4 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 14, 1994 (7bte £irbwigp~aut9i 'There's nothing intrinsically appealing to me in coming home and retching my guts out. I think that's an inherently bad thing, and something one would usually try to avoid.' -Brigham Smith, LSA sophomore quoted in Friday's Daily explaining why he does not drink. 420 Maynard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan JESSIE HALLADAY Editor in Chief SAM GOODSmLN FIr WAINESS Editorial Page Editors 7-c1I ~ Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of a majority of the Daily's editorial board. All other articles, letters, and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. - r-mr Harford's olive brnch Last week, University Vice-President for Student Affairs Maureen Hartford an- niounced that Housing Director Robert Hughes, recently named the new executive director of development and external rela- tions, will be ii charge of - among other things - setting up an "emergency student appeal fund." As the name implies, this fund would enable students in a financial bind to go to Hughes's office and obtain funds that might be needed in an emergency. Any student who faces an unusual financial situation, such as mhedical bills from an accident or the need to suddenly fly home to be with an ailing family member, may appeal to this emergency fund. the student will be required to show proof that all other means of obtaining funds have teen exhausted. If there is sufficient need, the rponey will be loaned. It is not mandatory that the money be paid back, but strongly encour- aged. At first glance, students might be skeptical of this plan. As with any program that in- olves money, there are several questions: first and foremost, who is going to pay for it? Students are understandably concerned about where their hard-earned money goes once it is turned over to the University -and no matter how beneficial a program may seem, many students may not agree that the cost is justi- fied. Fortunately, this program will be funded by revenues generated in the Campaign for Michigan - not student tuition dollars. This fund has enormous merit and has the potential to become an outstanding program. Proof that a program of this type can work is found at Washington State University 'Nevergain' The time has come to rearrange- to rear- range the geopolitical map of the plun- dered Bosnian state. The market massacre in Sarajevo last week, horrific and surreal, was displayed in the mass media across the free world - demanding action, demanding a response. 68 innocent Bosnian civilians were killed and 200 hundred injured. And once again televised death has led to a call for Western military action in the Balkans. UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, immediately following the massacre, asked NATO to explore the potential use of air power in forcing the Serbs to end their inhu- mane and ruthless siege of Sarajevo. And now NATO, with the full support of the United States, has given an ultimatum to the Serbs- all heavy artillery placements within 12.4 miles of the capital city must be handed over to UN peacekeepers by Feb. 21, a week from now. If the Serbs fail to accept NATO's demands, French, British, Dutch, Turkish and American warplanes, from bases in Italy and from aircraft carriers in the Adriatic Sea, will strike Serb positions in the hills surrounding Sarajevo. However, this NATO threat is a first step - and only a first step - in ending the bloodshed in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The inter- national community, through NATO, should demand and oversee the full withdrawal of Serbian and Croatian military forces inBosnia, the recognition of the sovereign borders of all the republics of the former Yugoslavia, and the signing of a comprehensive regionalpeace plan that is consistent with the principles of democracy, state autonomy and, above all, human rights. These are the facts: For over a year, NATO has been flying round-the-clock flights over Bosnia and has pinpointed 200 to 300 heavy artillery pieces around the outskirts of Sarajevo - sites that those who may have to carry out the bombing next week are well acquainted with. NATO has over 100 state-of-the-art Cold War aircraft in the region to enforce its pledge, including 78 American fighter jets and support aircraft. Yet it is abundantly clear that selective NATO air strikes, while a force- ful portrayal of Western resolve in ending the conflict, will not accomplish the goal of re- storing the nation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, (WSU), where Hartford - who held a post there before coming to the University - initiated one in November 1988. So far, the program has been successful in helping stu- dents, without costing WSU a cent beyond the original allocation of endowment funds. The average loan is $330 and approximately six students per term receive emergency funds. Since the program was started through an outside benefactor and is self-sufficient, WSU has never had to use money from its own budget to support it. There is little ad- ministrative cost because the responsibility of running the program did not require the hiring of new staff, but simply was assigned to a current administrator. Here at the Univer- sity, oversight of the fund will be absorbed by Hughes as one of the many responsibilities of his new post. One of the most intriguing and creative programs to be proposed in a while, this program has enormous potential to help all students. To those who need the money, this fund may mean the difference between re- maining at the University and having to leave because of temporary financial difficulties. The University's current image, as perceived by students, is one of cold and impersonal bureaucracy. It is of a place where people are numbers, and any appeal for help must go through fifteen different channels before someone actually pays attention. If properly implemented, this will help make the Univer- sity more user-friendly. Hartford should be commended for recognizing this, and for taking steps toward a plan that will directly help students. been raging for two and a half years - in which 200,000 people have already died