4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 24, 1997

cbE £tbiung Eaitg

420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbo.r, 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 ' editorial board. A//1
other articles. letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
FROM THE DAILY
Aiming to please
Bollinger seeks to restore trust to regents

NOTABLE QUOTABLE
'Don't tune out, cop out or drop out. Don't give in
to cynicism. Don't take America and the values
reflected in our form of government for granted.'
- Senator and former astronaut John Glenn (D-Ohio), in an address
at his alma mater; Muskingum College of New Concord, Ohio
JIM LASSER - x A ,P..AT
P PON'T KPl A/ W WHAT KE VORKIAN 15 DolN
ONLY TARCGE TIN6 010- PEOPL E FOI'Z
ASSISTEP )UICFE
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I niversity President Lee Bollinger has
U started off on the right foot with the
Srriersity Board of Regents. At the
yxgepts' meeting last Thursday -
Nollnger's first time at the head of the table
A-*announced a new compensation plan
for executive officers. On the surface, the
iew plan includes policies that would com-
'ensate executive officers at the market
,rate. Other guidelines stipulate that leaves
ere solely for research and academic prepa-
ation. Faculty administrators will retain
Tights to sabbaticals they earn as non-
administrators - non-faculty administra-
tors are not entitled to paid leaves. The
;regents - still smarting from former
University President James Duderstadt's
,,dministrative deals - enthusiastically
:endorsed the new plan. By creating an open
Compensation policy, Bollinger not only
won the regents' support, he is starting to
vin back the trust that disappeared during
4he Duderstadt presidency.
Last fall, reports revealed that
Duderstadt had made so-called "midnight
deals" with executive officers; he offered
top administrators retirement furloughs and
paid one-year administrative leaves. At
Thursday's meeting, Vice President for
'University Relations Walter Harrison and
Vice President for Development Thomas
,KJinnar stated that they do not intend to act
on' the provisions they made with
4Duderstadt.
. The regents protested the "secret" deals,
claiming they were unfair, unclear and even
ifll. The scene they made was far from
,necessary - the real story was that the
;egents' egos were wounded. As University
president, Duderstadt had every right to do
what he did - the president of the

University has and must maintain the abili-
ty to act independently of the regents.
Duderstadt designed the administrative
deals to keep the University competitive
with other institutions. Colleges and univer-
sities frequently try to tempt top adminis-
trators from other schools with monetary
incentives. Duderstadt acted for the
University's greater good in trying to keep
executives at their posts.
While Bollinger has the right and power
to make deals the way Duderstadt did, it was
a smart political move to mollify the regents
and keep compensation policy out in the
open. While he should not feel forced to
seek the regents' endorsement, including
them at this early stage will make policy-
making easier down the road. Duderstadt's
exclusion of the regents was the downfall in
an already rocky relationship, leaving the
regents oversensitive. Bollinger embraced
his opportunity to start anew and smooth
the ruffled feathers. A strong relationship
between the regents and the president is a
political plus; a poor relationship is an
added headache.
Though Bollinger has had only one
regents' meeting since taking office a little
more than two weeks ago, he is already lay-
ing down the tracks to what will hopefully
be a steady relationship. "It's clear. It's
explicit. It makes sure we don't have any
funny business," said Regent Philip Power
(D-Ann Arbor) of Bollinger's policy.
Trust and respect between the regents
and the president must flow both ways;
coming off of the precarious regent-presi-
dent relations Duderstadt left behind, the
community should credit Bollinger for hav-
ing the insight to recognize which wounds
to heal.

JOE.

00)
n ' C,


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
'U' community d n UJA campag1

Moving ahead
NAACP taps new generation to grow

hile the heated civil rights protests
VY typified in the '60s are fewer today,
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People has
recently announced a plan to overhaul the
-prganization in an effort to gain new ener-
'gy. As the oldest civil rights organization in
The country, the NAACP has come under
intense scrutiny due to its internal bickering
and recent financial problems. NAACP
President Kweisi Mfume wants to leave this
negative stigma behind. While last week's
88th annual meeting started the organiza-
 tion off with increased optimism, the
NAACP needs help from the next genera-
tion of activists to re-establish itself as the
nation's leading civil rights organization.
Speaking before a crowd of 200 at the
-NAACP's annual meeting in New York,
M4funie spoke of the "internally" productive
past year, highlighting the disappearance of
:the organization's crippling debt, internal
restructuring, and building up the group's
damaged credibility following management
debacles. However, . the organization
achieved last year's internal restoration at
theprice of a decreased public presence.
Mfume set out to change that by offering
-a deliberate plan of action that will include
e
as much emphasis on self-help as it does on
.government intervention. His plans include
a drive to increase youth enrollment. The
:NAACP has faced the harsh reality that
without actively recruiting young new lead-
ers the group will lose strength in the years
to come. The backbone of Mfume's new
'youth outreach campaign' will be a 10-city
-tour to encourage high school and college

