4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 3, 1997
ti
firtrb i gun
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
JOSH WHITE
Editor in Chief
ERIN MARSH
Editorial Page Editor
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
Risig voes
Editorial page stands for students
NOTABLE QUOTABLE,
'So it's a great institution. I think It can get greater. I
think there's plenty of room for Improvement.'
- University President Lee Bollinger, in selection-process
interviews with the University Board of Regents
JIM LASSSEERHARP AS TOAST
HOW AM7 7 CONNA T7IEL. i-IE )
Cf WEAR ADIDAS... 1t
4rA 4T 4
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s long as there have been dissenting
opinions, there has been a public out-
cry for a forum in which to express them.
Obstacles in the path . to free expression
never really seem to disappear - they
emerge with every technological advance-
ment and every new method of communica-
tion. No sooner has society conquered a
previously thought unconquerable frontier
than there arises a myriad of regulations to
limit it. Recent forays into computer tech-
nology - expanding communication
options to include the Internet and electron-
ic mail - have resulted in not only
unprecedented options, but a storm of pro-
posed legislation to restrict, confine and
otherwise sculpt expression.
"One hundred and six years of editorial
freedom" - the phrase is more than just
words at the top of our front page. It holds
enormous meaning for the Daily's philoso-
phy and our ability to serve the community;
editorial decisions stand with 106 years of
editorial freedom supporting them. Such
freedom has been the Daily's saving grace
through times of oppression and turbulence.
The Daily editorial page stands for and
belongs to the students. We will do our best
to bring you local information that matters
- be it a University Board of Regents vote
on tuition increases, a Michigan Student
Assembly proposal to reallocate student
group funds or an Ann Arbor City Council
proposal to increase the fine for parking
citations. This page represents the concerns
that students face now and will in the future;
it should ultimately represent students' best
interests. The views that the Daily espouses
stand for justice, civil rights and equality.
The editorial page is a forum for debate,
discussion and opinion. It is a distinct priv-
ilege to share information and student voic-
es with the University community. As regu-
lations on expression and information
abound, we take great pride in an editorial
page that promotes open exchange and
allows student voices to resonate. The
University's concentrated student popula-
tion is a significant force - students must
recognize and embrace their power.
Whether they fight for improved student
loan programs, maintenance of affirmative
action or responsible legislators who will
recognize their needs, students must step up
and challenge those who would silence
them. In its broadest purpose, the editorial
page will continue to check the powers that
be to include the voices of the future.
But that which checks must not itself go
unchecked. Students must continue to keep
an eye on the Daily - and if they don't like
what they see, the door is open for response.
The ultimate goal of any editorial page edi-
tor is to make decisions that will represent
and reflect the best interests of the commu-
nity for which she or he works.
Occasionally, we may fall short of the goal.
Try as we might, the page cannot realisti-
cally represent every aspect of the
University's rich palette - the Daily has
never claimed to fit every philosophy. We
look to the student population to fill in the
gaps as it deems necessary - columnists,
cartoonists and letter-writers all place dif-
ferent pieces of the community puzzle.
We are pleased and proud to bring you a
small part of the world every weekday.
Many attempt to evaluate the value of indi-
vidual voices. We at the Daily maintain that
they are invaluable.
- Erin Marsh
Editorial Page Editor
-r -
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Welcome, Bollinger
New 'U' president faces challenging tasks
Last week, the process that began in
autumn 1995 came full circle. The pic-
ture of interim University President Homer
Neal is on the Union's presidential wall, and
he left the president's office for a research
project in Switzerland. Symbolically, Neal
is also taking with him the anticipation and
preparation for new University President
}Lee Bollinger. Talk of searches, candidates,
,interim office-holders and the president-
select is now noticeably absent from cam-
pus. Everything seems to be settling back
into the usual state of affairs, and Bollinger
has taken the helm. Welcome, President
Bollinger.
Fundamentally, the presidency must lie
on the relationship between Bollinger and
the University's various constituencies.
Bollinger must foster close ties with stu-
dents, staff and the outside community and
be able to draw those diverse elements into
a cohesive and progressive assemblage.
There is a certain amount of tradition
that Bollinger must continue. The
Michigan Mandate and the Agenda for
Women, which started under former
University President James Duderstadt,
have set the tone for minority relations.
Increasing minority enrollment and reten-
tion must remain of paramount concern.
Bollinger must also make sure the
University can remain competitive in fac-
ulty recruitment and retention. One of the
real tests of a university is the quality of the
employees who want to work there - the
University must uphold its standards for
faculty and staff.
However, immediate to Bollinger's suc-
cess is his relationship with the University
Rn-r.Aof Rapntc t i, if c' hvcygdiim ythvt the
chief executive should have a close and
amicable working relationship, but recently
that has not been the case. When
Duderstadt resigned in 1995, Gov. John
Engler immediately hurled accusations that
the regents forced Duderstadt out. While
both sides denied the validity of Engler's
comments, it was no secret that Duderstadt
and the board had strained relations.
