OPINION Page 4 Sunday; January 29, 1984 The Michigan Daily I The 'U, tries a hard sell for software T RADITIONS TOPPLE. It used to be that the students gave the teacher an apple, but now students are going to be getting Apples from the University-the kind you punch, not the'kind you munch. In a deal with Apple Computers Inc., Univer- sity students and staff will be able to purchase microcomputers directly from the University. With the University acting as middleman, systems will be available to ecstatic students at discounts of up to 50 percent. And every penny counts when you're saving up for that first computer. break. Sure, Apple will be able to tap a huge market and the University will ease pressure on its overtaxed terminal facilities, but what's wrong with everyone being a winner. Officials are unsure at present of how much the computers will cost and how long it will take the company to deliver. It is expected, though, that a price list will be available in a few days. Four different computers will. be sold by the University: the brand new Macintosh, the Lisa, the Apple Hie, and the Apple III. The juiciest deals will be available on the Macin- tosh and the Lisa. The Macintosh retails for $2,495 and will be sold for roughly half that. The Lisa which retails for between $3,500 and $5,500 will be discounted by 40 percent. Greg Marks, a University computer systems manager and chief organizer of the program, explained that "the rationale is to help the Macintosh and the Lisa. Apple is not nearly as interested in selling the HIe to colleges. They consider it a high school machine." Considering that no respectable college student would want to own a "high school machine," and since the lines for terminals here are so long, sales of the Macintosh and Lisa should be pretty swift. Unfortunately it will be pretty difficult to pass the savings along to friends and family members since customers are limited to one computer each. On the other hand, an enter- prising few might try scalping them in front of the Union. Should the deal appear so attractive that a student impulsively buys a system without even knowing how to use it, the Computer Cen- ter and the School of Education are kindly teaming upto provide technical and educational training. Apple and the University have been getting along very well lately-the College of Engineering picked up 800 computers from Steve Job's company last term-so well that they decided to give the students and staff a Caucus ruckus Many Michigan Democrats are worrying about more than just Ronald Reagan, they're worrying about their own caucus system. Organizers for presidential candidates other than that of front runner Walter Mondale say that the state's amazingly complex caucus system strongly favors Mondale since it caters to party regulars. But dissatisfaction with the system goes deeper than that. In fact, some of the party regulars that the system supposedly favors have also expressed doubts about the system's fairness. Washtenaw County Democratic leaders wrote to the party office in Washington to ask that the system be reviewed and changed. As it stands only those super-conscientious Democrats who sent a postcard to Lansing saying "I want to enroll in the party" will get a mailing describing the caucus rules. The rest will have to rely on ill-funded county parties to provide voting instructions. Organizers for John Glenn, Jesse Jackson, and Gary Hart say they are considering lawsuits to force a change of the rules. The courts, however, will most likely say that it's up to the state party. Appeals have been made to the state elec- tions office but the feeling almost everywhere is that it is up to the party, and state Democratic Chairman Rick Wiener says that the rules will not be changed. Lawsuits may still be filed but it doesn't look like there will be any changes in what George McGovern called "the nation's most com- plicated delegate selection process." Rate debate There is only one thing more certain about dorms than the small rooms, noisy corridors, crowded bathrooms, and lousy food-you pay more every year to live it them.' The rate hike for this fall has yet to be ap- proved, and Robert Hughes, the University's housin director, and the "housing commit- tees" formed to recommend rate increases are at odds. Hughes said he would like to hold the in- crease to the 1983 inflation rate of 3.9 percent. But the committees have recommended raising the price of traditional dorms 5.7 per- cent and the costs of family housing until 5.8 percent. The committees' recommended increases would result in a $150 increase for doubles-bringing the total to $2,800. Singles would cost $3,319-an increase of $178. The main cause of the price' increases are rising Michigan Stadium is empty these days, except for the snow and an occasional visitor. Come April 28, though, the stadium will ring with cheers for the University's finest-not the football stars,.but graduating seniors-as spring commencement moves outside from Crisler Arena. Seniors now have a chance to get in some extra commencement practice before the last-minute rush. utility, labor, and equipment costs. Before any increase is implemented, however, it must be approved by Hughes, the executive officers, and the regents-the same regents that approved last year's 9.5 percent tuition hike. Pray for sunshine Michigan Stadium is quiet now; the field is covered with a blanket of snow and ice. Once in a while a few visitors drop in to trod on the field and live out their dreams (sort of) and remem- ber heroic Saturdays of the past. The bowl-like cavity will remain silent until spring football practice and the annual intra- squad battle, which serve as a half-way marker between seasons. Ever since Crisler Arena opened, that's about all that has happened in the stadium between December and August because when Crisler opened, spring commen- cement moved