Michigan Daily
Edited and managed by Students at the
University of Michigan
Saturday, May 25,1974
News Phone: 764-0552
Closed files repressive
'THE UNIVERSITY'S policy of maintaining secret files
on students smacks of Big Brotherism and repres-
sion -- in addition to clearly violating the right to pri-
vacy.
While the records include test scores, applications,
and counselor comments, these items may not be as in-
nocuous they seem. Consequently individual students
should demand and receive the right to examine the
files.
In this way, the subject of these dossiers may chal-
lenge any misinformation contained in them and have
the record set straight concerning the questionable in-
formation.
Currently, the University provides students with
summaries of the data but such condensations cannot
convey the subtle nuances which might be included in
a counselor's comments, even if all the information is
mentioned in the edited version.
The University claims confidentiality is necessary
to ensure the counselor's assessments are an candid a
possible. But that includes no safeguard against an indi-
vidual counelor placing false or misleading informa-
tion in the file.
A N ACCUSED CRIMINAL is guaranteed by the Consti-
tution the right to confront those who accuse him.
Yet the University has neglected any such moral or
ethical considerations.
Federal laws also now require that private agencies
inform an individual if a dossier is being compiled on
him and that those files be opened to the subject on
demand.
Such spying - there is no better word - is odious
in itself but when conducted in an uncontrolled manner,
as here at the University, the practice becomes totally
unconscionable.
A QuESMON OF PFetORiOTS,..
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COUNTY SERVICES
Youth hearings on tap
9THIS IS TO notify you of public bearings to
be held during the next two months on the. .
entire Criminal Justice System in Washtenaw Criminal Justice Planning Committee
County. -.Hearings Schedule
This will provide an opportunity not only for
the public to address itself to what is seen as May 29, 1974 Youth Intervention
necessary to bring innovative justice to this
system but it will give the entire county an op- June 12, 1974 Corrections
portunity to begin to come to grips with FBI
statistics that gave us the highest crime index 26, 1974 Court Services
of any county in Michigan, and the 9th highest July 10, 1974 Police Services
in the nation.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
I have been particularly concerned with theT :
whole area of youth needs and my growing con- Place: County Building-Main & Huron Sts.
viction isthat this is a component of the system
that has not received the attention it is due. Circuit Court No. 4
I understand that nationally we spent billions of *"~<'i*: r'g.:>: ii s .. ..... . ..
dollars to catch kids and only a few million to
prevent them from getting into trouble. I want to There are a lot of people out there who are
help reverse that national trend in 'Washtenaw hirting, who have been ripped off in more
County and I need your help to do it. ways than most of the public is even minimally
aware of, and probably more than a lot of them
IF WE CAN draw attention publicly to some want to admit even if they were made aware.
of the glaring inequities in our system as far as* These hearings, particularly the one dealing
youth are concerned, if we can identify areas with youth needs, (youth intervention needs that
where needs are not being met and indicate the if met will serve to prevent delinquent behav-
price of our neglect that is manifested in de- iour) represent a challenge to you and I and
linquency and youth problems later on, if we can every other person in this county that wants to
show the public at large where we ought to con- reach out and touch people where they are at, to
ce-rute our energies, our time, our talents, and begin to publicly confront some reality heretofore
our resources, then perhaps we can begin to unconfroned.
make this county the light that should not be The Youth Needs - Delinquency Prevention
hidden under a bushel. hearings will be held on May 29 at 7:00 p.m. in
Circuit Court No. 4.
I want you to feel free at this hearing to speak
r"ur minds openly and frankly on what you see IF YOU WISH to speak, it would be helpful
from your vantage point. I do not think that though not necessary, to call the Board of Com-
nercentions should be limited to "just" county missioners (663-7511 Ext. 212) to leave your
ills. If you see national attitudes of any kind that name, address, phone, and organizational affilia-
are in the background and contributing to what iation if any. This will help me in setting tip some
our culture identifies as delinquent behavior I kind of clear and orderly sequence to the testi-
want you to single these attitudes out with vigor mony. Preference for testimony will (in fair-
and clarity. ness to those who call in ahead of time) be
It would be most helpful to me if you could given to them. Once this list has been exhausted,
have a written prepared statement that could others who wish to speak but have not indicated
be left behind, along with the nature of your own so ahead of time will have an opportunity to
involvement i.e. what organizational experience make themselves heard.