The University benefits most from a
president and board that are willing to work
together and compromise toward the best
possible outcome. Though former Regent
Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor), the only
regent openly opposed to Bollinger's selec-
tion, was not re-elected to another term, it
does not mean the new board will progress
beyond issues of personal politics that can
divide University leaders.
Apart from the communicative skills a
University president should possess, the
community expects something else from
Bollinger: a focus on learning. Clearly,
Bollinger is not of the same blood as his
predecessor, who stressed the University's
infrastructure above all else. Bollinger has
pledged to make education - specifically
undergraduate studies - his prominent tar-
get. It is through his focus that Bollinger
can change the University into the institu-
tion he envisions.
Though large endowments, federal
grants and high national rankings can help
improve the University, the community will
ultimately judge it on the quality of the stu-
dents it sends out into the world.
Fundamentally, the road to quality begins
with leadership that accepts students as the
primary concern and the University's ulti-
mati- vnrnriwt That tn~ ne m.t -,nand from
State's public
education
system
needs reform
To THE DAILY:
Why do we as a nation
rant and rave about the fail-
ures of the public educational
system and yet, propose no
real solutions? We have either
not learned to practice what
we preach, or we really do
not understand the gravity of
the problem.
Gov. Engler's proposal for
reforming education is a dis-
grace, as well as the one in
the editorial section of the
Daily ("Educational
takeover," 1/30/97). The
weakness of their solutions
does not lie with what they
said; it lies with what they
did not say.
When a nation is the
mother to a catastrophe as
big as public education, state
takeover, disciplinary actions,
or increased funding are sim-
ply not enough.
Millions of dollars and
minds have researched U.S.
education and have presented
viable solutions for its
restoration,such as changing
teaching techniques and
teacher certification. The
point is that these solutions,
or the like, will literally
transform the system.
We - as citizens and as
the future generation -
should not accept anything
less than a full effort to fix
the major obstacles of this
nation.
Education is not a prob-
lem that can be waited on.
We need to act now, for the
sake of today's children and
all future generations.
MARION DIXON
LSA FIRST-YEAR STUDENT
Daily should
not hold
stories for
Rush Week
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing in response
to Joshua Gordon's letter
("Daily exploits negative
Greek stories," 1/29/97).
What Gordon seems to
forget in making his argu-
ment against the printing of
the article about a Nebraska
chapter of Sigma Chi is that
the purpose of a newspaper is
to print what is new. He
claims the Daily showed poor
judgment in running the arti-
cle during the frat system's
precious Rush Week. When
would he like this article run?
After rush? Not at all, I sup-
pose. What he fails to realize
is that the Daily was simply
doing its job as a newspaper,
reporting the news in a time-
ly fashion.
Had this article run next
week, it would no longer be
newsworthy, as it would be
old (which, the last I heard, is
still the opposite of new, and
thus not a function of a news-
paper).
In addition, he claims that
the article could shed a bad
light on the University's
Sigma Chi chapter. I would
argue that this is why the
original article's title included
the word "Nebraska." If, as
he claims, each person has
their own beliefs, then no
rational person should equate
the University of Nebraska's
Sigma Chi chapter's actions
with the University of
Michigan's Sigma Chi, since
they are obviously totally
separate entities.
JASON MILLNER
LSA SOPHOMORE
Many ways
to improve
Crisler Arena
atmosphere
To THE DAILY:
This letter is concerning
Barry Sollenberger's article
on the men's basketball band
("Men's basketball band
needs to add more pep,"
1/27/97) and Mark Berquist's
corresponding letter to the
editor ("Band tries hard to
pep up Crisler," 1/30/97).
I must concur with
Berquist in the fact that the
band is not to blame.
Sollenberger uses the band as
a scapegoat to a pitiful crowd
and arena.
Let's face it, Crisler is just
not a very good basketball
arena. What doCameron
Indoor Stadium, Assembly
Hall, Breslin Center and
Rupp Arena all have in com-
mon? The fans are on top of
you. Crisler is just not
designed for that. It is a
multi-purpose arena. It's for
gymnastics, assemblies, any-
thing they can book. The
amount of room between
baseline and the fans is
ridiculous.
Implement a new seating
policy - too many passive
people who go for social rea-
sons sit close because they
have purchased tickets for
three years. Make it so the
fanatic, crazy fans are close
so they can cheer and make
noise.
Go back to the first-come,
first-serve method of my
freshman year. Yes, it sucked
to wait four hours for St.
John's, or eight hours for
MSU, but the real fans got
the best seats. And for the
lesser games, at least every-
body was as close as possi-
ble.
If the University does not
want to do that, go to a semi-
first-come, first-serve sys-
tem, where all students
receive vouchers. At each
game, hand out seating for
next game. Everyone who
came to the game would be
assured the same seat or bet-
ter.