indoors. That, weather permitting, will change April 28, as the place where the likes of Anthony Car- ter, Rick Leach, and Ali Haji-Sheikh (what a great name for a kid from Texas) once thrilled the masses of Maize and Blue boosters becomes the place the University says goodbye to its graduates. Yep, those students who will have amassed the requisite 120 credits in the right places will be the heroes for whom the crowd cheers. All the logisitics of holding ceremonies in the 101,071-seat stadium have not been worked out, but no one-should have to worry about finding tickets for Cousin Oscar and Aunt Luli's fourth husband. Because attending the ceremonies is back in vogue, finding enough tickets was becoming a problem in the 13,609-seat basket- ball arena. Administrators also expect a larger turnout because the August commen- cement exercise was cancelled last year, so those summer graduates will be able to par- take in the spring bash-sans diploma. Overcrowding at Crisler had become such a problem, in fact, that one administrator spends late nights worrying about it. "I lay awake at night wondering if I can accommodate all the parents and grandparents," James Shortt, an assistant to University President Harold Shapiro, said. The switch was made so Shortt could get some sleep and grandma could be proud. Administrators made one other change: kickoff will be at 1 p.m. instead of the scheduled 10 a.m. tip off. So now at least seniors have one more reason{ to visit Michigan Stadium on a winter's day-to dream of the glories of April 28 and prepare for that triumphant day. The Week in Review was compiled by Daily staff writers Neil Chase and Karen Tensa, Daily associate arts editor Jim Boyd, and Daily Opinion page co-editor David Spak. University is selling Apple Computers at discount prices. _4 Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan UTOPIA Vol. XCIV-No. 99 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board Ronald Reagan's message is in the stars BOULD Up 0 0 Z5 4i _ KN~..A a00 3iDu D LZ) BUL UP DLF, 00 i; n -7- aI B UILD UP 00 000 S2s4 1N00J Il - ..II' LETTERS TO THE DAILY: I When you wish upon a star/Makes no difference who you are/When you .wish upon a star/ Your dreams come true. Jimm my Cricket NE MIGHT WONDER if -/President Ronald Reagan didn't borrow too much magic from Walt Disney Wednesday night. Reagan's State of the Union address, the president played Jimminy Cricket, chirping of hope and prosperity while wishing for a return to the days when America prayed to God and was great because of it. '. Looking skyward in his speech, Reagan called upon Americans to keep "faith with the mighty spirit of free people under God" and said that there is "a hunger in the land for spiritual revival." To aid in this revival, he called for a constitutional amendment allowing school prayer. Never mind the separation of church and state, never mind religious freedom (in- tax code many tax cheats ignore. Makes sense, doesn't it? His other plan for cutting the deficit is even better: have a bi-partisan congressional committee do it. That way it's not his fault if the committee fails, but he gets credit if the plan works. That's a solid election-year strategy. And while the president wished for better times at home, he added hid prayers for peace abroad. "Gover- nments which rest upon the consent of the governed do not wage war on their neighbors," Reagan said. "Only when people are given a personal stake in deciding their own destiny and benefit- ting from their own risks do they create societies that are prosperous, progressive, and free." But if you are not cooperative, he'll make you listen - just ask the folks in Lebanon and Central America. There were other little wishes, like hoping people will forget last year's Students will too late see freedom gon The following is a response to the column, "'U' leaps at the chance to babysit" (Daily, January 25).- After lunch, in South Quad, Right before my classes, I sometimes sit, and read the 'Daily', If I can find my glasses. I often read editorials, Sometimes which are quite bitter, Why in fact, just yesterday, The 'U' was condemned as a 'Baby- sitter'. The topic of concern, As any reader could readily see, Was the problem of an internal court, And the new dorm drinking policy. The writer pointed out, A problem quite apparent- The Big Shots in this College, Would like to be our parents. They do not trust our wisdom But all these new restrictions, Are not what bother me, It's the majority who don't care, Who treat the changes with apathy. Our freedom is declining, We've reached the year of '84, But no one seems to give a damn, They'd rather study, than bitch and roar. Those of us who are upset, Can not stop frustration, W:e've got to find out why, No one desires emancipation. And while keeping these thoughts in mind, I began to'understand, That maybe it's not unusual, For the public to be so bland. It's only human nature, To let politics run its course, And to care only 'bout private life, It's this theory many endorse. Only when it looks too late, People will show their might, The Japanese had to bomb Pearl Harbor, Before America was ready to fight. And just because we can not drink, We're not without remedies, We still have bars, parties, and rooms, And don't forget, fraternities. But not until we're completely restricted, And the University has all control, Will the majority of the students react, Take pride in their freedom, a stand up tall. And then we'll make them listen, And listen is what they'll do, They'll give us the respect we deserve, Our drinking, and Happiness too. So yes, the students are listening now, But won't react for quite a time, And I too will get back to homework, Because nothing else will rhy'me. -John Sladkus January 28 Sladkus is afkeshman in LSA. ......................................................................... a? $asi__ii2si>2Y?'