109
Page 4 --The Michigan Daily-- Thursday, January 9, 1992
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420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
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ANDREW K. GOTTESMAN
Editor in Chief
STEPHEN HENDERSON
Opinion Editor
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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.
Ticket sales
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Ticket office should find better
T he Athletic Ticket Office,,which is respon-
sible for distributing student tickets for sport-
ing events, has ruined the events for many through
unorganized and unfair ticketdistributing and seat-
ing practices.
The ticket fiasco began with the hockey season
when many fans were left out in the cold. For every
student ID a student produced, they could purchase
a ticket. Under this system, one person could
collect the ID cards of their friends and purchase
tickets for the entire group.
What resulted was a lengthy ticket line that did
not always benifit those who waited longest. Sell-
ing only one ticket to each student carrying an ID
would ensure individual ticket buyers a fair oppor-
tunity to get good seats.
Next came basketball. The Athletic Department
supposedly wanted to get students more involved
in the games. It decided that the means to this end
was to sell tickets on a "first come, first serve"
basis rather than offering seniority to past ticket
holders.
This year, all students, regardless of their aca-
demic year, were issued a season ticket voucher to
ways to sell tickets
be presented upon entry at each game. Students
receive their seat location at the door before each
game on a first-come, first-serve basis. Ushers at
each door pass out tickets for the blue section
(better seats) first and then ones for the yellow seats
(worse seats) to each fan presenting a voucher.
This arbitrary system makes it possible for stu-
dents who show up later to get better seats than
students who may have arrived earlier, but chose
the wrong line. It also creates a mob scene before
each game, and encourages pushing, shouting, and
cutting in line.
The third ticket mishap involvedthe Rose Bowl.
Each Michigan student had to wait in line at the
stadium the day before the game to receive their
tickets.
Instead, tickets should have been sold in Ann
Arbor and then mailed out to the students before
vacation. This system worked for the Washington
students and would be eqaully successful here.
Past experience should teach the ticket office
that its sales policies need rethinking. Michigan
students deserve better treatment when they go to
enjoy a game.
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Graduation
'U' should reinstate unified graduation permanently
The University announced earlier this week
that LSA Spring Commencement will take
place in Michigan Stadium - good news that
would be better if it meant all graduates would be
included in the ceremony. Nevertheless, it shows
that the administration is moving in the right
direction, and may yet concede to permanently
reinstating unified graduation in the stadium.
Up until two years ago, spring commencement
was always held in the stadium. Graduates from
every college at the University, their guests, fac-
ulty, administrators and the invited speakers would
fill the stadium for the always moving and often
boisterous ceremony.
Many times students would throw frisbess and
beach balls, or shout a congratulatory phrase to
friends on the other side of the field. Indeed,
students sometimes even disrupted speakers or
threw more distasteful things at each other. But
graduation is for the students, and engaging in a
little rowdy behavior upon reaching such a mile-
stone is perfectly normal.
The fact that students were able to share the
experience with friends from other colleges made
graduation all the more special.
But in 1990, the University decided to break up
the unified ceremony and hold individual com-
mencements in scattered campus locations. The
administration claimed the smaller graduations
would quell some of the "obnoxious" behavior and
provide for a more intimate experience. Last year,
a "special" unified graduation was held in the
stadium because President Bush was the keynote
speaker.
The University may have had a good point, but
there was no need to sacrifice the single graduation
for the separate ones.
It's entirely possible to hold aunified graduation
in the stadium and then leave individual schools to
hold their own ceremonies if they so desire. That
was done last year with great success.
Admittedly, many students prefer a smaller
graduation over the large and impersonal one, and
they should not be denied that option. In this case,
students should be given the opportunity to have it
both ways.
Perhaps the University has exactly that in mind,
and will permit the other colleges to participate in
the stadium graduation with LSA as well as hold
their own ceremonies. We can only hope they will.
Other victims
To the Daily:
In the last three months of
1991, public circuses were made
out of the allegations of two
women toward men. Reputations
were destroyed, people were
humiliated, and lives were
disrupted. Instead of watching
Saturday morning cartoons,
children got to watch grown-ups
talking about erections and pubic
hair on Coke bottles on network
television.
