4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 7, 1997 (he StrbigFn ulg 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 JOSH WHITE Editor in Chief Edited and managed by ERIN MARSH students at the Editorial Page Editor University of Michigan 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 TH E DAILY Costly candidates m NOTABLE QUOTABLE, 'We want to make It clear to licensees that they have blood on their hands.' - Michigan Liquor Control Commission Chair Phil Arthurhultz, warning merchants of an upcoming crackdown on alcohol sales to minors JiM LASSERE HARP A TOAST T RIALLY APPREcIArE: THE NEW iEADERSHIP OF P1zEStDENT VEA BuT T'M NO'T Too 3QLLfNGER FOND Or IM CHANCnaNC EHE NAKH1H MILEETT ##~ THE NAKED 10K !'. LTTERS TO THE EDITOR Regents overspent on presidential search A fter a long search process, Lee following the law. Bollinger has finally taken control as Last January, the regents racked up University president - now the University another large bill by hiring Malcolm community has a chance to evaluate the MacKay from the private consulting firm of search process that brought Bollinger back. Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. For his Recently released numbers show that the services, MacKay garnered a fee equivalent search was financially inefficient, costing to one-third of Bollinger's first-year salary. more than $500,000. The bulk of the cost MacKay's contribution to the search stemmed from legal fees to combat lawsuits process is questionable - he kept a very during the search and fees for a private con- low profile and failed to come through on sultant. The University Board of Regents some of the promises he made at the should have saved a considerable sum by search's beginning. adhering to the Open Meetings Act and dis- From the outset, MacKay's role in the missing the need for a private consulting search process was hazy and undefined. He firm. came into the search admitting he knew lit- The figures released Tuesday revealed tle of the University's procedures - specif- that the presidential search cost an exorbi- ically those he would encounter during a tant $503,186.39. The itemized list priced presidential search. He professed little the search process at $278,301.88 and legal respect for the state's OMA guidelines and fees at $224,884.51. In comparison, the stressed confidentiality as the "most impor- University spent a mere $90,600 during the tant issue" of the search - a stand that 1988 search for former University President backfired in court. James Duderstadt - even when inflation is MacKay also emphasized his commit- calculated into this year's expense, the ment to producing a diverse and broad list of increase is significant. candidates. for the presidency. He promised After the regents selected Duderstadt in to bring to the table candidates the regents the 1988 search, they faced a lawsuit from might not have otherwise considered. local newspapers for violating the OMA. Conversely, the search did not unearth any This time, the regents should have known to obscure candidates. Though a worthy and keep the search process public - selecting prestigious selection, Bollinger (a former a new University president is too important University Law School dean) was sitting in to the University community to be a private the regents' backyard - an expensive con- endeavor. The regents knew the possible sultant was unnecessary to find him. legal consequences of the OMA violation, The money that paid for the search came but they ignored state law. from interest on University investments - Sure enough, the Ann Arbor News, funds normally used to renovate and Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News improve University facilities. The commu- sued the regents again for violating the nity now sees that dollars the regents wast- OMA. In response, the regents hired litiga- ed on search process debacles should have tors, who cost the University an additional gone to a nobler purpose: fostering better $100,336.50. The regents should have learning environments and enhancing edu- avoided incurring the extra costs simply by cational facilities. Drp o tic Engler's attack on EPA warrants concern M onday, Gov. John Engler encouraged his fellow governors to counter what he deemed overly stringent environmental regulations. While in the nation's capital for the four-day National Governors' Association conference, Engler distributed a letter citing grievances with the Environmental Protection Agency and call- ing for his colleagues to express to the White House their discontent with a "dom- ineering" EPA. Engler's effort to assemble opposition against EPA policy will likely result in diminished environmental protec- tion for United States residents and for Michigan residents in particular - neither citizens nor state governors should ally with Engler's poor vision. Engler's apathy toward environmental issues became evident in 1994, when he stripped the state Department of Natural Resources of its environmental enforce- ment privileges. He used executive order to establish the Department of Environmental Quality - an organization that answers directly to the governor. The move further enabled Engler to bend environmental mat- ters to accommodate commercial interests. The governor's current grievances against the EPA stem from issues that pit environ- ment against industry; his latest crusade reflects his pro-business stance. The set of issues Engler opposes includes an EPA proposal to strengthen air quality regulations that might have an adverse economic impact. Engler says the proposal "defies common sense" and would inhibit the economic development of nftrnit and ether urhan Michigan are s demonstrate their necessity. In 1995, the Ann Arbor News reported that "the major sources of air pollution in Michigan