Ai ndi an 111y Eighty-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, M1 48109 Wednesday, April 13, 1977 News Phone: 764-0552 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Students benefit by faculty nixing of new comp' rules STUDENTS WERE the winners in a recent LSA faculty decision not to enact a more stringent English com- position program for Literary college undergraduates. By a narrow three-vote margin, the group rejected a plan that would have added two more courses to the dis- tribution requirements for graduation, on top of the compulsory "freshman composition." The proposal, introduced by Eng- lish Prof. Daniel Fader who chaired a committee which drafted it, was objectionable for a number of rea- sons, not the least of which is the authoritarian, undemocratic way it was produced. No students participated' in the committee that wrote the new gradu- ation requirements. Apparently, LSA faculty saw fit to apply the outmoded and highly arrogant theory that stu- dents should have no voice in their own governance, that faculty "know what's best' for them and will look after their interests. Fortunately, Regents and admin- istrators have begun to recognize the right - in theory, if not in practice - of students to share in the mak- ing of decisions that affect them. Gradually, students are being given positions on a wide range of policy making bodies. ON THE SUBSTANCE of the Fader proposal, the primary objection is that is would heap more courses onto the already tburdensome LSA distribution requirement. There is no question that the abil- ity to write clearly and effectively is one of the most important skills a college education can provide. How- ever, the answer to better writing in- struction at the University lies with stronger departmental attention to writing, not with stricter college:-wide regulations. Furthermore, many LSA depart- ments have more than adequate pro- vision for writing in their undergrad- uate courses, as any political science or history major can testify. If other departments-principally in the nat- ural or physical sciences - don't ade- quately emphasize student writing skills, the remedy will be forced in departmental, not college-wide ac- tion. Health QUESTION: What's the best thing to do about blisters on your feet? I seem to get them a lot. Some people say to pop them and put on a bandaid and some say don't touch them. Also, is there any way to prevent them? ANSWER: If you're among the numerous "sometime athletes," then the tendency is to always be starting new exercise programs and sports activities. Such people often develop blisters at pressure points in the first few weeks of the new activity. If the pressure continues, the skin thickens and a callous is formed. Usu- ally, blisters will not form there again if usage continues, but with a sudden great increase in the activity which brought 'on the blister, the callous may break down and a fresh blister form on top of it. Thus, take heart; even an experienced athlete may devolop a blister or two if he/she is unusually active or if they change their form or technique. Many activities involve both friction and pressure to the feet and so they are vulnerable to blisters. Efforts should be directed at help- ing the foot to move smoothly and easily in the shoe. Some people approach the problem by spraying the feet with an adherent such as tincture of benzoin, and then powdering them. Another method is to coat the sole of the foot with a thin layer of mineral oil. Others like wearing snug-fitting light socks under their heavy athletic socks. However, if either pair should wrinkle, this in itself can cause fric- tion and blistering. Shoes should fit comfort- ably but not loosely since a loose fit will cause the foot to move excessively within the shoe. This can lead to blisters on the toes as well as other places on the foot. If a blister is small and remains intact, it is best to leave it alone and just cover it with a bandaid. Popping is not recommended because of the possibility of secondary infection. The fluid will be reabsorbed and the top layer of skin will eventually peel off. If a large blister Service Handbook remains unruptured, it may be painful and it as looking at only relatively healthy subjects). is probably a good idea to come in to our emer- In almost every instance where ill effects of gency clinic and have our very competent nurse marijuana smoking have been found, indepen- remove the fluid. She will then trim off the dent researchers' attempts to replicate those re- "roof" to prevent infection. If any blister you suits have met with failure. But experimental get develops redness, swelling, pain and hard- failure doesn't often make front page copy. nes, they may signal infection and will need Likewise, the report that marijuana smoking lancing, careful cleansing, application of soaks does not change testosterone (male hormone) and possibly antibiotics, levels even 'in heavy smokers did very little to dispel the myth (sanctified by earlier publi- QUESTION: Would you please explain the cation) that young men