4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 1, 2004 OPINION U1 £kI w &dl 420 MAYNARD STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 opinion. michigandaily.com tothedaily@michigandaily.com EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890 JORDAN SCHRADER Editor in Chief JASON Z. PESICK 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. NOTABLE QUOTABLE I am not interested in responding to a set of demands where no real discussion can take place." - University President Mary Sue Coleman, in an open letter to students, printed today in The Michigan Daily. COLIN DALY THE- MICHIGAN DALY SHELTER Yv u'RE wq MINE Now (iH CUY! AQ S1A s-U 1P Walk this way JOEL HOARD On YEAH? Lately when I've been driving around cam- pus and some ill- mannered student darts out in front my car, I've found myself accelerating just a lit- tle bit more than I used to. I don't want to hit anyone, I just want to strike some fear in the hearts of the ignorant and impolite. Or as I have been walking quickly to class and a group of fellow pedestrians insists on walking four abreast, thus blocking my path, I've found myself letting my bag or elbow "accidentally" bump one of them as I pass. You see, I've spent three years of my life in Ann Arbor as both a pedestrian and a motorist, and it has given me a unique per- spective on both modes of transit. I am typi- cally very safe, attentive and courteous whether on road or sidewalk, but negligent and outright rude student pedestrians have tried my patience of late. My complaint about the poor quality of Ann Arbor's student pedestrians comes not from the perspective of an old, curmudgeonly townie or an uninformed out-of-towner, for I am one of you - a student, and it is as such that I am reaching out to help you today. Now, I understand that part of the blame lies with the city of Ann Arbor itself. Roads are laid out poorly, there are four-way stops where there should be traffic lights and con- stant construction reroutes traffic and causes congestion. But that certainly does not give one the right to behave like a squirrel and run headlong into oncoming traffic. Even here in Ann Arbor, we must abide by a basic set of rules, which, if you will indulge me, I will lay out now: "Don't Walk" does not mean "Walk" This should really go without saying, but it doesn't, so I'm saying it. Walk/Don't Walk signals are in place to assist you, as a pedes- trian, in crossing streets, so don't be afraid or embarrassed by using them. They are very simple in their workings. They have two dif- ferent icons that are displayed: The first is in white and shows either a person or the word "WALK." This means you may safely pro- ceed to the other side of the street. If you are struck by a car while doing so, it is not your fault. The second is in red and shows either a hand or the words "DON'T WALK." This means you should not attempt to cross the street. If you disobey and are struck by a car, it is your fault. One additional note: A blink- ing "DON'T WALK" signal is the pedestrian equivalent of the yellow light. It means run to the other side really fast. Obey the rules of the road The basic rules of the road also apply to pedestrians. This means that one should always pass on the left, and slower traffic should keep to the right. This rule holds espe- cially true in doorways and on staircases, as they are cramped spaces. Mind your group width When traveling in groups of more than two, walk with no more than two abreast, and try to remain as compact as possible - no one should stray from the phalanx. Groups tend to move slower than solo travelers, so they should at all times yield to faster-mov- ing traffic. Don't dawdle Sidewalks are made for walking, not standing, hence the name. If you would like to stop and talk with a friend, please move to a nearby lawn, driveway or parking lot. Oth- erwise, remember what Pete Rose did to Ray Fosse in the 12th inning of the 1970 All-Star game? Yeah, it'll be like that. Don't make eye contact with motorists This gesture is interpreted as a threat by most motorists, and not to mention it is simply rude. When you have the right of way and a motorist is waiting for you to pass, it is best to lower your head and move quickly to the other side. Also, it doesn't hurt to run or at least pretend to run, so as not to take any chances. Know your place As a pedestrian, your body is largely unprotected from harm. Motorists, on the other hand, have a ton of steel, aluminum and other metals protecting them. As a general rule in life, when in doubt, yield to large objects that have the potential to kill you. The prefix ped- means foot Keep your goddamn bikes off the sidewalks. Hoard can be reached at j.ho@umich.edu. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SVA calls students to unite, hold admin. accountable To THE DAILY: In response to Monday's editorial (Taking on Fleming, 03/29/04), Student Voices in Action would like to clarify several points. The Daily's assertion that a decline in student of color recruitment, admittance and enrollment is "high- ly speculative" is similarly contentious. The numbers released by the University's administra- tion indicate a serious problem with our recruit- ment methods. Further, the University has cut student services designed to educate the student body and create a safe space for marginalized communities. Public perception of a truly diverse campus climate is contingent upon the University's commitment to these services. Additionally, the Daily finds the idea of creating a student oversight committee with veto power as part of the Division of Student Affairs "laughable." However, students pay an exorbitantly high price to attend the University with little agency in determining where these funds are allocated. Silencing our voices pre- cludes the expectation of student participation in civic