and in which hundreds of thousands of regular and irregular troops are currently engaged. It is conceivable though that the quick, decisive and successful use of air power, including the bombing of the Bosnian Serb military head- quarters in Pale, will force the Serbs to give up their "strangulation" of Sarajevo and be- gin a gradual retreat from this theater of operations. But it will most likely require much more military and assertive diplomatic action by the so-called civilized nations of the world to bring about Serbian acquiescence. This NATO ultimatum must be supple- mented by a complete UN-NATO unified plan, with the explicit approval of the Bosnian Government, to deploy a sizable interna- tional military contingent to push the Serb and Croat invaders back and ultimately, out of Bosnia. This aggression cannot stand. Yet the Western powers must maintain a sem- blance of realism in assessing the options on the ground in Bosnia, and it is well known that a large-scale military exercise in the rugged terrain would be difficult and costly. The United States cannot go at this alone - the Western Europeans, especially France and Great Britain, must be willing to contribute a proportional number of troops, aircraft, sup- plies, funding and leadership in this multilat- eral, multinational force. This is a historic moment. Will the United Nations and the major world powers continue to stand in virtual silence while an indepen- dent nation is torn apart and divided by invad- ers? Will the West ever recognize that hu- manitarian crises are sometimes just as im- portant to world peace, security and stability as are direct security threats? And finally, will Western leaders permit an unjust partition that provides for no distinction between ag- gressor and victim, and continue to rational- ize an arms embargo that leaves the victim unable to fight for itself? If NATO can pull together, pool its re- sources and manpower, and lay down a co- herent policy, the horror and devastation in Bosnia can be stopped. The Serbs, and future aggressors, will have been taught a valuable moral and political lesson. As Eli Weisel reminded the audience at the opening of the 4} IAN PgA 'Membership has its privileges' To the Daily: Membership has its privileges, because it's everywhere you want to be, so get all the credit you deserve, it pays to discover. Sound familiar? Don't worry, in the next four years these slogans will be second nature. How? Watch your mail and you'll find another pre-approved, no annual fee, high speed, low drag credit card offer to get you into debt before you can legally drink. If you can't wait, go to the Union. There's a new credit card offer almost daily from another sheister the University allows to set up a display. I'll be the first to admit that I owe more than last term's tuition and Entree Plus bill combined, way more. It's called Credit Rating 101. With no class schedule or syllabus, it's cross-listed as the University of Michigan credit card. It has a generous limit of $5000 and we are asked by our alumni association to forsake all others, get the card that pays them back. I wonder if they have considered how many of their current students are now in such financial trouble that they can't even get a loan for a new car when they graduate. By the way, did you know students have the worst credit rating of all age brackets? I am sure they do. Is it right for our prestigious institution to allow every direct marketer to obtain our personal information for their junk mail? What does the University gain? That's easy, our money. Did you know we attend the most expensive public institution in the country? Do you ever wonder why Entree Plus is restricted to businesses the University has a major stake in? Did you notice how many texts we buy written by our professors for classes not taught by them, but our brilliant graduate students who do most of the research for these texts. Sold back for less than half of what we paid, they jack the price back up and sell them to the next number, I mean student. Well, it's a business. Get used to it. Membership has its privileges. PETER C. ARNOLD Engineering/Business senior Fields can play, too To the Daily: We are greatly dismayed by a front-page headline that appeared on 2/8/94 which read, "Jackson, King to play in IU game". As far as we're consider it a possibility that Fields might play. Although his playing time has been limited so far this season, he still has an opportunity to play each and every night. The Daily's failure to include him is even more inept now in light of the fact that Fields did play in the Indiana game. Yet this problem extends further than a headline. For the most part, Fields and the other players who get only "garbage time" are overlooked. It is not easy to practice hard and know that you are not likely to play much, if at all. Nonetheless, the great spirit of these players is very valuable. Their enthusiasm is demonstrated when they stand and wave towels or give high-fives. This not only helps to raise the intensity of the team but also gets the crowd more excited. Still another way that these players are important comes in practice when they provide solid competition for the starters. The Daily has printed numerous articles about the woes of the women's team which doesn't even have five players for the starters to scrimmage against. So lets stop taking players, such as Fields for granted, before it's too late. I'd hate to hear a staff writer complain about how terrible it is that Coach Steve Fisher injured himself while practicing against Jalen Rose. TOM HUBER LSA first-year student GEOFF BUHL Engineering first-year student Open Markley computing center To the Daily: I am confused. See if this makes any sense to you. Some prepubescent cretin who was probably frustrated because he or she couldn't figure out how to work a Macintosh decided, "Hey, if I can't figure out how to use a mouse I'll make sure no one else can either." With this thought in his or her mind the alleged computerphobe cut the cables on two mice and a keyboard. Now the entire Markley lab is closed so no one can use the-computers. Looks like the culprit got what he wanted, useless computers. I