4- The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 3, 1997
~be fgi~idgin ailg
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
NOTABLE QUOTABLE,
'We need to look at things for the future - for 100
years from now - to consider what our University
campus might be like, what Its character should be.'
-University President Lee Bollinger
Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion ofthe majority ofthe Daily s editorial board. All
other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
YUKI KUNIYUKI
FROM THE DAILY
Camnaidn tral snn
'U' should continue
hanks to a record-setting fundraising
. initiative, University coffers are teem-
Ing with cash. The Campaign for Michigan
gan five years ago, with a goal of raising
t$ billion. It exceeded even these lofty
!pectations - collecting almost $1.4 bil-
lion. The funds make additional scholar-
lips, departmental funding and facilities
ossible - and puts the University's endow-
,,Vent on par with those at other premier high-
e learning institutions. Alumnus Ira Harris
suggested extending the Campaign to the
year 2000, with a new goal set at $2 billion.
University officials should heed his advice
and use a substantial portion of the new
ending to improve undergraduate education.
Z The Campaign raised $340 million for the
_Vniversity's endowment - increasing the
inumber of endowed professorships from 125 to
;226. With this luxury, the University can now
pay more competitive salaries and attract a
greater number of esteemed faculty members.
Moreover, students now have more opportuni-
ties to interact with professors. LSA has fund-
ing for almost all first-year students to partici-
pate in small-enrollment seminars. These sem-
inars allow intellectual growth while easing the
transition to college. Future fundraising efforts
';,hould aim to make these types of seminars
w ailable to all undergraduate students.
The Campaign enabled the University to
:grant more scholarships than ever before. For
istance, the University established the
Colton Leadership Award to give full fund-
i ng to dozens of outstanding leaders with
-limited financial resources. Donations to
:endow professorships and scholarships have
an additional benefit - they hold down edu-
wgational costs. Previously, faculty salaries
aiid student scholarships came out of the
- . . 3..-
focused fundraising
University's general fund. Now, with
endowed funds paying for more of these ben-
efits, the University's financial burden is less
and tuition increases remain low. This year's
tuition increase was 2.9 percent, as com-
pared to previous years' double-digit hikes.
The list of further Campaign benefits
seems almost endless: The School of
Information overhauled its curriculum to
adapt to today's changing technology. The
College of Engineering was able to estab-
lish a Department for Biomedical
Engineering. The Medical School built the
Cancer and Geriatrics Center. General
Electric donated funds to encourage women
and minorities to pursue studies in the phys-
ical sciences and engineering.
The Campaign officially ended on
Wednesday. Its success was rooted in its
design. Five years ago, the Office of
Development consulted with deans to deter-
mine what each of their schools needed in
additional funding. The campaign then
aggressively sought out alumni of the various
schools to donate money for specific pro-
grams. Judy Malcolm, director of communi-
cation for the office, said all the Campaign's
goals were reached or exceeded. Fundraising
efforts will continue - although fundraisers
may no longer seek to achieve specific goals.
The Campaign succeeded due to is specifici-
ty. The new means of fundraising lack focus
- and may flounder.
The Office of Development should once
again meet with deans to form a new set of
objectives. The Campaign helped to
improve all segments of the University -
its continuation would further enhance what
the University can offer to faculty, students
and the public at-large.
'TH'IN o
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--APD OF COu~sa HECIN JJ -l,meE CoL4LtD
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A stab in the back'
Gerlach, Gartner threaten college journalism
This week, The Michigan Daily celebrat-
ed 107 years of editorial freedom, but
college newspapers around the country face
a less promising future. The Ames Daily
Tribune, a 10,000 circulation paper in Ames,
Iowa, sued the Iowa State Daily, claiming
that the Daily, a recipient of Iowa State.
University funds, is a source of unfair adver-
tising competition. This lawsuit creates a
chilling scenario, not only for the Iowa State
Daily, but for college papers nationwide.
