Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Tuesday, April 21,1992
Sh Icta Batl
Editor in Chief
MATTHEW D. RENNIE
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
764-0550
Opinion Editors
YAEL CITRO
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.
FROM THE DAILY
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Students need to vote absentee
The local redistricting plan handed down last
month, in addition to the vacancy created by
the departure of State Rep. Perry Bullard from the
State House, make for an exciting election this
November. Unfortunately, anAugust primary elec-
tion date coupled with the fact that the Democrats
have a virtual lock on the election in a few districts
may leave students - many of whom go home for
the summer - locked out of the democratic pro-
cess. The best way for students to combat this
situation and maintain a say in state politics is to
apply for an absenteeballotbefore they say goodbye
to Ann Arbor for the summer.
The problem is not a new one. During the
August 1990 primaries, Michigan residents filed
less than 400 absentee ballots. Of these, most go to
senior citizens, who are automatically qualified to
receive absentee ballots, even if they remain in
town. According to the Ann Arbor City Clerk's
office, traditionally, few of these ballots are for
students. Many students are not even registered to
vote in Ann Arbor to begin with.
But for those who are registered, this year's
election deserves their attention. Perry Bullard's
decision to vacate his seat in the State House to run
for a city judgeship has significantly changed the
state's political landscape. The newly created 52nd
state district, which includes North Campus resi-
dents, has already attracted a field of political
neophytes. If students vote, they may be able to
impact this election.
Thre 53rd district, however, is more solidly
Democratic. This only augments the importance of
the August primary; since a majority of the resi-
dents of this district, which contains all central
campus residents, are registered Democrats, this
primary will likely decide the outcome of the
general election. Moreover, Bullard, who currently
holds the 53rd seat, has been as strong voice for
student concerns. The district remains vital to
student interests.
Many other elections are at stake as well.
Washtenaw County has been divided into two
Congressional districts. With the retirement of 20-
year incumbent Carl Pursell (R-Plymouth), stu-
dents will finally have the opportunity to elect a
representative more attentive to their concerns. In
addition, county commission seats and county and
state judgeships are up for election. Already this
term, county courts have ruled on such student-
related issues as the University's Diag policy, city
noise violations, and city zoning ordinances re-
garding Greek housing. These elections deserve
student input as well.
To request an absentee ballot application, write
the City Clerk's Office at P.O. Box 8647, Ann
Arbor, MI, 48107. Registering to vote in this
critical election will insure that students will retain
there voice in local politics, even if they go home
for the summer.
y~rTVTE~T~ c~1
:
Sexism plagues math, science depts.
A study conducted by the Center for the Educa-
tion of Women at the University of Michigan
recently found that women are not pursuing post-
graduate mathematics and physics degrees in the
same numbers as their male counterparts.
During 1989-90, the University granted only 19
percent of its mathematics Ph.D. degrees and 9
percent of its physics Ph.D. degrees to women.
Researchers found that although women and men
with these undergraduate majors graduate from the
University in equal numbers, there is a great dis-
parity between the sexes when it comes to pursuing
graduate work. The study points to a lack of con-
fidence among women about entering these fields
of study, which are traditionally male-dominated,
as one of the root causes.
Blame for this disparity does not lie entirely
with women students. Rather, the main culprits are
the hostility and the lack of support from predomi-
nantly male departments and from society at large.
The University mustrecognize these negative forces
which act against women by implementing changes
and developing new strategies to support women
students who are interested in graduate work.
The study found that women in the math and
physics departments receive far less active encour-
agement from faculty and peers than men. This
lack of support is particularly demoralizing for
women because personal relationships with sup-
portive faculty are key to academic success, ac-
cording to the study. Moreover, many University
women graduates who do go on to do graduate
work in math and science opt for other, more
supportive, schools because of the hostile atmo-
sphere here.
University departments need to actively fight
this problem. The math and physics departments
could form support networks and programs that
specifically address the needs of female students.
The departments could form an organization fe-
male graduate students; a good model would be the
Society for Women Engineers. Increased faculty
counseling for women students would also provide
much needed support. This would help provide the
active encouragement for women suggested by the
study.
Something in society discourages bright and
qualified women from achieving success in higher
levels of math and science. But it is still the
responsibility of the University and its depart-
ments to transform the environment that sends
such hostile signals to female students.
