4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, December 12, 2000 Ulbe Sidiigan Bailg 'University committees' (or political sugar pills') 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 daily. letters@umich.edu Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan MIKE SPAHN Editor in Chief EMILY ACHENBAUM 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. Standardized tests ignore quality education T he results of the 'Third International Math and Science Study-Repeat," an international standardized test in sci- ence and math, were recently released. The test came as a response to earlier findings that indicated that while Amen- can fourth-graders performed well on standardized tests as compared to fourth- graders internationally, eighth-graders were not as successful as their interna- tioal counterparts. However, although the American education system is flawed, the public should not be overly con- cerned about the results of something as oversimplified as a standardized test. Americans should be more troubled about disparities within American schools themselves. Professor Michael Martin of Boston College and one of the designers of the test has insisted that efforts were made so that a representative population of stu- dents took the exam. However, many crit- ics of international standardized testing rightfully argue that several countries outside of the United States employ the, "track system" in their educational process, in which students are chosen at an early age to either continue their edu- cation in an academic or trade-specific track. It is possible that this type of sys- tem led to only the upper tier of students in some countries taking these tests. The biggest problem with placing too much weight upon results of standardized tests is that doing so often forces teachers to teach with the singular aim of stu- dents' high performance on such tests. When this occurs, emphasis is placed only on the material covered by standard- ized tests and other subjects, equally important but not included in such tests, go ignored. Teaching to standardized tests also encourages teachers to try to develop among their students a uniform way of thinking, which stunts creative inquiry in the interest of garnering posi- tive statistics. The cause for concern that should come out of this study does not lie in the disparities between the United States and other countries, but rather in the differ- ences in results between different demo- graphic groups in the United States itself. The fact that white students performed better than both Hispanic and black stu- dents in math and science should be of greatest concern to American educators. It is important that before the United States worries about comparison of itself with other countries that first our educa- tors work to close the gap between the performance of white students and minorities. It is impossible to make a flawless comparison between countries that employ entirely different educational sys- tems by both dividing students differently and placing emphasis on different sub- jects. There are many flaws inherent in standardized tests themselves and there- fore educators should not continue to place such extreme reliance upon the results of such tests. It is a well-known fact that the "Close the door" button in most elevators is a totally unfunctional placebo, placed there just to give the individuals the impression that they are somehow participating, contributing to the speed of the elevator journey - when we push this button, the door closes in exactly the same time... This extreme case of fake participation is an appropriate metaphor3 of the participation of individuals in our "postmodern " politi- cal process -SlavojZizek Although Zizek was commenting Nick on the general state of affairs in modemn poli- Woomer tics when he wrote the above passage earlier this year in the journal WOOrM Lacanian Ink, the "Close the door" metaphor remains equally relevant at the micro (read: "University") level. Nowhere is "fake participation" at the Uni- versity more apparent than in the seemingly infinite number of committees and subcom- mittees dedicated to rigorously analyzing actual and proposed policies. Parents attempt to instill a sense of self importance in young children by giving them small, often meaningless, tasks to accomplish ("I'll bake the cookies and you can put the icing on them!"). Likewise, University administrators try to instill a sense of self importance in lowly students, faculty and staff by appointing them to a committee or two. I don't mean to make a broad assertion about the character of the University's administration or about the importance and/or quality of work done in every single Univer- sity committee. What is clearly the case, however, is that many committees at the Uni- versity are, at best, unnecessary and at worst cause irreparable harm. Case in point: The Standing Committee on Labor Standards and Human Rights, which has been studying a proposed code of conduct for the University to write into its contracts with companies producing apparel and other products bearing the University's name or logos. University President Lee Bollinger agreed in a policy statement back in March 1999 (in response to a sit-in at his office by Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality) to a set of principles regarding minimum labor standards for workers. But the principles in Bollinger's policy