life. Students must actively reclaim their role in the decision-making process and demand an institutionalized mechanism through which to make sure said ill-informed, devastating administrative action and inaction does not occur in the future. SVA fully comprehends the complexity of the issues at hand. With respect to financial concerns and facts, the administration could help us by responding to our multiple Freedom of Information Act requests filed to obtain statements of the University's budgets for the upcoming year. However, the University has stalled and refused to provide the requested information for six months to date. This noncompliance is indicative of a long history of the administration's consistent disre- gard for student needs. These issues affect the entire student body as an exemplification of the University's usage of student tuition without real student input. The only way to increase University accountability and secure the stu- dent voice is to come together in solidarity and support. We call on the student body to recog- nize this and raise its voices in demanding that the University listens. STUDENT VOICES IN ACTION Adams wrong; SVA's demands met with hot air To THE DAILY: I find it ironic that Dan Adams feels it Most importantly, this meeting was never intended to be a discussion. Coleman was asked, and agreed to, publicly respond to the demands presented to her by SVA on March 25. The moderators of Monday's meeting attempted to systematically go through the demands in order for Coleman to have the opportunity to respond to each of them indi- vidually. The demands were met with either wishy-washy noncommitments or patronizing replies, such as being told that "a little task- force" could be created to look into issues as grave as the drop in underrepresented minori- ty group admissions rates. Finally, Adams's implication that institution- ally marginalized groups within our University and American society have this status because of their impatience and inability to communicate with persons in positions of power is offensive, as well as sexist, racist and heterosexist. I would hope that someone who prides himself on pos- sessing a "liberal" heart would take time to gain a more robust understanding of the issues of power and privilege. CLAIR MORRISSEY LSA senior SVA member Daily misrepresents Creeks, should research stories TO THE DAILY: Your recent reporting of the alleged rape incident at Sigma Alpha Epsilon was not only insensitive, it also lacked journalistic integrity (Alleged rape under investigation, 03/29/04 and Woman denies rape at SAE house, 03/31/04). The hasty fashion in which the alleged events were reported have caused negative perceptions about the Greek system to unjustifiably persist. Sadly, your insistence on attacking the Greek sys- tem at any possible opportunity has led to a situation in which a group of roughly 100 upstanding men (the brothers of SAE) is now looked at with suspicion of wrongdo- ing. If you think that writing a retraction makes up for your error, you are sorely mis- taken. This is an unsettling and unsatisfac- tory trend for your publication. I hope that in the future the Daily takes more care to ensure that a mistake of this magnitude does not occur again. Unfortunately, instances of sexual assault are all too frequent on this campus. Even more unfortunately, the insis- tence of your publication to discredit the Greek system whenever possible made a sensitive and private issue into a public dis- aster. You should consider doing thorough research before you subject a very large about rape (Alleged rape under investigation, 03/29/04 and Woman denies rape at SAE house, 03/31/04). I refer to the recent Sigma Alpha Epsilon articles and the article about the woman on Washtenaw Community Col- lege's campus who retracted her accusation of rape several weeks ago. It is important that Daily readers and staff know that scholars and activists believe rape is largely under-reported rather than over-reported. Among other reasons, women often keep their experiences of sexual assault to themselves because they're afraid people will accuse them of lying. The power of this myth is so great that it silences women. It would be much more socially responsible to the Ann Arbor community if the Daily let readers know that although these recent accusations of rape seem to be unfounded, that, in general, many more rapes go unreported and rape continues to be a serious danger for women in our society. ANNA VITALE Alum Coverage of Pow Wow needs clarification To THE DAILY: As members of the University "Dance for Mother Earth" Pow Wow committee, we would like to thank you for printing the arti- cles on the Pow Wow and its budget cuts (Budget troubles burden celebration; Dance for unity, 03/29/04). We commend the Daily for taking the time to cover the event and the truth surrounding the budget issue. We would also like to clarify a few points made in the Daily's article covering the event. First and foremost, there were more than 10,000 spectators and partici- pants, not 1,000 as was stated in the cap- tion. Secondly, the Pow Wow did not start with a grass dance; it began with the Grand Entry in which all dancers entered the arena and danced through five songs. Furthermore, we would like to clarify protocol around terminology and the taking of pictures in the Native community. What is referred to as "garb" in the article is known as "regalia." Also the "ring of eagle feathers" is known as a "bustle" and is not strapped around the waist but on the backs of some male dancers. Additionally, when a dancer is wearing regalia, especially eagle feathers, permission should be granted by the dancer before photographing them. His name and tribal affiliation should also be printed with the picture. The name of the dancer shown in the article is Neil Wolf- A4 a