Leading the assault against the Iowa State
Daily are university faculty members Gary
G. Gerlach and Michael G. Gartner. Gartner
-- a former NBC News president and
Pulitzer Prize recipient - along with
Gerlach, own and run the Tribune. Their law-
suit would force the Iowa State Daily to work
below potential and restrict news coverage
and advertising strictly to the campus area.
Because the Daily receives university
funding - mainly for distribution - it is, by
definition, part of a governmental agency. To
Gerlach's and Gartner's advantage, an arm of
the government cannot compete with a pri-
vate company. Using the Iowa Freedom of
Information Act, the two men attained the
Daily's advertising and distribution records.
Citing unfair competition, Gartner filed a
lawsuit against the university. The problem is
riot with the letter of the law or how Gerlach
and Gartner used it, but rather with the cor-
rupted spirit of the lawsuit.
Iowa State students constitute almost
half of the Ames community. Limiting the
Daily advertising and distribution to cam-
pus is unfair to the student readers who live
and work off-campus. A university paper is
also responsible for reporting news and
running advertisements that effect the stu-
runt hndv, __ h,,htir nn nr nr mac
Gerlach and Gartner hold a responsibility to
their students, many of whom work at the
Daily. The student journalists, sales coordi-
nators and editors strive to be the two men's
future colleagues. However, instead of
teaching their students, they are suing them
for their success.
The news industry exists because of
competition; whether reporting or advertis-
ing, the paper with the best of both will suc-
ceed. In Ames, however, the paper with the
best of both is being sued. Gerlach and
Gartner hold a valid legal point but the
Daily is first and foremost a college paper
- it exists to inform the student body of
newsworthy events, voice student opinion,
and unite the campus community. It runs
with the hard work of dedicated students
and in most cases, supportive faculty mem-
bers. Gartner claims, "I love the kids at the
Daily ... I just don't want them to stab me
in my back when I put out my paper and sell
my ads." Gartner needs to make a choice
- teach and push students to succeed at the
Daily or operate a competitive local news-
paper. Clearly, his dual career presents a
conflict of interests.
Perhaps more important, however, is the
repercussions this lawsuit could have on
student newspapers across the nation.
While this lawsuit does not seek to destroy
the Daily, it would severely handicap it.
This precedent must not be set, whether or
not the student paper conflicts with local
businesses such as Gerlach and Gartner's.
College papers need the freedom to educate
students to join the profession. Here is the
opportunity for these two esteemed journal-
ists to place the ethics of journalism above
their own petty pursuits - only then will
thp, vs, havi ini-dtir ;oiantc to h issct
There are no
benefits to
alcohol use
TO THE DAILY:
In the wake of yet another
student death due to alcohol
(Scott Krueger of the
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology), I ask this: How
many more need to die
before we understand the
seriousness of drinking? In
the Daily's article about
underage drinking ("Alcohol
common for students under
21," 9/30/97), 1 read shocking
statistics about the percent-
age of campus crimes and
other problems that are alco-
hol related, yet I perceived no
sign of concern from the stu-
dents quoted on the matter.
I suppose that the majori-
ty of students agree that alco-
hol can cause problems but
feel that they can be prevent-
ed by "responsible drinking."
To me, this phrase sounds
like an oxymoron. Once a
person starts drinking, his or
her judgment abates.
As an advocate of absti-
nence from alcohol, I realize
that I am in the minority.
Because of my Islamic
beliefs, I can proudly say that
I have never consumed a
drop of alcohol and I do not
feel that I am "missing out." I
have fun just by being in the
company of good friends. I
don't need a chemical com-
pound to induce a state of
merriment and neither does
anyone else!
EYASS ALBEIRUTI
LSA SOPHOMORE
'U' should
reject BAMN
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing in regard to
the Coalition to Defend
Affirmative Action By Any
Means Necessary and its
behavior at the hearing spon-
sored by state Rep. David
Jaye (R-Macomb) in Shelby
Twp. I want to applaud the
police officers who did not
hesitate to curb the rude,
malicious and illegal actions
of BAMN during Jaye's hear-
ing. The members of BAMN
obviously have no respect for
opinions that deviate from
their own. As stated in the
Daily article, Jaye gave the
members of BAMN an
opportunity to voice their
opinions. Nevertheless, the
members of BAMN wanted
only their opinions heard and
refused to allow any useful
debate or deliberation on the
issue.