(including political parties), professional exper- I have finally enclosed a list of the hearing
tise, volunteer work, etc. or whatever you can dates for each component of the system if you
elaborate on to give any degree of authority to wish to follow them all the way through.
your testimony. Here's hoping you will be able to lend your
. .time and perceptions to whttt is now helore its.
This will enable me to be more free to make
references in my own report to the Board of -L. Alan Toth
Commissioners on what the nature of our prob- County Commissioner, District 6
lem is and what ought to be done to meet youth Chrm., Criminal Justice Planning Comm.
needs more effectively. 43-5943
THE NATURE OF our task here is largely
a planting one. The county has been asked by
SEMCOG (Southeastern Michigan Council on Gov-
ernent) to outline a plan that indicates what rs
we think ought to be done to deal mfor effective-
ly with "crime" in Washtenaw County and im- From wire serviceRorts
prove the administration of our Criminal Justice
System. M ORE WISDOM from our Vice President, this
time on the field of sports. Speaking at the
Traditionally, planning efforts in this area have kickoff of a program for adult physical fitness,
revolved less aroind prevention and more around Gerald Ford said he felt that American schools
dealing with problems after they occur and a were not teaching the young the proper athletic
person consequently comes into the systems de- skills.
signed to deal with what we call the crime "Team sports are important," Ford said, "but
+roblem. I want to reverse this traditional ap- it is urgent that youngsters learn non-team sports
proach without neglectng it, as I see other com-
ponents of this system in need of some assess- such as golf, skiing, tennis, water skiing. It's dif-
nent and innovation as well. ficult to begin learning those sports when you're
older. And even more difficult if you don't have
Once the CJPC recommendations go to SEM- the money."
COG they will then be incorporated into a total Ford, an average college football player at
plan for the "Region" SEMCOG represents and Michigan in the ealy 1930s, told of his swimming
then sent to the State, which will then make and skiing to keep in shape. "A lot of people
funds available through the OCJP for ay they can't find time," he said.
"some"f"Well, I make the time.
new programs in a way that reflects more what ' "I swim twice a day, eight months of the year.
local planning efforts indicate as needs and prior- I swim , before I go to the office and when I
ities. This is a departure from the way plan- come home, if I come home. I'll take a swim at
ning in this system has been done in the past. 11 p.m. because I sleep better after a swim. In
Previously the state made the menu and the the morning, I feel wider awake after a swim."
local entities pecked from it what they wanted ASKED IF HE had ever played golf with
;at. President Nixon, Ford said they discussed golf at
IT WOULD BE unfair and misleading to leave a meeting at the White House Thursday morn-
ing and planned to play a round together next
you with the impression that everything recom- .week. "We both need more practice," said Ford,
mended from our level will be responded to with who shot rounds of 95 and 96 while visiting
unlimited funding availability. I hope that it Hawaii last week.
will, but that seems to me to be highly unlikely. On the subject of sex discrimination in sports,
We will be competing with other counties in our a heated quntion in academic circles, the vice
nfor the same grant money, and we cannot president said women ought to have full access
region to equipment and opportunities.
get it all. But we will get some and hopefully "I have reservations, however, if we ought
dollars will be available in areas we have prev- to have women linemen," be said. "There are
iousy designated as high on our list of needs. areas where head to head competition is not in
,Perhaps more importantly, this effort can be-'.the heat interests of all concerned.
"I don't think men should compete in sports
gin to set the tone and direction of the commit- where women are far more competent," he said.
ment required by any community that wants to "We shouldn't try' to intrude in areas where
'take its people and their needs seriously. women have special talents."