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OPINION
Page 4
Sunday, December 2, 1984
The Michigan Daily
I
MSA loses
appointment powers
M ICHIGAN Student Assembly members
don't take their power to appoint student
members to the Michigan Union Board of
Representatives (MUBR) lightly. But MSA
turned their back on the issue last May and
MUBR along with the University's vice
president for student services took away some
of that power.
Like the house key that one never realizes is
lost until it is needed to get into the house, MSA
members found out that an amendment to
MUBR's charter had been made only after two
students were selected by MUBR instead of an
MSA interviewing committee, and without
MSA approval.
Since MSA's disapproval was voiced after
the fact, the chairperson of MUBR, Michael
Perigo, doesn't believe the changes in the
amendment will be rescinded. Nonetheless,
Perigo said he is willing to work out a com-
promise with MSA.
But MSA leaders are mad at themselves for
recognizing so late that changes had been made
to decrease their power in the appointment
process.
"The way it stands now, faculty are appoin-
ted to the board by faculty, alumni are appoin-
ted by alumni, but students are appointed by
the board," said MSA Vice President Steve
Kaplan.
Apparently, MSA can't afford to lose track of
any important issue if it wants to keep all of its
powers.
A lack of ADVICE
It's hard enough to get good advice these
days. That's why it was particularly disappoin-
ting last week to learn that students going
through the ordeal that is CRISP won't get the
ADVICE they need.
ADVICE, the course evaluation booklet
published each term by the Michigan Student
Assembly, failed to come out in time for Winter
term class registration. Richard Layman,
program director of ADVICE, explained the
situation as a result of a series of problems that
have plagued the project. He gave his sincere
apology to "all students who have been incon-
venienced by the delays."
But it is not only the missed advice that
students should be upset about. The financing
for this mismanaged production comes out of
each student's pocketbook. Students might as
well have tossed a dime, a nickel, and two cents
out the window. According to MSA treasurer
Bill Mellin, 17 cents out of the $4.75 that MSA
charges per term goes to the course evaluation
project.
For those big spenders like Layman,
however, the over $10,000 that ADVICE gets
from student fees is no big deal.
"Ten grand is nothing. You can't do anything
with ten grand," Layman said.
Fortunately, Layman hopes to do something
with all that money and says he plans to have
the manual out by Dec. 6. Unfortunately, only
five days later Crips ends.
Lorch Hall's asbestos
Oh don't worry about it. What they don't
know won't hurt them. At least that's what the
University appears to have said to its em-
ployees who have offices in Lorch Hall.
As far as these professors, secretaries, and
researchers are concerned, the University was
just plain uncaring because it didn't inform any
of the people who work in Lorch Hall that
asbestos was being removed from the building.
The University's project manager over-
seeing the Lorch Hall renovations said signs
warning people that asbestos was being
removed were placed in the building. But
University employees say they didn't see any
signs.
The site of the construction which is being
done in the building's north wing is blocked off
from the occupied part of the building.
The removal occurred during the last week in
October. And even though the University's oc-
cupational health and safety office recommen-
ds that tests be done to determine the levels of
asbestos in the air during the removal of
asbestos, the constructions workers didn't per-
form any such immediate tests.
Tests were done three weeks later in mid
November which found low levels of asbestos in
the air. And although these levels were below
maximum governmental standards, the people
who work in the building fear for their health.
Building employees say the University
doesn't care about them. And that the Univer-
sity didn't give them the option of not coming
into the building during the period the asbestos
was removed.
World Series week
The World Series may have ended splendidly
for most Tiger baseball fans last October. But
for a mostly female crowd of secretaries,
students, and bowling teams, the World Series
took place last week at the Michigan Theater.
"The World Series of Male Dancing," that is.
And, boy, were some of the dancing teams
(Toronto's American Gigolos, Detroit's Foxy
Frenchmen, and Fort Lauderdale's the Ladies
Choice) a big hit. They couldn't please the
crowds like a Kirk Gibson or Willie Hernandez,
but then again the crowd didn't come to see
men wearing uniforms hit and toss some balls
around. They just came to watch men without
uniforms on toss parts of their bodies around.
For those who like hotdogs, there were plenty
of those at the Michigan Theater Tuesday too -
most were not the kind at the ballpark that you
put ketchup and mustard on, though.
Daily Photo by STU WEIDENBACH
One of the dancers in the Michigan Theater's "World Series of Male Dancing" takes off some of
his scant clothing in preparation for his routine last Tuesday evening.
The Tigers may have an impressive outfield,
but for Tuesday's audience, viewing a male
dancer lose the darn cord holding on his third
and final jockstrap is probably better than
watching a baseball team make a triple play.
