4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursaay, September 9, 1999 5Iw Sidigan &zil For the last time, I've never called it 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 daily.letters@umich.edu Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan HEATHER KAMIINS Editor in Chief JEFFREY KOSSEFF DAVID WALLACE Editorial Page Editors Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion offthe majority offthe Dailys editorial board. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. Learning by doing All students should attend Festifall or the past few years, a Daily columnist has started off the school year with bla- tant character attacks on East Coast stu- dents. Things have changed. As a native New Jerseyite, I find those types of regional. prejudices appalling. They are commonly accepted masks for E racism, anti-semitism' and other forms of bigoted oppression. Character i z in g people based on their hometown is usually inaccurate and leads to greater rifts Jeffrey between an already Kosseff divided student body. Let's consider a few myths about East New Stye Coasters: e I'm not a member of an "East Coast" fraternity. Surprisingly, I don't belong to a Greek organization. I don't smoke Marlboro Lights. Cigarettes repulse me. V I've never driven an SUV My car is the least flashy automobile you could find. l've never set foot in Rick's. I do not want to go to the Business School. I'm pursuing a career in journalism - not a profession known for fat-cat stock options and high salaries. * I've never complained about the lack of good bagels on campus. Zingerman's has some of the best food I've ever eaten. O I did not go to a high-profile private "academy" before coming to the University. My public high school was quite plain. You get my drift. I do not fit the common stereotype that many people have of East Coasters. I concede there are some obnoxious East Coasters. But I know obnoxious people from every corner of the country, so that argument doesn't convince me. I don't know anyone who exactly fits the stereotype assigned to their region. Students from Los Angeles to Detroit to New York City and everywhere in between have faced expectations from their peers based on their birthplace. "Wow, you don't even have a southern accent," most people exclaim when they meet my friend, who attends the University and is from the South. While that is a pretty bland observation, we know their hidden meaning: "Wow, you're not the kind of Southerner who wears a white hood and marries his sis- ter." Would it be a problem if he had a Southern accent? Would people take him less seriously? In many cases, I think, he would get less respect with an accent. We've all heard the Southerners-are- bumpkins comments, in addition to bible- thumping Western Michigan stereotypes and the chain-smoking and loud Long Island archetypes. Regionalism is just as mean-spirited as racial and gender prejudices, but it is more accepted. Often, it acts as a way for people to vent their other prejudices in a socially acceptable way. People have made many assumptions about me based on my home state. I am commonly asked about my Bar Mitzvah, without giving any indication of my reli- gion. It's funny, because I never remember having a bar mitzvah. And my fellow students often label me with many anti-Jewish stereotypes because of my origin. Because I'm from the East Coast, they reason, I must be a cheap, spoiled rich kid who is picky about bagels. When people "jokingly" label me with 'New Joisey' these characteristics, they cite the fact that I'm from New Jersey. But coincidentally, they are labeling me with the same stereotypes that bigots assign to Jews. And the East Coast is known for its high population of Jews. Putting two and two together, it's easy to see that these bigots are finding a way to make anti-semitic comments without being branded anti-semitic. Anti semitism is only one of the forms oe bigotry that regionalism protects. How many times have you heard someone ridicule Detroit for being crime-filled and poverty-stricken? These are the people who know the least about Detroit, which has many nice and safe neighborhoods. Many University students are from Detroit, and they don't need to hear other people talk negatively about their home town. They should be able to have pride in their city without their peers assuming they. grew up in a gang, surrounded by drugs. Anti-Detroit sentiments sound an awful lot like prejudices white supremacists hold against black people. To break through these regional divides, we need to get to know people from various regions rather than making assumptions. Most importantly, the University must get rid of these ridiculous "living and learning" programs that allow students to essentially choose their own residence halls - a process that usually results in geographic segregation by residence hall. Everyone knows where the East Coast dorms are. If students took the time to know individ- ual Michiganders, East Coasters and Southerners, they would quickly lose many of their prejudices. Before we even begin to tackle issues like racism and