It is evident that BAMN,
both by its name and its
behavior at this hearing, is an
unreasonable and militant
band of fanatics with no
same goal - to eradicate
racism and ensure equal
opportunity for all. Both par-
ties disagree on the means to
reach that shared goal. Thus,
it is important that both
groups share ideas in an
intelligent manner. BAMN is
counterproductive to this end
and should therefore receive
no further support from the
University community.
I hope that supporters of
affirmative action do not
allow BAMN to be the sole
voice supporting affirmative
action, for if it continues to
be so, affirmative action will
certainly be abolished at the
University withoutany pro-
ductive deliberation. Groups
like BAMN may make some
noise and attract attention,
but they do not help their
causes. So, I challenge sup-
porters of affirmative action
on campus to form a legiti-
mate, civil and open-minded
group so that we can leave
extremists like BAMN in the
street to have temper
tantrums while reasonable
people solve the issue at
hand.
GREGORY HILsoN
LSA JUNIOR
Rivalry story
left out 'U'
of Illinois
TO THE DAILY:
I thought Nicholas
Cotsonika's article on the
University's football rival-
ries ("Rivals instill the pride
and tradition of football
spirit," 9/25/97) was a well-
written exploration of one of
the things that makes being
a college football fan so
much fun. However, while I
realize that these designa-
tions are somewhat arbi-
trary, I disagreed with his
choice that the University of
Minnesota was a historical
rival while the University of
Illinois was not accorded
this same status.
His description of Illinois'
fans behavior struck a chord
with me. As an Illinois
undergraduate, the game on
the schedule that everyone
got worked up about was, of
course, the U of M game.
My friends and I thought that
this was pretty silly, since we
surmised that to U of M fans,
Illinois was just another
team. A pretty easily beatable
one at that. In terms of cur-
rent football rivalry, it is very
true, Illinois is no rival to
Michigan.
Illinois fans might want a
rivalry because for years,
Illinois has been in the shad-
ow of U of M, both athleti-
cally and academically. When
a closer look is taken, the
University of Illinois is in
many ways comparable to
Michigan, more than some U
ball that resulted in the suc-
cess of the National Football
League. (Their past rivalry is
excellently described in an
advertising section of this
season's Sports Illustrated
College Football Preview
Issue.)
Cotsonika wrote that in a
1995 Michigan-Illinois game,
Illinois was defeated, "by a
team that had no regard for
them." This kind of no-
respect attitude from the
Wolverines has cost
Michigan games against
"blow-off" teams over the
past few seasons. It was also
evident in a 1993 game,
when the Fighting llini came
to Ann Arbor, spoiled
Michigan's undefeated season
and dropped them in the
polls. It would take only a
few similar performances for
people to begin talking about
the resurrection of one of
college football's greatest
rivalries.
WILLIAM HOLT
RACKHAM
Daily tried
to justify'
murder
TO THE DAILY:
As an alumna of the
University, I was grieved to
hear of the murder of Tamara
Williams on campus. I am
enraged that you have given
valuable space to attempts to
justify her killer.
Criminals always have
some excuse or explanation
for their actions, some
account that they give to
themselves about how their
crimes are justifiable.
Treatment programs for bat-
terers and sexual offenders
focus on stripping away
those rationalizations and
helping offenders to confront
the real harm done by their
actions. It does not help
when members of lawful
society accept or condone
these excuses.
Neutralizations of moral
wrongs pervade American
society. "Never give a sucker
an even break" justifies
fraud. "Don't let yourself be
whipped" justifies abuse.
"Sometimes you just have to
defend yourself" justifies
letting disputes escalate to
assaults. One result of all
this justification is that we
have the highest rate of vio-
lence of any industrialized
country in the entire world.