What did it accomplish? Some
say it heightened the awareness of
sexual harassment. I will not
argue that. I would like to address
another point that it revealed: that
for many, the rule of law in
America is superseded by the rule
of the mob. The mob wears a
different face than it did years
ago. It used to wear the face of a
large unruly crowd attacking the
courthouse or the county jail,
disrupting the judicial process.
Today, it wears the face of
"experts" on the TV screens or
"handlers" in the Senate commit-
tee rooms, completely oblivious
to the lives they may be unjustly
destroying.
But in the end when the dust
cleared, the allegations failed to
carry the day. At the Hill-Thomas
hearings, despite the earnest
efforts of the plethora of lawyers
and public relations experts,
Professor Hill's story failed to
convince a majority of the senate,
and, perhaps more significantly, a
majority of the American people.
In the Smith trial, Patricia
Bowman's accusations failed to
convince beyond a reasonable
doubt the only people that
mattered, the ladies and gentle-
men of the jury. Yet, despite
Smith's acquittal by the jury in
less than 80 minutes and Thomas'
endorsement by the America
people, these men will be stigma-
tized by these allegations through-
out their lives.
In Salem in 1692, present day
Danvers, Mass., people were
killed because of the hysteria that
grew out of baseless allegations of
witchcraft. When the accusers
confessed to lying, it was too late,
19 lives had been destroyed.
When the evaluating bodies found
the allegations of Smith and
Bowman to be unconvincing, it
was too late. Someone's character
had been destroyed. Three
centuries ago, the late instruments
of the mob had been stoned, the
noose, or the stake. Today it is the
TV camera.
Michael J. Barron, Jr.
first-year law student
Let down
To the Daily:
Michigan alumni and Michi-
gan alumnae have driven all the
way across this country to see our
football teams win Rose Bowl
games, not merely play in them.
Yet this is what we in California
must view year after year.
Another Swan Lake story from
Ann Arbor. Another come-see
come-saw. Another dismal, go-
home showing. Cinderella
episodes like that send us home in
a pumpkin!
Why is it that Michigan teams
always play the Rose Bowl, game
of the year, as if the Statue of
Liberty was getting married; as if
this gridiron was only the very
first game of the new year's fall
season and not the culmination of
recruited, well-trained, experi-
enced, explosive Michigan
potential? We get a fine welcome,
a parade of floats with all the
flowers on, and then, we belly-up
expecting the home crowds to
shower us with roses?
"Eh?"
"What's that you said, coach?"
"I didn't get the hand signal."
"What was that communica-
tion?"
Too much TV and not enough
study? Maybe Michigan teams
could use a few video-logs of
Pac-Ten playing. It sure would
help Mo look better than testing
his dentugrip for nation-wide
camera. Horse shit!
That's what we earned this
year.
Ezekiel Edmund Pires
B.S. Natural Resources, 1974
A good show
To the Daily:
With all the hoopla surround-
ing the Michigan men's basket-
ball team this year, it's easy to
overlook the women's team. In
fact, they are so assiduously
overlooked by Michigan fandom
that I feel compelled to write this
letter to promote their program.
Offensively, the Wolverines
are anchored by Trish Andrew,
who possesses one of the finest
mid-range jump shots you will
ever see. Complementing Trish on
the outside is Jen Nuances, whose
deadly three-pointers and world-
class free-throw shooting have
been destroying opponents all
season
Add to this the graceful,
mercurial dribbling style of Staci
McCall, the solid all-around skills
of Leah Woolridge, Char Durand,
and Carrie Steward, the rough-
and-ready inside play of Nikki
Beaudry and Michelle Hall, plus
several good players returning
from injuries and a youthful and
talented bench, and you have an
offense that can outscore anyone
on a given night.
On defense, however, the
Maize and Blue really shine.
Trish Andrew blocks shots with
Bill Russell-like impunity, Staci
McCall gets in an opponent's face
and stays there until she forces a
turnover, and the pity the poor
player who dares to drive the
middle where the two enforcers,
Hall and Beaudry, roam!
The cost of admission to a
women's basketball is 3 dollars.
U-M students are admitted free
with ID. If someone misses a
show like this at that price, they
have only themselves to blame.
Louis Case
Ann Arbor
01
Pursell
Representative undeserving of
At commencement exercises held last Decem-
ber, Rep. Carl Pursell (R-Plymouth) received
an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University.
Pursell, who represents Ann Arbor in Congress,
was selected by the honorary degree committee,
dispite of his dubious qualifications.
