Page 4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 21, 1992
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420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
764-0552
Editor in Chief
MATIIIEW D. RENNIE
Opinion Editors
YAEL CITRO
GEOFFREY EARLE
AMITAVA MAZUMDAR
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
Unsigned editorials represent a majorit y of the Daily's Editorial Board.
All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
Code needs amendment process
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A nti-code activists have used the code drafting
process to transform the proposed "State-
ment of Student Rights and Responsibilities" into
a relatively palatable document. The danger is
this: After the initial hulabulo dies down, the
administration can amend the code back to the
ludicrously regressive document it once was, with
no input or protest from students.
Robert Van Houweling is attempting to safe-
guard the reforms he helped enact in the proposed
code, which the regents will vote on next month,
by pushing for an amendmentprocedure that would
allow the students at least nominal input. The
Senate Advisory Committee on University Af-
fairs, the Michigan Student Assembly, the admin-
istration, as well as individual students would each
be allowed to submit amendments. These amend-
ments would be put up to a student-wide election.
Any amendment which passes such an election
would become part of the code, subject to a veto by
the University Board of Regents. This would force
the administration to gain student approval before
enacting any new amendments, at least in theory.
The downside of this proposal is that the re-
gents are completely exempt from it. In addition to
overruling any student-supported amendment, they
may "propose and enact amendments without fol-
lowing this procedure."
This fundamental weakness cannot be avoided.
The regents adamantly refuse to abandon their
power over the code, and they would never enact
a code which subordinates their will to that of the
students. Van Houweling's proposal would, at the
very least, force the regents to openly veto student
amendments which were created and debated in
the public sphere.
The question now is whether the administration
will incorporate this amendment procedure into
the code proposal. Even though the procedure
would theoretically limit the powers of the admin-
istration, some administrators have expressed ten-
tative support. "I'm comfortable with that as a
process, understanding that the final decision will
be made by the regents," said Vice President for
Student Affairs Maureen Hartford. Asked if an
amendment procedure was necessary to safeguard
students against administrative manipulation of
the code, Hartford said, "It may be that students
need some sort of guarantee."
If the administration does omit this amendment
procedure when it proposes the code to the regents,
it would probably be because it is historically.
uncomfortable with the concept of a meaningful
student vote on University policy.
The 1973 "Rules of the University Commu-
nity" gave the University Council - a board con-
sisting of three students, three staff, and three
faculty members -power to veto any amendment.
The administration dissolved the Council, and the
regents have since held ultimate authority over the
enactment or amendment of any code.
Preferably, the regents would delegate their
veto authority back to some sort of student control,
as before. Realistically, this will not happen any
time soon. But even though the regents retain their
veto power over the code, Van Houweling's pro-
posal at least gives students a partial check over the
administration and a voice in the process.
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Clinton's idealism woos students
A rriving from the campaign's most heated presi-
171 dential debate, Gov. Bill Clinton greeted shiv-
ering University students with an enthusiasm and
vigor not usually associated with our national
leaders. A crowd of thousands of students and
community members reached from the podium to
past North University Ave. In the end, Clinton
would not disappoint the waiting students. His
focus on the growing obstacles to higher education
brought applause and cheers from students who
understood, first-hand, the strain of paying college
tuition. The governor's solutions are not only
possible and practical, but - as many of Clinton's
fellow campaign travelers reminded us - they
echo the patriotic sentiment of public service ex-
pressed by President John Kennedy 32 years ago.
It may take decades to reach Clinton's goal of
making college education available to all Ameri-
cans. But bringing the costs of higher education
under control in the short term is certainly a goal
within reach. Clinton proposes making federal
college .loans available to all hoping to attend
school. Moreover, by establishing a trust fund for
every young American, the capital to pay tuition
would always be available to those who can't
afford to accumulate hefty loans, however low the
interest.
* Those who would take advantage of the pro-
posed trust fund would return to their hometowns
after graduation, and serve as teachers, police
officers, or other public service jobs. "Today, I
want to create a peace corps here at home," Clinton
said. "If every person went home to serve the
cduntry, we could solve the problems from the
grass roots up." The optimism and sense of per-
soal responsibility that pervaded Clinton's ad-
dress was a welcome departure from the racial
divisiveness and the class warfare that often riddles
political stump speeches.