grew from 753 in 1990 to 896 in March of this year." Engler's decision to subordinate envi- ronmental issues to business interests will only allow the pollution problem to intensi- fy. The state's relationship with the EPA has deteriorated; reports reveal that the state's top environmental regulator predicted the federal organization will seek to end state authority over a range of environmental pro- grams. While the move may afford state res- idents less control over environmental issues, moving jurisdiction over these pro- grams to the federal level would enable the EPA to effectively address ecological con- cerns. At the same time, the EPA could bypass resistance from economy-before- ecology governors - like Engler - whose perspectives reflect financial prospects rather than the ecological fate of their states. Engler's latest move to assemble other state governors against EPA regulations conflicts with Americans' rights to ade- quate environmental protection. In fact, a 1996 study revealed that 63 percent of Americans would advocate environmental protection, while only 23 percent would choose the economic development Engler endorses. Commercial government should not hin- der the progress of environmental causes. Americans and their elected representatives should remain committed to providing a healthy environment for future generations - thev shou1d not sunnort Engler in allow- Committee unnecessary for MSA fund appropriation TO THE DAILY: As a Michigan Student Assembly representative, I take responsibility for the assembly's actions. As a member of the Budget and Priorities Committee, I take particular responsibility for the dispersement of students' money. Therefore, I want to explain why I abstained from the vote to further investigate MSA Vice President Probir Mehta. When Probir transferred the $500 in question to the UAAO, he violated the stu- dents' trust in him as a guardian of their funds. He has freely admitted to this mistake and has promised to me personally to not sign for any allocations in excess of $50 for the remainder of his term. I plan to keep him to his word. As such, I am confi- dent that there is no further risk to the treasury. Furthermore, I do not believe that Probir deserves to be lambasted for his actions. In the greater scheme of things, his transfer of funds was justifiable, if not excusable. Although he must face our internal rules for his violation, he should not be defamed in the press. That is why I did not vote to create an investigative committee. It was unclear what the committee would investigate, as Probir has admitted to his mistake. Any punishment the committee might have recommended can still be doled out by the assembly using other means. I personally feared that an investigative committee would only have served as a lightning rod for criticism of Mehta by his political oppo- nents in the face of the impending MSA presidential election. Although such negative publicity might discourage future executives from repeating this inappropriate transfer, I was not and am not prepared to legitimize public humiliation as a civilized way to enforce our rules. DAVID BURDEN ENGINEERING SOPHOMORE Band's lyrics misquoted in story To THE DALY: In Monday's Daily, Aaron Rennie reported on the sup- nosed aiaeck sn Osis h make his point. When taken in this con- text, they do not quite mean what Rennie says they do. These lyrics are the ones found on the R.E.M. Homepage, courtesy of Kipp Teague's Lyric Archive, if you want to know where I got the lyrics from. MIKE POMORSK LSA FIRST-YEAR STUDENT Simpson and Sheppard cases similar TO THE DAILY: It seems ironic that on the same day O.J. Simpson was found responsible for killing his wife and Ron Goldman, strong evidence exonerating Dr. Sam Sheppard (the man whose story "The Fugitive" T.V. series was based on) for the 1954 killing of his wife was presented. The Daily ran both sto- ries: Simpson on the front ("Simpson found liable for slayings," 2/5/97) and Sheppard on the back ("DNA results support Sheppard's testimony in famous 'Fugitive' trial," 2/5/97). Perhaps the Daily should have run the stories side by side. The strong sense of sat- isfaction many people not directly involved with the case may feel, coupled with their disgust and hatred of Simpson, is alarming, given that it was made apparent on the same day that Sheppard, eventually acquitted after a second trial but forced to live out his remaining years as a pariah and in an alcoholic torpor, more than likely spent a decade in prison for a crime he did not commit. At 30 years old, Sheppard suffered the loss of his wife, was separated from his child, and had to endure the bitter contempt of his community. He died before he was 50. Of course, I doubt the sorrow some might feel for Sheppard and his son, who is still trying to clear his father's name, is as bio- chemically satisfying as the feeling of seeing O.J. Simpson get part of what he deserves. Some may justify their feelings of hate and satisfac- tion by calling it "righteous indignation," which is just a euphemism for exercising impulses of cruelty and affirming their humanity by claiming how sad they feel for Simpson's children. Sam Sheppard's son has had to live with his mother's murder and the imprison- ment, social scorn and early death of his father. His strug- gle to clear his father's name now appears to be successful, h~ts.. cts tr at.d UPs. "money=happy" ending of James Miller's column ("Liberal arts can boast more than job placement," 2/5/97). In fact, I used the same com- parison in my valedictory speech. However, I feel the rest of his column simply proves why engineers, scientists, businessmen, etc. will be replying "yes" to "would you like fries with that?" It's not that things that are more abstract and hard to define are less important than