4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 13, 1997
Ole £idig a Egil
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
JOSHi 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
Fresh look
Clinical faculty offer a new spin on learning
NOTABLE QUOTABLE,
'I'm getting fed up with the idea that everything we do is
a violation of the agreement, and everything the
Palestinians say is in compliance with the agreement.'
-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in response to
Palestinian accusations that Israel is violating the peace accords
YUKl KUNIYUKI .}:;.1 ';' L1',Rf
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LETTERS TO TH E EDITOR
T he "real world" of employment that
graduating students encounter often
requires insights that classes and textbooks
may not offer. Clinical faculty - non-
tenured professionals who teach the practi-
cal applications of their fields - have the
potential to equip students with knowledge
to ease the transition from the academic to
the professional world. Increasing the num-
ber of clinical faculty - which currently
exist in areas like medicine, pharmacy and
law - is important to broaden the
University's academic offerings. The admin-
istration must take advantage of the new fac-
ulty's skills to their utmost potential, creat-
ing a better educational environment.
At Monday's meeting, of the Senate
Advisory Committee on University Affairs,
Provost J. Bernard Machen recommended
the expansion of clinical faculty. At present,
four of the University's graduate programs
utilize clinical faculty. Six additional
schools and colleges petitioned to bring in
clinical faculty; Machen stipulated that
these schools should submit a detailed artic-
ulation of need to his office. The University
Board of Regents must approve the expan-
sion before hiring can start.
Education should enhance students'
intelligence and should include information
from a variety of perspectives. Clinical fac-
ulty have much to offer students. Their
experience with real-world applications of
academic knowledge can be valuable to
augment the information presented in text-
books, discussions and lectures.
Clinical faculty usually teach part-time
while holding jobs in their field of exper-
tise. Due to the area's small window of
opportunity for some professions, some of
y the new faculty may need to hold full-time
w teaching positions to attract them to the
University. The University should make
certain that it attracts the most qualified
faculty possible - even if it does require
spending extra money on their recruitment.
Critics fear the supply of Graduate
Student Instructors may grow thin if clinical
and research professors battle for teaching
assistance. The administration should fol-
low careful guidelines to ensure coopera-
tion between research and clinical profes-
sors - the groups should not have to battle
for resources.
The administration should make efforts
to prevent divisions from forming after the
hiring of the new faculty. Traditional
research faculty have more teaching experi-
ence while clinical faculty have more prac-
tical application experience. Cooperation
and teamwork between the two groups is
paramount to ensure that students can get
the benefits of both worlds. Without it, the
University will be unable to fulfill its com-
mitment to providing students with the best
education possible.
At Monday's meeting, some SACUA
members expressed concern that the new
faculty might harm or dismantle the present
tenure system. However, the new faculty
could not achieve tenure and would not
impede research faculty seeking tenure.
Furthermore, Machen stated that the num-
ber of tenured faculty is the same now as it
was before clinical faculty members first
came to the University.
The University should commit itself to
providing students with a broad variety of
educational experiences. Increasing clinical
faculty is an excellent way to ensure that
students have the opportunity to gather a
number of perspectives within their fields
of study. The regents should enact the pro-
gram's expansion as it benefits the students
and increases the University's educational
capacity.
Need a ride?
Hug-a-Bus is a valuable community service
A t first, the name "Hug-A-Bus" might
sound like a club for public-trans-
portation-loving folks, perhaps cousins of
the "hug-a-tree" nature lovers. Don't be
fooled: Hug-A-Bus is actually an innova-
tive, supportive, community-friendly orga-
nization that will have a positive impact on
the lives of low-income individuals with
HIV. It provides free transportation for
Washtenaw County residents with HIV,
offering assitance to and from doctor's
appointments, errands, or even visiting
friends. Such day-to-day activities can be
difficult, if not impossible, due to the med-
ical or financial restraints of many area res-
idents. Treatment costs for HIV patients are
high; Hug-A-Bus meets the needs of these
individuals who cannot afford public trans-
portation.
Hug-A-Bus is a non-profit organization
that will serve all of Washtenaw County;
Ann Arbor's system is a pilot program that
will aid a larger national effort. The Rev.
William Stein, president and founder of
Hug-A-Bus, said that participants have to
meet certain welfare requirements to prove
that they are poverty stricken. Furthermore,
only HIV-infected Washtenaw County resi-
dents, their immediate families and person-
al health aides are allowed to take advantage
of the free transportation.
Hug-A-Bus should prove to be a much-
needed help to county residents with HIV
or AIDS, as well as benefiting the commu-
nity as a whole. People who use the bus sys-
tem will no longer have to worry about
from the community. Hug-A-Bus also
attempts to maintain the dignity and priva-
cy of its riders. In order to protect partici-
pant's anonymity, each person receives a
coded access card to use when scheduling a
ride. Only the transit administrator, dis-
patcher and referral agency will know the
client's true identify. This is an important
and considerate feature, as some patients
are uncomfortable with identifying their
HIV-positive status.
