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OPINION
Page 4
Friddy, September 12, 1986
The Michigan Daily
Wasserman
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
I . I
Vol. XCVII, No. 7
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board
All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
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'U' Cellar
Students who are confused
about where to buy their books
should take note of a few
important circumstances which
lead to the relocation of the
University Cellar to 341 East
Liberty from the basement of the
Michigan Union.
After battling with the
Regents in the late '60s, The
University Cellar was
established in 1969. Born from
student activism, the University
Cellar is still operated by a
Board of Directors comprised of
students, administrators, and
faculty of the University. It is a
non-profit organization which
exists solely for the purpose of
providing students with the
prodlucts they want at affordable
prices. Before the University
Sll ar opened in the Michigan
I ion, book prices in Ann
Abor were exorbitant; the
competitive U Cellar forced
prices down and forced a
number of bookstores out of
business in the process. The
University Cellar is the best
place to buy books and school.
supplies. Not only are the prices
low, ( five percent off the
publisher's list or recommended
book price with a valid
University identification), but
.tuOtlt determine the store's
Pobey , which has a tradition of
serving student interests.
In the late "60s there was a
student movement to remodel
the Union as the center of
student activity. Hard as it may
be to believe considering the
array ofshappenings 'in the
Union as well as all the food
counters and adequate seating,
the basement of the Union used
to be somewhat grim. Students
wanted a Union that served,
them, where they could gather
to study, eat, and engage in
lengthy conversation. Finally,
the Regents passed a $4.6
million renovation for the
Union. At that time, the
University Cellar had planned
to remain in the Union and
agreed to assume the cost of
renovation. As the plans for the
remodeling and work got
underway, the Board of
Directors of , the U Cellar
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LETTERS;
Daily is biased against Greek system
14
changed and the new board
was not prepared to pay the cost
of renovations such as electrical
work, which they felt the Union
should pay for with the Regent's
$4.6 million. Not only was the
cost too high, but the U Cellar
was also unable to sell
University insignia
paraphernalia since such
merchandise was being sold by
the Union in their Emblem
shop, also in the basement of the
Union. The University Cellar,
anxious to keep prices low and
extend more services to
students, moved to its current
location on E. Liberty in 1982.
Faced with a large open space
in the Union basement, the
Union contracted Barnes and
Noble, the national corporation
based in New York, to fill it.
Barnes and Noble, which agreed
to help fund renovations in the
Union, was given the authority
to sell University insignia items
and to call itself the "Michigan
Union Bookstore."
While it may be true that
Barnes and Noble is the
bookstore of the Union, it is not
the bookstore of the students.
That store, fought for with
determination by those who
demanded fair prices and
student participation, may be a
few blocks further, but it 's
worth the trip.
To the Daily:
I am deeply concerned by
your editorial of September 8
("Why Rush?"), for it may
serve to do naught more than
scare undecided freshmen
away from the Greek system.
Those individuals who are
unsure as to whether or not to
visit some houses during the
rush period are entitled to an
opposing, but I hope a bit less
ridiculously biased,
viewpoint.
Granted, your editorial did
bring to light a few important
facts, the most important
being your advice not to rush
(no pun intended) into
anything. Ask anyone
connected with the Greek
system, and they will tell you
that pledging a fraternity or
sorority is a serious
commitment of both time and
money. Anyone unable or
unwilling to make this
commitment must consider
the Greek system as not in
their best interests.
Rewards do, however, stem
from these commitments.
Almost without exception, the
all-Greek academic average
is higher than the University-
wide average at the U.
Nationwide, somewhat more
than 60% of college men
graduate, while the figure for
fraternity men is over 80%.
Obviously, however, the
rewards are not all
academic. The Greek system
provides a pool from which
friendships are made. The ".
.level of 'socially acceptable
behavior' that often doesn't
leave room for exper-
imentation or self-
reflection" expected within
the Greek system is no
different than the common
decency and courtesy
expected of graduates of a
university such as ours from
the portion of society in which
they will be expected to
function. As for
experimentation and self-
reflection, plenty does occur
within the Greek system,
whether for better or worse.
True, "as an ideal," the
bonds form.ed within the
Greek system are very
strong, and this in some
instances is not the case, but
this cynical remark is not in
keeping with the standards of
a publication that, "as an
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than is the Greek system. In
all reality, how can a Greek
system that, by your own
reckoning, encompasses one
fifth of the campus, be
considered homogeneous?
"Accepting the status quo
rather than questioning it is
a common symptom of
society's social and economic
ills. Not since the years
before the Depression has
there been such
encouragement of
ostentatious consumerism in
the face of severe poverty."
