4A - Thursday, October 26, 2006 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890 413 E. Huron Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 tothedaily@michigandaily.com EMILY BEAM DONN M. FRESARD CHRISTOPHER ZBROZEK JEFFREY BLOOMER EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. For now, it's Stabenow Incumbent senator has a better outlook for the state n case you hadn't heard, there is an important mid- term election on Nov. 7. After six years of Republican rule, the odds of ending the GOP's unitary-executive government have never been greater. If the Democrats can pick up 15 seats in the House and six in the Senate, the Bush Administration will finally face the most important check on executive power - meaningful Congressional oversight. What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans, Americans like me." - Actor and Parkinson's sufferer MICHAELJ. FOX in an endorsement commercial for Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate in Missouri Claire McCaskill, speaking to the need for stem-cell research funding. JACK DOEHRING M G RE 4 Ea 4 Too humble for For Democrats to gain control of the Senate, they must hold their incumbent seats up for re-election. That means Michigan's incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow needs to defeat her Republi- can opponent, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. An analysis of Stabenow's voting record shows a senator who is prag- matic - perhaps to a fault - and who is always mindful of the next election. For example, Stabenow says she voted in favor of the Bush Administration's detainee bill because she wanted to establish a structure for the handling of prisoners in Bush's so-called War on Terror even though she was uncom- fortable with many of the bill's provi- sions. It seems more likely that given her opponent's law enforcement cre- dentials, Stabenow didn't want to hand Bouchard a campaign issue. Stabenow voted for the 2005 bank- ruptcy reform bill to make declaring bankruptcy harder, even though it did not contain an exemption for those who claim bankruptcy as a result of student loans or health care costs. Once again, pragmatism trumped principles for the Michigan State alum. Stabenow also voted in favor of a con- stitutional amendment to ban desecra- tion of the American flag. Despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that declared flag burning a constitutionally protect- ed form of free expression, Stabenow views courting the votes of Michigan's veterans as more important than pro- tecting free speech. We hope Stabenow will reconsider her position on this in the future. Stabenow's opponent is proud of his Big House renovations have been transparent from start to finish' TO THE DAILY: I strongly disagree with the assertion by The Michigan Daily in yesterday's editorial (Shadydealings, 10/25/2006) thatnthe planning for renovations to Michigan Stadium has been "secretive." In my 12 years at the University, I have never seen a project more transparent from start to finish than this one. At every phase of the project, preliminary plans have been shared with the news media and the public weeks or even months before the University Board of Regents was asked to vote on each phase. Therehavebeenextensive opportunities for feedback during the past two years including fan surveys, chances to for public comments at regents' meetings, face-to-face meetings by Athletic Director Bill Martin with groups of fans and the hundreds of letters that alumni and fans have sent to the regents, University President Mary Sue Coleman and the Athletic Department. Although one potential speaker was given erroneous information about the sign-up pro- cess for public comments, he was given the chance to speak anyway and this mistake in no way has prevented any individuals from communicating their opinions to the regents. The University has actively considered all the feedback, both positive and negative. In fact, the majority of the feedback has been supportive of the renovations, including the addition of suites and club seats. There is a small but vocal group of opponents to the project, and University leaders have spoken with them at length and considered their input carefully. In the end, Coleman must rec- ommend to the regents the course of action she believes is in the best long-term interest of the University. In developingthe current renovation plans, Bill Martin and his staff conducted extensive research and financial planning, considering and rejecting numerous alternatives that did not meet the University's goals or included too much financial risk. The "Big House Plan" is not a viable alternative - the financial record in law enforcement. However, Bouchard has difficulty talking about issues other than security from ter- rorists and criminals. Bouchard has boasted of Michigan's Sex Offenders Registry Act as the fruit of his work in the state Senate, a bill which ensures even those convicted of minor offenses remain blacklisted for