Page 4 - The Michigan Daily -Wednesday, November 14,1990
Ge Miditgan 1aiIy
EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
NOAH FINKEL
Editor in Chief
DAVID SCHWARTZ
Opinion Editor
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.
Drugs and Alcohol
Students vulnerable under vague interim policy
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"Have you found Blue Front yet?"
THIS JOKE WAS ONE OF PRESIDENT
Duderstadt's opening remarks at the
convocation for new students in
September. Now, two months after
jokingly condoning student alcohol
use, Duderstadt plans to sanction stu-
dents with the University's new In-
terim Policy on Alcohol and Drugs.
In the last week, many students re-
ceived a notice from Duderstadt outlin-
ing the University's new policy, the re-
sult of a federal act mandating that all
public universities have of drug and al-
cohol policy in place by Oct. 1.
While many University students
have yetto receive a copy of the policy,
these interim rules have been in effect
since Oct. 1. According to Duderstadt,
a "task force... representing all seg-
ments of the University community" is
drafting a final policy, though no
completion date has been confirmed.
Meanwhile, the interim policy will
be enforced. The University has man-
aged to create an interim policy so
vague that it is difficult for students to
determine what their rights, if any, ac-
tually are.
The policy outlines six possible
sanctions against a student who is
charged with "unlawful possession,
use, or distribution of alcohol or illicit
drugs." The sanctions range from a
"verbal or written reprimand" to sus-
pension or expulsion to "other appro-
priate actions," including possible re-
ferral for criminal prosecution.
The dangers of such an ambiguous
list of sanctions is clear. There is no
mention of which sanctions apply to
which offenses. The "other appropriate
actions" clause gives the administration
virtual carte blanche to discipline stu-
dents however it wants, with no prior
warning.
The policy states that violation of of
the new rules "... may also lead to a
referral to the appropriate local, state,
and/or federal authorities..." It is a vio-
lation of students' rights to subject
them to punishment by both the Uni-
versity and the police for the same
"violation."
This clouded set of rules is ex-
tremely dangerous. The University can
selectively enforce a vague policy
whenever it chooses. This sparse and
unclear set of guidelines is the only
information on the Interim Drug and
Alcohol Policy that the administration
has made available to students.
The University administration has
derived considerable power for them-
selves out of the new federal law. For
the sake of students, the policy should
be both clear and limited to the mini-
mum requirement mandated under fed-
eral law.
22444N
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Gill is way off in attack on Michigan band director
Sensitive teachers
MSA, 'U' help to impro
iAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A CLASS
where your teacher constantly ex-
plained things in terms of men? Or had
to muddle through class readings that
constantly referred to the doctor as he,
thd professor as he, and the secretary
as she? If this sounds vaguely familiar,
you might be happy to know that steps
are being taken to remedy the situation.
1 The Michigan Student Assembly
Women's Issues Commission, in con-
junction with a University presidential
task force, will be publishing a booklet
of anecdotes about women's personal
classroom experiences. The stories
depict the disempowering atmosphere
women face in the classroom, and will
be a good tool for educating teachers
on classroom sexism.
Women often are unable to approach
teachers about sexism because, in do-
ing so, they risk a potential confronta-
tion, endangering the student-teacher
relationship. The compilation of stories
will serve as a mediator between stu-
dents and faculty; more importantly, it
will be a teaching aid to make the Uni-
versity faculty more aware of their
classroom behaviors' impact on gen-
der-related issues.
According to a paper by Roberta
Hall for the Association of American
Colleges Project on the Status and Ed-
ucation of Women, many problems 11-
ye climate for women
lustrate the chilly climate women face
in the classroom. Hall's study showed
that men are more likely than women to
be called upon in the classroom, and
when both sexes express the same
opinions, often men are applauded
while woman are disregarded.
In addition, many classroom exer-
cises and course materials use only
male examples or adhere to stereotypi-
cal gender roles. While the individual
citations of women's classroom experi-
ences may seem isolated and unimpor-
tant, when confronted daily by such an
educational system, women may begin
to internalize these actions and behave
in what they believe is an "appropriate"
manner.
This booklet cannot solve the prob-
lem, but it is a step in the right direc-
tion. At the very least, it shows that
some people at the University are at-
tempting to ameliorate the uncomfort-
able atmosphere that women face in the
classroom.
Teachers need to realize the impact
of their words and actions on students
and how this effects intra-student and
teacher-student relationships. Teachers
cannot rely solely on booklets for the
answers to the problem. Ultimately,
they alone must take responsibility for
their actions.
To the Daily:
Mike Gill may be a good football
columnist, but when it comes to the
Michigan Marching Band, Mike doesn't
know didley.
In his Sports Monday column ("Lewis
bucks tradition, phases out high step,"
11/12/90), Gill rudely attacks and slanders
Gary Lewis, the director of the Michigan
Marching Band.
Gill claims that the new director is at-
tempting to phase out the traditional high
step marching that the band is famous for.
He even goes so far as to suggest that
Gary Lewis give up his position as the
band's leader.
In my opinion, it is Mike Gill who
should consider a new line of work.
As a first year member of the Michigan
Marching Band, I couldn't be more im-
pressed with Lewis. Gill seems to feel that
our director is breaking with the traditions
set down by former band directors such as
George Cavender and the highly regarded
William Revelli, the man for whom the
Michigan Marching Band's rehearsal hall
is named.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. On at least two occasions, Revelli,
while addressing the band members, has
praised Gary Lewis as "the best" and "a
fine musician." Lewis has also received
words of praise from H. Robert Reynolds,
director of bands here at Michigan, and
Donald Sinta, professor of saxophone, as
well as several visiting band directors from
other universities.
Who is the better judge of band direc-
tors, Mike Gill or William Revelli?
