4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, November 30, 1994 at E ttr, ttrt ttil 420 Maynard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Jessie Halladay Editor in Chief Samuel Goodstein Flint Wainess Editorial Page Editors 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. 'Our only hope is that at some point the parties recognize that there's no use continuing the kind of carnage that's going on there at the present time.' -Leon Panetta, White House Chief of Staff on the war in Bosnia. THE MONROE DOC TR N E AN V ACT OF AG6RES1oN W THE WESTERN tiEMISPHERf ILL E %CONSIDF-RlDAN A OF 0 ;,~6Je,5 NACANSFTh SUNT E D STATE S ,. JS DCXTR i N E The Michigan Mandate Progress depends on students, administration n 1988, University President James J. Duderstadt began implementation of the Michigan Mandate. The Mandate began as a visionary attempt to gauge campus relations between different ethnic and racial groups in an increasingly multicultural environment. While it concentrated more on quantifiable data, emphasizing attempts to increase the number of minority students, faculty and staff, it nonetheless had the potential to impact much more than numbers. Six years later, the statistics are in, and it is clear that the Mandate has had a visible impact on the composition of the student body and the faculty. There has been a 56 percent increase in the number of African American students since the Mandate began its work, a 121 percent increase in Hispanic and Latino students, a 93 percent increase in Native American students and a 73 percent increase in Asian American students. Faculty changes, while less revolu- tionary, have been substantial: faculty of color now make up 13 percent of the total, and 126 new Black faculty have been hired. Moreover, there has been a significant increase in the number of faculty of color in academic leader- ship positions. But the Mandate can only do so much. increasing the number of students of color on campus is a laudable and fundamentally im- portant goal. Ensuring that more students of color have a chance to come to the University is more than just a goal of equal opportunity; it is essential to the formation of a heterogenous community and hence a more fulfilling expe- rience for all students. However, recruiting students and faculty of color is only part of the Mandate's charge. What has proven more difficult has been the question of retention. How to equalize gradu- ation rates of whites and minorities has be- come the million-dollar question. President Duderstadt has attributed the differing gradu- ation rates to socioeconomic differences. As tuition climbs, more and more students - particularly minority students - are denied the opportunity to remain at the University. President Clinton's direct student loan pro- gram, and increased dollars for loans and grants in the University's last budget, are two important steps toward alleviating the eco- nomic burden of higher education. Still there is a less tangible but no less daunting task for the University - as well as students. The University environment, for many students of color, is not one that makes them feel comfortable. The administration, through programs like King/Chavez/Parks, the Pilot Program, the 21st Century Program and by expanding "comfort spaces" such as the minority lounges, have shown some dedi- cation to this issue. Students, however, have not quite made the same strides. A large number of student organizations remain locked in de facto segre- gation, and discourse between ethnic and ra- cial groups is often mired in misunderstand- ing and contention. The balance needs to be struck between providing a more friendly environment for students of color and allow- ing free and open exchange. It won't be easy. The University needs to continue to recruit minority faculty - a diffi- cult task as faculty turnover is slow. And new and innovative ways to create a more friendly environment for minorities still need to be sought out. In the end though many of the problems can only be solved when attitudes and actions change. That is a job for all stu- dents. GAT Treaty 's benefits must outweigh partisan politics MMCA gets it right To the Daily: educate (from what I can tell) It is exasperating to witness since the advertisement was those who would misjudge not specific in its purpose good diversity practices with ("Male Rent-a-Friend" not "radical" political correctness. Rent-A-Date). In response to In response to Michael Mr. Wheaton's statistics, I feel Wheaton'sNov.28lettermust even if the gay, lesbian or bi- disagree with most of his argu- sexual population was .00001 ment and instead commend the percent thatstill would not actions of the Mary Markley give others the right to over- Activities Council. What is look them as an important and lacking in Mr. Wheaton's analy- contributing part of the human sis is the fact that MMAC is a population; therefore the sta- multicultural council which, in tistics are worthless to his ar- all honesty, should be incorpo- gument (as well as inaccurate). rating aspects of diversity into I agree that a parallel program its programming anyway. I feel could have been created for that the MMAC and the three members of the gay, lesbian or students who took initial ac- bisexual population, but the tion, in contrast to Mr. point was that it was over- Wheaton' s feelings, ap- looked. Furthermoretheevent proached the situation in a ma- was advertised as "Rent-A- ture and