Clinton, and all the speakers preceding him,
also dealt with another issue close to students'
hearts: women's right to choose. The threat the
Reagan-Bush Supreme Court and federal judiciary
poses to abortion rights has mobilized young vot-
ers with the governor and against the Republican
party. Following a slew officials expressing similar
views, Clinton had little problem reiterating his
commitment to protect abortion rights.
The size of the crowd waiting to catch a glimpse
of a politician was indicative of the campaign rush
many college students are now feeling. This excite-
ment can be explained by Clinton's attempts to
address student issues.
But, to the governor's credit, many also appre-
ciate the Kennedy-esque appeal that, in the eyes of
young Americans, returns a certain respectability
to public service.
Fight for choice
To the Daily:
I am not here to tell you why
you should be pro-choice.
I am not here to recapitulate
all the reasons why women should
have control over their reproduc-
tion.
I am not here to explain to you
again why criminalizing abortion
is a misogynistic act of control,
and is illegal under the Constitu-
tion.
If you are anti-choice, you
have already made up your mind
that your religious beliefs should
govern the land. I am not here to
argue about what you can or can't
believe.
I am here to tell you that the
rest of us, the pro-choice majority,
will not allow you to control
women's reproductive lives.
I am also here to speak to that
majority, the millions of women
and men who are pro-choice.
There is no more room for
silence, or inactivity. With the
restrictions now allowed by the
Supreme Court's ruling on the
Casey case, Roe vs. Wade will
not secure the right to an abortion.
In fact, Roe vs. Wade will be
completely overturned, should
one more anti-choice judge be
appointed.
You know what that means.
We must have a president who is
pro-choice, and we must have a
pro-choice Congress.
I am here to appeal to you, the
pro-choice majority, and to
activate your sense of duty.
Abortion rights are more in
danger now than they have ever
been. Have the courage to fight.
for what you know is right, and
take your fight to the polls. Your
most important action this fall
will be to vote, and to vote for
pro-choice candidates.
I am here to tell you that if we,
the women and men who are pro-
choice, choose to fight for choice,
we will win.
Beverly Aist
LSA senior
Give Columbus
To the Daily:
It is regrettable that the
Michigan Student Assembly
might offend many in the
community by passing a resolu-
tion to change the name given to
Oct. 12 from Columbus Day to
"Indigenous People's Day." This
action is offensive both in its
disregard of history and in the
danger posed in the alternation of
history.
The 1990 book "Conquest of
Paradise" by Kirkpatrick Sale is
regarded as the first in recent
reinterpretations of Columbus
and his effect upon our hemi-
sphere. This was the first main-
stream work to portray Columbus
as lost, and it was only after the
publication of this book that the
current Columbus-bashing was
born. While she does bring
Columbus down to a mortal level,
Sale gives the reader a good deal
of information about civilization
in Edrope before 1492, and the
way in which Europe treated this
hemisphere after that year.
Before Columbus set sail from
Spain, Europe was in a "tense"
state, and, according to Sale, it
some credit
was in dire need of more space.
To illustrate the turmoil in that
continent, recall that 1492 was
also the year in which Jews were
expelled from Spain. It was
European governments which
colonized the Americas, and who
financed the many voyages around
the world. It was these govern-
ments who massacred the Incas,
the Mayans and the Native
Americans of North America as
well. The actions of the United
States and Canada are small in
comparison with the massacres of
these European nations.
Our nation was founded as an
experiment in democracy, and the
experiment is still going. Yet no
such experiment could have been
given a chance without the
geographical independence from
England which we enjoyed in
1776 - that which led the Pilgrims
here, that which allowed us to win
the War of Independence. Nothing
that we have, either in our past or
in our future, could exist without
Columbus and the (relatively)
New World which he discovered.
0
Avram Mack
LSA junior
Wait, you're on candid camera
To the Daily:
I understand the University
implementing rules for Michigan
football games but I believe they
have gone way overboard. During
the Oct. 3 game vs. Iowa, I
observed a plain-clothes police
officer in the far north corner of
the press box with a 35mm
camera and telephoto lens
viewing the crowd. If by chance
he spotted someone with a can
(pop or beer) he would put down
the camera, pick up a video
camera and get them on film. He
would then get on his two-way
radio and direct his "buddies" to
the offenders and have the
offenders "escorted" from the
stadium.
