4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, April 7, 1995 Gibe kb ignx &olau 420 Maynard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan MICHAEL ROSENBERG Editor in Chief JULIE BECKER JAMES NASH 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. Faiing th stuents LSA worong to limit pass/fail for languages Up until now, students have had the choice of taking their language classes pass/ fail. This option allows LSA students to fulfill the fourth-term proficiency required for a B.A. or B.S. degree without the pressure of worrying about their grades. But this week, in a misguided attempt to improve the quality of language courses, the LSA faculty voted almost unanimously to eliminate the pass/ fail option for courses that fulfill the fourth semester of the language requirement. This action flies directly in the face of common sense and shows that the majority of LSA faculty do not understand the problems that beset language programs at the University. The motivation for the change is not rooted in myopia. It is an undeniable fact that many language courses need significant improve- ment. The problem with the faculty's pass/ fail solution is that it fails to take into account the true nature of these flaws and address them accordingly. Supporters of the change place the blame for the low quality of language courses on the students. They assume that students taking a course pass/fail are not motivated to do more than the C- work necessary to pass the course. Thus, the quality of the course declines be- cause students don't care. This is true to an extent, but language courses are of low qual- ity for many reasons - not just student participation. While the pass fail/option con- tributes to the overall lack of motivation, there are serious internal flaws within many language courses that contribute a great deal more. This new solution fails to address these shortcomings - and until it does, the courses will continue to be substandard. The only thing eliminating pass/fail for the fourth term will do is damage students' GPAs. Above and beyond the LSA faculty's misguided intentions, this action demon- strates a lack of faculty respect for students. LSA Dean Edie N. Goldenberg remarked after the proceeding that there was over- whelming support for the measure from the faculty present. Perhaps - but she men- tioned no overwhelming support from the students. The fact is, students are in large measure opposed to this change. It has been made clear by LSA Student Government and the student body in general that this is exactly what students do not want. In passing this proposal, the faculty ignored their wishes. The resolution itself is also disrespectful in that it treats college students like young children. Some students are undoubtedly less mature than others, especially in language classes, but it is not the place of the faculty to use academic discipline to stop it. The as- sumption in college is that students take their education seriously and care about the courses they elect. If they do not -as is too often the case in language courses - the University must address it not by limiting student op- tions but by looking at the courses them- selves and attempting to make them more desirable. The LSA faculty's attempts to improve language courses at the University are well- intentioned. Many of the courses definitely need upgrading. Before this can happen, how- ever, the flaws need to be identified and understood. As this proposal indicates, the faculty is currently hiding behind quick-fix solutions. LSA would be well served to re- search this issue further before making sweep- ing changes to the pass/fail option. Hi if t It is almost that time of year when high school seniors in the state of Michigan and around the country, faced with decid- ing their immediate future, must ask that life-altering question: "beer or liquor"? Since that question has such an obvi- ous answer ("both"), these high school seniors might eventually get around to deciding where to go to college. And when they do, there is one university that will undoubtedly be at the top of everyone's list, a true leader and the best. But not everyone can get into Harvard, and so some of these seniors will undoubt- edly be left with the University of Michi- gan on their lists. The decision of whether or not to spend the next five or six years in Ann Arbor will come down to a list of pros and cons. First, the pros. The University has a lovely campus, completely with its own set of trees, called an "arboretum," or "place to get stoned among the insects." The Law Quad is beautiful, a three-dimen- sional postcard, and overall the campus is, like many pictures, picturesque. The University also has fine academ- ics, or so say the people at U.S. News and World Report, and they should know, be- cause they have, on numerous occasions, visited campus. Other evidence that the University has fine academics: Many rec- ognized smart people have graduated from [AEL RosENBERG here, such as James Earl Jones, Dan Dierdorf and a whole bunch of astronauts nobody can name. Another strong point of the University is the athletic department. Year after year, Michigan absolutely dominates the nation - in merchandise sales. OK, so national championships are about as rare as text- books that cost less than $427, but the bottom line is that Michigan wins a whole lot in almost every sport, and when it comes to violating NCAA rules, the Wol- verines rarely get