No place else comes even
close.
So, when some imply that
Tamara Williams' refusal to
put out sexually on demand
from her abuser is some sort
of justification for her homi-
cide, it becomes part of the
problem, not part of the solu-
tion. Maybe the killer
thought that he was entitled
tn Willi;m' bdv Mav hi;
Ifgraduation is
approaching,
why am Istill
dumb as dirt?
t hit me just the other day - I don't
remember what I was doing and I
don't remember where I was becaus
the gravity of my realization burn
out all other details of the moment.
I take that back,
because I remem-
ber my girlfriend
Julie was there
(and yes, she is
real, not just one &
of those literary-
device women
made up to add
character to a bor-
ing anecdote) and
I blurted out my PAUL
weird little SERILLA
epiphany. I told SERILLA
her, "I just had the WARFARE
weirdest little
epiphany ...."
Julie just said, "Huh? When did you
come up with that?"
Wait, more of it's coming back to
me, because I also remember one
my other friends, Herman, was there.
(Herman? Yes he's real, how about
showing a little trust for the ... Well,
all right, you caught me. Herman is
entirely fake, purely a figment of my
imagination, basically created for a
one-liner - what are you going to do
about it?) All that Herm-man could
say was, "Epiphany, yeah, I remember
her, I had her record and my sister and
I went to see her sing at the mall. Yea
it was cool"
After explaining to my friend that an
epiphany was a great realization, not a
bubble-gum pop artist of the late 1980s,
I tried to grab hold of what my sudden
insight really meant. All Herman could
say was, "Yeah, well, I don't think it was
her I saw anyway, I always get her con-
fused with Debbie Gibson. 'Electric
Youth' and 'I Think We're Alone Now,'
are basically the same song, it's a mi
take anyone could make."
My apologies to you, the reader. I
guess I have digressed a little - you
probably want to know what this
amazing, life-defining synapse fire
really was, don't you? Brace yourself,
because here it comes.
This is my third year of college.
No really, that's it. This is my third
year of college - that was the cranial
thunderbolt that sparked me to writ
this column.
I suppose I should explain why this
is so important. For the sake of clarity
let me show you roughly in the form of
a seventh-grade mathematical proof.,
Given: This is my third year of co
lege.
And given: I am graduating this May
after only three years of undergraduate
education.
Then: I am missing out on an entir
year of college life, basically throwiI
it away'-cashing it in on an extr
year of adult responsibility.
Therefore: I am a class-'A' moron.
It took me three years to figure that
out; I think I deserve a refund fror
that advanced placement credit com-
pany because they told this University
I was smart and I am just a stupid
schmuck. If all those credits I had
coming in as a freshman were really
worth anything, I would have know
that U of M - and I suspect all co-
lege campuses - are anomalies of
physics. An undergraduate education
is the only known thing in the universe
that passes by faster than the speed of
light - blink once and its gone.
Sure, I can remain a student, go to
grad school, study abroad or whatever,
but it isn't the same, because my path
is already in motion and it's leaving
Ann Arbor in about eight months.
I am scared that I am going to miss
out on something;that I have not max-
imized my time in Ann Arbor to its
fullest. Around every corner lies the
possibility of something I'll regret.
Maybe it's just a restaurant I always
meant to eat in, a person I meant to get
to know better, a class I should have
taken, a book I should have read (and
several I should have returned for a
complete refund).
I guess I could have lived here all m
life and still be worried about missing
out on something, but I still feel kind
of pressured to pack a whole lot into
the next several months. Just last
week, I went to the Arb for the first
time. It was something I always meant
to do and just never made the time for
until last week. As far as southeastern
Michigan goes, it's absolutely gor-
geous - the river, all the trails, tre
and wildlife - I hate to think that
easily could have detoured my college
career around that experience for a
Lions game or "South Park" re-runs.
In the long run, I doubt I'll regret the
three-year plan, but I would never rec-
ommend it to anyone. My advice: Slow
down, smell the fragels, say hi to post-