46
OPINION
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Page 4
t an
Edited and monoged by students of The University of Michigon
Saturday, September 6, 1980
The Michigan Daily
Exposing the Go Blue! farce
Gridders are not real students
Vol. XCI, No. 3
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, M1 48109
'Editorials represent a majority opinion of The Daily's Editorial Board
r
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A bus cutba
HEY SAY fairy tales are just
fiction, but the University is writ-
ing its own true-life version of "Cin-
;derella" this week.
Don't be surprised if you see hun-
dreds of pumpkins strewn across Cen-
tral Campus late one night-they will
merely be the unfortunate residents of
NNorth Campus housing who missed the
Glast bus back to their far-off abodes.
You see, the Evil Stepmother-er,
(University-has decided that the cost
tof running late buses from Central to
UNorth Campus outweighs any benefits.
After all, the administration reasons,
any North Campus socialites who stay
on Central Campus into the wee hours
are only going to the bars, anyway.
So, to save money, the University
has cancelled the two-year-old 2:15
a.m. late bus, leaving a 12:15 a.m. final
bus Sundays through Thursdays, a 1
a.m. late bus Fridays, and a 1:20 a.m.
late ride Saturdays.
The bus service cutback amounts to
nothing less than an unjust, Univer-
sity-imposed curfew upon North Cam-
pus residents.
It's a curfew because North Campus
is several miles from most points on
Central Campus-a distance that is at
least intimidating to the student tired
from a long night of studying at the
Graduate Library and at most
dangerous to unescorted women.
IAw, c' mon!.
j HE U.S. SELECTIVE Service has
gleefully reported that Americans
have responded to registration like
mmings this time around, quoting a
igure of 93 per cent eligible men
egistered. It would be very surprising
if the high figure turned out to be
correct; we can hardly imagine that
-sueh a high percentage of college youth
would have marched off silently to
reparations for possible slaughter,
nd we hope and expect that those who
have joined the labor force were not
quite so compliant either.
Facts and figures have long been
subject to warping by our government,
notably during our last "great"
military adventure in Vietnam. At that
time, the military-with the assistance
Hof the underscrupulous media-had the
nation convinced for a long time that
:the war effort was going well. In this
tcase, spreading around the 90-plus
4 figure might well have the desired ef-
feet of scaring those who have not yet
registered into obeying the oppressive
law.
The unseemly stupidity of the ad-
ck. fairytale
And it's unjust because students
living in University housing on North
Campus-at least some of whom, in-
cidentally, don't live there by
choice-pay the same rates as Central
Campus residents and should be en-
titled to equivalent privileges. And,
although the University may not like it,
these privileges include the choice of
spending a social evening in a bar as
well an academic evening in a
library.,
University Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer James Brinkerhoff is
the sadly miscast Fairy Godmother in
this Cinderella story. It is he, by vir-
tue of his control of funds for the bus
service, who decided that pumpkin
time would be moved drastically back
from 2:15a.m.
Fortunately, however, there seems
to be a Prince in the story. Vice
President for Student Services Henry
Johnson-whd says he doesn't have
funds to extend the bus service-has at
least indicated he will bring the matter
up for disussion at next week's
meeting of the University's executive
officers.
We hope the glass slipper of extra
bus funding fits onto some ad-
ministrator's foot. The cost of the late
buses-$11,000-is easily worth the
benefits to North Campus residents.
It's their right not to be pumpkins.
93 per cent?
ministration's registration order has
an especially ironic twist in light of
the furious election campaign. The
president in one breath aggressively
attacks Ronald Reagan's backward
plans to overtake the Soviets in
military strength, and in the next
pushes through a piece of legislation
that could cast serious doubt on our
professed intention to deal with other
,countries through peaceful means
Curiously, the Republican candidate
has indicated that he thinks the
registration plan is out of order,
despite the fact that virtually all his
statements on international affairs
seem-designed to antagonize the Soviets.
There seems to be only one path of
hope for those who have yet to register
and for those who have submitted and
regret it. The Supreme Court will
decide sometime in the next few mon-
ths whether a registration blueprint
that excludes women can be con-
stitutionally enacted. Unlikely as the
Court is to find for women's rights,
continuing resisters are to be com-
mended.
