01
Page 4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 3, 1993
ibe Ltidbigan +aIgl
420 Maynard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed
by students at the
University of Michigan
Josi Dunow
Editor in Chief
YAEI. M. CITRO
ERIN LIZA EINIIORN
Opinion Editors
HR7ATS WRONG, FRED? 1 -IT'~HAT CAR oVEI TRE W'YIT DOESN'T HAVE / SNGE
WHAT S Go TYO(),A LL SUMrP R.S-nCKFY? ONIT THAT EXPLAWIS HrOW VTHE OWNFP--
SE1T OUTA SHAPE? FEELS liou iNh Fou&H.S~OCIAt.. AND PoiiTICAL /;~u
__:::": ~of o DAY ./WHAi~o ES i-I THINK I'M IA M/ND-READER z
Y t I.-.
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily editorial board.
All other cartoons, signed articles and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
1_
WATCH OUT
If Dude leaves, next p>
UMORS HAVE SURFACED inrecent weeks
about Yale University considering Uni-
versity President James Duderstadt as a
candidate for its university presidency. These
rumors may not be true -
Duderstadt has vehemently denied
them - but members of the Uni-
versity community should bear in
mind the process used to hire
Duderstadt in 1988 to make sure
that it doesn't happen again.
During thesix-monthsearchpro-
cess that led to Duderstadt' s hiring,
a conscious effort was made on the
part of the University Board of
Regents to keepdetails of the search
from members ofthe public and the
University community.
Regent Paul Brown (D- Duders
Petoskey)-the chair of the presidential search
committee- consistently refused to comment
on the search as the field of candidates was
winnowed down- even as the job was offered
first to then-New York Pub-
lic Library President Vartan
Gregorian, who refused it,'
and then to Duderstadt.
Furthermore, the regents
violated the state's Open
Meetings Act in keeping the .
hearings closed. The Open.
Meetings Act requires allr
public bodies - including
the University - to allow
the public access to meet-
ings where decisions are
made.
Today, the University is
still involved in litigation
against the Ann Arbor News .
and the Detroit Free Press,Behidi clbs
aiming to keep the process of hiring a president
closed. The regents hope to create an exception
to the Open Meetings Act that exempts these
searches. The regents' resolve in keeping the
process closed has not been limited to presiden-
tial searches.
When Vice President for Student Affairs
Maureen Hartford was hired in late 1991, the
search process was closed. And when Hartford
hired a new assistant to implement the State-
E ATINR
$MEA changes stop she
OCESSIONS OF ROACHES spill out of
cracks in the wall. Claustrophobia sets in
as 30 small children pack into a room
designed for 15. What seems like the unfortu-
nate story of an underdeveloped country in
turmoil, is the harsh reality for too many of
Michigan's public school students.
As these horrific stories become the rule
and not the exception for all but a select few
affluent Michigan school districts, the Michi-
gan Education Association (MEA) introduced
a plan last week that, if implemented, could
alleviate some of these gross inequities.
The MEA plan would reorganize and con-
solidate the state's 500-plus school districts
into 14 regional districts. Each school district
would contain one school board and several
smaller boards to oversee academic issues.
Furthermore, the plan suggests offering social
services such as immunization through schools.
These bold proposals address the quintessential
problems created for schools by "local con-
trol," but unfortunately fail to provide a fair
method for funding Michigan's public schools.
Currently, property tax revenues fund
Michigan's public schools. The result:
Michigan's per-pupil spending ranges from
one affluent district's outrageous $8,749 to a
dismal $2,790 in a substantially poorer district.
Moreover, city schools which often require the
most attention usually end up receiving the
e
ez may also be illegal
ment of Student Rights and Responsibilities -
Mary Lou Antiou - in December, that search
process was also closed. Both of these appoint-
ments, which coincidentally are in the Student
Affairs office and will certainly af-
fect students, beg for student input.
In fact, nearly every major admin-
istrative appointment made by the
regents in recent years has been in
violation of the Open Meetings Act.
It is clear that the regents and the
University administration feel that it
is in their best interest to keep the
hiring process closed. For whatever
reason, they believe that decisions
that will have a marked effect on
students are best made without stu-
dent input. Their logic is flawed.
ta dt But considering the pattern ex-
hibited by the regents in recent years, and con-
sidering the fact that there may be a major
vacancy in the University administration this
summer, there is reason for concern. Justin case
the situation arises, keep these
caveats in mind.
