OPINION Page 4 -Saturday, March28, 1981 The Michigan Daily 0 Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Budget questions for Shapiro Vol. XC, No. 144 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board Apolitical, not military resolution in El Salvador HE REAGAN administration seems committed to a military solution of the civil war in El Salvador. This reckless policy can only further the political polarization that threatens to destroy that tiny country. It could make a peaceful resolution impossible and undermine what should be the real United States interests in El Salvador and the volatile Central American- Carribean area. By giving more than lip service to political reform, the Reagan ad- ministration may allow the U.S.- backed "centrist" junta to deteriorate into an unstable, right-wing, military dictatorships. U.S. support of such an unpopular, repressive regime is not compatible with either the security of the United States interests or this country's democratic ideology. The best way to promote those two concerns is by maintaining a truly cen- trist, popular government in El' Salvador, steering clear of both the exxtremist left and the fascist right. The junta now established in El Salvador can best be guided back to the political center through the large land and economic reforms supported by the Carter administration but now neglected by Reagan's government. Currently, the right-wing elements within the junta are steadily purging ti government of most of its liberal and centrist members. There has been little pressure from the Reagan ad- nistration torstop this rightward shift and some Salvadoran rightists even claim they have Reagan's blessing for a possible rightist coup. If Reagan continues to support these elements economically and militarily, allowing the junta to drift farther and farther to the right, the Salvadoran conflict will become only a military struggle between extremist left in- surgents and an extremist right dic- tatorship. Left with a choice between a rightist dictatorship, which offers only more repression and the continued poverty of the majority of Salvadorans, and a leftist regime, which at least offers egalitarian rhetoric, the people would almost cer- tainly eventually with the insurgents. A leftist victory in El Salvador is not in the best interest of either the United States or the Salvadoran people. The regime that would be installed after a successful revolution, like most post- revolutionary regimes, would be un- stable, vulnerable to Soviet and Cuban manipulation, and would offer little hope of economic improvement for the people. Such a regime might also strike back against the United States by expelling both American public and private influence in El Salvador. If the Reagan administration were instead to shift the aim of its Salvadoran aid from military victory over the insurgents to peaceful political change, it could help under- mine popular support for the leftists and build stability. Washington could help defuse the Salvadoran conflict by using its economic and military aid for democratic reform. The junta has already begun a massive land redistribution program and has reformed much of the coun- try's banking and financial structure, partly because of consistent, if gentle pressure from the Carter ad- ministration. But the reform movement has been hampered by terrorist opposition from extreme right "death squads," which some ob- servers say are secretly linked to the government or at least to its security forces. The Reagan administration seems unconcerned about the righitist terrorism, and indifferent to reform. Worried about leftist momentum, it has hastily begun throwing American military support behind the junta. By granting virtual free reign to the Salvadoran military with ensured American support, the Reagan ad- ministration is catalyzing the political polarization. Right wing elements within the junta will continue to purge the remaining liberals and moderates, pushing the government further to the right. This will only increase popular support for the left. In January, the lef- tists' "final offensive" fizzled largely because it lacked popular support. If the junta becomes more rightist, the next leftist offensive may find more success. The Reagan administration still has time to reverse the Salvadoran political polarization by insisting upon gradual liberal reform as a condition of continued American military aid. On March 12, over 300 students and faculty addressed a wide range of questions to the University Administration concerning the budget crisis and the future of the University. The questions were assembled into a report and submitted to President Harold Shapiro on March 16. Forum participants called on the president to respond to the questions fully in writing by March 30. In an informal conversation with forum representatives March 19, President Shapiro indicated he might respond to some of the questions in the forum report. On March 16, the University Record published the president's latest statement on the Ad- ministration's budget policies, indirectly ad- dressing some of the issues raised in the forum report. However, the article in the University Record does not come close to answering specific questions in the forum report concer- ning cuts, the rationale and long-term plan behind the cuts, their projected impact on such issues as affirmative action, un- dergraduate education, and how decisions are made. In fact, Shapiro told forum representatives in the March 19 conversation that he did not intend to respond directly, in writing or in public, to the 36 questions posed in the forum: report. He said he would not permit the questions from the forum determine the framework for any dialogue on the budget crisis or Administration policies. We wonder, why not? Here are the kinds of questions from the forum report which Shapiro has been asked to respond directly to by Monday, March 30: " In his speech to the Senate Assembly, Vice President Frye indicated that the ad- ministration expects to eliminate "over 500 staff and faculty positions." In the greatest possible detail, where will these eliminated By Carol Isen positions be taken from? " We have heard numerous references to the goal of improving the research environ- ment at the University. What specific proposals does the administration have in mind? What are the current policies with respect to military and classified research at the University? " What priority will be assigned at the university to the improvement and develop- ment of undergraduate liberal arts faculty and curricula in contrast to more technical or professionally-oriented areas of education and training? How will this be reflected in funding? " What plans has the administration made to improve the University's record in achieving a reasonable representation of minorities in the student body? How does the administration plan to live up to its commit- ment to minority students made as a result of the BAM strike? " What plans has the administration made to realize affirmative action goals for hiring instructional and non-instructional staff in the context of a shrinking University? " What priority has been assigned to the goal of maintaining a diversity of viewpoints in the University? " Does the administration anticipate reduced levels of support for student ser- vices? Taken one at a time, how will the following