4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 26, 1996 U tw S itr# ?§i 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 Unleis 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 Doctor's office NOTABLE QUOTABLE,", 'Because the society in general has become more violent, adults have become more violent and kids imitate adults. Our job Is to teach them that violence is not an acceptable response.' - Judge Nancy Francis of the Washtenaw County Probate Court and member of the council coordinating SafeMichigan Children's Initiative YuKi KUNIYUKI GROUND ZERO LB4TI'M P AYIN G Kro r-53- -6 oo~y "o. 10 VER C"LODE D 8034 IECeE 7>TTERS TOE OELEDDIT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR New position will heal search problems T he University Board of Regents and interim President Homer Neal recently announced the formation of a new executive position. The "executive vice president for medical affairs" will oversee the Medical School and University Hospitals operations. Neal and the regents deserve commenda- tion for creating the position. The new position comes in wake of last April's announcement that University Hospitals would be downsizing. Then, last July, John Forsyth, the executive director of the: Medical Center, and Giles Bole, Medical School dean, announced their res- ignations. Earlier this week, Neal told the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs that "the hospital center is more oriented to making money and the (Medical School) dean is more committed to the academic mission." The differing interests between the two are the main motivation for creating the position. The new position should pre- vent bickering between the two entities. It also will give the Presidential Search Advisory Committee more leeway to select candidates for University president. While the financial contribution of the hospital is important, the focus of the University's medical programs must remain on education, not on profits. The University is a school - not a business. The new exec- utive position should be able to solve the differences between the hospitals and the school, and promote academics over finan- cial gain. The change is also significant because the committee can now focus solely on can- didates with academic backgrounds, rather than those with administrative experience in Cras i State moves to p L ast week, the Michigan Senate voted to revamp driver education regulations. The bill aims to increase privatization of driver education programs. It also makes obtaining full driving privileges more diffi- cult. The bill appears to be another vicious Republican attack on public schools, at the expense of all of Michigan's citizens. Under the legislation, some students would not have the opportunity to learn to drive. States would give $80 per student to each district for driver's training, and the districts would be required to match the state's contribution. 4. If the cost of the lesson" exceeds $160, the district could charge the students. . Traditionally, schools pay for driver's education with tax dol- lars. The bill amounts to a new tax on families - a tax that many cannot afford. A higher percentage of stu- dents in private driver's train- ing classes would lead to a" decrease in educational quality. According the medical field. The committee is current- ly conducting a search to replace former University President James Duderstadt, who stepped down last June. E. James Potchen, chair of radiology at Michigan State University, and M. David Low, also a medical doctor, were both approached about the University presidency - the first proof that medical administra- tive experience was a possible requirement for the new presidency. Regent Shirley McFee (R-Battle Creek), co-chair of the committee, said the new president should be an academic with business savvy. She also said that considering the Medical Center's massive downsizing, the new pres- ident should have "knowledge of health care facility management." An unfortunate side effect of this quali- fication is that it limits the committee slightly. The committee should find candi- dates who would best serve the entire University community, not just the Medical Center. The new executive would eliminate the need for University presidential candi- dates to have medical backgrounds. The new president will not be overburdened with the Medical Center downsizing and could then focus his or her attention on broader interests. The new position fills a hole in the framework that will give the medical departments of the University a common focus. The new office also will prevent the Medical Center reorganization from bur- dening the new president. The creation of the office is good for the University as a whole - the regents and Neal have wisely developed a creative solution to significant problems. vatize driver's ed exceed $100, would have temptation to pass an unqualified student rather than face the wrath of his parents. An unbiased party should administer the driving test. The bill would require students to drive 50 hours with a parent, 10 of which must be at night. Although requiring more driving experience is admirable, the new law would be virtually unenforceable. Also, some par- ents do not have the time to honor such a large commitment. A more sensible option " Daily misses late-term abortion facts To THE DAILY: Editorials are supposed to present evidence-supported opinions, not incorrect facts. After reading Tuesday's edi- torial ("Abortion Showdown" 9/24/96), I'm convinced your newspaper went out of its way to ignore the truths about partial birth abortions. First, your newspaper claims that partial birth abor- tions are only performed when "doctors discover severe abnormalities with the fetus." Perhaps you have not heard of Dr. Martin Haskell, a prominent late-term abor- tionist who performs partial birth abortions. In an inter- view with the American Medical News, Haskell said about the procedures, "most of my abortions are elective in that 20-24 week range ... 