business-like fashion. Friend" so that there should The goal, from what I can tell, have been no problem as to was education. allowing all genders and orien- Aftermeeting withthecoun- tations in, unless it was more cil separately, on theirown time, than "Rent-A-Friend." each party was satisfied with I don't think that MMAC the outcomes of this experi- "caved in" to PC militants. I ence. I think Mr. Wheaton must commend them for their time have overlooked the lack of spent with the three men in quotes on the part of the three educating themselves on the students in the Nov. 21 article issue as it pertains to this cam- and was mistaken when he says, pus. Your last line proves the "what is most appalling is the point that if men are afraid of lack of reason and maturity other men bidding, then maybe exhibited by almost everyone more groups like MMAC need quoted in Katie Hutchins' ar- to take a look at their organiza- ticle ..." Similarly there was tions and implement more edu- nothing mentioned about sex- cation on gay, lesbian and bi- ism on the part of the three men sexual issues on this campus. denied access to the event. Magda Konig The central point was to Social Work graduate student Church ings; they are conscious deci- hkeeps sions, made sometimes in spite , aof our feelings. Those who growing and marry do more than express feelings of love; they take vows growing and of commitment. "The Catholic church... has growing' its own problems: ... some priests can't keep their pants To the Daily: up." True - but many of our Paul Ziziski's comments in own elected leaders have the his letter ("The human need for same problem. Is the validity sex," 11/22/94) show several of the message limited to the misconceptions about sex, love integrity of the messenger? and religious faith. "If millions "Galileo was only forgiven [of people] have sex everyday, by the pope a few years ago." I would countit as a basic need." But the people who got Galileo Millions of people also lie, into trouble in the first place cheat, steal, watch TV, drink were not Catholic officials, but Pepsi and read newspapers ev- anti-Catholic academics who ery day. None of these activi- hated Galileo's radical ideas ties are "needs;" rather, they about astronomy and manipu- are expressions of desires. lated the church into prosecut- So too, sex is a desire, not a ing. The university bears as need. "Sexual expression is much blame for Galileo's dis- necessary forhappiness." True, grace as the church. but why equate sexual expres- "The church needs some sion with physical intercourse? Energizer batteries!" It seems Is it only possible to enjoy the it already has them. After two wonders of being male and fe- thousand years with a single male in the bedroom? Is there charge (to go and preach the no room for celibate love? gospel), it just keeps growing "Commitment and loyalty and growing and growing.. ... [only] depend on the individual's feelings toward one Jim Huggins another." Loyalty and commit- Rackham graduate ment are much more than feel- student Blacks do not need a crutch To the Daily: I am afraid that while Mr. Dennison Morgan's suggested revisions to the University's grading policy are well in- tended, his measures would only serve to diminish the ac- complishments of many minor- ity students. As any graduate student, I have worked very hard in the name of academic achievement. To have some- one look upon my accomplish- ments and think for one second that my grades were handi- capped or doctored up to repre- sent what I would have made were I white would be an insult. For what it's worth, I know that I can go head to head with any intellect, regardless of whether the owner of said intellect be white, Black, rich or poor. My recommendation? Let us work to repair the psyche of our (Black) people. What begs repair is the low self-esteem that plagues the Black commu- nity, the whisper in the minds of Blacks that tells them that they need handicaps, that they are somehow ill-equipped or sub-equal to their white orAsian counterparts, the whisper in your letter. Why not extol the virtues of 'rising tothechallenge' instead of looking for more ways to 'get over?' Why not encour- agement for the Black intellec- tual instead of ridicule and de- rision (e.g. Urkel)?Tothe point: The Black community is in dire need, but the fix must come from within. Keep your crutches, man. We do not need them. Eric J. Simpson Engineering graduate student Fire Moeller To the Daily: Anger. Disgust. Frustration. These feelings are being felt by every true Michigan football fan. For the second year in a row, the Michigan football pro- gram has become the shining example of mediocrity. A sea- son of high hopes comes sput- tering to a pitiful end. Why? It has become obvi- ous that Coach Gary Moeller does not have the ability to con- sistently lead this program to success. His refusal to accept the fact, THE FACT, that his offensive scheme is an artifact of a bygone era has cost Michi- gan its status as a powerhouse on the gridiron. His refusal to scrap the defensive plan of Lloyd Carr has made it possible for every team that enters a game against Michigan to en- tertain a real chance of victory. Merry Christmas, taxpayers Hey, gals and guys. it's Christmas at the Pentagon!!! Santa [read: Congressman New- ton Gingrich (R-Ga.)] says make up your lists now, everybody, cause he's gonna raise defense spending! And we all know by now that President Bill will NOT get in a hassle with the armed