Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Monday, February 3, 1992
F-AIIIr its(Chief"
MA'Ifi W ID. RENNIEI
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
764 - 0552
Opinion Editors
YAEL CfITRO
GEOFFREY EARLE
AMITAVA MAZUMDAR
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
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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Grounds crew performed well during storm
A 24-hour library is something that could ben-
efit all students. The Michigan Student
Assembly'sAcademicAffairs Commission, (AAC)
chaired by LSA Rep. Jeff Muir, seems inclined to
do something about it. Unfortunately, the
commission's game plan is vague and undefined,
and its agenda lacks any substance beyond the
library issue,
When MSA President James Green and the
Conservative Coalition (CC) won a majority of
seats on the assembly this fall, the 24-hour library
was one of the party's key campaign issues. Green
touted the library as a non-partisan issue that
would serve all students.
Since the fall election, there has been virtually
no movement concerning the library issue. Muir,
.Who was elected Academic Affairs chair before
winter break, has held only one official meeting to
date.
That meeting, attended by Green himself,
yielded little progress, barring the pledge to dis-
cuss a student petition drive.
His committee is still involved in "fact finding"
concerning the library. Muir said he hopes to work
with other representative bodies such as the LSA
and Rackham student governments, but has made
no progress. He claims to want to discuss the issue
with administrators, but he doesn't seem to know
how.
Students need a 24-hour library before finals,
and, preferably, before mid-terms. That means the
AAC needs to get moving within the next week.
'Rather than debating a petition drive, it should
implement a petition drive. Rather than consider-
ing dealing with administrators, it should meet
with the new vice president for student affairs,
Maureen Hartford, and Vice Provost for Academic
Affairs Gilbert Whitaker. It must find out the cost
and feasibility of opening an existing library on a
24-hour basis. It should contact faculty groups and
enlist their support.
Equally distressing about the commission is
that the only other topic scheduled for discussion
is the recent decrease in the number of credits
allotted for many LSA courses. This is an impor-
tant issue, considering that it makes it more diffi-
cult and costly for students to graduate. But this
change went into effect several months ago, and
the AAC seems oblivious as to how to reverse it.
When English Professor Bert Hornback an-
nounced his resignation last month, his accusa-
tions of a "University corporation" sent ripples
through the campus. Unfortunately, the AAC, the
only student elected body created to deal with
education issues, failed to utter a word.
Ifundergraduate education is being steamrolled
by the lure of research dollars, if class sizes are
going through the roof and if students are paying
more for less of an education, then the AAC must
inform the administration how students feel about
this trend.
As University priorities drift further away from
undergraduates, academic affairs will become an
increasingly important commission. It should for-
mulate a substantial agenda with significant goals
that reflects this importance.
e
To the Daily:
Last week, starting from
approximately midnight until
mid-morning on Tuesday, Jan. 14,
we received over 10 inches of
snow, accompanied by heavy
winds. During the remainder of
the week, we received an addi-
tional six inches of snow, along
with plunging temperatures. In
your editorial, ("Free Slush,"
1/23/92) you chose to take us to
task for our efforts at grounds to
contend with these conditions.
It is entirely appropriate for
you to criticize our department
when you conclude that we have
failed to meet the needs of those
who must get around campus
during these conditions. However,
it does not seem reasonable to us
that you would criticize us
without making a minimal effort
to find out what we actually did to
respond to these extreme weather
conditions. We question your
credibility when you cannot
report on the storm as you did on
Jan. 14, without an article
containing errors and misrepre-
sentations. In that article, your .
reporters stated that we did not
begin snow removal operations
until 7 a.m. on Tuesday. This was
glaringly false, as we started work
at 2 a.m.
You did concede that "the
storm was the worst to hit the area
in recent memory." You don't
seem, however, to appreciate the
significance of what you said. As
important as it is to get students,
and especially disabled students,
faculty, and staff to their respec-
tive destinations, you gloss over
the fact that the campus must first
be opened to do this. Campus
streets were covered with over ten
inches of snow and this snow had
to first be plowed out of the
streets to get students and staff,
including University buses, into
the campus. We have major snow
removal responsibilities at the
hospitals, and we must also clear
snow from hundreds of docks so
that food and other deliveries can
be made. We also plowed miles of
sidewalks, as the snow brooms
are not effective under these
storm conditions.
As quickly as we were able to
get this work done - which
involved working around the
clock - and when the wind died
down, we started on the walks and
curb cuts. By Friday, Jan. 17, the
many miles of campus walks were
clear, in most cases, down to
pavement. You need to under-
Court rules i favor of environment
stand that this takes time, espe-
cially when salt and chlorided
sand are not nearly as effective
when temperatures drop below 15
degrees. It also takes time to clear
the hundreds of curb cuts that
disabled students, especially,
depend upon. Curb cuts are low
points, and snow and ice con-
stantly accumulate in them. We
worked the entire day on Satur-
day, Jan. 18, to clean curb cuts
and adjacent curbs.