If the band seems so out
of it, it's because they are.
They are stuck far in the cor-
ner. And the two-bowl system
just doesn't work. It moves
fans further back and loses
that feeling of fans every-
where. When the players look
up, they see all this space,
and if they squint, they can
see fans beyond that space.
But only a few fans.
That brings me to my
final point: The fans just
aren't very supportive. Fans
say that if the team played
better they would come and
cheer more. The players say
if fans came, they would play
harder. We could argue who
is right all day, but it should
be that the fans come all the
time. Are Michigan fans real-
ly a bunch of bandwagoners
who jump on and off every
time the team wins or loses?
Why not start a student
group, like the "Cameron
Crazies?" During purchase of
tickets, you also buy a t-shirt
for $10. The University
would make additional
money and I don't think most
students would mind the
extra few bucks. The shirts
could have a theme, like
"Fisher's Catch," or "Fab
Fans." Anything.
The athletic department
needs to make a lot of
changes; they need to commit
to basketball like they do
football. But they won't do
that until the fans showthey
are committed to basketball
too.
JEFFREY GOFF
LSA JUNIOR
Generation X
produced many
more workers
than whiners
T he better half of Generation X is
ready to take the nation by storm.
And this is not the group of slackers
with the 10-second attention spans.
This is today's college population.
A recent study
found that first-
year students
around the
country are°
more stressed
and feel more
pressure con-
cerning grades,
jobs and success
than the classes
before them.MEGA
That this year's SCHIMPF
figures are con- p a~u l ONS
tinuing a trend
shouldn't surprise anyone.
What should be surprising is that the
same people who say they are "over-
whelmed by all I have to do" are
lumped into the same generation as the
people who whine about how miser-
able and empty their lives are.
And this is the irony: The most sig
nificant thing Xers do may be creating
the stronger leaders who follow.
Does it really matter what generation
we are included in? It's a matter of
arcane labels, anyway. But Baby
Boomerstdobseem to care, and they
happen to be the ones who slamn
Generation X and its varied members.
So, in all fairness, they should care
about the struggles and triumphs of
college students. Researchers hay.
"found" recently:
*The UCLA study of first-year stu-
dents found that students feel more
stressed than ever, are concerned
about financing their education and,
for the most part, work at least part-
time during school.
*Other surveys have found that
salaries for liberal arts graduates are
rising and job market prospects are
improving.9
Doesn't seem like we're unemployea
and whining. But, for some reason,
today's college students are still
grouped with people who are in their
30s - former "Singles" stars who
don't seem to be able to find the drive
that students have almost too much of.
So the second Generation X is
emerging. Call it "Generation Y" or
maybe just "freedom-challenged," but
be aware this is not your older broti
er's group of friends.
The UCLA study's results are com-
mon knowledge for students who
spend their days in classes, meetings,
libraries, labs, jobs and studying.
Students toting thick planners every-
where must be planning something.
Someone has to be running the more
than 550 University student groups,
and not all e-mail groups are circles of
friends. People don't have time toe
sleep, study, work and be involved a
once, so something - usually sleep-
ing or eating - suffers.
In any case, we're not sitting on the
couch all day. -
So some of this you can attribute to
resumes and applications that have to
be filled in when we graduate - the
more you can do and still get decent
grades, the better your chances. Busier
lives usually coincide with busier
resumes. 0
Thankfully, UCLA also managed to
confirm this for us: First-year students
are now more interested in getting a
good job than making money. (Never
mind that the two usually go hand-in-
hand.)
And some of this you can chalk up to
this University, which is unquestion-
ably populated by more overachievers
than, say, the schools in South Bendo
Columbus. But while University" stW
dents did participate, 493 other
schools also administered the study.
And because we can't set the curve in
everything, someone else out there
must also be too busy to breathe.
What we should ask for, instead of a
study that confirms what we already
know all too well, is some recognition
of the fact that we now schedule free
time. Then, the grown-ups might final-
ly realize they have shaped us into tl
stressed 20-going-on-50-year-olds we
have become.
While college may be the last time
we have this much freedom, that lib-
erty is slowly being eaten away by
worries about jobs, money, the future
and morality.
And these realities grew out of
Generation X's failures and whining.
By complaining there were no good
jobs, they convinced us to take t4
"right" courses and look to the future
with jaded eyes instead of rose-col-
ored glasses. By moving back home or
living in less-than-ideal apartments in
less-than-ideal areas, they have taught
us to learn to manage our money now
WHAT'S AFFECTING 'U' THIS WEEK
MONDAY
Quilting bee for AIDS Memorial Quilt
Michigan Union, Pond Rm. 4-7 p.m.
TUESDAY
MSA meeting
3909 Michigan Union 7:30 p.m.
WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE OUR
W