4 OPINION 'age 4 Friday, September 13, 1985 The Michigan Daily NSA faces unprecedented resignation 4 The Michigan Student Assembly lost a central cog on Monday when executive vice-president Micky Feusse resigned her post. Feusse, who was elected last fall to serve alongside president Paul was responsible for heading the board of -directors of Student Legal Ser- vices, overseeing communication between the distinct sub-committees, and supervising the MSA office area. Because of the unprecedented ac- tion, the MSA constitution had no provisions for filling the vacancy. During Tuesday's MSA meeting, the Assembly approved a motion that permits Josephson to nominate a candidate to fill the post and calls for confirmation of that selection by a two-thirds majority. For a time it appeared that MSA had also lost the services of Roderick Linzie, its minority researcher. Lin- zie submitted his resignation early last week, but reconsidered after he had spoken with Josephson. Star Wars Two University professors have been awarded grants to conduct Star Wars related research on campus. Nuclear engineering Prof. Ronald Gilgenbach will receive $180,512 to further his research on laser and elec- tron beam technology and electrical engineering Prof. John Meyer has been granted $75,000 in Pentagon ap- propriations to design advanced computer systems. The two professors and those af- filiated with their respective projects will be participating in the design of President Reagan's much maligned "nuclear shield" design which numerous scientific experts claim is a totally unrealistic, unworkable military scheme. However, because the research has been approved as unclassified, University resources and facilities will be at disposal of the two professors. Squirrels and computers If the University's new vice provost for information technology, Douglas Van Houweling, has his way, com- puters could soon be more numerous than squirrels on campus. Oh sure, squirrels are cute and furry, but let's face it, they really aren't capable of solving complex mathematical algorithms. At a forum on Monday night, Van Houweling outlined an agressive University plan to increase the num- ber of computer terminals on campus from the current 225 to over 2,000 by the end of 1988. Our four legged friends had better be careful, because with that many new terminals, the University will be placing the workstations in trees for lack of better spots. Not only has Van Houweling been foraging for new terminals, he's also got some ideas that will put the University far ahead of its peer in- stitutions. One idea is to lease terminals to students for short-term use. Though not unique, such a program could be advantageous if the University were to keep the costs minimal. Van Houweling has also proposed the establishment of a Student Comn- puting Advisory Board under tle auspices of the Michigan Student Assembly. Such a panel could have tremendous impact if the Universijy sincerely listens to their input. It finally seems as if the University is trying to integrate the students into its computing policy. For anyone who has had to wait three hours for a ter- minal in the dead of night, this wfll come as welcome news. There's nothing nutty about that. Week in Review was compiled by Opinion page editors Josephl Kraus and Jody Becker and news editor Thomas Miller. Josephenson, claimed that she was ,unable to devote enough time to her 'MSA duties. She is a resident fellow at East Quad residence hall. As executive vice-president Feusse ie S tutsatTUn at Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Chassy Vol. XCVI, No. 7 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board I The wrong tonic OR THE second time in three L' years the alcohol policy at #Couzens Residence Hall has been stiffened. Building director Jerrell Jackson promises that he will ad- vise his staff to enforce the current policy more strictly than they have in the past, and further that he will confiscate all kegs. The current policy on alcohol in residence halls advises dorm staff to ask students not to consume alcohol in public areas of the dorm. Jackson claims that a 1984 sur- vey showed that a great number of Couzens residents found the dorm too distracting to study. He argues that stricter controls over the use of alcohol will make the dorms quieter by doing away with large, full-hall parties. He also notes that it is against the law for most undergraduates to consume alcohol. If there is indeed a noise problem in the dorm then it certainly should be dealt with by the building direc- tor. Couzens is, after all, home to over 500 University students, and those students have a right to a reasonably quiet and subdued at- mosphere. Nevertheless, when any steps taken to insure such basic comforts restrict residents in other ways, the residents' basic rights must be considered. In addition to the right to a quiet atmosphere, residents also have the right to a very small part of the University that they call their home. Within that home - provided