Page 4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, December 5,1990
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EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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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.
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Swain's about-face
Meetings with students are too late for real input
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INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT FOR
Student Student services Mary Ann
Swain recently held several open fo-
rums on campus, which she said were
designed to answer students' questions
on issues ranging from the creation of a
University police force to the new Drug
and Alcohol Policy.
The three forums, ostensibly, were
aimed at garnering student opinion on
University policy. Swain scheduled the
forums after admitting she had not been
adequately in touch with students con-
cerning these policies.
Though this gesture is laudable in its
intent, it is another example of the
University doing too little, and acting
too late.
Clearly, Swain scheduled the fo-
rums in response to the fervent student
movement against deputization. The
large protests and rallies that took place
the week before Thanksgiving break
apparently made administrators wary of
the level of student dissent.
However, the regents have already
made their decision on deputization.
The administration has made it very
clear that a new University police force
is a "done deal," and student input no
longer has relevant bearing on the mat-
ter; student opposition to the decision is
now apparently obsolete. Even Swain
acknowledged that most existing
University policies are not subject to
change. ,
This attitude demonstrates a problem
in the manner in which students and
administrators interact. Students de-
serve an active role in the formation of
University policy, especially policies
that will directly affect them, but have
been denied this role consistently.
Deputization was implemented with no
real student participation; two students
appointed by President Duderstadt to
sit on a powerless committee does not
constitute formidable student input.
The effort by Swain after the fact to
rectify this situation is, at best, a ges-
ture of appeasement, aimed at soothing
the strong student movement against
deputization. Still, Swain should cer-
tainly not be the only administrator to
hold open forums on the matter.
Although it is her responsibility as vice
president for StudentServices to be in
touch with the wishes of the student
body, the other administrators who
actually supported the police force
should be willing to explain their ac-
tions to the students.
President Duderstadt, the regents,
and all administrators must solicit stu-
dent opinion in open forums prior to
the decision-making process. If any-
thing is to be learned from this entire
sequence of events, it is that adminis-
trators can no longer make decisions
concerning University policy carte
blanche without consulting students.
The effort made by Mary Ann
Swain in this particular situation is to
be commended, but in the large scope
of things, it is hardly adequate.
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uALT-C
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*.9
'U' ignores many problems on North Campus
What happened?
Student movement loses steam - but not forever
By Michael Bellavia
. Here it is, 3:30 in the morning, and
I'm stuck in the brand spanking new
North Campus Commons Computer
Center (NCCCC). I should be finishing
my screenplay but instead I have to write
this letter.
At 2:30, I decided to order a pizza be-
cause I'm pulling an all-nighter. I wanted
to call Bell's but I couldn't get to a pay
phone. You see, the new computing center
is in the basement of the new half of the
Commons and the only pay phone is in
the basement of the old half.
At night the doors connecting the two
halves are locked. Not only does this cut
off access to the pay phone, but this also
cuts off the access to the only elevator. I
realized this, and decided to submit my
complaint to the brand spanking new sug-
gestion box. As I was putting my note in
the box, I got to thinking: the only people
who probably read that crap are the moni-
tors, and a couple CAEN counselors (most
of whom know absolutely squat about
about computers - at least the ones I've
talked to in the NCCCC).
I chalked up the suggestion box (don't
worry President Duderstadt, I didn't
"vandalize" it) as another means of patron-
izing students and their opinions.
Well, determined to get some food in
me, I walked to the nearest phone. That
phone is in the Dow building. That meant
I had to walk about 100 yards across a
rather dark sidewalk. Those globe lights,
the ones that never work, are crap. I mean,
the freaking moonbeams reflecting off the
snow was providing more light.
I guess the lack of adequate lights is
because the 'U' figures that a woman
would be able to see a man running after
them - there aren't too many things a
rapist could hide behind up here. Needless
to say, by this time I was thinking of the
University with a few choice words in
mind.
I ordered my pizza and walked the dark
straight-away again to the NCCCC. I get
back to see a campus security officer arriv-
ing. I'm waiting for my pizza outside in
the freezing cold. I notice there's a student
in the foyer of the building sitting on a
mechanized type of wheelchair.
I took back half of everything I said
about the University. I thought that I
must have been wrong since this guy was
able to use the elevator. I stand outside a
little longer and notice that he's still talk-
ing to the guard. I go inside and decide to
eavesdrop on the conversation (I just had a
class on ethics that day and I felt some-
thing like this was ethical). I had to wait
for my pizza anyway.
Just last night l was talking with one of my more
conservative engineering friends. Even she said that
there needed to be better lights and that the
University wasn't doing the job it should be.
must not be safe since President
Duderstadt wrote that emotional letter,to
the Daily about the necessity of guns on
campus. I'm against the deputization but
if it is "not negotiable" (yes Master) then
the U should at least provide some of the
basics of protection and accessibility
mean, just last night I was talking wi
one of my more conservative engineering
friends. Even she said that there needed to
be better lights and that the University
wasn't doing the job it should be.
Here is my action plan, President
Duderstadt, and I won't even charge an ex-
tra consulting fee: (1) Keep the door un-
locked at all times in the Commons (have
a little faith in the students - the Info
stand hasn't been robbed yet); (2) Get a*
emergency phone on the North Campus
THE CAMPUS HAS BECOME MUCH
quieter since Thanksgiving break, and
many students have been wondering
why. The massive protests that cap-
tured headlines statewide no longer
dominate campus discussion, and me-
dia coverage has dwindled to nothing.