in their prime would effects of marijuana on pregnancy? Should the become lifeless and libido-less by using the male be as cautious as the female? Is alcohol drug. more detrimental? In short, we can't really answer your ques- tion now because we haven't the information. ANSWER: We referred your questions to one The human and animal studies suggest to the of our physicians, Dr. Barbara Adams, who American Academy of Pediatrics that "women found them very, challenging in'light of all who are or who may become pregnant" should the controversy on the subject. Her answer avoid use of marijuana, and that is their recom- follows: mendation. Strangely enough, they have not Early reports of chromosome breakage and come out with a similar recommendation re- genetic defects in cells of marijuana smokers garding cigarette smoking, although carbon led some scientists to predict dire consequences monoxide inhaled in smoke displaces oxygen for the children of these pipe dreamers: -. in maternal blood, robbing the developing fe- genetic damage and increased numbers of birth tus of oxygen and frequently producing inap- defects. Other studies showed that the body's propriately small infants. (Perhaps on this basis natural defense mechanisms were blunted by alone, it would be better not to smoke mari- marijuana,- thus increasing the susceptibility juana, although you could brew it as a tea, or of mother and unborn child to the ravages of chew it, or cook with it as the Jamaicans do.) disease. The newspapers duly reported (and are There has not been a proscription against al- still reporting) these and other noxious effects cohol consumption either, although chronic al- of cannabis: - brain damage, cancer, sterili- cohol abuse also produces small infants (prob- ty, impotence. Little wonder that your question ably because chronic alcoholics generally have implies that the effects of the drug on preg- poor nutrition). nancy are negative! When pregant and taking risks for' two, But for every prejudice about marijuana only you can decide how much risk you're - for, against, and undecided - there has comfortable with. As a rule of thumb, you been a study, and the only thing that the stud- should be wary of all drugs during pregnancy les seem to have in common is that the results - marijuana, alcohol, nicotin, tranquilizers - conflict with results of other studies. The Ja- they've even pointed the finger at aspirin. The maican study of 30 heavy marijuana users Greeks had it right: moderation in all things. failed to show any increase in serious disease If all pregnant women went back to eating a or any increased incidence of chromosonal "natural" diet of wild nuts and berries, the damage (although the study has been criticized babies would probably all be Neanderthals! 1 Letters to the Te state mustincrease its higher education funds IT CAME AS A SURPRISE to no one when University President Robben Fleming announced Monday tlat a tuition hike for the 1977-78 school year was "unavoidable." We're getting used to these end of the year notices -- tuition has been increased five out of the last six years. But if these fee .hikes have become almost customary, then it has become just as traditional for all us students (Dailyites included) to lambaste the callous, corporate University for fail- ing to curb the swelling cost of qual- ity education. The time has come to clear this matter up. The University is not the main culprit, that role is played by the Michigan state legisla- ture. The state legislature has consist- ently shown an insensitivity toward higher education. In fact, Michigan gives less money to state colleges and universities than three-quarters of the other 49 states. This year, Gov- ernor Milliken proposed a $9.7 mil- lion budget increase for the Univer- sity. The legislature is planning to hike that amount a bit, but not near- ly enough. WHILE OPERATING costs have been surging upward, the budget increases from the state have been so little that the University's buying power has decreased steadily, the last six years even though the actual budget has risen somewhat. To top it off, the arctic winter we just suf- fered forced the University far over its utilities budget, and that deficit will have to be accounted for in this years budget. Late last month, Presi- dent Fleming begged the legislature to consider these problems when de- ciding this year's budget, put his plea apparently fell on deaf ears. Thus, it will cost more to attend school here next year - informed sources indi- cate the increase will be in the eight to ten per cent range - courtesy of the state. In the short run there is nothing anyone can do - tuition will be high- er next year, its too late to change that. But both the University and the state legislature can and must start to formulate some long range plans to check the trend of increasing high- er education costs. The state must begin to re-think its budget priorities immediately. State universities are simply not getting sufficient funding, and the governor and the legislature must recognize that fact, and