4 -The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 28, 1997 U{be4 S Ig kig 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, Back to sahl Atending class could dispel parents' fears "NOTABLE QUOTABLE,, 'Well, basically we're pissed off with the way MSA operates right now.' - Jim Smith, SNRE senior and the Pissed Off with Korrupt Executives Party candidate for MSA President Jim LASSER SHARP 4 TOAS1 -P C-10 'I75 FIoNA ROSE!... STATE NO'iW SHE NE EDS $OM OF ,EF:eNvsE PENS ! C 5L)PP L Y PIcNC--: N AIL 1; 10 w eo. PEN S7 SCIEW' ~. ~AJ~"eANNE O C S C5 0 o -E A P E I j TOL E TSEATS jiS3 ea. r{OLPERS $z4?- 'HAM'MEKS ;IIS eG. COMPASS55 t3 SCRE-R1VEe 4 FW L ETTERS TO TH E EDITOR 166 ill they have a well-balanced VVdiet? Get enough sleep? Party too much? Neglect their studies? Have enough warm clothes for the Michigan win- ter?" When sending a child to the University of Michigan, the list of parental worries may go on and on. Yet one concern of many parents is the quality of teaching that their children will receive. Parents often object to the thought of anyone but a tenured professor teaching their child. Graduate Student Instructors, especially, get a bad rap from parents - concerned (though misinformed) parent voices are often heard during new-student orientation weeks on campus: "I don't want my child being taught by one of those grad- uate students." Parents fail to recognize what a valuable part GSIs play in their children's education. GSIs are taking a step to bridge the gap and make parents feel more at ease by inviting them into their University classrooms for a day. Their invitation is a positive idea that parents should accept. Because GSIs face constant parental criticism, they should plan - and parents should attend - similar events in the future. This week, more than a dozen University GSIs invited parents to attend their classes. The invitation is part of a weeklong cele- bration of graduate teaching across the country. Eric Dirnbach, Graduate Employees' Organization Secretary, encouraged the invitation because parents rarely have the opportunity to meet and speak with the GSIs who teach their chil- dren. "We just want everyone to realize that we make a crucial contribution to the University," Dirnbach says. GSIs teach more than 40 percent of the classes at the University - parents often do not recognize the extensive teaching experi- ence GSIs have or the breadth of their work. Darcy Leach, GEO Vice President and one of the GSIs to extend the invitation, said, "I just really wanted people to know that I care about teaching and that I have been trained and that sometimes I have more contact with the students than professors do - but that's not necessarily a bad thing." Leach brings up an important point - discussion sections are often the most valu- able part of a University class. The imper- sonality of a 300-person lecture is intimi- dating. Most students feel insecure asking questions during a lecture, yet in a discus- sion, the GSIs provide an environment that facilitates discussion and can be more con- ducive to learning. Students in a discussion section are forced to have direct contact with the GSI. This contact assists students, giving them a place to turn when they have questions. The class visit program allows parents to come face to face with their child's learning experience. In the future, more GSIs should join the other 12 to plan similar programs. Parents are often in town for Parents' Weekend or Homecoming; invitations for class visits around these weekends would be opportune - and a useful alternative to the standard golf tournaments and catered lunches. GSIs are a valuable part of University students' education - it is time that parents realize their importance. As the GEO motto states: "The University works because we do." Under wraps Military should re-examine Gulf War illnesses D uring the Persian Gulf War, most experts were confident that Saddam Hussein did not carry out his most potent threat: using his chemical weapons arsenal against coalition troops. Even so, Pentagon officials assured full and expedient disclo- sure of any personnel exposure to chemical weapons. New evidence casts doubt on whether the military is living up to that promise. Recently declassified Central Intelligence Agency documents show that the CIA gave the Pentagon detailed warnings more than five years ago that, while demol- ishing an Iraqi ammunition depot following the war, U.S. troops could have been exposed to nerve gas. It is speculated that it affected more than 20,000 troops. The U.S. Army, in an Inexcusable administrative blunder, shoved the report aside for four years. The documents revealed that United Nations weapon inspectors found American demolition material near an arms depot lit- tered with destroyed sarin gas-filled rock- ets. At the onset, the Army examined the materials and determined that the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division was in the area. The 24th reported that they did not destroy the depot, but the army negligently failed to further pursue the issue. Last year, Army officials discovered that members of the 37th Engineering Battalion demolished the depot. Many of the engi- neers have since reported severe medical problems. In the future, the Army must eliminate any possibility of similar over- sights. It must ensure that, when the lives of personnel are in question, it comprehen- sively pursues all investigatory avenues. A number of mysterious illnesses, col- ans have trouble collecting disability pay- ments from the government because there is no scientific evidence directly linking these illnesses to service in the Middle East. The health problems within the 37th Engineering might make this link possible. The Army has the responsibility to thor- oughly investigate the medical dangers of exposure to sarin and other chemical weapons. Afterward, the government should individually