of the past. 4 000 to pay rent for holding activitiesi ings. Many organizations end up professors or deans who provide ganizational meetings. in University build- turning to friendly classrooms for or- Theater groups have been particularly hard pressed with inadequate space for stage construction and re- hearsals as well as prop and costume storage. Groups such as Musket, Soph Show, Gilbert & Sullivan Society, PTP, the School of Music Opera, UAC, the Dance De- partment and the U of M Musical Society all com- pete for the same limited theater space. This creates massive scheduling and rehearsal problems. Other student groups such as the Sailing Club which must store boats and equipment are forced to rent space for these purposes, thus placing a severe financial strain on the membership. THE LIST IS ENDLESS. Chris Bachelder, MSA Stu- dent Organizations Coordinator has a list of over 150 student organizations which need office space. In short, the current space allocation to student activities within the University Community is totally insufficient to meet the needs of these activities. Ironically, however, the University is preparing to destroy a building perfectly suited to meet these needs. The major argurment against adapting the structure study under the direction of a broadly-based committee which has expert skills and which also is sympathetic to continued use of the buildings, and provide for stu- dent representation on this committee. It must be noted that possible uses for the land on which Waterman/Barbour presently stands could not possibly be realized for a period ranging from five to ten years. FINALLY, HAD THE University provided for stu- dent and faculty input into the planning process then none of the current feelings of neglect and alienation would have been generated. Moreover, the process would have been enriched by the ideas and viewpoints of the student represenatives. The students are the con- sumers of the educational process. As such they have an inherent right to provide input into this process. Furthermore, as long as the University attempts to restrict student representation within the college com- munity, students will continue to fight for this basic right. Hence, as in the original analogy of the wealthy and the poor - as long as the powers that be persist in eating alone then the students will be forced to con- tinue to beg. Scott Kellman is the president of the Michigan StuT dent Assembly (MSA). Capitalism and chapatis? WHAT IS THE WORLD coming to? For years, those of us who wanted to feast on handgraspable meals, without having to go the greasy fast food route, have relied on Eden's to provide us with good-tasting, hand- prepared, moderately priced nourish- ment. Going into Eden's used to be like sitting on Santa's lap. You could pick and number of titillating culina- ry delights off of a constantly chang- ing menu, and the folks at Edens wnul stuff the gno s in a nnket nard establishment. But now, all that's changed. Like a classless steak 'n eggs di- ner, Eden's now gives its customers their own list of six combinations. And if you choose to stuff your chapati with any varient, it will cost you a painful 45 cents more per item. So now, instead of hearing custom- ers request a chapati with chick pea spread, alfalfa sprouts and eggless mayonnaise, you find people scream-. ing orders for a "number two" or Letters to the Facility, who is in dire need of a lot of postage stamps that may help me get out of this place. Trotskyists To The Daily: I ATTENDED the Andrei Amnalrik lecture on Januarv 17. expression of views contrary to mine ordinarily. It is only when methods of expression deny oth- ers their freedom that I become can think of says anything about forcefeeding rhetoric to people being the basis of freedom. If and when the Trotskyists cern and all consideration ir the above request. P.S. Any and all amounts will help.