My husband and I have been
season-ticket holders for 25 years
and I have never seen anything so
wrong in the stadium as to warrant
this style of security. Students in
the north end zone, if you are
approached by a cop during the
game, it is because the "press-box
spy" has you on video camera
long before you are approached.
By then it is too late, he already
has evidence on you! If Michigan
stadium officials really want to
eliminate problems, get rid of
pizza sales in the stadium - the
box bottoms thrown as frisbees
are dangerous when they hit
someone in the head or eye.
Diane Voss
Saline, Mich.
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COMITY INSIGHT.
Students with disabilities: the truth
Save the Lafayette clinic
B y closing down the Lafayette Clinic, Gover-
nor John Engler has proven once again that he
cares more about cutting the state's spending than
looking after its citizens. Lafayette Clinic is a
nationally renowned clinic for thementally ill. Not
oily does it care for 90 patients, it is a world
renowned mental health research facility. As if
closing the clinic were not enough, the tactless
way in which employees and patients were treated
fuirther shames the Engler Administration.
In July the state legislature approved $17.5
iillion to keep Lafayette open through most of
1993. Governor Engler vetoed the appropriation,
and no money was available for the clinic in the
1993 state budget. Despite claims that community
mental health agencies are not equipped to handle
more patients, those receiving treatment at
Lafayette were moved to other hospitals around
$3.8 million to continue mental-health research at
Wayne State University. But this is a typical Engler
gesture of too little, too late. If Engler wants to
continue the world-renowned research, he should
leave the clinic open to treat its patients.
A state appeals panel extended a Wayne County
circuit judge's restraining order which left the
clinic open for an extra day. Patients were told to
pack their belongings only 24 hours before they
were forced to load buses taking them to their new
homes.
Many were taken to facilities which were ill-
prepared to receive them. An employee representa-
tive at the clinic said that some patients were taken
to hospitals without available beds. Mass confu-
sion prevailed as patients were shuffled out of the
clinic. As the patients were pushed out, family and
friends were not allowed to see the patients as they
by Donna Rose
I am currently the only blind
student who is enrolled in a Ph.D.
program here at the University. After
reading the article of Oct. 16th ("U-
M works to comply with ADA.")
on how the University is working
toward compliance with the
American's with Disabilities Act
(ADA), I thought it was time that I
come forward and remind people
about a few facts.
Although it is true that the Uni-
versity has been looking at program
and architectural compliance with
the ADA, there is previous legisla-
tion, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
that has been mostly ignored by the
University. This legislation man-
dates that the University assist stu-
dents with disabilities who are "oth-
erwise qualified" despite of their
disability by providing "reasonable
accommodations" so that these stu-
dents can achieve equity with their
non-disabled peers.
I find it difficult to accept that
after nearly 20 years one of the best
schools in the country doesn't have
its programs for students with dis-
abilities better wired.
First and foremo_ neonle who
have been able to contact my in-
structors one month in advance so
that I can find out what books and
coursepack materials she/he will
be using in order to find a reader
who will begin the process of read-
ing the materials. Generally it is
difficult to pin professors down as
to which materials they will be us-
ing. So, on day one I am over-
whelmed with tons of papers that
need to be read and I will be behind
other students by the following
week.
ing students with disabilities seri-
ously and start looking at the spirit
of the law as well as its intent. Stu-
dents who are blind or visually im-
paired only recently had a trained
person available to them to teach
them the campus layout. This per-
son was doing an internship, but the
University doesn't feel it would be
necessary to have such a person
available for us on a full-time basis.
Also, Braille on many elevators
is incorrect. Most areas on campus
where I attend courses to earn my
How can we compete? We are set up to fail,
thus perpetuating the myth that we are "less
able."
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The current reader system here
at the University is a volunteer pro-
gram. So, we are given a list and
must hunt down people to do our
reading. Sometimes this process
takes hours, even days. In the mean-
time, should I find a reader (usually
each student needs four to six
people), it will take that individual
a long time (sometimes a few
weeks) to read the material onto
cassette tape and return it to me.
Some students who are blind get so
far. h n rhi nti . nt n ttt a n
joint degree do nothave room mark-
ings that I can read. As a matter of
fact the numbers are painted on the
doors. This means I must ask strang-
ers when I need to find specific
room numbers (I feel like a kinder-
gartner).
The University currently pro-
vides three computers which are
adapted with speech. One is a MAC
and the others IBM compatible.
These three computers are segre-
gated, so that if I have a lab at any
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