If the University doesn't do its part to change
that environment, highly qualified women will go
elsewhere. If it does change, it can help eliminate
the societal stigma that prevents women from
reaching the upper levels of success in math and
science.
Real student-athletes
To the Daily:
I happen to believe that most
athletes here are smart and "pull
their weight" in the classroom. I
know several athletes whose
GPAs are very high and who have
won several academic awards and
honors. I also think it is important
to note that once athletes get into
college, their eligibility require-
ments are the same as those for
non-athletes.
However, there is one aspect
of the "student-athlete" life-style
that I think is also important to
note. The Athletic Department
does its best to cover up offenses
for which "normal" students
would be expelled. Just ask Matt
Elliot about his plagiarism
charges that got him kicked out of
the graduate program in telecom-
munications.
The real student-athletes are
the ones in club sports. These
student-athletes spend several
hours each day in preparation for
practice and in practice itself in
addition to spending countless
hours in fund-raising activities
because the University gives them
close to no money. When the
season rolls around and the team
has a meet or a race to go to club
teams pay for University vans or
rent transportation from some-
body else with cheaper rates.
I would like to congratulate all
of the athletes who have remem-
bered that they are students first.
And to the ones who turn pro
before they earn their degree or
cheat to stay in school, "Hail to
the victors..."
Lee Bowbeer
LSA senior
Sexist Bikini ad
To the Daily:
I find it inconceivable that on
the same day (4/16/92) the Daily
ran an article about sexism in
advertising, an ad by Sun and
Snow picturing a bikini-clad
woman, pushing her breasts
together and looking quite
orgasmic was also run. The Daily
touts itself as a very liberal
newspaper; perhaps it should start
practicing what it preaches.
Pamela Paxton
LSA senior
Daily misrepresents SACUA
c
To the Daily:
The Daily editorial ("End of
the Age Cap Helps 'U'," 4/17/92)
includes an inaccuracy that needs
correcting.
The Senate Advisory Com-
mittee on University Affairs
(SACUA) has never "voiced
objections" to removing the
retirement cap for faculty. In fact,
that point has never been dis-
cussed. And, the quote from
Peggie Hollingsworth included in
the editorial was taken totally out
of context; it had nothing
whatsoever to do with faculty
retirement issues.
I object to the misrepresenta-
tion of SACUA discussions. It is
probably safe to say that the
members of SACUA anticipate
both benefits and problems - for
students, for faculty, for the
University - with the removal of
the requirement that faculty retire
at age 65, unless invited to
continue.
The SACUA meeting last
week did include discussion with
Provost Whitaker of initiating a
study in an attempt to forecast the
effects of this important change -
the effect on teaching, on cost, on
the ability to hire faculty new
areas and so on - and to identify
any policy changes or new
policies that would be useful in
obtaining the positive outcomes
while minimizing the negative
ones.
Most of the SACUA members
do not know the consequences of
this important change and believe
that we do need to investigate
them. We certainly have not
reached any conclusions - good
or bad.
The editorial, since it refers to
Professor Sidney Fine and his
continued outstanding perfor-
mance after age 65, should have
noted that he continued in active
status -- as many other faculty -
even before the cap on retirement
was removed.
Roy Penchansky
SACUA
Professor of Public Health
University ignores tragic suicide
To the Daily:
Over a week ago, we learned
that our biology teaching assis-
tant, Jim Doubles, committed
suicide. Needless to say, we were
extremely shocked and upset to
hear of his death. It is difficult to
say how the University could best
have dealt with this tragedy, but
the manner in which it was
handled was alarmingly imper-
sonal.
On Wednesday, April 8, Jim's
death was callously announced to
our 500-person lecture. Although
a small article had been hidden
on the third page of the Daily that
morning, this was the first time
that many students learned of
what had happened. After a brief
and businesslike announcement,
lecture proceeded as usual.
There was no time for Jim's
students to absorb the fact that he
was gone, let alone for them to
grieve for him. Jim's death was
treated merely as the elimination
of another faceless number, rather
than the loss of a valued human
life and a wonderful person. It is
frightening to think that a univer-
sity can be so huge that it can
detach itself from the lives and
deaths of its students.
For Jim's sake, we hope that in
the future people will take time
out from their busy schedules to
consider the weight of something
so tragic as a suicide.
