4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, December 9, 1996
Ujhe £diggrn &i g
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
RONNIE GLASSBERG
Editor in Chief
ADRIENNE JANNEY
ZACHARY M. RAIMI
Editorial Page Editors
"NOTABLE QUOTABLE
'When a lot of people are coming and going and carrying
personal luggage and possessions, it's the prime time for
theft. To avoid being a victim of crime, room doors
should always be kept locked.'
- Department of Public Safety spokesperson Elizabeth Hall
Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Daily's editorial board. All
other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
FROM THE DAILY
JIM LASSER
SHARP AS TOAST
RuM
S~mh sare
House OMA changes would thwart openness
B ased on the desires of many state uni-
versity leaders, the Michigan House
Higher Education Committee approved two
bills last week to exempt university presi-
dential searches from the Open Meetings
Act. The committee also is sponsoring an
initiative to deny the public access to docu-
ments that search committees gather. The
Freedom of Information Act currently
allows public access to such documents, but
opponents of OMA may gain this foothold
by deeming search committees nonpublic
whereas governing boards are public. Final
approval of any of these three bills would be
disastrous, especially for the University.
Searches would become less productive -
the majority of this community would not
have the opportunity to voice its opinion on
the final selection, as if they weren't isolat-
ed enough from the decision.
The measures would further hide presi-
dential searches from the University com-
munity and Michigan citizens. Proposed
OMA revisions would allow the University
Board of Regents to meet in secret after a
search advisory committee gives the
regents five finalists. The five names would
be made public and the regents would have
to wait until at least 30 days before making
a selection. The process would grant the
University community nothing but a super-
ficial knowledge of the five finalists, pro-
viding no opportunities for interaction
between the candidates and students and
faculty. The measures also would eliminate
the chance for the public to examine quali-
fications and intentions of the candidates -
information that the regents would ascertain
in secret. The University would have, at
best, a limited view.
Moreover, the amendments would
Torit
9Mr
obscure the University's search committee
- which is merely an extension of the
regents. The FOIA addendum would exempt
the committee from relinquishing requested
search documents. Whether or not it direct-
ly reports to the citizens of this state, the
committee is working on their behalf, and
therefore must be accountable to residents.
Committee members must design the
process by which they develop a pool of
candidates in the direct interest of the pub-
lic, especially students and faculty.
The committee must establish the
process as a matter of public record, open
for inspection at all levels. Government in
all its forms needs to be accountable to the
public it serves. The amendments are coun-
terintuitive to the fundamental tenets of
democracy.
Secret searches deny the community par-
ticipation. Regents and other administrators
have often complained that an open search
limits the number and quality of candidates.
They claim many qualified administrators
would not want to insult the institution at
which they are serving by becoming a candi-
date for a position outside the institution.
However, in the only semi-open search the
University has ever conducted - the search
that resulted in President-select Lee
Bollinger - the four finalists were all
extremely well qualified and did not fear ill
will from the universities that currently
employed them. Holding the search in the
open can increase the new president's sup-
port - various constituencies have the
opportunity to witness and/or participate in*
the search process. Public selection gives the
president a community mandate. Open
searches foster trust. Secret searches instill
mistrust. What do the regents have to fear?
to safetkY
1 background checks
Furthermore, unlike previous legislation
that the Supreme Court struck down, the
Brady Act does not require states to enact
further handgun legislation. Rather, it
forces local police to run routine back-
ground checks to certify that those purchas-
ing guns are eligible to do so. In a ruling to
uphold the law last year, the Ninth U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals deemed the bur-
den minor, akin to "federally imposed
duties of state officers to report missing
children or traffic fatalities." While the
Supreme Court has been increasingly sym-
pathetic to states' rights in recent years, this
is a case in which they should clearly sup-
port the law as it now stands.
However, even if the justices follow the
logical course of action, the Brady Act may
require more help. As originally written, the
provision for the waiting period will expire
after five years - at which time a national
computerized system is supposed to be in
action to perform instant background
checks. But current projections predict the
computerized system will not be ready in
time. Time constraints present a problem
only Congress can solve. While members
of the National Rifle Association fight to
weaken the Brady Act, Congress must take
action to extend the viability of the five-day
waiting period provision until a national
crime computer is established to allow
instant background checks.
The Brady Act is an effective deterrent
- federal officials estimate that its provi-
sions have stopped more than 60,000 con-
victed criminals from purchasing firearms
since its adoption. As an important weapon
against crime, the law must not falter, either
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Evaluations
are important
TO THE DAILY:
In my four years here at
University, I have had many
great and inspiring professors
and graduate student instruc-
tors, but I have also had
many very bad teachers. I
write this not to name any-
one, but to tell my fellow stu-
dents to really take care when
filling out the evaluations at
the end of the year.
I see too many people
hastily filling in bubbles
without taking the time to
write any real feedback. If
you had a good professor, tell
him or her what you liked so
they will keep working hard.
Too many professors get
burned out and think of
teaching as a burden. Each of
my professors and GSIs who
have been bad teachers know
how I thought they could do
better after reading my evalu-
ations. Each of my good
teachers were told what their
best qualities were as a
teacher.