concrete things. It's that they are more abstract and hard to define. This fact makes basically any answer correct. What is love? It's an attraction between two peo- ple. It's a feeling. It's buying your significant other choco- lates for Valentine's Day. It's being there when someone needs you. It's listening. Are any of these wrong? No, of course not. Everyone has his own answer. Buttwhat is the limit as 'h' goes to zero of (1 +h)(I1/h)? Zero? Ten? Infinity? Everyone may have his own answer, but the only correct one is 'e.' Now let me ask you: Which one is easier? A ques- tion with any old answer or one with a specific answer? Everyone has a view on things like lust, God, love, morality and greed. The intrinsic human thinks about such things and has a view on them. Such things are important, but there is no need for a class on them. The same thing applies to love and greed and lust. Why do people do the things they do? Seems obvious to me - because it makes them happy, because they enjoy doing them - and I'm neither a history, literature or philoso- phy major. And I know that without doing any work in the area, not even "a little work" like the aforemen- tioned majors. Memorizing formulas is by no means "tricky stuff" What does boggle the mind, however, is understanding what happens in a problem, and knowing what formula, or combination of formulas, are needed to solve the prob- lem. And arriving at the answer, that's tricky too. Only one answer works, not a whole slew of them - get the wrong one and the bridge falls down, the airplane crashes or the fries are burnt. Want to get an 'A' in a non-liberal arts course? Learn, comprehend and understand the material. Want to get an 'A' in a liberal arts course? Well, it's just part of the swag that comes when you tell the professor what he wants to hear. Apparently, Miller's quite --~lata t -n. s Z a n ,c" The senior year 'booty call' ana7 other romantic adventures Ithink Eddie Murphy said it right in his 'Saturday Night Live' days when he said, "I wanna be a ho." Eddie, I want you to know that* wholeheartedly agree with you. It has taken me many years to arrive at this conclusion, but in considera- tion of where and who I've been and what things are like right now I.' think that ho-dom is the only appro- priate choice for me. HEATHER Now, don't get GORDON me wrong. I am RIE not preaching the WITH E glory of sluthood as appropriate for all, nor do I think it is always, or even often the most suit- able lifestyle choice. But in taking stock of my life, I can firmly and unwaveringly state that I wannab ho. Before everyone goes off their onions, let me give a little background information about this decision. I am presently a 21-year-old senior set to graduate in just a few months, where- upon I most likely will move back to my hometown of Boston. I just ended a somewhat trying and turbulent long-distance relationship with someone and I will fully admit that although my chin is up and4 upper lip couldn't be stiffer, now is not precisely the time to be jumping into something heavy with the next Mr. Right. This semester should be all about fun. Not only are the scars still healing, but I'll be taking off for destintio far away in a short time and I'm not the mood to have the scene of leaving all my Michigan, friends for good made any uglier by separating from some silly love interest. For these rea- sons, I've decided that this semester should be (and hopefully is shaping up to be) all about fun. Things haven't always been this way. I've spent several years working hard here and I feel that I'veaearnedathe slackerhood to which I am treat@ myself this term. College is about edu- cation and we should not be wasting our precious tuition dollars by napping during lecture and swilling many brews - although I would like to extend my gratitude to my freshman year roommate who taught me the beauty of sleeping through class. The point is that in the end we are and should be here to expand our intei lects and prepare for the world. even my father will tell you that col- lege is also about experience and when else in life can one really get this sort of potentially necessary experience? When else in life is one so fully sub- merged in an atmosphere of accessible peers? Which leads me back to my initial point of slutdom and my desire to sub- merge myself more fully in my acces- sible peers (wink wink). I do not taj this point lightly. I grew up in a very small, very over- protective town where it most certain- ly was not kosher to be doing anything but having a serious relationship with someone. Of course, under those guis- es, sexual contact was then fine (this is the East Coast we're discussing here), but under no other circumstances. There was no dating; there was no hooking up. Those who did were e* harlots. Then I came here and discovered such a large variety of sexual/romantic practices and was introduced to the wonder of the hook-up, which I find to be quite the art here in Ann Arbor. Not to insult the moral character of this town or insinuate that the student body is merely an uncontrollable ;pulse of hormones looking for an outlet - what I mean to say is that I began know individuals who were moreW less liberated and comfortable with their feelings than I. Over my four years here, I've come to feel that it is not what you do, it is how you do it. Being a ho can only be healthy if it is done in some modera- tion and with the right motives; for fun and with the proper self-respect. Of course, there is the whole wretched disease issue, which I think was jed nature's way of keeping us from shac - ing all the time so that we are at least somewhat productive. And this issue more often than not keeps my desire for harlotry in check and most likely still will by the end of today. Perhaps I've just been overly I