I have reached a painful conclusion: Big-
time intercollegiate athletic competition as
we know it is a farce-a waste of time and ef-
fort for the athletes involved and an object of
false loyalty for students, alumni, and their
friends.
Five years ago, as a fledgling undergraduate
student at the University, I joined the noble
ranks of the faithful at football and basketball
games. I felt a part of a great American ritual
and the experience added to the overall power
of institutional pride.
WHAT HAPPENED? As an un-
dergradaute, I attended a small private
college where intercollegiate athletics was a
healthy but not major part of campus life.
Athletes trained, but had plenty of time for a
relatively normal study and social life. Spec-
tators cheered and watached with respect and
loyalty, observing their fellow students in
controlled, but symbolic combat with respec-
ted foes.
Now that I have learned more about "big-
time" methods and motivations, I am
disillusioned. Are major universitiies in the
business of "hiring" (through "scholar-
ships") sacrificial lambs to be
slaughtered-both in terms of social
uselessness and physical injury'? Is there no
opportunity for true academics to engage in
intercollegiate rivalry because academically
substandard jocks are sought after in their
places? Yes, there are a few exceptions, but
how many actually play?
IS FIVE TO seven hours of drill per day a
necessary part of a well-rounded education,
in which one learnsaalso to ponder the deeper
mysteries of the arts and sciences as well as
learning to overcome the limitations of the
body? Where is the sense of academic balan-
ce for the athletes? Is a college education a
requirement for being drafted into a pro
league? Is the university the right place for
those who want nothing but sports?
I, for one, would be much more proud of my
school's athletic program if those involved
were primarily students at the University and
then selected as the atheltic cream of the
student body, men and women who train well,
but in proportion to the attainment of
academic goals. A very good case could be
made to show that physical education for all
is neglected in favor of physical training (ala
gladiators and circus and circus animals) for
the few, most of whom wouldn't be herewere
it not for looser academic standards and
overexuberant recruitment practices.
Let's have intercollegiate athletics-it's
great fun and a fine morale booster, but not at
the expense of an athlete's education, which
should never be any less intense than anyone
By Herbert Geisler
else's. This would mean a major shift in
NCAA policy, athletic directors' and coaches'
goals and methods, and a changed mentality
on the part of the athletes. We might even slip
from first or second place for a while, but
wouldn't it mean so much more to know that
our heroes are real students, honored and
qualifed members of the academic com-.
munity of the University of Michigan who can
still play football (or whatever) heartily and
skillfully?
SORRY, BO, BUT do you really need seven
hours a day to play well, develop a profound
understanding of the game and one's physical
abilities and limitations, and have fun? Who
knows? The alumni mightstill be loyal
(maybe more so, if the athletes are real
students who later become wealthyG
professionals-doctors, lawyers, etc.--and
support the University). The students might
still spend their time and cash to attend
games (maybe more so, since the athletes
would be friends and respected fellow studeh-
ts). And the fans might have even higher
regard for the teams. We might even win
some games (maybe more so, since brains
make a difference in overcoming a
challenge). I know our coaches could suc-
ceed.
I don't think the situation is as bad here as
it is elsewhere, but that puts us in a better
position to take the lead in making some
changes, showing the nation that good studen-
ts can make good athletes and make the game
interesting for everyone.
Herbert Geisler is a resident of Ann
Arbor.
40
A
Daily Photo by MAUREEN O'MALLEY
SOME WOLVERINES RELAX during a practice session recently.
LETTERS TO THE DAILY:
Wordprocessors owner defends positio
:
To The Daily:
On August 12, The Michigan
Daily published an opinion article
by an ex-employee of the Wor-
dprocessors regarding alleged
"union busting" engaged in by
the owners. What follows is in-
tended to inform The Daily's
readers of some of the facts.
Judy Allen's article tells us the
sad tale of 28 employees who
"spontaneously" walked out to
protest "sweatshop" conditions
and what they believe are unfair
labor practices on the part of
management.