decades. Bouchard also does not seem to grasp the principle of comity and deliberation embodied by the U.S. Senate. One of his most salient criticisms of Stabenow is that she has personally authored only one bill in six years. When one consid- ers - which Bouchard apparently hasn't - that the Republicans have controlled the Senate for most of Stabenow's ten- ure and that having a co-sponsor from the other party is a must for legislation to pass the Senate, Stabenow's dearth of personally authored legislation is more understandable. Michigan needs a senator who can speak intelligently and formulate poli- cies on the most pressing issue facing the state - its struggling economy. Stabe- now has plans to strengthen Michigan's economy for the 21st century by increas- ing access to higher education and ensuring trade agreements are properly enforced. She also voted against the use of force in Iraq - a decision that makes her look wiser with each passing day. All told, Stabenow is far from an ideal candidate. Nevertheless, Michigan vot- ers would do well to take a page from our incumbent senator and act prag- matically on Nov. 7 by voting for thor- ough oversight of a reckless presidential administration. The Daily endorses DEBBIE STABENOW for U.S. Senate. model underlying it is unsound, and it fails to account for many factors that would raise its cost and reduce future revenue. The renovation plan being pursued by the University has been thoughtfully developed in order to keep the Athletic Department com- petitive and improve the game-day experi- ence for all fans without putting an additional financial burden on average ticket holders. Julie Peterson Associate vice president for media relations and public affairs B-side restores reader's faith in Daily Arts TO THE DAILY: For the first time in at least a decade, I can say that I love the arts articles in the Daily. The B-side writers are savvy and sophisti- cated and are not only familiar with earlier generations of music and film, but can wax eloquent on their qualities. It's apparent the articles are thoroughly researched. I don't know how it happened; perhaps they've been raiding their parent's record collections and renting classic films through Netflix. Lloyd Cargo's On the Road Again (10/19/2006) is just one recent example. One would be hard-pressed to find a finer piece on road music (and other helpful hints for the young road warrior) in a college newspaper. From the Vault, in which writers review clas- sic films, is another excellent feature. Kris- tin MacDonald's recent review of Cool Hand Luke (09/21/2006) is just one good example. I applaud the B-side writers and look forward to each issue. Julie Herrada Senior associate librarian Please write us a letter, less than 300 words. We might even print it, unless it's absurd. (Sung to the tune of "On Top of Old Smokey") The birchbark trim and Native American artifacts that once dec- orated the meeting space atop the Michigan Union tower are gone. Footage in "Fight Like Hell," a docu- mentary about Michigamua released earlier this year, shows that the room where members of the Students of Color Coalition held a 37-day sit-in in 2000 now features unadorned white walls. Michigamua, as such, no longer even exists; the group retired that name ear- lier this year. To all outward appearances, The Organization Formerly Known As Mich- igamua - that's what the kids are call- ing it these days, as it has yet to choose a new name - has moved beyond its troublesome past. And yet any associa- tion with the group remains anathema to a good proportion of campus. Yesterday, the Daily ran a news story (Two campus groups and the student between them, 10/25/2006) detailing how Tony Saun- ders was removed as the chair of a Black Student Union committee for being a member of TOFKAM. (It's not the catch- iest acronym, is it?) Other members of the senior society were expelled from their activist groups earlier this year. Those are harsh reactions to a group that says it exists to offer "humble ser- vice" to the University. Indeed, if the group has moved beyond its past racial insensitivity - which, for the record, I believe it has - that kind of response is difficult to justify. I'm able to believe that the group has reformed, however, because I've researched the issue extensively and I've spent hours arguing about the organiza- tion - partly out of genuine interest and partly because my boss, Daily Editor in Chief Donn Fresard, joined the group. Most students, however, have no rea- son to spend so much time worrying about a clique of self-selected campus leaders. People tend to fall into one of two groups. There are those - prob- ably the majority on campus - who have heard a little about t its reforms are good the controversy ove another thought. Th however, who think the group's history of racism means it remains tainted, perhaps incorrigibly so. For those in TOFKAM, (Can someone in the group please hurry up and choose a new name already?) it- must be tempting toi