Even though the details are hazy,
Mfume's renewed spirit in America's youth
could not have come at a better time. The
younger generation is primed and ready to
pick up where their parents left off. Loren
McGhee, president of the University's
NAACP chapter, surely speaks for many of
her peers when commenting that Mfume's
plan is a welcome announcement and right
on track.
The problems that the NAACP could
easily identify 30 or 40 years ago have
changed. During the '50s and '60s, the vast
majority of the black community united to
fight the battles of the civil rights move-
ment. Now that the NAACP is facing its
most diverse constituency ever, it must
regain its strength of unity. The NAACP
must maintain its rightful leadership posi-
tion within the broad spectrum of activism
and, through growth, should be able to sup-
port new causes.
While recent leadership problems and
financial difficulty have threatened the
NAACP's power position within the sphere
of civil rights activism, its 88-year history is
one that has provided national leadership
for the black community. Mfume's plan is a
step in the right direction; it is a solid begin-
ning to another long road of hard work.
It is now up to the youth of America to
answer his call to activism. "Let the word,
go out that last year was a good year,"
Mfume said to cheering NAACP members,
"but you ain't seen nothing yet."
The next generation of activists must
take his words to heart - it is time for
strong. voung voices to join the wise, sea-

Drive seeks
to 'repair
the world'
TO THE DAILY:
Contrary to the curious
interpretation by David Taub
("Campus Jews should reject
Half-Shekel campaign,
2/20/97) the University of
Michigan UJA Half-Shekel
campaign is not about Jews
segregating themselves, and
certainly not about seeking
converts to Judaism. Rather,
it celebrates the Jewish com-
munity's real work of helping
to repair the world and
invites everyone who cares
about that to join in the
effort. Indeed, its explicit
mission statement, quoted in
Sam Goodstein's very mov-
ing op-ed column ("The
Half-Shekel drive: Because
every one counts," 2/18/97)
speaks specifically about the
campaign being a model for
all people to be proud of who
and what they are without
building walls to shut other
people out. Like the Galens
Tags that thousands of stu-
dents and Ann Arbor commu-
nity members choose to wear
in December or Red Cross "I
Gave Blood" buttons, it is a
badge of pride and an invita-
tion to others to join in a
monumental collective act of
charitable action.
Maimonides, the great
12th century Jewish religious
authority, certainly notes that
one of the highest forms of
charitable activity is to give
anonymously. If Taub objects
to wearing a button, I hope
that he will still make his
contribution to the UJA Half
Shekel campaign and exercise
his option of being acknowl-
edged as Anonymous in the
ad that will appear in the
Daily in April thanking all of
the donors. But I would urge
him to consider lending his
name to this effort in addition
to making his contribution, if
only to be a positive example
to others. If he does, he will
be in very good company.
MICHAEL BROOKS
DIRECTOR,
UNIVERSITY HILLEL
Support UJA
TO THE DAILY:
In his letter concerning
the UJA Half-Shekel cam-
paign, David Taub harshly
criticized and urged students
to reject the campaign, solely
on the basis of his own mis-
conceptions and false
assumptions. I would like to
take this opportunity to clear
up a few issues so Daily read-
ers can draw their own con-

Shekel table, I noticed that of
the 20 or so people who
signed on to the campaign,
the vast majority was not
Jewish. Everyone who
stopped by the table, regard-
less of his or her background,
was excited by the campaign
goals. Half Shekel can't pos-
sibly make Jewish students
stick out, because a great
number of contributors and
members are not even Jewish.
Which brings me to
David Taub's second miscon-
ception, namely the claim
that the campaign is meant to
proselytize. My understand-
ing of the campaign is that it
aims to bring about aware-
ness of the Jewish communi-
ty by breaking down barriers
and opening it up to anyone
who is interested. Creating a
positive identity for the
Jewish community, from
within and without, can only
serve to educate and promote
understanding.
Keeping all of this in
mind, I would hope that all
students on campus, includ-
ing David Taub, could see the
positive nature of the Half
Shekel campaign, which on
top of everything else, as part
of the UJA, is a wonderful
charitable cause.
Roy Eus
LSA SENIOR
Taub is
misinformed
To THE DAILY:
There were several cru-
cial misunderstandings in
David Taub's letter to the
Daily regarding the UJA
Half-Shekel campaign. The
author is obviously sorely
misinformed of the nature of
the campaign.
No.1: "1 do not feel it nec-
essary for myself or any one
of my fellow Jews to segre-
gate ourselves from the rest
of the University community."
Segregation is a nasty and
inappropriate word. The pur-
pose of the pin is to spark a
sense of positive identity and
pride, not to segregate.
No. 2: Taub claims that
there is no fear of a lack of
Jewish identity in Ann Arbor.
That is a horribly naive
claim; there is a universal
trend toward loss of identity.
This campaign is probably
one of the most important
responses to the trend in a
very long time. The fact that
there are a large number of
Jewish students on campus
and relatively low involve-
ment in Jewish activities
should show how important it
is to strengthen our identity
and be proud of our heritage.
No. 3: "So why do we
need to wear buttons, making