Amy Jarvis
Megan Ridley
Deborah Stein
LSA sophomores
Meanwhile, back at Iran-Contra
With the upcoming departure of Nuts and Bolts, the Daily is seeking a
new comic-strip cartoonist. If you are interested in drawing for the Daily
next fall, please submit a portfolio as soon as possible. In addition, we
are looking for an artist who will draw for the Opinion page. If you are
interested, please call the Daily at 764-0552 and ask for Yael, Geoffor
Jay.
T he six-year Iran-Contra drama has just taken a
new turn. The special prosecution has now
directed its resources to investigate the involve-
ment of President Reagan's secretaries of state and
defense, George Schultz and Caspar Weinburger.
Earlier, Schultz and Weinburger had distanced
themselves from the scandal, claiming they had
opposedthe arms-for-hostages proposal every time
it had been raised. To date, little evidence has
surfaced to implicate Schultz and Weinburger in
any wrongdoing, and the pair may very well be
innocent. But the move to investigate the involve-
ment of the State and Defense departments dis-
plays, at least, the special prosecution's intent to
play hardball with the big guns.
The hundreds of millions of dollars the govern-
ment has squandered has produced a few convic-
tions, but none have led to prison sentences. Oliver
North, Robert "Bud" McFarland, Gen. Richard
Secord and Adm. John Poindexter have all gotten
off scot free. The intransigence and lack of coop-
eration by the Justice Department and the CIA
have made special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh's
job difficult. But, if the prosecution fails to win
convictions, the American people can at least be
grateful for the parts of the Iran-Contra puzzle that
have been pieced together.
Still unknown, however, is what role the presi-
dent and his cabinet played as the United States
completed arms-for-hostages deals with Iran and
funneled money to the Contras. The investigation
has yet to focus on the activities of Schultz,
Weinburger, and Presidents Bush and Reagan. .
If the president's cabinet allowed low-level
White House staff to construct foreign policy with-
out its knowledge, then the executive bureaucracy
must be reformed to ensure no such underground
governments can function in the future.
If Schultz and Weinburger were aware, then the
appropriate criminal charges should be levied
against them as accomplices in subversion of the
law.
Whichever is the case, no former member of the
Reagan White House should cower behind their
delusions of grandeur. Walsh should be allowed
and encouraged to reach as high as he must to
uncover the truth. Convictions or no, this much is
owed to the American people.
Germans must accept responsibility
All living Jev
their age or the cc
in, are Holocaust
true because if Hit
there would be no
where.
We cannot
change history.
Photographs of
Nazi murderers
lining children
up for the gas
chamber will
never go away.
Once you've
seen these pic-
tures, it's hard to
watch a group of
playing in a sch
wondering how!
looked, had they
nate.
This is somet
eration of Jews mi
day of our lives. I
ws, regardless of
untry they reside
survivors. This is
lerhad succeeded,
living Jews, any-
been educatedabout the Holocaust.
Nevertheless, I am devoting my
last column to this topic because
various disturbing events of the past
year indicate that some members of
I have personally experienced
the horror of walking through work-
ing class neighborhoods in Berlin
where freshly painted swastikas
adorn the walls. I have also visited
While Jews are certainly not the only victims of
racism, there are few peoples in the world that
. share the recent and vivid horror of genocide.
' y~y}. 1 4y this comuunity fail to comprehend the concentration cam called
::V1Vf.'S Y}..".. "'">,. the significance of the Holocaust. Dachau. where you-can look out.
b MattrThis year the Daily ran a num- through barbed-wire fences at the
ber of poignant editorials that criti- comfortable homes of Germans. I
Adler cized modern German society and wonder what the crematorium
vr fn iL j idl f i d likenn hnt o mm a s
r
t.
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Nuts and Bolts
by Judd Winick
f Jewish children
ool yard without
they would have
been so unfortu-
hing that my gen-
ust live with every
cannot find words
government for inciet oe ai
Semitism and xenophobia. The edi-
torials cited statistical evidence of
the racism that exists in Germany
to this day. After each editorial we
received several letters, mostly from
German-Americans, accusing us of
making up lies about German rac-
ism.
Everyone in Germany knew what
was happening. Anyone who wasn't
trying to stop Hitler, was helping
him. Germany bears moral respon-
sibility for the Holocaust. I pity
Germans my age. It must be diffi-
cult for them to accept the crimes of
their ancestors. I have no sympathy,
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