appor- tion a greater percentage of funds for higher education. The University, meanwhile, must prepare for the fu- ture by reallocating funds to avoid the last day of classes. This year, we won't know the final amount until the June Regents meeting - and that is unreasonably late. Many students are budgeted down to the last pen- ny for edudation costs, and they need to know as soon as possible how much extra they will need. There are also students who will probably choose not to return to the University if the increase is too severe, and they need to be able to make that deci- sion soon, so they can apply to an- other school, or start looking for work. This job will rest mainly on the shoulders of the legislature, which must alter its yearly schedule to fi- nalize its budget earlier. The Univer- sity should try to inform students as soon as possible when an increase is expected, and if a decision won't be reached until the summer, then the University has a responsibility to mail the information home to each student as soon as it becomes available. If we all work together, students, legisla- ture and administration, we just may survive the fiscal crisis with more than just the shirts on our backs. TODAY'S STAFF: News: Stu McConnell, Julie Rovner, Jim Tobin, Pauline Toole, Margaret Yao, Lo-rie Young Editorial: Ken Parsigian Arts: Lois Josimovich Photo: Christina Schneider Sports: Henry Engelhardt, Geoff Lar- corn, Brian Martin Editorial Staff Olympic To The Daily: In response to the article pre- sented Saturday, April 2, 1977 "Olympic workers fired for picketing": The Olympic Restaurant lo- cated not at the corner of Ann and Miller but on the corner of Main and Miller. The ex-employes would like, all readers to acknowledge the facts which are about to be pre- sented. The above article claiming that the employes of the spoken restaurant walked out after be- ing fired. The employes walked out still employed, and started picketing with the intentions of making working conditions bet- ter, not only for the employes, but for the owners as well. The so-called "emotional" suggestion employe meeting (the night before the walk-out) only one of the owners (Mr. Stamdianos) showed. Ms. Sta- mianos felt it "wasn't worth her time" in fact she even laughed when she read the list of things the staff put together and typed out. (Not mentioning the hours of time and arguing put in by every employe involved). How can any restaurant owner laugh at suggestions which would im- prove their business by taking away the tension and hard feel- ings that had been building up for months because of Ms. Stai- dianos. After talking and explaining each suggestion one by one to Mr. Stamdianos he gave no spe- cific day or time to resolve these problems to any of the employ- es. He did say that he would- set up a meeting in the near fu- ture, but that could have been two monhts from then and we needed these problems solved immediately, the tension w a s too great to go on much longer. We tried the following morn- ing, but when arriving to work the girl coming in at 6:00 a.m. was not called by name, she was the "6:00 person". The two oth- er employes later to come, along with the "6:00 person" were treated the same cold way. La- ter in the day one of the em- ployes overheard Ms. Stamdi- anos on the telephone hiring some people who supposedly were being hired to help the employes the same day. The staff couldn't figure out why we needed help that day since we had enough people to cover the Restaurant. Wednesdays weren't that busy anyway. Then they (the employes) found out that Ms. Stamdianos had laughed at our suggestions and the staff de- cided to take action sooner than planned, and walked out of the Olympic and began to strike. Unfortunately the strike did result in harsh confrontations, but not between the Olympic customers and the picketers but between the picketers and five persons who were hired by one of the persons very much in- volved in the Olympic's busi- started. From the time she call- ed the police the five persons continued to threaten the picket- ers with threats as "you better leave my aunt'g restaurant alone or you'll be tuissing some teeth." "You can't do this to my aunt's restaurant." One of the five pulled a sign off one of the picketer's neck and tore it up, then threatened her in front of a police officer, who in re- turn said nothing to the threat- ener. And can you tell me why Harry wasthe only one search- ed for a gun, which was non- existant? As for Sergeant Johnson, he was not at the scene when the strike breakers struck. The two officers assisting us were police officers Van Dam and Parkim but not Johnson. The picketers assaulted no one. They (the picketers knew all the laws of picketing and were defiantly not going to break any. The customers en- tered and exited the restaurant as they would any other res- taurant with no picketers. "We stopped no one, if anything they stopped us for information." In concern with the custom- ers' complaining about the pick- eters, there couldn't have been very many because very few would cross