1n my particular case, proba- bly 20 percent are for genetic reasons. And the other 80 percent are purely elective." Nowhere does he say any abortions are performed because "the mother has seri- ous health problems" as is claimed by your newspaper. Furthermore, your newspaper claims "abortion is a freedom that is protected by law." The Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade makes it clear that abortion can be prohibited by government, specifically dur- ing the time that Haskell has stated that he performs par- tial birth abortions. I would also like to address the main point of the editorial. Your newspaper claims that conservatives are playing election-year politics. Frankly, I don't understand your reasoning. If conserva- tives are failing in the polls, wouldn't a controversial vote be the last thing on their to- do list? Also, your newspaper interestingly switches from using the term "conserva- tives" to "Republicans" in identifying the supporters of the bill, forgetting that many Democrats voted for the override, like Anna Eshoo of California, who is hardly a conservative or a Republican. What a service your newspa- per provides. I'm glad I don't have to pay $5 for a Sunday edition of The Sacramento Bee to be provided with this kind of amusement. DAVID GRANDA ENGINEERING SOPHOMORE Jackson's audience was , ,. for a peaceful future of love and friendship? Hope for what, exactly?" After missing Jesse Jackson's visit to the University, I wonder what aspects of hope for diversity and acceptance were actually in the audience on Sept. 23. What did Jackson see? Laurie Mayk writes ("Jackson touts the impact of student vote," 9/24/96): "Jackson commented on the diversity of the Ann Arbor audience - an aspect of campus life on which the University prides itself." Then Mayk quotes Jackson, "You look like what (Martin Luther King Jr.) lived and died for - you look like a little United Nations here." Funny, but I don't remem- ber being at Jackson's sched- uled meeting. But then again, those Jewish students who were worshipping at Yom Kippur services would neither be at his "rally" nor in class doing academic work. To me, as a Jewish student, spirituality on this most holy day forgoes all my academic and other com- mitments. I could not be pre- sent. Neither could any other spiritual Jews attend Jackson's rally or the lectures of their professors. This conflict in schedule, and obvious contradiction in terms, (i.e., pride in diversity) does not have me stunned. Instead, this aspect of life is normal for me. Somehow I believe that the Yom Kippur article on Page 3 would have served a better purpose by being right next to the Jackson article in which he assumes the diversity of his audience. When I consider the fact that visible minorities are still discriminated against every single day, I wonder what invisible minorities are ignored or overlooked every- day as well. I know some of the answers because I experi- ence them. Considering that the politicians are still talking about "family values," con- sider that I - and many other students - as Jews, as Muslims, as Hindus and as member of other religions cannot go home to their "families" to celebrate the most sacred holidays with them. Unlike "Christmas break," there is no "high holi- day break.' Furthermore, it is difficult to commit spiritually without suffering the conse- quences of missed classes. The University campus continues to overlook the importance of Jewish or other "diverse" holidays of "diverse" religions. The respect granted to Catholic or Christmas-worshipping stu- dents and often taken advan- tage of, is not given to the many students, who similarly University, are to "pride" ourselves on diversity, we should be able to walk the walk. In addition to the University's blindness to the religious importance of spiri- tual holidays to students, there is blindness to diversity. Many academic programs continue to use the old ver- sion of the Affirmative Action Statement. Is this not promoting continued discrim- ination? Similarly, the presi- dential policy on sexual ori- entation is many times over- looked. Finally - and most dis- couraging - is the University's inability to update the literature to the current and present names of different groups, support sys- tems or program offices (i.e. the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Programs Office). The University cannot seem to "walk the walk" despite its intense desire to be such a diverse campus. Visibility, change and reform are not moving quickly enough to take the pride in our diversity that Jackson commented about. Our cam- pus still has a long way to go. Funny enough, those who want to argue - political correctness isn't even the issue. Instead, the issue remains promoting accep- tance and tolerance of all. The only way to begin along that path of hope is to put one foot in front of the other with our minds and eyes open wide. Hopefully Jackson meant to say all that and more, so that we could spiritually con- nect at at least one level together on that Yom Kippur day. POWERFUL MWA Getting back to the grassroots "With a good conscience our only sure reward, with histor the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth and lead the land we love, asking his bless- ing and his helps but knowing thai here on earth, God s work must truly be our own." - John Kennedy H e was crunched in a 15-person capacity van with 24 other peo- ple and several chickens to go to an area he knew nothing about. He was instructed to stay _______ at his isolated destination for three days, then make his own way back home. To use the bathroom he would have to squat