statement have yet to become legally binding on any of the companies that have licensing and supply contracts with the University. Why? Because the code of conduct is sitting in the Standing Committee on Labor Standards and Human Rights, which is actually the sec- ond committee to review the code (Bollinger rejected the version of the code suggested by the initial committee). Meanwhile, while the Standing Committee on Labor Standards and Human Rights considers the difference between a "living wage" and a wage that meets workers' "basic needs," the University continues to freely enter into contracts with licensees who can legally treat their workers as poorly as they want to. These types of delays send a mixed mes- sage to licensees - "treat your workers with humanity and compassion, but if you don't want to, that's okay too." On a more substantive level, while the administration tolerates (if not encourages) the Standing Committee on Labor Standards and Human Rights to work at a leisurely pace, untold numbers of workers suffer. SOLE members say that the University will sign around 200 new contracts with licensees within the next two months. Of course, no policy should be aopted willy-nilly and - to be fair - there are important differences between (for example) a "living wage" versus a wage thatmeets workers' "basic needs." Furthermore.some good has come out of the Standing Conmit- tee on Labor Standards and Human Ritts - the code's provisions on collective barining and freedom of association have acually been strengthened. But the University administration hould not be allowed to sacrifice workers' inmedi- ate needs for the sake of ironing-oit the nuances of the code in a committee. end it certainly should not be allowed to dag its feet for nearly two years under the gise of "we just want to do this right." There are, naturally, more efficient ways for the University administration to landle issues as important as sweatshop labor - by ,dealing with the concerned parties diredty. If the administration wanted to, it could have decided to allow students concerned ibout the issues surrounding sweatshop lator to work directly with the General Couicil's office (the University's legal departmeit) to hammer-out a satisfactory code of condict in a fraction of the time it has taken two'com- mittees to address the situation. Students should not allow University administrators to be able to hide behind om- mittee deliberations to avoid makinghard decisions on key issues like sweatshop hbor, the Code of Student Conduct or (recentl') the fate of the Tower Societies. But until stulents start holding the administration accouitable for the "committeeization" of the University, they will have to settle for "Close the dbor"- style participation. - If it was not obvious, Nick Woomer irges Bollinger to give workers around the wo-lda meagerfraction of what they are entitledro by immediately signing the code of conduct. He can be reached via e-nuil at nwoomer@umich.edu forfurther consulttion. 4 'The building was actually vibrating.' n is fall. - Engineering sophomore Eric Castle on the learning environment it history class, which is held in Mason I Bei~e restul 7 New inspection guidelines miss the mark Imagine walking into your favorite restaurant, and having no idea whether the conditions were sanitary or the food met standard regulations. A new state law intends to change inspection reports to give a narrative of problems rather than tallying violations and pre- senting an overall score as with the previ- ous system. While restaurant owners are celebrating this new process, restaurant- goers should question the validity of these inspections. This plan, which went into effect Nov. 8; involves interviewing restaurant own- ers and asking what procedures they use, in lieu of inspecting the restaurants and surprising the owners with a list of prob- lems. Restaurant owners are rejoicing and now claim that this will help them learn rather than be penalized, because tlp new inspections will be collaborative and educational rather than a one-sided attack on the part of the inspector. From the consumer's point of view, this change in inspection regulations seems to take too lax of an approach. Customers argue that these new rules give restaurant owners the opportunity to lie and pass their unsatisfactory kitchens off to inspectors. Health commissioners established a better alternative to the Michigan law a few years ago in California. Under that law, each restaurant was given a grade that the owners were, and still are, oblig- ed to hang in the window. Restaurants that received a grade lower than a 'C' were forced to close down until they brought their establishments up to par. The threat of losing business, either from a bad grade or by being shut down, forced owners to clean up their restau- rants and keep them that way. It seems as if a combination of previ- ous Michigan procedures, as well as con- sideration of other restaurant inspection techniques would be ideal for customers. Restaurants should be examined thor- oughly while their owners are asked questions about procedure. Strict sanita- tion procedures may mean some extra work for restaurant owners and legisla- tors, but in the long run restaurants will benefit from a boost in patronage. MSA does not need an Affirmative Action Task Force TO THE DAILY: The Michigan Student Assembly does not need an Affirmative Action Task Force ("'U' needs affirmative