the picket line, in- cluding a delivery truck deliv- ering to the Olympic Restaur- ant. The statements made by Mr. Stamdianos "If I eat here I don't want to face them when I come in." The question is why can't he face us? The other statement made: "They are not a union, and I fired them and I no longer want them to interrupt our business." The employes felt they had to put together their own union so they did. They fought for what they believed in and in doing so they feel they have accom- plished more than their unem- ployment check every week, but the satisfaction of knowing that the proprietors of the Olympic Restaurant (Mr. and Ms. Stam- dianos) could no longer put any other unnecessary pressure on their shoulder, which had been piling up for months. Since Ms. Stamdainos didn't want to take care of the situation something had to be done. Even if it meant losing their jobs, which they did. But the employes feel they'- ve proved their point. The following list is the exact list of suggestions presented to Mr. Stamdianos pt together and typed by all the emyployes involved. Makedup your own minds! Are these working conditions too much to ask? -The Olympic Workers Hash Bash To The Daily: Virginia R. Boynton, in a let- ter published April 8, would have us believe the notion that: "The original purpose of the Bash, to demonstrate in favor facts straight. In regards the Hash Bash, doing so is not hard at all. It's ridiculously simple even: just drag out the micro- films of The Michigan Daily, Ann Arbor News, Detroit Free Press and/or News for the months of March and April 1972. To spare you the trouble, (ac- tually. you could just as well call it practice), the origins of the Hash Bash had nothing to, do with the $5 fine (Section 16.2 of the City Charter). The Hash Bash is a direct outgrowth of the mass movement to free John Sinclair. On March 9, 1972 the Michigan Supreme Court (beat- ing Alaska's to the punch) rul- ed Michigan's cannabis laws of all sorts unconstitutional. A rul- ing that freed all of'Michigan's prisoners of weed, the most no- torious of whom was, of course, John Sinclair. A ruling that left. Michigan with no law, or laws, on or against or about cannabis. In other words, the Free John Now movement achieved the le- galization of cannabis on March 9, 1972. Obviously that state of affairs didn't last long. In fact it last- ed until April 1 1972 on which date a new drug law (the Con- trolled Substances Act) took ef- fect. On April 1 1972 the State of Michigan re-criminalized can- nabis and it was for that reason 500 persons gathered on the Di- ag to protest the absurd return to neanderthaloid anti-drug laws. (If you do your historical fact- finding thoroughly, y o u would also note that on April 1, 1972 the use of LS'D for the first time became a crime in the State of Michigan.) People will gather on the Diag every April first until the State of Michigan again has no law, or laws on or against or about cannabis. Cold, rain or snow. So Ms. Boynton is clearly, very misinformed as to the cri- gins of the Hash Bash; she should also be aware that the $5 pot fine was not voted on three days later. In fact, the $5 pot fine was voted on Monday, Aril 1. 1974 the date of the Third Annual Hash Bash. Ms. Boynton, you'll find that it hels a great deal if. before doing commentary on history, you do your history accurately. People would then take your commen- tary seriously. In the State of Michigan peo- ple who grow cannabis or pos- sess it, or sell it, etc., etc. are, to this very day, outlaws or cri- minals. I can not accept your statement "there are plenty of other issues much more in need of onr attention." True, if you aren't in any way involved with/ in cannabis you may have "plenty of other issues", but the hinh people of the State of Mi- chigan need live with these drug laws constantly. Being branded with the status of criminal, or outlaw, or felon. is something that hundreds of tho'isands of Michianians, no- tentially, are faced with-be- case of the off-the-wall canna- Daoly, Further, I challenge your claim that the participants in this year's Bash "care nothing for the condition of the Diag or the mess they leave behind . .." If the people at this year's Bash were, or acted like the rout, ruffians, riff-raff, hoodlums, mindless, unmannered that the press (the Daily and Ann Arbor News) described them as being, there would not be a Diag for there would have been a full- scale riot April 1, 1972. More- over, I submit that the Univer- sity wanted the Hash Bash-ers to leave a mess all over the Diag. Ah, that at first reading, may seem an incredible state- ment. Historically, this year was the very first time that the Univer- sity placed extra trash barrels on the Diag on April 1. The very first time and I counted only six extra barrels, each of which, as Well as the "permanent" trash cans, were filled to over- flowing. Anyone, even adminis- trators, could have (and should have) reasonably expected that there would have been a need for far more than six extra trash barrels. Therefore, the conclu- sion that the "runners" of