If that act didn't convince baseball fans that
strip shows beat out baseball any day, consider
this. Lance Parish may be able to bat in some
good, high powered home runs for some heated
plays, but one male dancer nicknamed "Baby
Blue" thrilled his audience by setting fire to his
small G-string.
If that's not big league excitement, nothing
is.
So all those men who are offended by males
choosing to exploit their bodies for the satisfa
tion of women should relax. Besides there are
probably more men who are yalued mainly for
their bodies, but that is only because of the
popularity of male sports, and not male strip-
pers.
The Week in Review was compiled by
Daily staffer Jerry Markon and Daily
editors Jackie Young and Georgea
Kovanis.
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Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
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Vol. XCV, No. 72
420 Moynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board
Combatting cheating
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IT'S THE term paper and finals
season and while that means
diligent studying for most, it also
means that a fair number of
plagiarizers and cheaters will be prac-
ticing their craft. Cheating is by no
means a new problem, but the question
of honesty at exam time is beginning to
get some needed attention. In response
to student and faculty concerns, the
Michigan Student Assembly has made
recommendations for a cheating policy
and a joint student-faculty committee
is being formed to discuss methods for
reducing the incidence of academic
violations at the University.
A few things need to be kept in mind
as an official cheating policy is being
drawn up. Most important is that such
a policy should be aimed at promoting
responsibility within the individual
student and should avoid excessive
faculty supervision. Guidelines which
call for numerous preventive
measures on the part of the professor
or TA and which establish elaborate
disciplinary procedures should be
avoided. Apart from being a strain on
the teacher, such a policy, would not
promote a feeling of honesty that is
necessary if the policy is to be suc-
cessful.
Without a sense of honesty and a sin-
cere desire to learn, nothing can
prevent cheating. If a student really
wants to cheat there is no realistic
mechanism that can prevent it. A
policy that respects and attempts to
reinforce the student's sense of
honesty and desire for a meaningful
education is the only workable
solution. Looking over the student's
shoulder will accomplish little.
The University should move toward
a code such as that used by the College
of Engineering which requires studen-
ts to sign a pledge reading "I have
neither given nor received aid on this
exam" at the end of every test.
Professors should also make it perfec-
tly clear that no plagiarism will be
allowed -it seems obvious but it needs
to be said.
The idea that cheating is unaccep-
table is not adequately reinforced in
the minds of students at the University
and any cheating policy needs to ad-
dress that fundamental problem. A
threatening battery of measures to
detect cheating will help a little, but
won't address the greater problem that
many students simply do not under-
stand that cheating is wrong and
against their interests as students. A
code which places the responsibility
for honesty in the hands of the in-
dividual student is the only possible
way to achieve such an understanding.
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LETTERS TO THE DAILY
Firing squad better than suicide
I
To the Daily:
The Students Against Nuclear
Suicide have the right idea: the
University definitely should
provide means to kill its students.
After all, we pay thousands of
dollars a year to come here; cer-
tainly some of that money should
go towards free suicides.
However, SANS only advocates
one form of suicide: the cyanide
pill. This method, though
preferred by some, has several
serious drawbacks. Students
clamoring to Health Services to
kill themselves would inevitably
form long lines. In addition to
providing an unnecessarily long
wait, the huge amounts of people
ded firing squads can satisfy the
student body's suicide needs bet-
ter than the pills.
Here's how it works: when the
TV tells us that nuclear missiles
are approaching Ann Arbor, ar-
med "suicide squads" are
dispersed throughout the campus
residence halls (those living off-
campus are welcome to attend).
Starting with seniors with more
than 85 credits, then
alphabetically, the squads ap-
proach the students one at a time
and give them the choice of
"nuclear suicide" or "Univer-
sity-funded suicide." Students
opting for the latter are im-
mediately shot. Those choosing
"nuclear suicide" are free to
With the firing squad proposal
enacted, the University will have
a suicide procedure worthy of
such a great learning institution.
Eliminating the need for students
to travel to Health Services and
wait in line, the University will be
able to proudly proclaim, "We
deliver!" And those students
believing that "Nuclear war isn't
pleasant. . . suicide is," but fear
swallowing the cyanide pill may
breathe a sigh of relief, for the
firing squads will let them sit
back and relax while they die.
Simply stated, firing squads
provide all of the cyanide pills'
advantages and none of the
disadvantages. No more nuclear
nightmares! We will all be able to
sleep better at nights knowin
that our school has effectiv
means of killing us.
- Raymond Lin
November 28
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Story leaves false impression
To the Daily:
Your news story "MAD says
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It was defeated in 59 of the 62,