It is important that people with HIV are
active in their community, to help shun the
misconception that people living with the
virus are "weak" or "helpless." Hug-A-Bus
will assist them in continuing to have the
opportunity to participate in cultural events
or even go to the movies when physical or
financial restraints might keep them home.
Stein feels that community members
have the responsibility to help each other.
Hug-A-Bus appears to have laid down a
good foundation from which the program
could eventually expand. Hug-A-Bus cur-
rently serves only individuals with HIV and
their families, meeting a demand that has
not previously been addressed.
Other communities around the country
have established similar transportation pro-
grams for cancer patients, the elderly or
others who find themselves virtually home-
bound due to medical conditions or finan-
cial difficulty. Programs like Hug-A-Bus
should continue to expand - people
impeded by disease or circumstance retain
the ability and desire to participate in their
CRs tender
campaign
resignations
TO THE DAILY:
On Wednesday, Jan. 27, a
majority of officers of the
University of Michigan
College Republicans exer-
cised their right to remove an
elected president from office.
The decisionto impeach
Nicholas Kirk centered on
his ethical violations, inabili-
ty to satisfactorily delegate
responsibility among the
other officers, blatant disre-
gard for the diplomatic
process, unwillingness to
assume accountability for his
actions and crude behavior
toward many members.
To the campus community,
Kirk's impeachment facilitat-
ed a new beginning - a
beginning of a group commit-
ted to abhor all forms of dis-
reputable conduct and ves-
tiges of ineptitude. To our
friends in the membership of
the CRs, this was a triumph of
honor and integrity over the
improvidence and gross orga-
nizational mismanagement
that characterized Kirk's
tenure and impeded the attain-
ment of our ultimate goals.
In an unexpected turn of
events, Kirk was re-elected
president to serve out the
remainderaofethe term until
the general elections on
March 19. To those of us who
worked tremendously hard to
reform this organization from
within, the re-election of
Kirk indicates a failure to
attain a heightened sense of
responsibility on the part of
the 20 or so active members
necessitated by the occasion.
As officers elected to serve
in the best interest of the
Republican Party at the colle-
giate level, we no longer feel
we can fulfill our mandate in
an environment of individu-
als impervious to the dictates
of sensibility. We therefore
resign our positions as vice
president, treasurer, and sec-
retary of the CRs. All that is
left now is a hope that Kirk's
successor will bring this
group's maturity to a level
commensurate with the chal-
lenges facing campus
Republicans ahead. It is
wrong to assume the conser-
vative movement is dead on
campus. It is likewise wrong
to assume our individual
roles in the fight for smaller
government and more per-
sonal freedom have ended.
Thank you to the many won-
derful people who supported
us and continue to encourage
us.
EuA XE1os
LSA SOPHOMORE
JENNIFER SKOMER
LSA SOPHOMORE
BECKY BEAMISH
Organization. They were
there speaking on the strug-
gle for freedom for radical
journalist and MOVE sup-
porter Mumia Abu-Jamal, a
former Black Panther cur-
rently on Pennsylvania's
death row. Mumia Abu-
Jamal's struggle for a new
trial has received support
ranging from the Japanese
Diet (parliament) to South
African President Nelson
Mandela to the Ann Arbor
City Council. Abu-Jamal was
the victim of a politically
motivated and racist COIN-
TELPRO-style railroading
stemming from a 1981 inci-
dent in which a Philadelphia
policeman was killed.
Overwhelming exculpatory
evidence - much of which
was deliberately withheld in
his 1982 mockery of a trial
- has convinced millions
worldwide of his innocence
and demonstrated convinc-
ingly that the American "jus-
tice" system does not work if
you happen to be poor, black
or hold revolutionary politi-
cal beliefs.
While the Daily did run a
photograph taken from the
forum (although Carlos
Africa was erroneously
named as John in the cap-
tion), as one of the main
organizers of the event, I was
disappointed that the Daily
chose not to send a reporter.
Ramona Africa is an interna-
tionally recognized leader in
the worldwide campaign for
Mumia Abu-Jamal's freedom
and both she and Carlos
Africa are themselves former
political prisoners. Ramona
Africa is also the only adult
survivor of the 1985 fire-
bombing of the MOVE home
in which 11 people -
including five children -
were burnt alive and/or shot
and 61 homes were destroyed
in a black Philadelphia neigh-
borhood.
She was imprisoned for
the maximum seven-year
sentence from that date until
1992 for "incitement to riot"
and other bogus charges, hav-
ing been told by authorities
that if she renounced MOVE
and her political and spiritual
beliefs, her sentence would
be reduced. This she coura-
geously refused to do.
The MOVE massacre at
the hands of the notoriously
racist and corrupt
Philadelphia police depart-
ment made headlines world-
wide in 1985.
Surely Ramona Africa's
talk at U of M should have
been considered newsworthy
- more so than the opening.
of yet another campus coffee-
house, the "story" the Daily
chose to run on the front page
of the same issue in which our
event received only a page
five photo caption.