You may take issue with our
priorities. However, we know a
little more about the snow
removal business than you do. We
would be very pleased to explain
our priorities and procedures to
you, and we would welcome your
input, critical or otherwise.
We thought that Grounds
employees and employees from
other departments worked very
hard and very well in responding
to the extraordinary weather and
we have told them exactly that.
Our efforts did not result in
criticism such as that contained in
your editorial from other seg-
ments of the University commu-
nity.
Doug Fasing
Grounds and Waste
Management
s
ngham County Circuit Court Judge Peter Houk
last week temporarily halted Gov. Engler's
attempt to reorganize Michigan's Department of
Natural Resources (DNR), stating that the plan
would illegally limit citizen involvement in envi-
ronmental decisions. At the cornerstone of Houk's
decision is his belief that "No more basic right
exists in this government than the right of the
citizenry to be heard." This is obviously a senti-
ment that Gov. Engler does not share.
His proposed restructuring plan called for the
elimination of 19 public boards and commissions,
including the Air Pollution and Water Resources
commissions, which determine whether to issue or
deny key pollution permits. This is yet another
example of the governor exceeding his constitu-
tional authority at the expense of the people of
Michigan.
The reorganization would have given Gov.
Engler the power to select the chair 01' the Natural
Resources Commission, rather than allowing the
commission to choose its own chair. Engler had
already begun to suggest that leaders of big busi-
ness might chair these commissions. If this were
allowed, there would have been a clear conflict of
interest. This is the second time that the courts have
put a stop to Engler's plans. In 1991, he attempted
to use the State Administrative Board to transfer
funds in the budget away from programs he did not
support.
These rulings do not just reveal that Engler has
over stepped his bounds as governor, but that he is
not in touch with the needs of the people of this
state. The more Engler attempts to reshape the
structure of the government in an effort to limit
citizen participation, the more Michigan residents
should realize that his bid for reelection in 1994
should be rejected.
Gov. Engler has given this state a sample of the
kinds of things he would like to do for Michigan.
Many of his dreams have already been realized:
funding cuts to the arts, the Salvation Army and
many other important programs. Although this
particular plan has been temporarily setback, there
should be no doubt that Engler will continue trying
to transform Michigan into his ideal state: a state
without concern or care for the rights and needs of
the people and the environment.
Bush's shallow defense proposal bombs
n his State of the Union address, the president
announced his plans to cut the U.S. military
force by 30 percent. "That deep and no deeper,'
declared Bush, with his characteristic jab at the
podium. As committed to cutting forces as the
president appeared, his proposals are as equally
insufficient as all previous military-reduction plans
announced by the White House.
Bush's decision to kill the B-2 bomber program
is unexpected good news. But, the American people
shouldn't be fooled by this gesture. The bomber
program has already been crippled by Congress.
President Bush would have never received the go-
ahead to build the scores of B-2s he had originally
petitioned for. Now, Bush is asking for only 20.
Granted, 20 B-2s is significantly less than 75. But,
the United States has little use for 20 bombers that
run $800 million a piece and barely make it off the
end of the runway.
The president proposed cutting the Strategic
Defense Initiative (SDI). This exorbitantly expen-
sive piece of sci-fi hardware has the potential of
being the greatest fiasco in American military
history. Few scientists are willing to admit that a
missile-proof ceiling over the United States is
feasible. If the president really wants a balanced
budget, he should not just cut, but kill, this multi-
billion dollar science project.
Bush declared that his proposals would save the
taxpayer $50.4 billion. Pentagon officials, how-
ever, have already admitted that the savings will be
only half that over the next five years. The remain-
ing half won't be saved until 1998. This is hardly
acceptable.
Congress has already raised objections regarding
the president's anemic reduction plan. Unfortu-
nately, our representatives have ahistory of keeping
military projects alive to help constituents and
shore-up votes. This time, Congress needs to look
to the future and decide what projects are necessary
to the defense of this nation.
Similarly, our military strategists need to pre-
dict the country's military requirements and trim
the nation's giant military ogre into an efficient,
strategic force. This means ending the purposeless
inflation of the armed services.
The fear of high unemployment, as a result of
deep cuts is understandable. But, our economy has
been artificially inflated by the military industries
for too long.
Our economy in the post-Cold War era needs to
be a peace-time economy. Jobs shouldn't be pro-
tected at the expense of global safety. With the
Soviet Union superpower reduced to a common-
wealth of poverty-stricken states, the chance to
safely redirect revenue has finally come.