anti-semitism, we need to address regionalism. - Jeffrev Kossef can be reached over e-mail atjkossefjfumich.edue G R\DING T HE NIB T he University's academics - from English literature to electrical engi- neering - are top-notch. But learning in the classroom only goes so far. As stu- dents at a massive Big Ten school, we have ES opportunities that are WiiE ST: DjA absent in smaller WHN: ToDAy, r schools. These opportu- 4 i.f nities come from the WHAT: REPRiP$EIE University's nearly 800 AK0uT 305 STD student organizations. Today, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., repre- sentatives from more than 300 of these groups will be on the Diag to try to con- vince you to participate. Festifall, an annual event, helps get students involved with these groups. Do not let your time at the University pass you by without getting involved. An average of at least 15 credits per semester can be stressful at times. But you don't want to look back on your time in Ann Arbor and realize all you did was attend [1 r . NT< ? N class. Students groups can be just as ben- eficial as classes - and they're usually more fun. There is no better way to make life-long friends. Don't constrain your- TALself to the activities you enjoyed in high school. oM 11 A.a TO Try something new. That's what college is all about. AT VS FROM It's never too late to get T GROUPS involved. Student groups don't look only for first- year students. If you're a senior, and you're interested in an exotic hobby, go to Festifall and see if there's a club for it. There probably is. From religious organizations to acade- mic societies to recreational sports to The Michigan Daily, there is an organization for everyone. During the next few weeks, before the stress of mid-terms takes over, you should find the groups that are right for you. Festifall is the perfect way to do that. CHIP CULLEN An 'F' for inconvenience Pass/fail deadline should be extended T hrough next week, University stu- dents will be attending this semes- ter's classes for the first time. But in just 19 days - with only a modicum of expe- rience in each class - those students must decide whether to make use of their pass/fail option. In requiring this hasty decision, the University weakens an otherwise strong support of academic success. The pass/fail deadline should fall after midterms. Taking a course pass/fail helps allevi- ate the stress of academia while allowing students to branch out and be a little adventurous in their scheduling. When a student takes a course pass/fail, that course does not affect his or her grade point average. Students receive full credit for pass/fail courses, provided they achieve at least a C-. A single class can have a significant impact on overall GPA. Consequently, students often refrain from leaving their academic comfort zones. But if students had the option to change a class to pass/fail after the semester's midpoint, more would select courses they find different and challeng- ing. Even the most careful selection of classes leaves a few surprises. Sometimes course descriptions and syllabi do not provide an accurate appraisal. When a student schedules an oppressive work- load, the pass/fail option acts as a sort of safety valve. Students are then able to prioritize and balance their studies and extracurricular activities, deriving the most benefit from the semester. The pass/fail option is not an invitation to disregard a class, as some may perceive; rather, the minimum requirements for a passing mark ensure that every class receives a healthy amount of attention. And a student's schedule does not sim- ply consist of academic courses. Students need time for outside activi- ties. Being a member of a campus organi- zation places considerable demand on tightly budgeted time. Further, many stu- dents are unable to afford the luxury of unemployment during the academic year and need to work. These activities whittle down students' study time. But the true workload for the semester is often not clear until much later than three weeks after the first day of class. On Sept. 28, many students will not yet have completed their first sizeable assignments of the semester, or received enough grades to evaluate how well equipped they are to handle the courses they select- ed. Some classes will have met only three times. The optimal pass/fail deadline would come after midterms. At this point, all of the semester's wrinkles have been exposed, and students are in the best posi- tion to iron them out. Those students suf- fering under unreasonable demands can lose some of them. The University need not worry about abuse of the pass/fail privilege. Students may not take more than 30 credits pass/fail, so no one will be able to coast through the University on pass/fail cred- its. Students will have to make a decent effort in every class from the beginning of the semester, since they must budget the allotted limit of credits wisely. A post-midterm deadline for taking classes pass/fail would greatly benefit the academic and personal lives of students without sacrificing tht integrity of a University education. Students deserve