over a hole in the ground, and as he walked through the area, MPATANISHI people shyly peered at him TAYARI behind their doors, wondering who this strange-looking guy was. No, this man was not a part of some bizarre fraternity initiation. Instead, hel was part of a largerorganization designed to promote world peace and friendship through grassroots volun- teerism. Steven was in the Peace Corps. Two years later he found himself sitting in hisroom with his dog and community friends eating plantains and singing songs. There were a lot of bittersweet - but good - memories in Zimbabwe that Steven would later take to law school with him - along with maturity, flexibility,4 resourcefulness and technical expertise. KENNEDY'S VISION The 1960s and 1970s marked the height of social awareness, activism and volunteerism in the United States. In accordance to this, it was in 1960 at 2 a.m. that the popular and persuasive for- mer President John E Kennedy first proposed the idea on the steps of the Michigan Union. Ultimately founded in 1961 by virtue of an Executive Order o former President Kennedy, the Peace Corps currently places Americans in 94 foreign countries around the world. The three goals of the Peace Corps are: 1) Help people of interested coun- tries meet their needs for trained men and women, 2) Help promote better understanding of the American people on the part of people served, and 3) Promote better understanding of other people on the part of American people. Volunteers serve in Africa, Central and South America, the'Near East, Asia, the Pacific, and Eastern Europe. MINORITY INVOLVEMENT When most people think of a Peace Corps Volunteer a white, upper-mid- dle-class, "long-haired" young man or woman ready to save the world comes to mind. In the hope of eradicating this stereotype, it is important that citizens of color also take upon themselves the4 challenge of being a "world citizen." Most of us volunteer because we carry some type of socioeconomic privilege, whether it be acquired through education, class or some other social status. An African American woman very active in American com- munity service once expressed discon- tent at Americans volunteering abroad "when there are people who need help right here" This can be reiterated through the fact that while blacks haveE a history of volunteerism, it has histor- ically only been focused on their own communities. To this woman, I urged the understand- ing that we live in a shrinking global community. And since U.S. citizens carry with them one of the greatest socioeconomic privileges of the world, it is important that we also reach out to our brothers and sisters across the oceans. As a country of immigrants, the United States is, indeed, made up of widely varied backgrounds found across the seas. It is for this reason that we also work to fulfill Peace Corps' second goal: to help promote better understanding of the American people on the part of people served. We need to demonstrate this ethnic diversity rather than enforce false stereotypes. Currently, 13 percent of Peace Corps volunteers come from minority com- munities; 4 percent from African American communities and 3 percent from Hispanic communities. While these numbers don't reflect the population, they show promise. Black and Hispanic volunteers have more to gain than technological and professional enrichment from Peace Corps assign- ments. Serving in Africa, the Caribbean. or Central and South America gives them better understanding of their own ethnic, cultural and historical roots. BENEFITS Becoming a Peace Corps volunteer is a challenge in itself. Applicants should begin the application process at least eight months before they would m I I would be to MATT W'MSATT/Daily increase the amount of driving required in driver's ed classes. Engler has agreed to sign the legislation partly because he claims that schools should refocus their core mission - to teach students to read and write. In no way does offering driver's education detract from this core mission. Driving classes are usually at night or during the summer, and do not replace an academic class in a student's curriculum. Engler MAGDA SCHOOL OF SOCIAL MSZA reps. should KONIG WORK to Stephen Barnes, program coordinator of the Southfield Public Schools, "Not all pri- vate courses follow the strict guidelines we do. We'll see more students who are not fully trained and more accidents." Public schools have a strong track record in dri- ver's training. Turning instruction over to these whose primary aim is profit, and not student safety, would make Michigan roads more hazardous. The driver's education bill does contain a few positive, but flawed, provisions. Once again, a road test would be required to obtain a license. Either the police or a train- should reconsider. Attacking public schools has become a hobby in Lansing. In attempting to privatize driver's training, the Legislature would do great harm to all Michigan citizens. Many families would be strained by the financial burden of driver education classes. Those students unable to afford driver's ed would be limited in their search for a job. The pro- gram's decrease in quality would put more inexperienced drivers onto the road. More accidents would increase fatalities and insurance rates. In shaping policy, Engler and the Republican-controlled Legislature need to remain true to parties TO THE DAILY: Michigan Student Assembly representatives need to chill out. Accusations and protests about party poli- tics and personal agendas do nothing but make us mere mortals (translated: the rest of the campus that are not members of MSA) turn to the Daily crossword faster than usual. I personally have more respect for those representa- tives who were elected on a party platform and choose to show integrity by remaining trfn t ha ,0ran cnn *t V rPin 0 I II