The selection committee is currently composed
of Rakham Dean John D' Arms, President
Duderstadt, several faculty members, two alumni,
and one student. The general criteria for nomina-
tion, according to Shirley Clarkson of President
Duderstadt's office, is "one who has served with
distinction in furthering the Michigan mission."
Pursell's nomination was approved unanimously
by the University's Board of Regents at the No-
vember 1991 meeting.
The citation reads in part, "Pursell has worked
to promote health care, basic scientific research,
transportation, and the environment." Yet, Pursell
had a $3 million environmental cleanup of River
Rouge removed from the budget and was named
to the Dirty Dozen of house members by Environs
mental Action.
Carl Pursell has a shameful record in the U.S.
House of Representatives. A record of staunch
Republican support and domestic spending cuts,
Pursell introduced amendments in the 99th Con-
gress to cut environmental cleanup spending as
well as sharply reducing aid for refugees entering
the United States.
Both of these amendments were soundly re-
an honorary 'U' degree
jected by the House.
Pursell voted to use force against Iraq, voted for
a proposed constitutional amendment banning flag
burning, and supported the capital gains tax cut. He
voted against stopping production ofthe B-2 stealth
bomber, voted down legislation allowing abortions
in overseas military facilities, fought an increase in
the minimum wage, and opposed family and medi-
cal leave.
In 1989, Pursell had an 8 percent approval rating
from the AFL-CIO and only a 30 percent approval
rating by Americans for Democratic Action. De-
spite this lack of support from labor and liberal
groups, Pursell is labelled "someone who has
worked to bring progressive policies in education
and other vital areas," by the University citation.
Pursell has received honorary degrees from sev-
eral Michigan colleges. The reason is simple: as the
citation notes Pursell is the ranking minority mem-
ber on the Labor, Health, and Human Services and
Education Appropriations Subcommittee. He has a
great deal of influence in determining how much
federal aid Universities receive.
The selection committee picked a representa-
tive who has a shoddy voting record and has never
authored a major piece of legislation in his 16 years
in office; however, he does usher federal dollars
toward the University.
The University should set higher standards for
those receiving honorary degress. The likes of
Pursell only make a mockery of this honor.
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Light the capitol dome!
by Andrew Anthos This majestic salute is not inspiration and
encouragement to
An open letter to Governor
John Engler:
Mr. Engler, in the time you
have taken to govern the people
of Michigan you have taken upon
yourself a test of the times in
which we live in today's complex
society and its complex issues.
Much publicity has been
issued upon you by many who
feel you are both heartless and
insensitive in many areas of
human need.
The passing of time will leave
your name to the pages of
Michigan's history, and perhaps
to our nation's history, in what
you did to revert these negative
regards toward you. You will
have created in your tenure as
governor either a monster or a
miracle. I pray it will be the latter.
A more positive response
toward you is the fact that you are
fully aware of a proposal to have
the dome of our state capitol in
Lansing lit from base to top in
warm, soft lights of illumination
in the colors of our nations' flag
expensive to enact; it's signifi-
cance to all is priceless! If you
hold on high patriotism you wll
ligh the Great Dome to coincide
with the restoration of our state
capitol within the next few
months. This honorable deed will
all in these tumultuous times of
great concern. It will instill pride
and uplift the heart in the faith of
from which all great things are
derived.
Sadly, the current governor
and his administration feels that
The lighting of the Great Dome will pay
honor to our heroic soldiers of all the wars,
our brave police officers, our fearless fire-
men, our senior citizens, our volunteers and
our children for their budding potential.
elevate your name grandly and
will enable your home state and
- and mine and others - to
become the first state in the nation
to honor its citizens in this fine
tribute.
The spring of 1992 will see the
completion of the state capitol of
Michigan at a cost of almost $60
million. It will be second to none
in what a state capitol represents
to the people it serves.
The lighting of the Great
Dome will pay honor to our
herr:i r-ia -e o al.th ..ki areni
this most unique proposal is
unimportant and is not interseted
in honoring the people of Michi-
gan for their contributions and
sacrifices in every facet of the
human edeavor.
The simple addition of color
filters or that of red and blue lihts
to the white lights that grace the
dome nightly is not expensive.
The great significance of this
honor, however, is priceless!
If you - as an American --
feel that Michigan is worthy and
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ASKIN R)LKS TO ST-
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