the time to make a careful, informed choice. We urge you to e-mail Provost Nancy Cantor, the chief academic officer, and let her know 19 days is not enough time to make a major decision about your academic future. Football players should be held accountable for their actions To THE DAILY: Another football season is upon us. yet this year is different. Henceforth, the University shall not be able to hold its head high. This past summer, three members of the football team were caught and con- victed of stealing from a Kmart in Ypsilanti. In the pastsuch playersnas this were dealt with by the team in an appropriate manner, usually with a multiple game suspension. However, in this case, coach Lloyd Carr has found it expedient to merely hold these players out of the starting line- up. while inserting them in soon after the game begins. This lack of action is outrageous. The Michigan coaches should be taken to task for this b' students, alumni, faculty, hot dog vendors, etc. I don't advocate throwing the players off the team. But this lack of discipline conjures up terrible images of the University of Miami and University of Oklahoma in the '80s as well as the University of Nebraska in the '90s, where misdeeds by players were met with cries from coaches of "boys will be boys." That is not a comparison I, nor the coaches would probably desire. Remember, former Michigan coach Gary Moeller was fired from his job for an offense much less serious than what these JLIGT GOtTTA RUNI HIM-yoME. WJE &0TT'A! %2 "Now". r~ three have done. PAUL PAVWOSKI LSA JUNIOR 'Night' march unintentionally excluded survivor TO THE DAILY: The Ann Arbor Coalition Against Rape wishes to apologize for the pain that was caused bythis year's "Take Back the Night March" A survivor who did not identify as male or female was forced to leave the march by other participants, who per- ceived this individual to be a man. In order to make the march welcome to transgendered individuals, it was stat- ed that the march was for women as wel as those who identify as women. However, this attempt failed, as it excluded individuals like this person who do not fit within male/female gender cat- egories. It was not our intent to overlook vio- lence against transgendered individuals. The planning committee is very sorry for making this grave error and for the pain it has caused. Although the planning committee members change each year, we envision in future years the lessons that have been learned will lead to increased awareness and an atmosphere of safety that includes all individuals, regardless gender identifi- cation. LISA PAHL DEIRDRE SHIRES SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS Drug charges By Yale Daily News Yale University The new Higher Education Act revokes federal financial aid from college students convicted on drug charges. This may be a well-intentioned idea, but it is unfair and it won't work. Our nation does need to combat drug use, but revoking federal financial aid dollars from students caught with drugs would have two unfair effects. First, those with less money could have their college education revoked - an unfair, extra-judicial punishment. The federal gov- ernment should not be in the business of meting out extra sentences for those who need federal support to get an education. Second, the law will take needed aid money mostly from those who have a high- er chance of getting convicted on drug Y2K or not Y21 v The Louisville Enrdinai should not hinder aid charges -- lower-income and non-white stu- dents. The intent of the 1998 Higher Education Act may not be classist or racist, but the effect of the law is. At Yale, we know from personal experi- ence that those who do drugs in college have generally made a decision about their behav- ior. The government can successfully deter people from doing drugs in junior high and high school, but not in college. To revoke financial aid dollars from people busted for smoking a bit of marijuana or even crack doesn't solve the drug problem in this coun- try. If the U.S. Congress is genuinely interest-' ed in solving America's drug problem, its senators and representatives should concen- trate on crime prevention at a much younger age and in at-risk neighborhoods, while improving the neighborhoods' in-school and after-school programs. In addition, much of the drug use in America can be traced to unstable homes, communities with a dearth ofjobs and activ- ities for kids and poor K-12 schools. This wider social problem cannot be solved by pronouncements. It can only be solved by concerted federal and local efforts to-eliminate the causes of drug use and replace drugs with other activ- ities. If politicians wish to limit drug use in this and other urban university environments, they will step away from draconian mea- sures and concentrate on programs that work. - This staff editorial ran Tuesday in the Yale Daily News. NANCY CANTOR PROVOST AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 3074 FLEMING ANN ARBOR, MI 48109-1340 ,a A000e - That is the question While. yes. some computer will cease it's New Year's Eve, midnight - the year