caught. So those are the pros, pretty much, the reasons teens around the United States would want to attend this here University. Now for the cons. Ann Arbor is colder than wind, a town where coffee freezes in your hand. This wouldn't be a major prob- lem except that you have to spend some of your time outside, namely all of it. Another problem is that the University is larger than Chris Farley, causing stu- dents to complain that they "feel like a number here," as though people have So- cial Security numbers instead of names. This is only partly true. In fact, students have a 10th digit added to their Social Security number to form their student ID number. In other words, SOCIAL SECU- RITY NUMBERS ARE NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. But let's say that some of these high school seniors concentrate on the pros, overlook the cons, and -. realizing that they weren't accepted anywhere else decide to come to Ann Arbor for college. These students will spend weeks deciding on majors, courses and professors. Frankly, this is a waste of time, since in five years they will all be flipping burgers some- where. What's important for the students is where to live during their "freshman" (read: clueless) year. The choices vary, but eacl4 student is destined for a certain dorm. Simplyput, this is how it breaks down: Those who don't sleep live in South Quad. Those who don't talk live in Couzens. Those who do talk, but say things like "Shaw, I, like, totally know what you mean. You know what I mean?" live in Alice Lloyd. (Northwest Airlines now of- fers direct flights from the loading dock at Lloyd to Long Island.) Those who engi- neer live on North Campus. Those who don't like rats live in Stockwell, Mosher- Jordan or West Quad. All others live in Markley. And so it is with the admissions pro- cess, which comes to an end once again in a few short weeks. High school seniors will attend Michigan for different reasons. As long as they pay their tuition, it doesn't really matter. 4 RosEs Axe RF~n gh school seniors decide hey shouldjoin 'U' I" Jim LASER b / SHARP AS TOAST! NotABIE QUOTABLE "U-M did not come out a winner and Michigan State University and Western Michigan University did come out as winners." - State Rep. Mary Schroe (D-Ann Arbor), on the passage of the higher education appropriations budget in the state House i "f ' . Motor City breakdown State budget proposals would hurt Detroit - r Goop Sylbc F 5T StxE! WHAT "5 WROI~JbWirH CRAJDPA? WHY 15 HE cRYIN~c-,.... 0V1 o GRANJ MA VPIE ? NO, " W H YANKEES ,'vs - RLAS ED R-imI n the quest for a responsible state budget, cultural programs are often the first to hit the chopping block. In times of fiscal neces- sity, when the cuts need to be made in the best interest of the state, this is politically under- standable. However, during times of pros- perity in the state's economy, it is hard to justify slashing funds for the Detroit Histori- cal Museum, police department and Cobo Hall, three programs vital to the fiscal and cultural health of Detroit. The cutting of $2.2 million in funds to the police department clearly is misguided. One would expect that this aspect of Gov. John Engler's proposal will not make it past the "get tough on crime" state Legislature. Cut- ting the crime lab and patrol funds for events such as parades and the Detroit Grand Prix are, simply, stupid. The last thing that metro- politan Detroit and the surrounding commu- nities who rely on the crime lab are less funding for patrols and enforcement. The Detroit Historical Museums and Cobo Hall are the less obvious misgivings about Engler's proposed cuts. But as Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer has noted, these programs affect all of southeastern Michigan. Statis- tics show that the four museums and houses operated by the Historical Society bring more than 156,000 visitors to the city from outside the Detroit area each year. These are dollars r flowing into the city, not out. Furthermore, Cobo Hall, site of the North American Auto Show and numerous state conventions, has seen more than a 50-percent increase in con- How TO CONTACT THEM vention bookings since Archer took office. With these events comes a windfall for down- town Detroit hotels, restaurants and shop- ping areas. The past three years have already seen a decrease of 44 percent in state allocations to the Historical Society. If further cuts take place, the museums will have to severely reduce staff and hours. Inevitably, they will start closing their doors permanently. For the outstate lawmakers in the state Legislature, this is not a problem. They fail to see that depriving Detroit has implications that affect the rest of the state. Quality of life in the metropolitan area is important for the economic health of Michigan. The less money that is brought into the city's coffers, the more money the state will have to provide to prop up the city's already weak tax base. Archer and many others in Detroit have made many valid and successful attempts at reversing the decline of the city. Engler and state lawmakers cannot expect growth to continue if Detroit officials' hands are tied behind their backs financially. The cost ben- efits of keeping venerable cultural institu- tions and Cobo Hall open are clear. Cuts aimed at the police department are patently ludicrous. State legislators must look at where Detroit is going. If they choose to ignore the implica- tions of these cuts, and slash programs to finance