Maybe it is time for the Daily to hire a
new band columnist, someone who knows
what they are talking about.
Christopher Morgan
first-year Engineering student
. Marching Band member
Give Lewis a chance
To the Daily:
I would like to point one thing out to
Mike Gill. When Bo Schembechler
stepped down as head football coach at the
end of last season, he left behind him a lot
of tradition. He left behind Michigan's tra-
dition of an overpowering running attack.
He left behind Michigan's style of running
the ball down the opponents' throat no
matter how many men they stacked on the
line.
Sure he used the pass, but he would
never commit to it as a primary weapon.
After he left, as we all know, Gary
Moeller took over. But did we expect him
to be exactly like Bo? Of course not.
Moeller said he liked the pass and that
he was going to open up the offense. He
said that his offense would take what the
opposing defense would give them, not
just run the ball.
Did this cause people to ask Moeller to
quit? Of course not. People let him coach
Michigan as Gary Moeller saw fit to
coach.
You should apply this same principle
to Gary Lewis. Of course he is not George
Cavender or William Revelli or Eric
Becker. He is Gary Lewis.
And just as Gary Moeller has been al-
lowed freedom to coach his football team
the way he sees fit, Lewis should be al-
lowed to direct the Michigan Marching
Band the way he thinks will create the best
sounding, most visually appealing show.
And just as you see Gary Moeller us-
ing the wishbone offense and ramming the
ball down the throats of opponents fre-
quently, you will see the same keeping of
tradition in the Marching Band. The high
step will not be "phased out" at least now
while Gary Lewis is the conductor.
So please, give Gary Lewis the same
courtesy that you gave Gary Moeller. Let
To the Daily:
Mike Gill should follow his own ad-
vice! He should do one of two things:
"Quit the bullheadedness and become a
team player, using the traditions an insti-
tution believes in, instead of one's own
whims.
"Or simply quit."
Tom Jennings
LSA sophomore
Talk to band director
before criticizing him
To the Daily:
If Mike Gill has a problem with the
Marching Band, the students who work
hard every week to provide a halftime
show, or the director who works even
harder, why doesn't he speak with those
people who are directly involved?
Why not stop by a practice - or per-
haps a week of practices - and find out
what it is all about. I have personally
found Lewis receptive to band members'
questions, easy to talk to, and deeply
committed to the Michigan Marching
Band.
I find Gill's arguments and statements
essentially groundless, and his inability to
communicate directly with people in-
volved with the band very unprofessional.
If anyone has his own agenda, it is not
Gary Lewis, but rather Mike Gill.
Peter Larson
him add his own personal touch to the
band shows along with the cherished tradi-
tions.
I feel that the combination of the two
will create many enjoyable shows for the
years to come.
Jamie Hall
9
Heed your own advice
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'World perspective' belonged on Opinion page
Unwanted activists
Revolutionary Workers' League irks 'U' groups
To the Daily:
I was astounded to find the Nov. 5 arti-
cle "American students in Israel cope with
regional crisis" on the front page as a
news article and called a "world perspec-
tive." I was also astounded to find that
these students find it "scary living in
Jerusalem knowing we're so close to vio-
lence." They surely must realize that it is
their host, the Israeli government, who is
perpetrating the vast majority of the vio-
lence. -
I wonder if these brave Americans real-
ize that despite the fact that they are "in
the midst of a region notorious for insta-
bility and random terror" that at least they
can attend university and "go to classes
and go out at night." Not even the indige-
nous Palestinian residents of the West
Bank and Gaza are allowed this human
right which the American visitors are tak-
ing for granted.
Since January 1988, all West Bank and
Gaza institutes of higher education have
been closed preventing ,22,843 students
(1987 statistics) from going to school and
using library and laboratory facilities. This
is in violation of the principles of the
1949 Geneva Convention. the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, and the
UNESCO Convention on Discrimination
and Education, all to- which Israel has
signed.
Lack of academic freedom is just one of
the "random terror" incidents Palestinian
students must "cope" with. Since Decem-
ber 1987, more than 200 children under
the age of 15 have been killed by Israeli
soldiers, police or settlers. However, the
American students studying in Israel find
that "the recent events in Israel have made, -
more students more cautious in choosing-
what buses they ride and what areas they
walk through... it's a taste of what Israelis
have to deal with on a day to day basis."
I encourage Katz and the other Ameri-
can students to taste what Palestinians
have to deal with on a day to day basis to
be fair to themselves, their beliefs, and
their world perspectives. I also encourage
the Daily to keep articles like this one on
the Opinion page.
l .
THE REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS'
League (RWL), a broad-based Trot-
skyite group, was recently asked to
leave The Aids Coalition to Unleash
Power (ACT-UP), sparking contro-
versy on campus. The RWL has a his-
tory of being disinvited from progres-
sive campus groups at the University.
During the past decade, the RWL has
been repeatedly criticized for disrupting
campus groups by changing the origi-
nal intent of the organization to fit their
own agenda.
Many campus groups, such as the
United Coalition Against Racism
(UCAR), the Latin American Solidarity
Committee (LASC), and the Ann Arbor
Coalition to Defend Abortion and Re-
groups. During the past two semesters,
ACT-UP and the Lesbian and Gay
Rights Organizing Committee (La-
GROC), have been disrupted by
RWL's presence.
Pattrice Maurer, a member of ACT-
UP, gave one explanation of why the
RWL continually infiltrates other stu-
dent groups: They are a "vanguard
without a van. They have a revolu-
tionary program that attracts few, so
they have to hitch a ride on other
movements."
Activists criticize the RWL not for
its ideology, but its tactics to gain con-
trol of other organizations and disrupt
the original intent of other groups.
Members of many organizations con-
Rochelle Davis
Rackham Graduate Student
I
OXIA
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