re-examine all claims of Gulf War Syndrome. If there is any evidence that the illnesses are related to the Gulf War, it should immediately award full disability benefits. The Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses recently reported its final findings. The panel criti- cized the Pentagon for a "superficial" investigation of chemical exposures. The committee also found that chemical weapons were probably not the cause of most Gulf War ailments. However, given the "new" information, it is suspect that the CIA released its documents following the panel's final report. President Clinton should consider reconvening the panel to determine if the evidence would signifi- cantly change the committee's report. The military and CIA have some clean- ing up to do. Failure to follow up on evi- dence that could have adversely affected thousands of personnel was irresponsible. But the deception of the public and the president was equally inexcusable. The military and CIA should have released the documents to the presidential committee researching Gulf War illnesses. The military can no longer hide its mistakes by stamping them with top secret clearance Metallica review was 'unintelligent' TO THE DAILY: I have not written to the Daily before, but I am com- pelled to now after reading Brian Gnatt's article concern- ing the Metallica show Sunday at the Palace ("Metallica drops 'Load' at Palace," 2/25/97). That is one of the worst articles I have ever read in the Daily. First, Gnatt states that Metallica looked "a bit silly" with their short hair and "alterna-gear," whatever that is meant to mean. I guess that if T-shirts are considered alterna-gear, a lot of people must look "a bit silly." Also, the author continually refers to Metallica "the way the band used to be." That shows his complete ignorance of what Metallica is about. Metallica is not Slayer, Ministry or Motorhead, bands that were formerly popular but put out the same stuff over and over again. Metallica does what it wants to do exactly how it wants to do it, and that's why they are one of the best bands ever. Gnatt's ignorance of mat- ters concerning the band in this article is appalling. His surprise at them opening up with "Last Caress" is unwar- ranted, since the band changes their set list slightly every show and had opened with another cover, "So What," the night before. This is only one example, but there are several more throughout the article. Next time the Daily wants to cover a show, they should send someone who knows something about the band which they are covering. Maybe if Gnatt worked as hard at writing a good article as he did at whining about Metallica, he would be able to write an intelligent article. LAWRENCE SUWINSKI LSA FIRST-YEAR STUDENT Columnists should reveal oddities of campus life TO THE DAILY: This is in response to Erin Galligan's comments in her letter to the editor ("Miller put humor over intellect," 2/26/97) against James Miller's column "Anatomy of a University class discussion" (2/19/97). I think students like Galligan who can no longer take a joke must really do some deep soul-searching. gard such closed-minded comments and just keep on truckin'! LARA HAMZA LSA JUNIOR Review bears no 'ill will' against CRs TO THE DAILY: Recently, University College Republicans' presi- dent Nick Kirk illegally rep- resented himself as a member of the Michigan Review in order to gain admittance to a recent Republican conven- tion. I regret that these events had to come to pass. I further regret the possible stain that may have been brought upon the reputation of the mem- bers of the CRs when we published the story last Wednesday, Feb. 19. I would like to publicly state that neither I nor the Review blame the members of the University CR for the action of their president, Nick Kirk. The vast majority of CRamembers are decent, honorable people. I do not feel that the dishonest actions of Kirk should reflect upon the reputations of the CR members. Ideally, someone with the leadership ability of Kirk would not have resorted to such deplorable actions. However, given that the ideal does not often occur, it was my hope that, when faced with evidence of his wrongdoing, Kirk would live up to the ideals of leadership, and admit to his wrongdoing, and accept responsibility for what he had done. That he would protect the interests of the CR and accept responsi- bility for his actions. However, he turned out to be more concerned with pro- tecting his own interests. Instead of resigning and end- ing the conflict, he chose to throw his own group into chaos and force them to impeach him. His actions have brought negative atten- tion on not only the CR, but on the conservative members of this campus. I wanted to write this let- ter first to reassure the mem- bers of the CRs that the Review does not bear ill will toward them. The Review and the CRs have a long history of cooperation - indeed our founding publisher was the chair of the University CRs when the Review was created in 1981. We applaud the CRs for taking quick action against Kirk and restoring friendly relations between our groups. Second, I wanted to make sure that that the University community not hold the actions of one person against 'U' coaches Fisher, Carr 'must go' TO THE DAILY: For years I've defended Steve Fisher because of what happened in 1989. No more. We all need to admit that . Glen Rice won that champi- onship, not Steve Fisher. Fisher absolutely needs to go. Combining the pathetic showing of the Wolverine basketball team over the last three years with the pathetic showing of the Wolverine football team over the last four years, I have to wonder what people at the University Athletic Department are thinking. These two sports are the ones that give the University the most national exposure. What the nation is exposed to every year are two mediocre teams living off a grand tradition. (While I take pride