services be affected: housing, financial aid, academic counseling, pyschological counseling, minority support services, health services, and recreational sports? " What plans have been formulated to provide appropriate opportunities for broader University involvement in discussions about the future direction of the University? President Shapiro assured us in his . statement in the University Record he would "make every effort to enlist the intelligence, wisdom, and integrity of the University community in building an even better Unver- , sity." We suggest he continue this process by answering the above questions and others contained in the forum report in a full and public manner. Indeed, President Shapiro also committed himself in his statement to a "full and open disclosure of all significant plans and actions that are contemplated by the central ad- ministration that will affect the various academic and non-academic units." Again, we propose that President Shapiro fulfill this commitment by answering our questions directly. In our meeting with President Shapiro March 19, he expressed frustration with the relative lack of community interest in larger:: budget issues. We share his frustration. However, we feel that the lack of community y interest is as much a result of the ad-: ministration's decision-making procedures as it is of the apathy on the part of faculty, students, and staff. In his University Record statement, President Shapiro suggested that "perhaps ways of developing even greater involvement of the University community should be con- sidered." We urge the president to vigorously pursue new and innovative ways of developing greater involvement. How decisions are made and how they are carried out may be just as important as what those decisions are. Carol Isen is a Residential College senior and a member of the It's Our University committee. N.EY,C1NAIE! acW COME I NEVR 5EE 'iU ?EINa MAS5LEP BY LIFE iN51J'AN(F SALL5MEN ?' 1- - - // / j /I WuE 4avE ME 1THE PfrCHYESTERDAY! I ) x GAR J> COMA. ON= WNTS SYoUR SECRET ?' s I PRINK COFFEE, USE SACCHARIN, FRNVE A PINTO ANd LIVE NEAR 3-MILE ISLANP! AT i1( _ 0 i i . ._.-- , , LETTERS TO THE DAILY: LETTERS TO THE DAILY Witt misinterpreted Mims' To the Daily: After reading "Witticisms'' (Daily, March 24) it was clear that the author, Howard Witt, in an attempt to reduce his own con- fusion concerning black student unhappiness, misinterpreted my remarks at the March 19 Regent's meeting. , Witt expressed ignorance as to why there is black and white separation on campus and he criticized my presentation because I did not explicitly ad- dress black-white polarization. Although I am quite concerned about black-white separation, the Regents and Executive officers have no direct responsibility to forcefully integrate cafeterias, lounges, or student newspapers. I spoke about the University's poor performance in the areas of minority recruitment, enrollment and graduation - something the Regents and Executive officers do have direct responsibility for. During me presentation I ad- dressed several problem areas: poor recruitment efforts and policies, lack of coordination and funding of university-wide sup- port services, few tenured or un- tenured minority faculty mem- bers or administrators, and the Regents annual disregard for the annual Minority Enrollment Report. Witt asserted that my remarks lacked specificity. There is not space enough to cover all of the solutions that I proposed. I would, however, as an exam- ple, like to outline my comments concerning minority recruit- ment, which was only one of four areas that I addressed. In 1970 the Regents and President Fleming made a com- mitment to achieve 10 percent black enrollment. Eleven years later black enrollment is 5.6 per- cent, down from a peak of 7.3 percent in 1976. The commitment the Regents and Fleming made in 1970 acknowledged their respon- sibility to the residents of the state of Michigan to give students of all racial and economic backgrounds equal opportunity to attend the state's most prestigious university. To achieve higher levels of minority recruitment I suggested three proposals: the expansion of pre-college enrichment programs, the extension of recruiting effors to a larger num- ber of high schools, and the in- clusion of continuing minority students in the actual recruiting of new students. If these suggestions were implemented the University would attract a better prepared, more informed, more diversified, and larger minority student population. In these times of financial crisis, a more successful minority recruitment program requires a coordinated Univer- sity-wide effort under the direc- tion of one of the executive of- ficers. To be successful this university-wide program must address problems of minority support services, of cultural assimilation, hiring of minority faculty and administrators as well as minority student recruit- ment. I detailed problems and solutions in all these areas. Witt claimed that my presen- ttion was not understood by the Regents. Although as tradition dictates no one responded to my remarks during the meeting, af- terwards several Regents and Robert Holmes, author of the March 1981 report, praised the quality of my presentation and expressed interest in pursuing a number of my recommendations. Despite this favorable respon- remarks se, an examination of the Univer- sity's dismal performance over the past decade dampens my op- timism for change. Witt demon, strated his ignorance of the. university's record by focusing on separation of blacks and whites and praising the efforts of University administrators. By doing so, he has encouraged the Regents to ignore the substantive issues that the eighth annual minority report raised. It is my hope that Witt and other Daily staff members do their homework by thoroughly investigating the history of minority issues on campus and become part of the solution in- stead of part of the problem. -Valerie A. Mims March 26 :. I I ' - 00..wruAaww Bq3Q$978 A 2 M .. .# s. . ~ ~ '__ _B 0 G ET EYDR.SAPIRO -~SURGERY wl LL MAk ,G ME sMALLER REA LLY MAKE ME BETTER ? --. Letters to the Daily should be typed, triple-spaced, with inch margins. All submissions must be signed by the individual author(s). . '' Ui Real estate grabbing / 2 8(1Q3 - ':. ._i i 1 To the Daily: General Motors is again part of the social problem in Detroit, claiming it will alleviate area unemployment and city gover- nment fund depreciation, but in- stead, destroying one of the world's most abused peoples' ethnic neighborhoods to produce a series of gas guzzlers in a time of scarce fossil fuels. integrated neighborhood is only worth as much as its combined real estate value. The materialistic irrational belief, that the products of osten- tatious consumption and diminishing appeal are a more secure source of revenues for a city with a severe housing shor- tage, than the continued existen- ce of a viable neighborhood, Keep posters off To the Daily: Today was a beautiful day. The sun was out and my down coat hung on the coat rack. While on my way to my nine o'clock class, I was greeted by one of the most disappointing sights that I have trees against the advertisement of an educational event, but I do take exception when a group's representative defaces a tree in the process. Is this act a representation of the growing callous attitude toward our environment? As a I II