Every student needs to
tell their teachers what they
are doing right and how to
improve. I have used the
Advice magazine before, but
I think it needs to expand to
include more information and
more teachers. I also think
we should be able to pick our
GSIs when we CRISP, not
just "Staff." I am an anthro-
pology/zoology major and I
am willing to comment on
any professor or GSI that I
have had as a teacher. Just e-
mail me esme@unmich:edu.
Also, if you have any
information on good and bad
classes and teachers, please
contact me. Thank you.
I expect the most for my
time and money; I deserve
good teachers.
Every student at the
University deserves good
teachers.
LAURA WILSON
RC SENIOR
DonOrs
screened for
a variety of
maladies
Court must keep gun
W hen the Brady Bill passed in 1994, it
was hailed as a step toward making
the country a safer place. By mandating
background checks on prospective firearm
purchasers, the bill aims to keep guns out of
the hands of convicted felons. Now, back-
ground checks - the key to the law's effec-
tiveness - are under fire in the U.S.
Supreme Court. Some state police are tar-
geting the checks as an unconstitutional
infringement upon the rights of local law
enforcement officials. The Court must
uphold the act.
The Brady Act imposes a waiting period
of five business days for the purchase of
handguns, during which police must con-
duct a background check of prospective
buyers. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are
sheriffs from Montana and Arizona, who
claim that local police departments should
not be "conscripted for a federal crusade."
As such, the law's opponents believe the
burden imposed upon local police is an
infringement upon states' rights to regulate
gun sales within their borders.
But the arguments against the Brady Act
are flawed. The law is necessary no matter
how difficult the enforcement. On one level
is the matter of differential gun control
statutes in various states. While many states
currently have background checks or wait-
ing periods more stringent than the actual
guidelines that the Brady Act prescribes,
others do not have specific laws to mandate
criminal history screening. The loopholes
raise the specter of criminals - who might
risk detection in their own state - crossing
into states without background checks to
illegally purchase firearms. The presence of
its donors, as are the recipi-
ents of blood, which may
save someone's life.
The issue here is not
about fairness, selfishness or
anything of the kind. AIDS,
hepatitis, infections or possi-
ble exposure to avenues for
infections, such as having
your teeth cleaned within
days of a donation, are all
reasons for deferring a donor.
While you may not think
that epidemiological screen-
ing is "fair," it truly is a
mechanism that places the
public health first and fore-
most in deference to the feel-
ings of individuals. The prob-
lem is that the viruses are
sneaky critters and they often
elude our attempts to test for
them until someone has had
the disease for sometimes up
to a year.
I assure you that the Red
Cross could't care less how
you answer the questions it
asks - other than to deter-
mine if you (and thus the
blood you are carrying) may
have a myriad, of disease
agents including - but not
limited to - HIV
WALT ROBERTS
WAYNE STATE
MEDICAL SCHOOL
No evidence
to support
implant risks
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing in response
to your editorial ("Waving off
women," 12/6/96).
In particular, you assert
that "an overwhelming
amount of research has
shown that silicone breast
implants are dangerous.'
Exactly where was this
research published, and by
whom? To my knowledge,
not only is there not an
"overwhelming amount of
evidence," but there is in fact
no scientific evidence estab-
lishing a link between sili-
cone breast implants and dis-
ease.
While anecdotal reports
of illness blamed on these
implants may seem convinc-
ing, they are not science.
I suggest that in the future
you check the facts before
making claims about what
science has or has not
proven.
JEFF WITHEY
RACKHAM
Photo
showed Blue
at its worst
TO THE DAILY:
While I myself normally
onlv nick vour newsnaner to
Weekend, etc.
It was what I expected it
to be, a lot of reviews of this
and that, but I felt the most
interesting aspect of it was
your photographers'
favorites.
While I enjoyed viewing
the majority of the pictures,
the photo chosen by Joe
Westrate was inappropriate.
Why in the world would I
want to look at a picture of
Michigan football falling on
its face to a rival like
Northwestern?
When I look at our athlet-
ic program I want to be
reminded of our successes,
not our failures! I felt that the
pictures by Warren Zinn and
Mark Friedman better exem-
plify the great tradition that
Michigan athletics has sought
to establish.
Go Blue!
BRENT BARBOUR
LSA SOPHOMORE
Students
should learn
bus routes
TO THE DAILY:
This is in response to a
letter that appeared in
Thursday's Daily ("U' buses
do not serve students' needs"
12/5/96) written by a student
expressing his frustration
with the University bus sys-
tem.
At first glance, it seemed
the typical confusion that
comes with being a fresh-
man. But, no. This was writ-
ten by an Engineering senior
who should know better. He
should know better thanto
run late to a 9 a.m. bus to
catch a 9 a.m. class.
Five Bursley-Baits buses
passed him empty at 9 a.m.
because the passenger traffic
at that time of day is going
from those dorms into
Central Campus. Later in the
day traffic goes the other
way.