forces: not about gays,.not about Vietnam evaders, not about bombing Baghdad [remember that one?], and certainly not about killing Christmas. Bill as Grinch? No way, especially not after Santa's helper [read: Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.)] thought- fully reminded Bill last week that the soldiers in the Tar Heel state already hate him. So it looks like clear sailing, Pentagonians. All we have to do now is make our wish-lists, and the good old American taxpayers will be glad to fill them for us! No prob- lem; just take the money from foreign aid bums and welfare chiselers and that dumb deficit and stuff like that. No new taxes, right? So what do we want? 1) Why not just buy more of everything that we bought last year?That's what wedid back in the '80s when President Reagan was Santa Claus. Nobody com- plained then, so it ought to work now, right?Take last year's bud- get and add four hundred to ev- erything. 2) What about Star Wars? Everybody liked putting an um- brella over America. Who an argue about that? You say um- brella against whose interconti- nental rockets? You say it'll never work? Well, the universi- ties love it [Go Blue, right?], and Northrop loves it, and Livermore Lab loves it, so who cares about the details? 3) How about combat readi- ness? It has a nice Minuteman sort of sound, and it can't be bad: isn't it the Boy Scout motto, or something? You say readiness against what? There's no need anymore?Didn't we just move a bunch of ready troopers to Ku- wait and Haiti? You say they're bored and doing nothing and coming home for Christmas? Picky, picky. 4) What about more troops? Jobs, and all that. We could even open some of those bases we hated to close. You say that's welfare of the worst kind? Wrong! It's making America strong. 5) And then there are those spooky Stealth bombers, just in case somebody has radar like the good old Reds used to have. And Centurion attack subs in case somebody has a navy. And all those new planes with the big sticker prices and the keen names: Osprey and Hornet and Comanche and AF/X. They sound like Toys 'R Us, oris it the other way around? We'll be so far ahead of the rest of the world that we'll have to stage our own Army-Navy War every year to decide who's Number One. 6) And then of course there's the dull uninteresting stuff we might spend the leftovers on: basic science research projects, improving the quality of the re- cruits by offering them college benefits, training new peace- keeping units for UN duty - dull stuff like that. I don't think so. So then, Merry Christmas to all! Fax off those wish lists, Pent2,onian: and thank vou so 01 0 The opportunity to lower tariffs worldwide and expand the U.S. economy into an export market should not be wasted. Due to incoming Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole's (R-Kansas) change ofheart, the General Agree- ment on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) stands an excellent chance of passing through both houses ofCongress on its way tobeingratified through- out the world. The future of the nation's eco- nomic vitality in the world market will hinge on whether or not the rest of the Republican Party and a few Democratic holdouts recog- nize this and vote "Yes" to the ratification of the treaty. Contrary to opponents' arguments, loosen- ing trade restrictions - as proven in the case of NAFTA - does not serve to hasten a loss of jobs from the industrial and manufacturing sector. However, proponents who claim that millions of additional jobs will be created from the treaty are not necessarily correct either. Rather, the issue at stake is the rise in better- paying jobs, as instituting GATT will result in an increase in exports in U.S.-manufactured goods. U.S. agriculture will also get a tremen- dous shot in the arm, since this is the first treaty that will eliminate tariffs and expand trade rights for the nation's farmers. Among other benefits are expanded copyright and patent rules under the treaty that will result in com- puter software companies being able to reach expanded markets and control copied software the overall American industrial economy's outlook. Losses in individual regions will be offset by gains from the rest of the country. Environmental and consumer groups such as Greenpeace and Public Citizen are also against the bill, due to its provisions forheight- ened importance of the World Trade Organi- zation (WTO). Under the treaty, these critics worry, American sovereignty is at risk if the WTO is able to toughen treaty enforcement procedures, which could include ruling against American regulations. This danger is over- stated. Current environmental and safety laws of scientific merit are specifically exempted from being overturned. Laws aimed at protec- tionism are at risk, but GATT is currently able to rule against the U.S. anyway, so little would change. Though the U.S. would lose its veto power against WTO rulings, the nation's sta- tus as an economic superpower the fear of retaliation would hinder serious strikes against U.S. policy. If there is one glaring problem with the implementation of the GATT treaty, it is the provision allowing secretive closed-door meet- ings of the WTO. However, this is no worse than the existing situation. Nothing is lost by ratification, but everything is gained economi- cally. Conservative efforts at blocking the treaty are narrow-minded and irresponsible. GATT is not a pet issue for the Democrats; Ronald I I I 4 E