would like to know why the powers that be decided to shut down the lab just because one person is too immature to know how to respect public property. The labs are meant to be used and should be kept open so that the students whose tuition money went into buying the computers can use them. I am also annoyed at the statement that $200 worth of damage was done. Sure, that's The way I figure it, you just ask one of the electrical or computer engineers from North Campus to come down and reconnect the cables. Even if the lab had to buy the equipment to fix the cables it would only be about $50. The repairs themselves would take less than an hour and then the people of Markley could once again use their computers. Personally, I would be more than happy to donate my time and services to putting the computer cables back together if it meant that the lab would be reopened so that it could do the job it was designed to.. NATHAN GOSLEE Engineering first-year student Not all drinkers are irresponsible To the Daily: This is in response to your piece on alcohol consumption at the University (2/11/94) which showed the problems of alcohol consumption on campus. First off, I totally agree that there are a lot of people at this University who drink about as well as they fly the space shuttle. They don't know when enough is enough and end up making total asses out of themselves, as well as putting themselves (and others) in unnecessary danger. However, you failed to point out that there is still a large chunk of the University community who actually does have self-control and can think for themselves. Don't sign us all up for AA yet. Drinking responsibly is not a problem. I am certain that drinking is not a requirement for having fun for most alcohol consuming students as parts of your piece suggest. I do understand how this misconception can be made. Anyone would agree that the sight of someone doing the old "technicolor yawn" or the smell of a dormitory bathroom by Sunday night would stick in their mind a lot better than seeing a couple friends at a local bar and grill having a few beers with their dinner, talking together, sometimes even acting more civil than some of the non-drinking patrons, paying the bill, and walking out in a straight line. Drinking alcohol is not a requirement for some people, but an option, weighed equally with countless other things to do. I admit, I enjoy having a few beers sometimes, but it is not the only thing on my list of things to do, nor is it even near the top. I am sure that the case is the same for many other students who were so misrepresented by your piece. I am so certain that the Is the 'U' planning to up housing rates? Most of us think that we pay too much money to go to the University. Now, however, you have a chance to watch the process in action. The Daily ran two stories last week about Robert Hughes. A story on Monday told of Hughes' transfer from the Housing Division to the Office of Student Affairs. Tuesday's story cited anonymous sources who said that Hughes was not leaving "of his own accord." At first glance this looks like simple office politics, irrelevant to students. I have reason to believe otherwise. I think that this power play will result in higher bills for students. The Duderstadt administration is notable for the clever ways in which it takes our money. Duderstadt likes subtle devices like the infrastructure maintenance fee (IMF) and the registration fee. Do you think that without the IMF Angell Hall would have collapsed? Of course not. University infrastructure would just be maintained out of standard revenue sources. Instead, the IMF pays for maintenance, while your tuition pays for more Fleming Building bureaucrats. Do you really think that it costs $80 for you to CRISP? Of course not. It is just a slick way to take extra money from students without raising the more publicized tuition rate. So, after 16 years at his job, Hughes is tossed out. Why all of the sudden? Because, I think, Duderstadt wanted to use housing fees as his newest tool for squeezing extra money from hapless students. It is the sort of thing that Duderstadt does. It is the sort of thing that a principled Director of Housing might not do. So Duderstadt tries to ease Hughes out quietly and replace him with someone who doesn't have the annoying habit of standing up for students. End result: dorm residents get ganked on their next bill from the University. The Housing Division; as the Daily reported two weeks ago, just ran a deficit. The dorms were not full last term. The shortfall came from Bursley, probably because it is inconvenient to live there while the Fuller Bridge is being repaired. A little light bulb goes off over some administrator's head; this is a golden opportunity to raise prices.The University could claim that it was adjusting to the deficit. In a little while, the bridge would be fixed, the dorms would be full and prices would be higher. Housing would make a profit instead of a loss, and the extra money would line bureaucrats' pockets. Thegoal ismore revenuewithout higher tuition. Duderstadt is embarrassed (or should be) that the University is one of the most expensive public schools in the country. It is much pricier than it was ten years ago; in the meantime its national prestige has slipped. The University has made cuts and many departments are underfunded, yet the number of administrators continues to grow. As anyone who hasworked with bureaucracies knows, administrators make a living by fighting for resources. They are certainly not above kicking dedicated people out of their jobs if it means a chance to siphon off more money for themselves. Mr. Hughes has offered no comment on the matter (would you?). My theory is based on hunches, hints, history and the laws of bureaucracy. I have no (publishable) evidence to support my theory. By the same token, I have seen no evidence that my explanation is wrong. So, I am issuing three challenges. First, to President Duderstadt. If I am wrong, prove it publicly. Promise not to increase Housing revenues above Housing costs. I have only stated a theory, but if you can demonstrate that it is an invalid one, I will retract everything anyway. 0a 0 I. 0 01