Please, gentlemen, what on
earth has this to do with
rushing a fraternity or
sorority? This passage
probably served to confuse
more people than to make
them consider the issue at
question.
I do want to caution
freshmen who are
considering rushing. Do
visit the houses, but also
remember that accepting a
bid is a commitment. If you
don't feel ready to make such
a commitment, then don't.
This is better for you and the
house involved. Remember
that there is a rush in
January, and after having a
term to decide which house is
best for you, your experience
in the Greek system may be
much more enjoyable. Rush
is an opportunity for you to see
the Greek system and to ask
questions; it is as much an
opportunity for you to check us
out as it is for us to check you
out.
With the above introduction,
the advice given by the Daily
is valuable: "Slow down and
keep your options open.
There is no hurry."
-Gunther Brinkman
-Chancellor, ChiColony
-Tau Epsilon Phi
September 8
Organize with the United Farm workers
Register to vote
To the Daily:
The United Farm Workers
(UFW) union is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to
securing farmworkers'
rights and protection against
pesticide poisonings for the
worker and theconsumer.
The farm workers were the
first to recognize the serious
health hazards of agri -
cultural pesticides to both
consumers and themselves.
20 years ago, 17 million
Americans united in a
grape boycott campaign that
transformed the simple act of
refusing to buy grapes into a
powerful and effective force
against poverty and injus-
tice. But now the hard won
laws enacted in 1975 (which
ended the first boycott), have
been trampled beneath the feet
of self-interest. Blatant
violations of California
farm-labor laws are being
consistently ignored. And,
worst of all, the indis-
criminate and even illegal
use of dangerous pesticides
has radically increased in
the last decade, causing
illness, permanent disability
and even death! That is why
the UFW has restarted the
boycott of California fresh
grapes.
Our membership is open to
anyone who so desires.
However, members will be
required to do at least two
hours of community service
work per month. For
instance, labor could be
citizens about the plight of
migrant farm workers.
Finally, we will work with
and assist other groups who
we feel are in a just struggle
against unjust situations,
such as the Farm Labor
First fall issue whines
S tudents form a large and
potentially powerful political
force; unfortunately, because
students tend not to register to
vote, their power remains
potential rather than actual.,
In order to change that, there
is a movement on campus to get,
ten thousand students
registered for the November 4
election.
This year's effort carries
particular significance because
a graduate student in
economics, Dean Baker, has
been nominated as the
Democratic candidate for
congress in the Second District.
It is his campaign, along with
(N A'YT . .
district he is strongly favored to
win reelection. Baker, however,
showed in his upset victory in
the Democratic primary an
ability to run an effective
grassroots campaign and to
garner support among
students. If students mobilize
and work for Baker's candidacy
it is possible to send a student to.
congress.
One problem with local
registration drives are state
laws designed to make
registration difficult. In
Michigan, registration must
take place 30 days before an
election and can only be
performed by a Deputy Registrar
or at the Secretary of State's
noe In stas such as
To the Daily:
The general tone of
negativism that pervades
your "new Student Edition"
is quite distressing. In an
issue which should- welcome
new students and be filled
with enthusiastic and positive
articles, you have chosen to
print news stories, features,
columns, and editorials on
topics such as dissent,
suicide, drugs, and rape.
I get the feeling you do not
really like your school. Are
there any good things
happening at the University
of Michigan?
Where are the articles about
your incoming freshmen
class? Where are the features
trumpeting your school and
staff? Where are the articles
telling new students what is
good about your school and its
community? Articles on
shopping malls don't really
do it.
Whining nay-sayers in a
position such as yours
perform a disservice to your
school and community.
Your paper's extremely
negative bias causes it to lose
it supposed objectivity. Drop
your cynical, negative hang-.
uns You cnn alwas find
Organizing Committee or the
newly formed Latins in
Support of Democracy.
-Roberto Frisancho
-MSA rep.
September 4
something somebody does not
like. A newspaper is
supposed to be more than this.
I cannot help but feel that this
newspaper is written by very
unhappy people, people soured
on life, people using their
newspaper unfairly to vent
their frustrations, anger, and
depression through an
overkilling dose of spleen.
Perhaps it is time for you to
try looking at the brighter
side of life. It can be done.
People are really pretty nice,
and good things do happen,
even at the University of
Michigan. Why don't you try
lifting yourselves up from
this sophomoric
establishment-bashing, and
write some articles people
would enjoy reading?
If you find your school so
wrong on so many issues,
why don't you leave?
I do not see how your "New
Student Edition" could be of
value to incoming freshmen,
unless the University of
Michigan and Ann Arbor
were under siege from
virtually every evil known to
man.
-Dan Shea
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