He waited 14 minutes for
door-to-door service rather
than hop on one of those
empty buses, get off at the
Pierpont Commons and get
to his class in a four-minute
walk. But obviously, he's not
the only one who hasn't fig-
ured this out, because his bus
is so crowded he has to stand.
I have been driving a bus
almost forever and can say
with some certainty that there
is no certainty. We get held
up by trucks backing into
loading docks, by passengers
needing directions or help
with strollers and kids, by yet
another student running fran-
tically toward an already-late
bus. I would encourage.
Richard Hofer to try to leave
for class a little earlier and
maybe engineer a remote-
control device that would
make pthe world run a littl
COMMuQMY CHEST
A2, a bastion -
of nornality?
noticed something the last time
was home.
They're normal, the people there.
If you're wondering whether 'm
implying that you people aren't nora
- you're right.
No offense.
What the hell are
you talking about, mw;.
Janney?
Really, the first
time I came to Ann
Arbor, I thought it
was Invasion of the
Body Snatchers.
Ann Arborites are
a little, well, scary.
Take a super-
market. Any super-
market. (No, ADRIENNE
Meijer's does not JANNEY
count.) Walk in.
Look around. What do you see?
Uh-huh. I told you.
Like, how come the Kroger in Ann
Arbor doesn't stock kosher marshmal
lows - and the Kroger in Toledo,
Ohio does? Compare the Jewish popu-
lations of both cities. Ann Arbor's per-
centage is much higher. What's wrong
with these people?
Oh, and it's Christmas time. So
every locale, home and abroad, has the
obligatory tinsel and mistletoe (don't
get caught by that stuff - it's very
dangerous, I can tell you, especially at
parties) and red ribbons. And the high-
ly obligatory, guilt-motivated, blue
and-white Happy Hanukkah trinkets.
When I first arrived here, I was
grateful that store clerks and clas
mates didn't bombard me with
Christmas spirit.
Now it gets on my nerves. It's fake.
Ann Arbor is trying to deny she's
really a Michigander. She doesn't
even say "pop." A soda? You mean a
club soda? You want some baking
soda? What's a lollipop, sucker? Put
your palm up and show me where
you're from, stranger.
Sure, I'd like to live in PC-land, bi
not with a bunch of fools who are veg-
etarians but eat chicken but don't eat
eggs but wear leather. Get an identity.
Take the grocery store in
Lambertville, Mich., a satellite of
Toledo. (Lambertville boasts multiple
banks and gas stations, though she has
only one real grocery store.)
Lambertville, Mich. - home of nor-
mality. OK, sort of. But at least you.
get a normal variance. Lambertvilli
(I like that) look at me like I'm weir
I want to stand up on the checkout and
announce, "No, really, I'm one of you.
I just went away to college. I was born
around here, really. My mother lives
here. Please don't lynch me -"
You see, they notice that even though
I'm in jeans and a sweater, my jewelry
is a little too carefully chosen, my
apparel a little too engineered, my
makeup a shade too dark, my sneake
a little too pink.
I certainly don't look like a farm girl.
Teen-agers, of course, look primped
wherever you are. But at their age, it's
OK to spend two hours doing your hair
in the morning. After all, you're still
developing your outer self-concept,
where letter jackets and brand-new
sneakers are signs of status.
Although I am at home here, the Ann
Arbor crowd is intimidating, with i
hard lines and hard tans and hard-co
diversity. At home, they wear the
Teamsters logo across the back of their
shiny jackets instead of the Reeses
logoystretched across their nonexistent
chests. They carry pocketbooks, brief-
cases and lunchboxes instead of over-
priced, slightly useless backpacks.
At home they work hard all day.
Here they work out and party hard.
Ann Arborites, particularly studen
strive to get noticed. Black hair, blac
lipstick, black combat boots, black
trench coat. Flared jeans, long hair,
nose ring, ugly '70s shirt. Blue jeans,
button-up plaid, expensive wristwatch,
leather shoes, flat-top haircut. Do you
shave your legs or are you a lipstick
feminist? Are you a dedicated con-
formist or a certified freak?
Guess what. There are more wherev-
er that came from. There are at least 10
copies of you, whoever you are. So
I guess we haven't figured out inside
well enough yet to drop the outside.
Of course, Ann Arbor has a hierar-
chy of high maintenance. Seniors can
always spot the freshmen. In
September, a recently graduated friend
of mine made the 10-minute trek to my
apartment, bombarded by strange
looks. When she arrived, she said, "I'd
forgotten about the freshmen, the on
who don't know that in Ann Arbor y
can go outside with your hair wet and
whatever is in the bottom of your clos-
et." (Actually, I dare not brave the bot-
tomn of my closet. I think it would
swallow me whole. Tangent over.) The
seniors, liberated by their proximity to
TO THE DAILY:
I am presently a medical
student at Wayne State
University. I have been
actively involved in cancer
medicine for several years
before deciding to attend
medical school. Many cancer
patients have surgery as part
of their cancer treatments and
require large volumes of
blood by today's standards.
These patients include AIDS
patients.
Believe me, the Red
I