the U-M planned to have what they surely knew would be a far less 'than sufficient number of trash containers; hence, the "run- ners" of the U-M wanted (plan- ned) trasheall over the Diag. Finally, what was so foolish on April 1 was the University/ City decision -to play a very dangerous game-a game no one can win. Namely, as if it wasn't obvious, is there or isn't there going to be a riot today? We'll find out Saturday, April 1, 1978 when 100,000 plus persons peaceably assemble on the Di- ag to demand the repeal of Mi- chigan's laws on or about or against cannabis. -David A. Dillon clericals To The Daily: On Monday, March 21, the AFSCME strikers returned to work. They won far less than they wanted-and far less than they could have won with decent leadership, especially far less than they could have won if all campus workers were organized and all campus unions were fighting together. But they still won considerably more than University management gave the decertified clericals. Before the 1976-77 wage in- creases, the unionized AFSCME workers averaged 65c per hour more than the unorganized cler- icals. The clericals received a 5 per cent average wage in- crease in the fall of 1976. The AFSCME settlement included' a 6 per cent wage increase the first year and 5.5 per cent the second. The gap between union and non-union wages is now more than 75c per hour! Even more importantly,ethe AFSCME workers maintained the nrntc- to defend their union against management's strike-breaking. The Clerical Strike Support Committee protests University management's victimization of the 38 AFSCME strikers and student supporters. We defend' the 38 and call on all campus labor and student organizations to join together in an all-campus defense of the 38. We must stop the management attack. We must defend the 38 victimized workers. For clericals, the AFSCME strike brought home vividly a very important lesson: Clericals need a union, and we need it as soon as possible. Once again, we saw our unionized brothers and sisters do better on all fronts- wages, benefits and control over working conditions. Once again, we saw how weak we are with- out a union-how weak all cam- pus workers are, unless all cam- pus workers are organized. The Clerical Strike Support Commit- tee did everything humanly pos- sible under the circumstances to aid the AFSCME strikers. But unorganized and unable to help ourselves last fall, we were equally unable to help the AFS- CME strikers as much as they needed in the strike. Without or- ganization, we are weak. With organization, we are strong. Recognizing, this central les- son, the Celrical Strike Support Committee unanimously calls for the founding of a Clerical Organizing Committee. We must begin to organize another cleri- cal union at once. The Organizing Committee will be founded on three prin- ciples: Commitment to organize. Cler- icals need a union. The only way to ensure that management can't arbitrarily fire, declassify and underpay us is to organize and to fight management togeth- er. The first principle of the Organizing Committee must be to organize a union now. Democracy on the committee. The Organizing Committee must function democratically. It is open to all clericals agreeing with its principles. All Commit- tee decisions will be made by majority vote after full discus- sion. Obviously, all members must have the right to maintain their own independent views and have the right to criticize Com- mittee decisions they disagree with. Membership control. At least by the time of certification of our new union - and perhaps well before that - the control of that union must be turned over to union members. Clericals can vote to certify another union as early as Aug- ust 11, 1977. A lot of work has to be done before such a certifi- cation vote - not only to collect the cards necessary to conduct a certification election, but to make absolutely sure that every clerical on this campus is in- formed about what it means to form a union. Every clerical must know how our union should ftnction in order to guarantee ANN MARIE LIPINSKI Editors-in-Chief JIM TOBIN KEN PARSIGIAN .............. Editorial Director LOIS JOSIMOVICH .................. Arts Editor JAY LEVIN..................Managing Editor GEORGE LOBSENZ............ Managing Editor MIKE NORTON ..........Managing Editor MARGARET TAO .............. Managing Editor Weater Forecasters MARK ANDREWS and MIKE GILFORD SUSAN ADES ELAINE FLETCHER Magazine Editors SrAFF WFITERS: Owen Barr, Susan Barry, Brian Bianchard, Michael Beckman, Phillip Bokovoy, Linda Brenners, Lori Carruthers, Ken Chotiner, Eileen Dale; Ron DeKett, Lisa Fish- er, David Goodman, Marnie Heyn, Robb Halm- es, Michael Jones, Lsni Jordan, Janet Klein, (]:egg Kruppa, Steve Kursman, Dobilas Matu- iontis, Stu McConnell, Tom. Meyer, Jenny Mi- ter, Patti Montemu~rri, Tom O'Connell, Jon{ Paxsius, Karen Paul, Stephen Pickover, KimI Potter, Martha Retaick, Keith Richburg, BobI Rosenbaum, Dennis Sabo, Annmnarie Schiavi, Elizabeth Slowik, Tocn Stevens, Jim Stimpson, Alke Taylor, Pauline Toole. Mark Wagner, Sue