4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 18, 1997 ir I(di!gUn Drnig 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. A ll other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. FROM THE DAILY Brealng up? Grad. students' departure would weaken MSA NOTABLE QUOTABLE, I want my daughter back. We have peace, but I don't have my daughter anymore.' -Alia Malka, whose 12-year-old daughter; Adi, was one of seven Israeli schoolgirls gunned down by a Jordanian solder YU K KuNIYUKIGROUND ZERO CLoNt C-7 . .,5'fKAk' JO J~MP$... t HoA) YOUA TELL >A , tWt~kifs FEEL. qtr r" F(4 VIEWPOINT A pledge to curb spe~nding M any students pay little attention to the Michigan Student Assembly - they are content to pay their $2.69 every semes- ter and forget about it. A plan endorsed by several graduate student government lead- ers would split the assembly in half -leav- ing two individual bodies struggling to gain the legitimacy the present one often lacks. The assembly is designed to represent the entire student body - dividing it in half would betray that commitment and decrease the assembly's power. Last Tuesday, Rackham Rep. John Lopez announced intentions to create a separate student government consisting of the five graduate schools - the Council of Graduate and Professional Students (GaPS). He plans to place a referendum question on each school's ballot in the next two months, asking to divide MSA. GaPS would revamp the present student gover- nance structure - irrevocably altering stu- dent representation to the administration. With a mere 10-percent voter turnout in its last election, the assembly's legitimacy is questionable. Students simply ado not view MSA's actions as relevant enough to vote during its elections - let alone concern themselves with its week-to-week happen- ings. Removing a large portion of MSA's constituency would further degradate stu- dent participation. Furthermore, GaPS would be unable to garner support in its genesis - causing the division process to backfire and the new student government formation to collapse. In order for MSA to better address grad- uate student concerns, graduate students must take a stronger role in the assembly's practices. In the last election, only 2 percent of Rackham students put forth the effort to vote. Several of the school's representatives fail to regularly attend meetings. MSA can- not work for the benefit of graduate stu- dents when they fail to offer adequate input about their problems and needs. A higher voter turnout and more active representa- tives could go a long way in solving the problems graduate students presently have with the assembly. Lopez stated that MSA fails to address many graduate student concerns because it is composed primarily of undergraduates. Even so, MSA actively supports many grad- uate student issues. MSA stands firmly behind the Graduate Employees' Organization. Members of the assembly also worked to establish child care scholar- ships for students - an issue affecting graduate students more than undergradu- ates. The assembly's present commitment to graduate students is on par with the effort that graduate students put into it. Along with changing MSA's constituen- cy, GaPS would seize graduate students' fees - totaling $70,000 - and divert them from MSA's budget. The budget drop would significantly affect the assembly's Budget Priorities Committee, forcing it to decrease funding to many student groups - consist- ing of both graduates and undergraduates - that deserve them. Splitting MSA into two weaker units would not solve graduate students' prob- lems. MSA's division could lead to further constituent apathy - threatening the assembly's relevance. Graduate students should vote against the referendum ques- tion's proposed division to maintain the strength of unified student representation. Together, the assembly stands - divided it would certainly fall. Last year Flint Wainess was rumored to have spent upwards of $5,000 dollars on his campaign. While there was never any official confirma- tion of this year 's tally, we live in an age where our current president, Fiona Rose, feels comfortable spending $137 of assembly funds on a personal day planner. This time around, it 's already out of control, where some of the parties who declined a voluntary $500 spending cap did so because they d already spent that much before they even announced they were running. How are real students supposed to par- ticipate in the political process here? - The Student Rights Commission, MSA Michigan Student Assembly campaign spending has, as of late, grown to out- rageous proportions. Student candidates have spent thou-. sands of dollars to get elected to executive offices-and this, we think, is not only mis- guided and wrong-headed, but also harmful to democra- cy on campus. Student representative and presidential campaigns have degenerated into a battle over artful banners and posters and clever computer graphics rather than real issues affect- ing real students. As a result of this perversion of the democratic process, student voters cannot know who will best represent them. Candidates ought to be encouraged to meet and dis- cuss issues with their potential constituents, rather than manipulating them with mind- less propaganda. Constituents must regain a sense that their government is accountable to and in touch with them. Lately, letters in this paper have expressed a loss of this feeling of trust. We must give students a reason to regain trust in leadership: a govern- ment of the students, for the students and by the students. And not just wealthy ones. Financial sponsors (like parents and grandparents who foot the bill for many of these campaigns) live outside the University conmnity -- and are not, by definition, affected by the leaderghip of the student government -- and ought not have a say in who gets elected to leader- ship of the student assembly. Student representative or officer hopefuls