Engler's politics, then they will start the ball rolling that will force Detroit to return to the dismal path of financial ruin. LETTERS Journalistic ethics ignored To the Daily: What has happened to integ- rity? What has happened to eth- ics in journalism? .An article appeared on the front page of the Daily ("Base- ball asst. coach leaves amid con- flict, 3/21/95) concerning assis- tant baseball coach Dan O'Brien. The article quoted sev- eral players and unnamed sources about the issue of his leaving the baseball program. I know that your publication is obligated to report news to the student body. But issues were raised in the article that have no' place in any publication without real facts to back them up. Many are afforded the luxury of opin- ion without addressing fact, but not a newspaper because it is a powerful outlet that influences opinions. You can't just write what some people say and not give others an equal voice. College players are often thrust into the spotlight because of the media and thus given an undeserved position of author- ity. What do they know? Not much, only what they hear, and locker-room talk often is a very watered-down version of the truth. But, your publication ob- viously puts a lot of stock in speculation. Speculation occupies 75 per- cent of the article. The article says players observed visible strain between coach Freehan and coach O'Brien, yet never ticle appear on the front page of the Daily. The authors picked on the immaturity of uninformed athletes whose opinions stem from rumor and hearsay. Sure it's spicy. All controversy is. But it has no place without letting the head coach respond. What can be done about this tremendous breach of ethics? Well, it is too late to undo much of the damage. Other newspa- pers have already picked up the story and further raise specula- tion about the dealings of the baseball program. The Daily has unknowingly tarnished its repu- tation by raising issues without providing both sides of the story. It makes the University look bad, it makes coach Freehan look bad, and it makes the Daily look more like a tabloid that a reli- able source of information. The bounds of editorial freedom stretch only as far as the truth. Matthew Hyde LSA junior Fans spoiled To the Daily: Michigan fans are spoiled. In their columns on Monday ("For unknown reasons, 'M' can't shake curse," "Blue fans endure year of tragedies," 4/3/95), Brett Forrest and Paul Barger basi- cally said that Michigan's ath-. letic teams suffered through a "year of tragedies." It is pitiful that the opinion of the Daily's sportswriters is also shared by many of Michigan's students: Unless our team wins the na- in one big circle. After I returned to Ann Ar- bor from R.I., all I could hear about was how Michigan "choked" again. Michigan fans have to wake up and rid them- selves of their diapers and bibs. We are not going to be national champs in every sport, all the time. Instead of focusing on the successes of our teams, we only remember the negatives. What will you remember about the Fab Five? One of the most incredible basketball classes ever recruited or failing to win two national titles? What about this year's hockey team? Back-to-back CCHA titles, a 30- win season and a final four berth or hey, we choked again! I will remember Sakala, Sinclair, Sacka, Willis, Knuble, Hogan and Loges together as teammates forthe lasttime. I will remember them like I remember all the athletes who wore maize and blue this year - as winners. All that Brett Forrest can say "... is that the Wolverines, while providing inspirational moments, will always ultimately disap- point." All that I can say to Brett Forrest and the other fair-weather fans is: Stay at home! Leave the games to the real fans. Then the only "tragedy" of next year will be ifyourmommydoesn'tchange your diaper! Matthew McAskln LSA junior Faculty has no cav in ti dtinn choose its own professors." A university administration enjoys no such "right" and it strikes me that this may be an- other instance of widespread ig- norance as to the roles of admin- istrators and faculties in univer- sities. (In another publication this week, the Michigan Review, I read the astoundingly ill-in- formed statement that the facul can choose to raise tuition when- ever it pleases.) At the University of Michi- gan both professional appoint- ments and increases in tuition are made by the Board of Regents. The faculty has a great deal to do with such appointments, as it does with curricular and academi matters generally. It has nothi to do with tuition increases (ex- cept generally to deplore them); these are the work of an adminig- tration that keeps repeating that it cannot raise tuition forever and just as consistently raises tuition. In a related news story, as to the state Legislature's higher education subcommittee' move to cut University appr' priations next year, Regent An- drea Fischer Newman (R-Ann Arbor) says it makes her won- der who is representing us in Lansing, and University flak Walter Harrison warns darkly that the only alternative to a tuition raise would be firings. I can with confidence assurere ers of the Daily there will be a tuition increase next year, what- ever the outcome of state appro- priations deliberations.-The rea- son is that without increased University Regent Nellie Varner (D-Detroit) 771 East 8 Mile Rd., Suite 223 natit MI ASAY)( University Regent Daniel Horning (R-Grand Haven) 600 S. Beacon Blvd. Grand Pmnidc MI AQA17