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OPINION
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'Page 4
Friday, March 12, 1982
The Michigan Daily
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Edie m dt tigant Mal
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
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Vol. XCII, No. 126
420 Maynard St.
-Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board
Playing war games
in Central America
M ORE AND MORE it seems that provide conclusive evidence that
conflicts in Central America have Nicaragua is a conduit for Soviet ac-
'become a contest of superpower tion. The administration has put on an
posturing. The United States and the all-out effort to sell the American
Soviet Union seem destined, through public on the idea of U.S. involvement
their interference, to turn Central in the region - and too often the facts
America into another arena for con- have suffered.
frontational war games. No campaign is necessary however,
Reports now reveal that El Salvador to prove the existence of a superpower
is not the only country where a super- role. It is clear that both the Soviets
power is exercising military influence. and the Americans have a strong stake
It was discovered this week that the in the outcome of Salvadoran fighting
Reagan administration is providing and the future of a marxist Nicaragua.
millions of dollars to political groups The administration seems extraor-
;inside Nicaragua. The tidy $19 million dinarily hypocritical in its indignant
sum, U.S. officials claim, is merely an denouncement of Soviet intervention,
effort-to bolster moderate influences in since the United States is following close
Nicaragua who oppose the current lef- behind with its own plans.
tist government. This jockeying for position by the
There is nothing moderate, however, superpowers only obscures the real
;about the administration's action. The problems found in Central America.
financial support has now been linked Social injustice, inequitable
to covert paramilitary groups within distribution of wealth, underdeveloped
the country - evidence of U.S. inten- economies, and governmental
tions to interfere with, and perhaps repression underlie the current conflic-
oust, the Sandinist government from ts. These are the roots of the violence
the country. and revolution common to the region.
Ironically, the revelation comes hot More American and Soviet in-
on the heels of a recent American volvement in the region is a guaran-
campaign decrying Soviet in- teed way to keep these problems from
volvement in Central American af- surfacing and gaining the attention
fairs. The Reagan administration has they merit. What the countries of
spent the past months parading its Latin America desperately need is
evidence of a Soviet hand in El breathing space, free from outside
Salvador. Officials have trotted out pressure. These countries face a long,
white papers, a Nicaraguan military hard struggle in solving their
man found in El Salvador, and aerial problems. But unles they are left
photographs of an arms build-up in alone, continued superpower juggling
Nicaragua to prove their point. The is sure to worsen the problem, and turn
earlier evidence presented was scanty Central Americans into pawns for
and now even the aerial photos fail to superpower play.
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Weasel By Robert Lence
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HEY,
YO U E.
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FACE! BE THE WORS-
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UNIVERSITY OF C01-bRAP0.
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LETTERS TO THE DAILY:
Contradictions abound at University
/
To the Daily:
I would like to commend
Howard Witt for his article poin-
ting out the inconsistencies in the
policies of the Michigan Union
(Daily, March 9). Regrettably,
Howard only revealed the tip of
the iceberg by pointing out some
of the inconsistencies in the
Union and none of the incon-
sistencies existing in the rest of
the University.
By inconsistencies I mean a
practice of procedure which is
contradictory to the goals of a
unit or the overall goals of the
University as an institution for
higher learning.
According to Union
management, the "reason" for
the pressure on the U-Cellar for
sharply increased rent is the fact
that the Union needs money. The
same is true for the strictly en-
forced "food policy." In-
terestingly, there is no budget for
the Union, and it is not known
how much money is made by the
U-Club bar or its food service.
Further, regarding the U-
shop - the union-operated retail
store selling Michigan emblem
items-there are no projections
for revenue upon completion of
the costly building renovation.
. Another inconsistency in the
"student" Union is the U-Club
restaurant/food service. The
menu offers relatively high-
priced items, including one
vegetarian item which is not even
offered on a consistent basis. This
service attracts primarily
faculty, administrators, and
some students. The only
reasonable (i.e. affordable) ser-
vice in the union-vending
machines-were the 'first to be
shut down for the period of
renovation. Only after a series of
complaints was one machine,
with higher prices, reluctantly
installed by the Union.
Inconsistencies, however, are
not limited to the Union. The
"smaller but better" plan, as
proposed by Vice President Billy
Frye, will inevitably result in
overcrowded classrooms (you
think the problem is bad now).
The inconsistency: The Univer-
sity gets smaller with fewer
faculty, but the student body
remains constant because of the
need for tuition revenues.
The list of inconsistencies in
University policies continues. To
name a few:
" Tenure decisions: Supposedly
several factors influence tenure
decisions, including teaching and
research. How does this account
for quality teachers consistently
being denied tenure? The
ultimate contradiction is being
realized right now. Prof. Bono of
the English department was
presented with the Class of 1923
Teaching Award for excellent
teaching, but her book was not
published soon enough, so she
was denied tenure. What really
matters for tenure is a research
and publication record, not
teaching.
Minority Student Services:
The University claims a com-
mitment to minority students.
While its own "internal" studies
show that all programs have
failed, no attempt is made to im-
prove, or create new programs.
What is happening to the U's
commitment?
* Residence hall housing is full
of inconsistencies. Rates have
been escalating at a dramatic
rate recently, yet the number of
administrators is up 150 percent
since the completion of the last
dorm, Bursley. Ironically, it
is dorm staff, including RAs, who
suffer when cuts in housing are
proposed.
" The Athletic Department at
the University is one of the
wealthiest in the country, and
certainly the wealthiest depar-
tment at the University. Sur-
pluses in its budget are spent on
new practice fields rather than
for support of other units facing
severe cuts. At the same time the
Athletic Department receives $10
per student per year to pay the
debt service on the Crisler Arena.
In return, the University gets
free use of these facilities for
graduation.
University claims to stand for
human achievement and higher
learning, yet it encourages its
professors to do research for the
defense department which will
contribute to the development Of
sophisticated weapons to ,more
effectively and efficiently kill
people.
" Robots: The state of
Michigan as well as the Univer-
sity are embarking on major
projects to woo robot manufac-
turers to this state. No research
has been done on the social effect-
ts this will have. Many jobs wil.
be replaced by this new,
technology.
There are a lot of contradic-
tions and inconsistencies in al
our lives. But here at the Univer-
sity, where consistency is wha
we strive for, there are more in-
consistencies than most people
can deal with. While it probably
would be impossible for the
University to be completely con'
sistent, we all have an obligation.
to work towards making the
University as consistent aq
possible. Students, in particular
have an obligation to point out
existing contradictions and noC
just brood over them.
-Jonathan Feiger
Michigan Student
Assembly president
March 10
" Military Research:
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