To those students who will
be here this summer: a warning
to keep a weather eye on the
administration. History tells us
that when the regents or the
administration want to be
N> sneaky, they take advantage of
the absence of most students
from Ann Arbor.
In order to prevent a recur-
rence of the events of 1988,
students will have to assert their
right to know about the events
that affect them. Students can
do this by keeping diligent, ex-
:d doors ... pressing aninterestinwhatgoes
on in the Fleming Building, and - if necessary
- loud and vocal protest. Hopefully it won't
come to that.
But whether or not the University is going to
need a new president, theregents should keep the
Open Meetings Act in mind for all future hirings.
Whether or not the University is going to need a
new president, students should keep an eye on
the sneaky administration.
Because it's better to be safe than sorry.
EFORM
rt of needed reform
problem. When neglected districts manage to
obtain grants or federal aid, the money tends to
get lost within the massive administrative bu-
reaucracythatplagues Michigan's public schools.
According to one Detroit public school teacher,
even the simplest tasks often fall victim to bu-
reaucratic nightmares. Last year, she said, she
decided to spend her yearly-allotted sum of
money on playground equipment for her el-
ementary school children. Months after placing
her order for the toys with the district, she was
told that Detroit public schools were so far in
debt that the toy company wouldn't sell them the
equipment. Of course, when she asked for the
money to spend on something else, it was too late
- the money had been lost in the gargantuan
bureaucracy.
The MEA's plan to eliminate "local control"
by consolidating districts would go along way in
slashing unproductive, and often, contentious
bureaucracies likethe one in Detroit. Last spring,
Cincinnati's public school system paved the
road of reform by slashing its administration by
51 percent. These changes resulted in a $16
million savings that can now be invested back
into the defunct public schools.
The MEA's commitment to consolidate
Michigan's public school bureaucracy is admi-
rable and represents a much needed change.
However, the system can never be equal until
funding is more evenly distributed. Tax-based
.hnin iseth e Pt wav to mitigrate these savage
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Moral education supplements academics
i
To the Daily:
Much is heard and read
about the need for increased
funding for higher and better
education. This need is
emphasized through the
phenomenal advancement of
the Japanese students.
It is true that we need
better education, but our
problem is in defining the
term "better education." If you
study the culture and back-
ground of most foreign
nations you will find strict
adherence to basic home life
education. In today's fast
moving and demanding
society for better living
standards it is quite evident
that the basic building blocks
for a sound society are the
moral responsibilities toward
our neighbor which have long
been forgotten. This education
does not come from institu-
tions of higher learning but
from responsible, God-fearing
parents and families.
It is written in the Scrip-
tures, "as a man thinketh in his
heart, so is he." In bygone
years it was a shame to use
derogatory language and to
superimpose any immoral
thoughts or words in illustra-
tions in one form or another to
the general public. This is not
so anymore.
This is evident in daily
conversations and reading
material. The feeling and
living standards of others are
disregarded. This freedom of
expression reveals the
depravity we have reached
when the University men's
room cubicle walls are marred
with vulgar graffiti and
language which is sickening
and disgraceful.
With this type of exposure
it is very evident that we
indeed have an urgent need
for basic education before we
set our sights on distant goals
for better and higher living
standards.
We see this need for
discipline in physical contests,
so should it be any different in
the building of a sound mind?
Without discipline we are sure
to add irrevocable disaster to a
dying society.
Secular education without
moral education is like a mill
without water. "The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom" and the one who
seeks it with all his heart shall
find it. A good place to start is
with the books of "Psalms and
Proverbs" and remember, "the
wicked shall be turned into
hell, and all nations that forget
God" (Ps. 9:17).
Reuben Peterson
CRISP employee
'Abortion has its place'
To the Daily:
In regard to Howard
Scully's letter "Pro-choicers
prevent choice," (1/25/93) the
pro-choice movement is not
about persuading a woman
that she "can't possibly go on
with her education, career and
way of life the way she
wanted to, and therefore she
has no choice but to have an
abortion."
Rather, the choice to have
an abortion is the choice to
bring up a child in the best of
circumstances, in a loving
home.
Nobody is "for abortion."