they don't unduly disturb others - they should be as free to do what they wish as anyone else in his home is. the building director to assure an orderly dorm. Without further strengthening of the rules governing the use of alcohol there are already great means at the building director's disposal to keep the building quiet. Any time a particular group begins to offend its neighbors, resident advisors cam tell partiers to stay in their rooms and demand that the group make less noise. For situations even more troublesome, security can be called. There is an important safety oncern in stricter enforcement. With students less able to drink in their homes, they are more likely to go elsewhere to drink. The result could be an increased number of accidents as drunken students return to the dorm from bars or other distant dorms. Also, as resident advisors are called upon to more carefully report on their residents, they are in less of a position to serve those residents as friends and coun- selors. Finally, it is not the role of the residence hall staff, as Jackson seems to imply, to police underage drinking. The staff is on duty to in- sure that residents can get along with one another in a community living situation, and to help them as they explore the University, but not to insure that they do not violate city, state, or national laws. In banning all kegs and more heavily enforcing state laws again- st minors drinking, Jackson is ap- proaching problems before they materialize at the expense of everyone in the dorm. One person's right to quiet, while important, cannot justify suspending so many other people's rights to enjoy themselves. t , '' ,, . v yy r,1F" 4 1 ! i'" ! ' 1 ,j , . It , f i 1 i 1 , " " r . .- ,, +'i . C/ \, / t_ ,. ., ,,"- T( ,( J/ f 1. ice' " . -- y 111 , . a . -_/ M 1i ' 1c ,mow. 'I ti, ' ..---- T 4 0', z y X 4 0 14 II LETTERS University should help handicapped 7. To the Daily: The hallowed halls of the University of Michigan seem to be echoing with the empty sound of apathy. This is probably due in part to the absence of handicapped students on campus. Is it because they can't qualify for admission due to low GPA s or because they lack ambition to accept the challenge of the stringent workload? No, it is simply due to the University's failure to recognize and accommodate the needs of the handicapped student. I find this appalling and discriminatory at this institution where a sense of fairness and equality appear to prevail. Han- dicapped students are not physically equal and certainly deserve the same educational chance held by their more physically able peers. Lest you think mine is an un- founded viewpoint, allow me to relay some of my own personal experiences with this problem. First of all, it is necessary for me to wear braces on my legs. Because of this necessity, I am unable to climb an entire flight of stairs or to walk more than half a block. Much to my despair, I found no usable elevator in the Modern Language Building or in the Bur- sley Hall cafeteria where I eat not attaining our goals. This university is clearly not designed to give handicapped the chance they deserve. Worse yet, it doesn't even seem to be in- terested in helping us by modifying the environment with elevators and barrier-free ac- cesses. I have never observed a student at the University of Michigan in a wheelchair. I now know why. Daily should keep supportin Couldn't the money used for nuclear research be implemen- ted in a more positive way? Or doesn't anybody care? -Karen C. Cochran September 1t4 g hockey athletes in their chosen field. As Mr. Aretha so adeptly poin- ted out, for women athletes, respect is a hard thing to come by. Thanks for supporting women's sports. -Laura J. Lothschutz September 1i To the Daily: I am writing in response to the article on the women's field hockey team ("Just messin' around with stickers," Daily. Sept. 10). Dave Aretha's piece was designed to attract attention to the hockey team, and, with this regard, it was a very good ar- ticle. I hope that, as the season progresses, the Daily sports staff will continue to be this successful BLOOM COUNTY in fulfilling their reporting pur- poses. For instance, right now the fact that our hockey players are cute and have a lot of personality may be important information. But in the weeks to come, it will be more interesting to read about how they are performing as Letters to the Daily should be typed, triple-spaced, and signed. by the individual authors. Names will be withheld only in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for clarity, grammar, and spelling. That right should not aside merely to make it be tossed easier for by Berke Breathed 1MANtjfI/,.IN(N,W YR -&g., 7U NqgPOgT GO/N HOME J /1 416 AANAr F~qM~r/C #APDhfY..Wf . IM1 H/d/1CKlN6 WXH4'5YOURf 7/5C/11/ EF,'A IPqM 70 fAEICA! Irqjy 10 ,q16gCAN /IM6R/CAN ~ EMEY- WHY AS A NE~W CON5T1- fWIN&I(51/ W71ON. ntwxr2 AM f3 .oA a nor CAt co The Michigan Daily encourages input from vur readers. Letters should be typed, triple !* 9