can stand up and say openly
that we are proud to identify
with the Jewish people, it is
truly a great thing. The pins
are not restricted to Jewish
people - they are worn by
those who feel that the
Jewishapeople are a positive
entity and force in the world
that can unite for a common,
universal good.
Taub needs to re-evalu-
ate what identity and commu-
nity mean. Choosing not to
support this campaign affects
his status in no way, but
thinking that it is wrong to
stand up and be proud of our
heritage and the good things
a united Jewish community
can achieve, that it is "the
Jewish way" to keep your
heritage in the closet, is just
not correct.
DAVID CAROLINE
RC SOPHOMORE
UJA helps on
a global level
TO THE DAILY:
Having read David Taub's
letter to the editor, we feel
compelled to refute his
stance. As proud members of
the University's Jewish com-
munity and equally proud
Half-Shekel members, we
neither feel isolated or as
though we " ... stick out like
a sore thumb ... ." Rather,
the button is a badge of
honor signifying our dedica-
tion to those in need around
the world and to our people.
The United Jewish Appeal
is a humanitarian organiza-
tion that provides emergency
counseling for battered and
abused women and children,
sends doctors and medical
supplies to refugees fleeing
from Rwanda, and provides
support for and rescues Jews,
Moslems and Christians in
the former Yugoslavia. We
cannot imagine why anyone
would want to put down the
efforts of such a uniquely
dedicated organization.
While there may be other
Jewish groups and clubs on
campus, there is no one
group that professes to pro-
mote Jewish unity, pride and
identity through helping
those less fortunate than our-
selves on an international
level.
While being Jewish is not
our only source of identity, it
certainly figures in promi-
nently. We challenge Taub to
explore the campaign and its
far-reaching goals before
making such grandiose
assumptions. The UJA Half-
Shekel campaign is dynamic
and unique in that it not only
serves communities around
the world, but our own as
well. That being the case,

Shhhh Some
peopke are
trying to study:
in the library
hree separate conversations we
competing in one area of what
they now like to call the Shapiro
Undergraduate Library. So, becas
University Reserves does not allow i
material to leave
the library. I,
walked across
the connector to ;
the Grad. count-'a
ing on it to be ,
quieter. I even
found an out-of-
the-way table,
planning to fin-
ish 15 pages in
record time. MEGAN
Wrong. SCHIMPF
The only other PRESCRPTI S
person in the
room looked innocent eough. He ws
typing a paper on a laptop computer
and listening to a walkman.
Only when I started to read did]
realize how especially thoughtful he
was. The volume was loud enough g
we could share the music. He was tap-.
ping his fingers with the beat in case I
was missing it. And humming. All this
in between chomping on his gum and
burping. Loudly.
Evil stares produced only smile
from my unchosen studymate:
Whether this hurried along my reading
or made it take longer is up for debate.
But in the end, I left completely
annoyed with people, libraries and the
reserves for making me stay there:4
read the 40-page paper.
To give the libraries credit, they have
tried to create an environment cot-
ducive to studying. Some have employ-
ees to enforce the rule about food and
drinks. Only students extremely dedi-
cated to their studying are capable f
missing the signs about food.
But still, anyone who has spent any"
time in a library can testify that peo
commonly and relatively effortless
violate these rules and the unstated
law about silence in a building with.
the word "library" in its name. Simply;
students have forgotten how to study
in libraries.
One of my friends said this week thait
the Undergraduate Library is "like a.
frat party." There was regular giggling
at the Taubman Medical Library. At
the Law Library this week, people
were sitting on the tables and talkin
At the Law Library. Which is sup-
posed to be the place of impenetrable
silence.
In elementary and middle school,
"shush" was one of the most common-
ly heard words in the library. But it
worked - elementary school librari
ans do not joke around about quiet in
their little corner of the world.
Somewhere between then and now
silence and respect have been corrupi
ed with this idea that everyone around-
us needs to share our gossip, snack arid
music. While I don't profess to be an
example of library etiquette at all'
times, I am certainly not alone.
First, the trend toward group study-
ing has crept into where it does not
belong. Teachers encourage it as a wy
to synthesize and collect information.
What really happens is four or five
people from the same class sit at tv
same table, complain about the profe-
sor and GSI for 30 minutes, gron
about the amount of work for 20 and

then actually study for 10. After three'
hours, everyone feels less concerned
about the approachitg
exam/paper/presentation.
Alternative study locales have also
polluted our "shush" memory. These
include coffee shops, the Michigan
Union, bagel shops or any other pla
that plays music and fosters a sup-
posed ambiance of intellectualism'
Everyone who walks by stops to chat,
have a snack, read the paper and nbt
accomplish anything remotely acalie"
mic. After three hours, everyone feel'
full, caffeinated and happy to have
seen their friends.
So this is the question: Aside froth
doing research, why even bother gonig
to the library? Why not just sta
home?
Some people say they need to study
at a library to avoid distractions 4t
home - phone calls, e-mail, people
knocking on the door, the television;
the kitchen. These same people then
bring food with them, buy somethinug
to drink, wear a pager, call their
friends every now and then, regularly
check their e-mail from the nearest
computer and wander around looki
for someone to talk to.
We have lost respect for the library.
Those signs' rules about food and
drink pertain to someone else --
because we're not really leavig
crumbs - and we would never dream