action task force," 12/11/00). The creation of this task force will only lead to negative consequences and its proposed job can be done without it. For the past two years, MSA has been plagued with a divisiveness that has kept us from accomplishing projects that students want to see. Tuesday meetings have been consumed by debates regarding the merits of affirmative action and other divisive issues, which has lead to MSA getting a reputation for not doing anything except arguing. The creation of this task force will further divide the campus and the assembly on this issue and will help fuel the problem that has con- sumed the government for too long. We, the undersigned, believe that MSA can and should address affirmative action, as we have in the past. With this in mind, however, we feel that MSA needs to refo- cus its priorities and examine whom and what benefits from our actions. We need to first and foremost accomplish goals for all students, as we have done in the past with Advice Online, increasing student group funding and many other projects. Affirma- tive action should continue to be addressed through the same channels as it has in the past, namely, the Peace and Justice Com- mission of MSA, charged with being a clearinghouse for campus activism. We, the undersigned, offer this letter as our olive branch to the Defend Affirmative Action Party. We want to see all projects, not just DAAP's or ours, accomplished. We ask DAAP members to do as we are doing and set aside their party affiliations and preju- dices to better serve all students on campus. We are firmly committed to getting MSA back on its feet and to earning back the trust of the student body and we hope you are as well. MATr NoLAN, COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR JESSICA CASH, BUDGET PRIORITIES CHAIR JUSTIN WILSON, PEACE AND JUSTICE CHAIR CHRIS CORNECEW, CAMPUS SAFETY CiAIR ZAcH SLATES, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS C-lAIR JAVIER RESTREPO, BUDGET PRIORITIES VICE- OCAIR ERIC ROEDER, ENGINEERING REP. JENNY FARNEY, MUSIC REP. SUZANNE MARTIN, ENGINEERING REP. GREG HAYES, ENGINEERING REP. SALLY HARRISON, BUSINESS REP. MIKE WILSON, LSA REP. JASON VARGO, ENGINEERING REP. THOMAS KULJURGIS TENTATIVELY SPEAKIN G NAVJE A sVE AM> 1 VOMI NOIMALLI 1'MK VR&OHAL j V 5x~E vOQ AEw rYEAR! I- 'op 4?14E)OLM" orr7 - J UST dAI WE WEEa: cEOVLEW~o CA hl Usc r- UORUS, AI MOR~E LAW4YERS. - h' E0IGAT~t T© PVu. KOLuR~is. . ., MERY copis ats -rto$ E In inconclusive conclusion... JASON POLANM ... UiM $s. IulS qVoog r A .... * TAyr0. SAG1Afl X * was hoping to follow bizarre precedent and make this column a blank 'think- space,' where a lack of words and the abun- dance of space would put the reader in a much deserved time-lapse. For fear of com- ing across as a pseudo-something and for fear of evoking expurgatory glaress of editorial wrath, I declined. I was weak. I was hoping to do well this term. That sort of happened, sort of didn't. Rabid dogs of socialism bit me on the ass and I start-' ed smelling decadent class-conflict and Waj seeing red. Other people's girlfriends Syed and other people's The Karachi trust became an unre- K solved conflict a St overnight and foreign mediation didn't help. Just like the death toll in Kashmir which rose magnificently during any other Who. He learned how to throw a spiral and considered it impressive when he won chugging competitions. He told a good joke and read the sports page. Most concepts seemed logical. Most clothes looked wear- able. Most norms seemed acceptable. Life was an uncensored version of Hunky Dory, the movie. Love was inevitable and so it hap- pened. Foreigner Who fell in love with In- Stater Who and boy, she was worth the culture clash and everything. Inspired by a new found talent of cuisine preparation, he invited her over for dinner. The dinner was exquisitely arranged and made to perfection. In-Stater Who came over that night. And ate. And drank. And left. Then, for days, nothing happened. The dinner had been perfect, the wine had been perfect, the music had been fucking perfect. What went wrong? Troubled by ego and egg-plant, Foreigner Who confronted In- Stater Who. What was wrong, he asked? Had the food been okay? Had she fallen ill? In-Stater Who, who didn't mince words, told him. She had 17 credits and was really tied up non White, non Christian Who. She had lied. Soy sauce had thus become a racial arbitrator. The rest is history. Although event after event of racial implication has unfolded after- wards, the differences have been clear since that day. In Black and White. And Brown. And Yellow. Here, in the town called Ann Arbor and the place called the University, we all have reputations to maintain. To maintain we sustain. To sustain we adopt. In the case of your humble narrator, the call has been tough. All things primetime have started to reek venom. All issues of majority, all clothes and songs mainstream, have started to stink of a bourgeois bladder leak. In essence, that has been my social crutch. Generally speak- ing, race and ethnicity awareness has become nothing but a graduation requirement. Segre- gation is not just rampant here; it's a bloody,* delicacy, served every day in the residence hall cafeterias. It might have started off with some girl. It might not be your fault. But it is my problem. In a week, I leave for home. I leave for Karachi, Pakistan. I leave for a praetorian nation with a defunct constitution, endemic