It seems as though the momentum built
by the anti-deputization movement has
dissipated as quickly as it began, and
this may be a disturbing revelation for
many students.
However, the silence characteristic
of the movement over the past few
weeks is not a sign of its demise, but
of the planning of events to take place
after the winter break. With the end of
the term approaching, and most stu-
dents worrying about papers and ex- "
ams, the leadership of the movement
has chosen to refrain from large
demonstrations. Instead, they have
concentrated their efforts on preparing
for January, when the movement will
;resume an active stance against a
University deputized security force.
In the meantime, students should
not be passive and not forget the seri-
ousness of the issue. Rather, they
should continue to write letters to
newspapers, to the regents, and to
President Duderstadt; there should be
continual pressure on the administra-
tors to reconsider their actions.
Students, Michigan residents espe-
cially, should take the time over the
holiday break to discuss the issue of
deputization with their parents and
indicate why deputization is an unnec-
essary, and potentially dangerous,
waste of money for the University. If
the administration receives negative
letters from irate parents, it would be
forced to at least acknowledge this op-
position.
As for the leaders of the movement,
they should take this time to consider
different options for next term. Protests
have been effective, but at some point
there should be serious negotiations
with the administration. Student leaders
should formulate a strategy to work out
a pragmatic approach that would allow
for an eventual victory.
The movement against deputization
has been one of the largest student ral-
lying points in several years; the lead-
ership did a noble job of motivating
students, but the battle is not yet over,
and students should not resign them-
selves to defeat.
Well, I'm listening to this guard flap
his gums about the 'U' and all the differ-
ent computing sites. When he started
espousing the ease of access for physically
handicapped people to all the other sites
on campus I just about threw up. I mean,
who cares! This student wanted to use this
computer room at this time because this is
what he wanted to do.
Talking to him about the "nice" facili-
ties on central campus does no good espe-
cially since there is no bus running at this
hour (stupid thing #1) and the regular 'U'
buses cannot accommodate anything like a
wheelchair (stupid thing #2). The student
eventually got downstairs.
I mean, maybe I'm overreacting. The
'U' is generally a safe place and pretty ac-
cessible. But this computer room wasn't.
And then I thought "Wait, the 'U'
Diag; (3) Get a pay phone in the NCCCC*
(4) Provide full monetary backing for both
Northwalk and Safewalk; (5) Have a North
Campus Nite Owl; (6) Ditch the globe
lights and get some higher intensity
lights; and (7) Expand the services of the
buses running between the campuses so
that at least one runs every hour, 24 hours
a day.
This list is definitely not comprehen-
sive or complete, considering I didn't ever
say anything about the inadequacies of the
other North Campus areas. It may not
even by cohesive since I'm writing this
while half catatonic. However, I bet if you
added the-cost of all these things I'm ask-
ing for, it wouldn't cost nearly as much,
or meet half as much protest, as the depu-
tization issue.
Bellavia is an Engineering senior.
Gill's column shows an ignorance of the 'M' band
Correction
Many of you may have noticed a misspelled headline on yesterday's Opinion Page.
The garbled word, which should have read "propaganda," instead was spelled "progaganda."
This little gaffe proves what we've been saying all along - you'll never find any
Daily propaganda on the Opinion Page!
To the Daily:
When I first read Mike Gill's
columns regarding the Michigan
Marching Band (MMB), I was outraged.
After I cooled down, I realized that, as a
first year member of the band, it was
my duty to simply point out the falla-
cies in Gill's comments.
In The Band Corner, Gill says the
band's show was boring due to slow
pace of some of the songs. He should
realize that a band becomes boring when
the pace of songs are all the same.
Musically, the change of pace demon-
strated the MMB's ability to express the
beauty of classic ballads. Gill wanted a
show "with vigor, with pep, and with
energy."
We gave Gill what he wanted (not
necessarily intentionally) and he didn't
even realize it. Almost every semi-mu-
sically literate person knows that a song
doesn't need to be fast to have energy.
Regarding Gill Again, I have to say
that some of what Gill says is flat out
false. I never saw him out at band week,
listening to Lewis repeatedly demand
that the lock-sen he inet that-
If Mike Gill has a problem with our
style of marching, he shouldn't whine
about those who demand perfection. He
should thank them for trying to uphold
the traditions that help make this uni-
versity great. Lewis has no business
quitting.
William Revelli, a greatly respected
man and, as Gill points out, the initia-
tor of the lock-step, has told us more
than once that he can sleep well at night
because he knows that we are in the
most capable hands of any man in the
country.
My peers and I agree a columnist
who writes about something he knows
virtually nothing about, shouldn't keep
trying. Hmmm. Can anyone infer any-
thing from that?
Joel Shapiro
LSA first-year student
Band works hard for
weekly performances
Gary?)," makes it seem that his harping
on the subject all season finally led to a
lock-step halftime show. This is not
true.
All the charting had been solidified
in August, long before Mike Gill de-
cided that the band should do what he
wants them to do.
Gary Lewis did not decide to do a.
lock-step show to appease Mike Gill.
His next complaint was about the in-
tricacies of the show. While acknowl-4
edging that the band had only one week
to prepare for the show, he insisted that
"they could have used more time to pre-
pare and make a more intricate drill."
When?
They only had one week, seven-and-
one-half hours, to prepare the show. In
that time they learned the music and the
charts to four Gershwin tunes, besides
the Minnesota fight song and "Get It
On" for pregame.
He criticized them without ever find-
ing out what a week of band practice is
like, despite invitations from the band. I
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SAET OR FF PPS R
WITH YOUR ECONOMIC
REFoRMtUMRADE?
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