Stories like Mumia Abu-
Size affects
'U' experience
TO THE DAILY:
Over recent months, I
have noticed a trend in the
publicity of the reputation of
our esteemed University. I
look at articles - such as the
one printed about this
University having to court
would-be applicants
("Deadline extended for 'U'
applicants," 3/10/97) - and I
am deeply disturbed. This is
the first time I have ever
heard of our school having to
resort to these measures to
attract a diversified and well-
qualified incoming class.
Moreover, I recently read
the U.S. News and World
Report reviews of our under-
graduate program, an opinion
in particular written by a for-
mer Daily editor, that criti-
cizes the size and complexity
of this fine institution. What
is wrong with this picture?
I look to policy decisions
made in the past few years
that dilute and weaken a
strong University. I realize
that in today's financial
world, many universities are
strapped for money. I believe
that the University's leaders
have placed too much
emphasis on maximizing the
size of the student body to
maximize the inflow of
much-needed tuition.
When looking at colleges,
I wanted a large school - I
appreciate the diversity and
benefits that a large school
has to offer. However, I also
wanted a school with a repu-
tation for excellence. I feel
that the recent trend toward
an ever-increasing student
body has harmed the atmos-
phere and reputation of the
University. This fact is evi-
denced by drops in applica-
tions, disparaging remarks
made by student leaders to
national publications and the
size of undergraduate classes.
Furthermore, I realize the
economic benefits of maxi-
mizing size to minimize
costs. I am speaking of the
proposal to build a giant din-
ing hall in the area of the Hill
residence halls. This facility
will capture the economies of
scale of a large facility, but at
the expense of part of the
undergraduate living experi-
ence. I lived in Couzens Hall
my freshman year and some
of the best memories I have
of that year were made in that
dining hall. I ask the Housing
Division: What memories
will future undergraduates
have of eating with 1,500
others in a giant barn? I think
not. At what point is "big"
big enough? I think we have
already passed that point.
I think that it is time that
we rethink our plans to
increase the size of the
University year after year
without regard for the harms
Extensions ma
help improve
U's climate
of diversity
O nly 40 years ago, the University,
like most American institutions
of higher education, was a very white
place. "Diversity" was just a w
buried in the dictionary; it was not on
the forefront of
administrators'
But things have
changed, thanks in>
part to educators'
drive to diversify
the student body,=i
both racially and
socio-economical-
ly.
A few weeks ZACHARY M
ago, the University RAIM
undertook another $moKE &
attempt to ensure an3r
diversity. The
admissions office decided to extend
the undergraduate application deadline
for minority and exceptional high
school students. The University made a
wise decision to extend the deadline
its pursuit of diversity benefits
entire community.
The extension
Administrators were concerned with
sharp drops in the number of applica-
tions from minority students, partici-
larly members from the black,
Hispanic and Native American com-
munities. Applications were down
between 14 and 18 percent for these
groups. Overall, the University
received about 4 percent fewer ap
cations this year than previous years.
The University decided to extend the
application deadline by a few weeks,
to March 1, for 4,000 of these high
school students.
Specifically, the University targeted
minority students with minim
grade-point averages of 3.4, American
College Testing scores of 24 and
Scholastic Assessment Test scores of
more than 1,000. And, the Univer
also targeted top scholars with mini-
mum grade-point averages of 4.0,
ACT scores of 30 and SAT scores of
1,480. In addition, the admissions
office granted these students permis-
sion to send in their essays later, under
separate cover.
Diversity
The decision to extend the deadline
caused a stir among some members of
the University community, local me*
and Michigan residents. Many critics
claim that this move gives certain
groups preferential treatment and that
the pursuit of diversity has ended up
undermining the University's desire to
treat everyone equally. But these crit-
ics are misguided. Such criticism over-
looks many important aspects of the
decision, both on a macro and micro
level.
The overall benefits of a diverse 4
dent body cannot be underestimated.
The University is comprised of stu-
dents from all different racial, ethnic,
religious and economic backgrounds.
Professors and administrators are try-
ing to create a community where its
members explore their similarities and
respect their differences. From this
vastly diverse population, people can
expand their minds, ideas and points
of view. It brings more voices to t
table and enriches our intellect
exchanges. It better equips all students
for a diverse work force.
When diversity is threatened, the
University has a responsibility to com-
bat the problem. Its decision to extend
the application deadline is an impor-
tant move to protect one of the
University's valuable resources: its
diverse student population.
A misguided debate
Not only do critics overlook the b
efits of diversity, they fail to see that
the deadline extension is harmless. No
one was hurt by the University's deci-
sion, and everyone stands to benefit.
No group was barred from applying to
the University. No quota systems are
in place to keep certain groups out.
The University is just tring to expand
and enrich the applicant pool.
It is also important to note that the
academic standards for the potent
minority applicants are quite high. A
common misconception, surrounding
affirmative action is that institutions
routinely enroll or hire underqualified
minorities and discriminate against
relatively more qualified white people.
These numbers demonstrate other-
wise. A minimum 3.4 GPA suggests
that a student has at least some natural
intelligence and a solid work ethic.
Moreover, a 1,000 or higher on,
SAT is abovethe national average and
a respectable score. (It's certainly
above mine.) To say that these students
are unqualified, as some critics have
charged, is wrong and harmful to the