shoidd not be spending more money on an election than most stu- dents pay in monthly rent. We, therefore, resolve that we, as candidates, will not spend more than $500 per candidate on our election campaigns. We recognize that even this amount is out of reach for many and makes the political process or politi- cal office inaccessible to those who might meaningful- ly contribute. We recognize that, in fact, it may not really be worth even $500. However, it is a good round number with which to begin a good faith and spirited reform of the way we elect our representatives. We will make our receipts part of the public record by releasing them to The Michigan Daily. Return ofthe.9 House Dens? I f politicians were traded tn the New 1York Stock Exchange, this would be a good time to buy Dick Gehardts. Al Gores would be holding steady, but Gephardts - which began the month about 1,000 points below Gores -- are slowly climbing. This is not to say that a Gephardt will ever sell f r as mu as a Gore - it probably wn't - but they are climbing nonethelqss. Why this climb? Of course, part of it can be explained by the real Al Gore's stumbling, bumbling and w. generally idiotic ' behavior in the wake of revela- tions that he made fund-raising calls from his White iAMUEL House office. GOODSTEIN "There is no con- §GRAND trolling legal - i LUSION authority, there is no controlling legal authority, there is no ..."(Al: If you are going, to be one of Team Clinton's Rut-Bending Regulars you need to be able to wea* your way out of mistakes ietter than that.) But Gephardt's slow vrise on my fictitious market is due to iore than the revelation that Gore may not be as squeaky-clean as was firsil thought. The rise is due to three oth r factors: 1) As Newt Gingrich fades irom view, House Democrats have their first opportunity in more than twao years to be players, 2) With the mairgiin between Democrats and Republicanis in tl House only 22 votes, (ephardW troops can't be run over as they were in the 104th Congress, and m pst impor- tant, 3) Gephardt has a visio and he is beginning to articulate it. In short, House Democrats are beginiing to re- discover their raison d'tre and Gephardt is positioning hirself both to be the man to deliver their vision and to provide Al Gore with some opposition in 2000. If Gephardt does square- NTagai* Gore, his first priority will he to shore up support from the traditional Democratic base. Last; Friday, Gephardt delivered an address to the Children's Defense Fund -- a key member of that base - in which he outlined a five-point plan of action for the Congress to deal wi h educa- tion/welfareflabor issues. iile this plan is probably politically unrealistic in Congress, it will be nticed 9 Democrats. The plan not onlh/ outlines good policy proposals, It suds a sig- nal that the Democrats have not for- saken the most vulnerable ii our soci- ety. This fact alone make$ it worth examining to get some idea where the political fault-lines are v ithin the Democratic Party and how Gephardt hopes to launch his renaissance. U Increase the availabilitW of chi care. Parents, especially sing le moth desperately trying to piece together a decent standard of living for their chi- dren are often faced with t'Iis conun- drum: What do you do with your chil- dren while you are at work? Mabost poor parents cannot afford good child care, and child-care grants from the govern- ment are usually inadequate N) meet the needs of depressed commun ities. Clearly, single mothers canot leave small children alone at homei. Gepha proposes increasing child-care gra , and providing businessesi with tax incentives for providing 'child-care facilities at the job site. To the surprise of some in the business eorrvunity, on- site child-care centers halve proven profitable for some compaiies; work- ers - who get to eat lunchu with their children - are more produwtive know- ing that their children are dwell taken care of. Increased prodtctivity, j course, means increased profits. Regardless of profits, more and better child care is an absolute n Ocessity - especially as the new w elfare law begins to kick millions of single moth- ers off the rolls and pote rtially into poverty. Health insurance for eiery child. Discussion of universad health care coverage is politically dead, but this is no excuse to allow 10 millicn -let repeat, 10 million children to go wiW out health insurance. It is an absolute abomination, a blot on our collective moral conscience, if we h ve one - that so many children can not receive even basic medical care. Ab solutely no child should die in th;ks country because his or her parents cannot afford health care - sadly, .they do. 0 Expand Head Start. Ais Gephardt said, Head Start works and everybQ knows it. Expansion is mvt only ch , it is cost effective: The benefits that children receive from Head Start even- tually cover the costs of the program. Expand the Parents : Teachers Program. Any initiative to get parents Unlevelground Teacher-student relationships can be trouble - Martin Cagin, Erin Carey, Aaron Freilich, Ryan Friedrichs, Dana Hanselman, Cynthia Haupt, Joshua Kirkpatrick, John Lopez, Heidi Lubin, Jon Malkovich, Michele Menuak, Craig Myles, William Nicholson, Sireen Reddy, Jim Riske, Raymond Robb, Lewis Rosenberg, David Singer Trent Thompson, Matt Tomback, Steve Waterbrook, Stephanie Windisch, Lydia Yeung, Amer Zahr LETTERS TO THE EDITOR T he past year saw an increase in the number of sexual harassment reports involving undergraduate students and their Graduate Student Instructors. Although there is a University rule prohibiting pro- fessor-student relationships, there is none prohibiting GSI-student relationships. While students must retain the right to make their own decisions about their per- sonal lives, to protect themselves, under- graduate students should consider delaying relationships with their GSIs until after the grading period. When an undergraduate student dates his or her GSI, there is an imbalance of power - the same imbalance that spurred the rule prohibiting professor-student relationships. In recent allegations, an undergraduate stu- dent reported that her GSI asked her out and when she refused, her grade declined and the GSI directed derisive remarks to her in class. Responsibility for harassment does not lie solely on GSIs. Undergraduates can often wait until after they graduate to report. Students should not have to fear the repercussions of reporting harassment. Although it may take from one to two months to compile and present the data concerning the incident, students must be able to retain anonymity. The University should create a process by which students who have been harassed can report the inci- dent without fear of negative repercussions or a drawn-out investigation. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center can provide support and advice to students dealing with the aftermath of harassment. Even if individuals are unsure if their expe- rience "qualifies" as harassment, they can still seek advice and counseling at SAPAC. There is no statute of limitations for report- ing incidents of harassment. After a sexual harassment investigation involving undergraduates and GSIs, GSIs may receive sanctions ranging from coun- seling to termination; if the offender is an undergraduate, he or she may be expelled. If a University investigation is not timely or otherwise fails, and a student feels that he or she cannot function in the class, he or she should seek a transfer or an extension on class work. GSIs are an integral part of the high qual- ity education the University offers. They work long hours, dedicate their expertise to teaching and provide a necessary link between undergraduates and professors. However, harassment between undergradu- ates and GSIs upsets the balance and negates positive teaching and learning Web voting increases participation To THE DAILY: I am currently studying abroad 10,000 miles away from Ann Arbor in sunny Australia. Although physical- ly detached from Ann Arbor, I still care deeply about what happens at the University, especially what happens with the election of our student government, MSA. Being abroad, I thought I would be unable to vote in the coming elections. This was very upsetting to me considering voter turnout is usually only about 10 percent and probably less than that are informed votes. Every vote can and does make a significant impact on the out- come of the elections. But, I am very pleased to find out that although abroad, my student voice will be heard. Thanks to MSA Communications Director Ryan Friedrichs, who imple- mented this project, I can now vote on the World Wide Web. This is wonderful devel- opment, and I hope all stu- dents (on campus and abroad) take advantage of this easy method to find out about the candidates and to vote. Hopefully, now voter turnout will increase and can- minority retention on campus at the University. This article alone should prove very help- ful in determining the best presidential slate for this year's elections, especially for students of color on campus. It troubles me to know that there are students run- ning for MSA seats who claim to be committed to diversity and the students on campus, yet they don't even have a clue about the issues that face minorities on cam- pus nor the problems associ- ated with low minority enrollment and retention. Although I'm sure the POKE party's Matt Tomback has good intentions, he does- n't seem to realize that the reason for the division between different groups has to do with the differences between the members of these different groups. "Different" is the key word here. Too many people on this campus believe that we can unite everyone and live hap- pily ever after. I think more attention should be focused elsewhere instead of trying to create a color-blind society. The Students Party and their candidate, Mike Nagrant, have come up with a seemingly ingenious idea to create a Roundtable Discussion composed of minority student leaders. However, there are already people, programs and ser- vices that do everything that and make it aware of the problem. Unfortunately, if you elect the Liberty party, even MSA won't be aware of the problem. And now on to Jessica Curtin. I'm sure everyone has their opiniorm about NWROC and everyone knows that Curtin is a strong leader with- in this militant organization. If that isn't reason enough to skip over her name on the bal- lot, then her ideas of building a student movement as a solu- tion to increase minority enrollment should be. Besides, I don't feel like Curtin could effectively represent me in anything, especially MSA. Stuart Krein of the United Rebels Front is one of the few who knows something about the issues within the minority communities. The low level of comfort mperienced by minorities is a large contribut- ing factor to why many minorities don't apply to and why many minorities end up leaving the University, but that's only half of the problem. Probir Mehta is the only candidate who really under- stands the bigger problem for many minorities on campus: financial aid. It costs a lot of money to attend this University and it isn't doing enough to help minorities pay those high costs. There is always much talk by the Univessity about-increasing minority enrollment and retention. but they still aren't cause problems by expecting preferential treatment or grade boosts and then by caus- ing a disturbance if or when they don't get it. Due to the complications for all involved parties - and the quality that the rest of the class loses to the disturbance - GSIs and undergraduates should agree to save rela- tionships for a time when they can meet as equals, instead of as teacher and student. If students want to report incidents of harassment, they must go through a lengthy process at the University's Sexual Harassment Prevention and Resolution