IN FACT, THE walkout
was not "spontaneous." On
April 16, 1980, two employees quit
over what one of them has
referred to as a "minor dispute.''
An evening of phone calls per-
suaded many other employees
not to report to work the next
morning. They set up a picket
like and urged our customers to
boycott our store. These em-
ployees had made no effort to
contact management to find out
what had actually occurred. This
failure led to, among other
things, their making the untrue
claim that the two persons who
quit on April 16 had been fired. It
wasn't until the third day that
their literature began to reflect
that these two persons had in fact
resigned.
As to the claim that the April
walk-out was over unfair labor
practices, let me point out that no
charges of unfair labor practices
on the part of the company were
made prior to April 17, 1980.
There were no alleged unfair
labor practices during the union
election held here last year, an
election that the union lost. It was
nnlv after the union lost and the
people from their rolls since she
has remained loyal to the com-
pany during the latest picketing
incident.
OF THE 29 people three had
already quit their jobs before the
picketing in April began, in-
cluding one of those who
"resigned" the day before. Only
three persons were fired, all for
good and sufficient cause. Four
other persons had their jobs
eliminated in a restructuring of
the company resulting from a
slowdown in volume, caused in
part by the current recession.
People who did not support the
"union" were also laid off for
lack of work.
The picketer's claims can not
even be labeled a distortion of the
truth. They are an out and out lie.
Seventeen of the 28 they talk
about quit voluntarily between
April 17 and July 25, three were
fired for cause during that period
and five were still employed by
the company.
Judy Allen was initially hired
by the company in August of 1978.
In the late spring of 1979 she gave
notice that she was quitting to go
back to grad school. Several
months later when we were
picketed (August of 1979) by
those who supported unionization
she turned up on the picket line
even though- she was no longer
employed here.
ABOUT THREE months later a
job in the printing department
opened up and we sought her out
and offered her that position even
though we knew she was pro-
union. She was cut back to part
time during the summer because
of lack of volume. In July she was
called back to work full time and
wrote us a leter declining ito
against the Wordprocessors by
the ex-employees. The company,
however, has not engaged in any
unfair labor practices. We have
documented to investigators that
we are innocent, and we are
prepared to defend ourselves in
court. In addition, we have filed
a damage suit in Federal Court'
a d are considering other legal
remedies.
THERE HAS never been a
consumer complaint filed against
this company. We believe that the
current picketing is an attempt,
on the part of various parties to
force us to recognize a union even
though our employees have
already expressed their desire
not to be unionized. The company
is not opposed to unions, but we
are opposed to any unionization
of our employees that is not selec-
ted in a free and democratic elec-
tion.
The company does have the
legal right to "voluntarily"
recognize a union to represent
our employees if we so choose.
However, we do not feel it is ap-
propriate for us to foist a union,on
our employees without their eon-
sent. Nor are we prepared to bow
to pressure tactics, such as those
being used against us now, to
coerce us into that position.
We apologize for the ineon-
venience the picketers have
caused our customers and thank
all those who have listened to
both sides and decided to con-
tinue to bring their work to°us.
For those who have legitimate
questions about the validity of the
picketers' claims we i re
prepared to document our
statements and believe we can do
so to your satisfaction.
-James Smith,
Owner, Wordprocessors
September 4
44
Investigate corrupt prisons
'P
This letter has been sent to
Gov: William Milliken and all
Michigan Senators and Repre-
sentatives.
To The Daily:
On the November ballot, there
will be a proposal to increase the
state income tax from 4.6% to
4.7%. This additional tax is for
the Michigan prison system to
supposedly alleviate over-
crowding. We are against this
issue and are asking you to join
our campaign to win voter disap-
proval in November.
" STEALING: Desks, chairs,
bedding, all kinds of furniture
from the prison and warehouses.
* STEALING: Prisoners'
money-padding expensestravel
for prisoners.
*STEALING: Gas and tires
from the garage; boat trailers,
etc. are taken out in parts from
the welding shop in the Trusty
Division.
The present system should be
cleaned up and administrators of
that system made to answer: for
monies already allocated before
we plug more taxes into a corrupt
I
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f ut i A * f a I U ME L46"