in the hockey team, how many people nationwide know about it, let alone know it won a National Championship last year?) How long before the University name no longer draws top recruits? How long before people stop wearing University apparel? How long before alumni stop giv- ing money to a mediocre pro- gram? Soon people will real- ize what the University foot- ball and basketball programs are - mediocre programs - and then what will become of the University Athletic Department? As an alumnus, I am bewildered and angered by the athletic department's inability to find decent coaches for the football and basketball teams. Lloyd Carr? It is plausible that Fisher and Carr are fine human beings. It is certain that they are ineffective coaches. Why can't the athletic depart- ment find coaches who are both fine people and good coaches? Sure, easier said than done. But even if your goals are purely humanitarian, it is hard to believe that the coach- es are really doing much for the players - how else can you explain game after game of sub-par, unmotivated, lack- luster performances'? Maurice Taylor can't make an impact on a game, yet every year he considers leaving for the NBA. Is Fisher providing proper guidance for this young man? Perhaps Fisher's nice- ness is actually a detriment to the development of players like Taylor, both as basketball players and as people. Carr and Fisher have both been loyal to the University, and for that I should thank them. (But maybe not too strenuously - I'd be pretty loyal to an employer who hired me despite my inability to produce - no one else Ladies: Watch outfor players the looks can be deceiving W hen I was just a young budding freshman, my roommate and I had a little phrase that we wrote on our loft (ah, the days of lofts) that summe up, in a way unsuitable for print, our general sentiment that men are jerks. Before I bring upon me the wrath X of all the Y-chro- mosomed mem- bers of the University, please note that it is com- mon for us all, }a males and females alike, to enter HEATHER phases character- GORDON ized by a deep and RMEWTH soul-pervading ME disenchantment with our respective dating pools. Perhaps I did not feel that the whole crop of men were evil despots, but rather in a Murphy's Law sort of way, only those in whom I was intereste Thus, Iwould like to share with you some of my impressions of and experi- ences with the types of foul others the females of the campus might expect to encounter in search of their better half. For you girls who think you like nice_ guys, you should first beware of what I title as the "Nouveau Cute" breed of boys. These are guys who are good people at heart, but are jaded by past experiences with women (namely, by being allotted to the "just a friend' position one time too many). One day in college, a boy gathers together a strikingly fine assortment of clothes off the floor and cleans the six inches of dust on the mirror just enough to have the stunning realization that after that last growth spurt, he has in fact become attractive, thus commencing nouveau cutehood. He then buys him- self something other than concert T- shirts and gets a chic hairdo (perhapi something involving gel or an unas- suming ponytail), and sets himself on the world of women. He is pleased to find out that finally the babes are responding, yet he is too bitter to want them for anything other than revenge. Specifically, his interest is solely in maximizing the number of notches on his bedpost in the interest of making up for lost time. However, as sleazy as he wants to be, a nouvea cute boy still has the strong vestiges o his nice-guy former self, so he goes about attempting to seduce by earnest means all the pretty girls he never could have had before. Sort of a con- flict of interest. He wants to bed them, but he finds himself asking them to dinner. It is a double dirty dog trick, since the ladies (or at least I) will fall for his nice guy routine before he flees in the interest of another skirt. Next, the perilous "starving artist," genus Salvatoric Dalius. This brand typically appeals to girls who are work- ing on their own uniqueness or simply just trying to disturb their parents, since a starving-artist boy possesses neither money nor comb nor matching clothes. His appeal lies in his dedicated devotion to his music/sculpture/dance/insert artsy- fartsy thing here, since it would only logically follow that he would be equally as passionate about the girl of his choice. So not only do the ladies get to worry their parents by dating some- one with no apparent earning potential (before you get your panties all in a bunch, I am taking merely a typical concerned parent's point of view, here), but they also get to watch their honey create majestic things. Ah, but girls, I tell you that you are mistaken. The rub is that your artist usually reserves every last savorydrop. of his verve for his art, as he has made the difficult choice to follow such a serendipitous route, with not a drop to spare for you. So girls, ride the train somewhere else. The third, and most rampant type is the ever-popular "player" - the guy who blatantly just wants to chase as much tail as he possibly can. Yet, there are subtle sub-varieties to this particu- lar flavor of mate. For example, the recidivistic philanderer: the type that just adore women so thoroughly - all women. He cannot help but love each and every woman that passes in his sightline. He means so well, but his short attention span gets in the way. Then we have the serial monogamists, who seriously date girls, but due to some horrible take-down in the past by some brazen, braces-boun bimbo in the eighth grade (from which they are still healing), can never truly commit. And of course, my. favorite pedigree, the egoist - the player that loves himself so dearly that he uses women like disposable tissues; in it for the pleasure with no regard for them. I 0 01 01 E