IFC responds
To the Daily:
What is a real fraternity all
about? That is the question posed
by the Daily's editorial ("Babes
and Beer," 1/29/92) and that is the
question we hope to address. Men
join fraternities for various
reasons at this and other camn-
puses. The primary purpose of
fraternities, in general, is to
promote brotherhood and the
general welfare of the members of
the fraternity. That, however, is
not all that a real fraternity is all
about.
The fraternity system here at
the University is very active in
serving the Ann Arbor commu-
nity and society in general. Each
year, Greeks raise over $100,000
for both local and national
charities and philanthropies.
During Greek Week alone, the
men and women of the Greek
system raise thousands of dollars
for various organizations.
Throughout the course of the
year, Greeks volunteer over
1,000 people-hours of community
service to help the homeless,
hungry and elderly.
One fact to consider, however,
is that the Greek system is
constantly attempting to change
for the better. Greek-sponsored
programs such as Sexual Assault
Awareness, and Alcohol Aware-
ness workshops are regularly
scheduled and normally have
higher attendance than those
sponsored by other organizations.
Greeks represent approximately
25 percent of the student body at
the University. Greeks help raise
money for University scholarships
and student programs. They
participate in Safewalk and are
active in University Activities
Center, ROTC, Michigan Athlet-
ics, MSA and even the (former)
editor of the Daily is a Greek.
In closing, we would like to
emphasize the point that Greeks
are a very positive force on this
Students state silly sentiments
Students should enjoy themselves on holidays
To the Daily:
So. Symbols signifying
sardonic spontaneity seem so
silly. Still, synthesizing separate
specious speeches savages serious
stimulation, so stealthily soliciting
superfluous sacrifices swaying
sagacious skepsis. Such seminal
semiotics straddles superficial
sanctification, selfishly seeking
subliminal sensuality. See
saturnine sparks silently satirize
shadowy sentiments. Sensational-
izing senseless sybaritism sounds
shamelessly sanctimonious.
Specific serialized speculations
steer simplistic smirks. Smug
smuttiness smirches serpentine
snappishness segregating stento-
rian spewings, singes salient
stigmata syncopating sentient
succulency, summoning sumptu-
ous superiority (successfully
scrounging scraggy scrips).
Shattering sheer shilly-shallying
singularly sketches skewed
slanders slashing slatternly
solitary stature. Statuesque
serviceability stridently stretches
soporific syrupiness softheartedly
standstilling staunch sucklings
summarizing surfeited silky-sweet
spectra. Soggy staples stubbornly
snubbing settled sentiments stun
spattered student supplying
supreme satisfaction. Stilted
stoicism stockpiles suggestive-
ness. Stouthearted sphinxes
swarm sweltering storytellers.
Straightforward simplicity
shirts stultifyingly searching
sparseness. Spartan strictness
sterilizes successive subscribers
subversively shrouding skittish
skullduggery, slanderous skin-
flints, scandalous strumpets,
slipshod simpletons, skinny
skunks, savorless scalawags
scapegoating scarce similitudes.
Somebody say so. Such spate
swamps sheepish swains sharpen-
ing shiftless shepherds.
Shakespeare sarcastically simpers.
Stereotyped steppingstone shoot
serene seraphs seemingly seeth-
ing, sanguine, sanguinary. Satraps
sanitize shallow shadiness,
shining scoria, shushing
saponaceous spuriousness,
shouldering spasmodic shrieks,
shrewd shriveled shrews. Shud-
der! Spectral shreds shower
sourcing semicovert shebangs.
Seriously, such silliness. Silty
spinoffs splash spotless springs.
Stalwart spunky Satan skillfully
slices sausage, stuffs smeared
snails, smells starched suits,
smashed statuettes, smudges star-
spangled standards. Sullenly
sultry slinky short skirts swerve
showcasing sweethearted
stubbliness, spellbinding spheroid
spicula, spivving spicy sluggards,
shooing scenic signification,
spitting sleazy spume simulta-
neously scarifying sparkly
scatterbrained slime. Moreover,
Structure supersedes semantics.
WAinetnn (1smtae t Itiar
To the Daily:
This letter is regarding Noah
Finkel's determination to abolish
MLK day as a holiday because
few students attended educational
programs ("Classes should
resume on MLK day," 1/27/92).
Did Mr. Finkel visit a war
memorial or a picnic last Memo-
rial Day? Washington's birthplace
or a sale last President's Day?
A holiday is an opportunity to
enjoy - in a variety of ways -
the fruits of the society our heroes
helped create. Holidays are
tributes to these individuals, not
vacations we must "earn" with
symposia attendance.
Suzanne Pierce
second-year law student
9
Nuts and Bolts
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