Every child should be
conceived out of love, with a
loving family waiting. There
should be no prostitution, no
rape, no incest, no "cheap"
sex or "free" sex. No one
should have to "advocate
distributing condoms every-
where you look," to replace
the self-control that should
have been exercised in the
first place. And certainly,
mere children, as young as 11,
should not become parents.
However, the world is
simply not so ideal. Multi-
tudes of children grow-up in
situations of disease, abuse,
crime and neglect, taking the
blame for the wrongdoings of
their parents.
I wholeheartedly agree
with Scully's charge to,
"remember that you are not
dogs in heat," and remember
the responsibility that comes
with the choice to have sex. If
everybody acted with a
conscience, what a better
world this would be. The
reality of the world makes
Planned Parenthood, sex
education programs and birth-
control distribution practical
solutions to problems such as
sexually transmitted diseases,
unwanted pregnancies and
AIDS.
In addition, the rise of
abstinence programs, a
spiritual solution, will help
forge a link between love, sex
and responsibility in the minds
of all people, not just the
young. This double-edged
sword is fighting the need for
abortions.
However, for those who
are too immature or unin-
formed to realize the responsi-
bility conferred upon them at
puberty, let's not consign their
children to a life of misery.
Even with the best of guid-
ance and information, people
make mistakes and ugly
things happen that our unborn
progeny should not pay for,
abortion has its place.
Isabelle Chang
Engineering junior
06
MLK Day offered many options
o
To the Daily:
I'm writing in regards to
the article "MLK Day
attendance suffers as students
stay home," (1/1/93). A
student mentions how she did
not know about many of the
events taking place because
most of the advertising was
directed at Black students.
Now, I can guarantee that
I'm not what anybody would
consider Black and I was
overwhelmed with the
amount of activities I knew
were being held. I found out
through posters, bulletins,"
and yes, I even asked a Black
friend about what events
were taking place. Also, at
the events I attended, there
were plenty of other non-
Black people participating. If
somebody truly wants to
become involved, he or she
can gain information, if they
put forth the effort to find it.
Of the few people who
attended the march, or other
events, I wonder how many
people feel that participating
in a one-day event is all they
need to do to help the fight for
equality.
This was not meant to be
an attack on any specific
person, but rather a criticism
of people who feign sincerity
and really don't care or don't
want to take the time and
effort to do something.
Daniel Zarazua
First-year engineering
student
S
First Amendment ignored
U.
4
a
4r
To the Daily:
In my five years here as
student, I can remember many
incidents in which the question
of free speech has come up on
this campus.
The Administration
myopically attempted to block
shanty erection on the Diag.
The Daily responded incredu-
lously, citing our inalienable
First Amendment rights. The
Administration also tried
courageously to rid our
campus of the drug-pushing
scum that occupy the Diag
around every April Fool's Day
by blockading NORML.
Again, the Daily came to the
rescue. Again, the First
Amendment. The Supreme
the Supreme Court decision
concerning Operation
Rescue's blockading policy,
you slammed the Supreme
Court for upholding the right
to engage in peaceful protest.
Now, read this ... when
Operation Rescue members
physically assaults people,
creates fire hazards, tres-
passes, destroys property, or
does anything against any
city, state, or federal law, they
deserve to be arrested. But
they have every right to
occupy public property
(sidewalks) and assemble in
protest (blockade). What they
are doing is no less a protest
than is desecrating national
symbols or constructing ugly
gifted photographer) would be
banned, Das Kapital would be
burned, and the 700 Club
would probably be run off the
air (Madelyne Murray O'Hare
would see to that). It troubles
me deeply that the future
editors of our national press
do not understand why we
have the Constitution. It does
not exist to make the country a
pretty place, but to protect
against someone's subjective
view of ugliness.
Maybe you don't like
Operation Rescue. I'm not too
comfortable with them, and
I'm an anti-baby killer, pro-
lifer. But there are two things
to remember. The first is that
you yourselves respect the
Do the regents 0
know studen4s?
To the Daily:
With all this talk about,
'Do the students know their
regents? ("Anything Goes,"
1/29/93), 1 was wondering
how well the regents know
their students. For example -
do any of the regents or
executive officers have
subscriptions to the Daily (or
other campus newspapers), or
do they pick up copies around
campus on a daily basis?
What about classes and
student events - do they
attend lectures once in a while
to see what the leaders of
tomorrow are learning today?
Just curious.
Stuart Kaplan
L A SAni;r
*
U.
*