ingcritics. They'll nev line of reasoning woul still face a backlash d We'd better just forge wrongly think we're s serving the Universit That's the easiesta also exactly the wron For years now, Mic hindered as much b to secrecy as by itsr past. The group's cri pointing to apparent Native American art Union tower during evidence that therev commitment to refo critics are wrong, bus a way to prove that, tive organization o concerned with deft with taking actions t a wary campus. The lack of transp Saunders kept his n bership list released April. Most honorar society keep their The group hasn't all come to its meeting Daily have trouble g the group to speakc their own good he society, decided one has any idea what the organization enough and given actually does, because its commitment r the group nary to humility precludes taking credit for ere are also those, its service. This ideal of"humble service" mainly ends up fueling the ongoing animosity toward the group. Helping others anon- ymously is a noble goal, and it's one the X members of the group could have car- ried out without controversy if they Slchose to form a quiet service organiza- tion from scratch. The group's past, however, guaran- CHRISTOPHER tees that it faces a higher level of scruti- ny than possibly any other organization ZBROZEK on campus. But if its members respond to the attention they face by being open ignore the remain- about their activities and showing that er be appeased, the they have nothing to hide, interest will ild go. Our members inevitably fade away. The student body espite our reforms. is inherently transient and tends not et about those who to have a strong institutional memory. till racist and go on After a few years of transparency, the y community. group could choose a slow return to the approach - and it's old idea of humble service - and few on gone. campus at that time will see any reason chigamua has been to object. y its commitment Michigamua members through the racially insensitive years have been fond of talking about the itics don't trust it, importance of tradition. Well, here's a lapses such as the tradition the group might want to recall: ifacts found in the In the bad old days, Michigamua litera- the 2000 sit-in as ture frequently said the group's purpose was never any real was to "fight'um like hell for Michigan rm. I think those and Michigamua." Drop the offensive t I don't really have pidgin English, and that's not a bad dic- because the secre- tum. If the group's members want to do ften seems more what's best, both for their group and for ending itself than their University, they should rethink the o earn the trust of group's commitment to the notion of "humble service." I parency continues. same off the mem- to the Daily last y members of the affiliation secret. lowed outsiders to gs. Writers at the etting members of on the record. No Christopher Zbrozek can be reached at zbro@umich.edu. Daily Editor in Chief Donn Fresard normally edits columns on the opinion page. Because of his involvement in the organization formerly known as Michigamua, he did not edit this column. JOHN STIGLICH 4 Time for skyboxes The Athletic Department is a self- sustaining enterprise, so from its eco- nomic perspective, adding luxury boxes and premium seating is a no-brainer. These seats will provide a higher profit margin per ticket than the current seat- ing options. A market study cited by The Ann Arbor News estimates the Ath- letic Department could charge between $45,000 and $85,000 per suite based on the suite's proximity to the 50-yard line. The same study found that the new club seating could cost fans between $1,000 and $2,500 per seat based on the seat's exposure to the outdoors. In all, these renovations could yield an estimated $15 million per year in additional revenue to the Athletic Department, which already nets over $46 million annually - 73 per- cent of the department's total revenue - off the football program. These additional revenues will be used to pay for the renovation costs and help finance future renovations to the athletic campus. Athletic Director Bill Martin has expressed interest in building a multi- purpose facility between the Big House and Crisler Arena. This facility would immediately become the most attractive concertvenue on campus, leading to more revenue for the Athletic Department and more social activities for students. Personally, I would not mind if the additional revenue financed the demo- lition and rebuilding of Crisler Arena. Our basketball program suffers in part because Michigan State's basketball coach, Tom Izzo, can impress top recruits with a state-of-the-art basketball arena while Michigan basketball coach Tommy Amaker cannot. Michigan State also earns more revenue through its basket- ball facility, the Breslin Center, bringing additional funds for basketball scholar- ships and more competitive recruiting ERIN RUSSELL TV GEEN REALLY UPSET SINCE I HEAQI THAT ,801U.S. TROOPS HAVE OI01 IN IRAQ SO FAR. TR PRUNNINS MILES ANO 01N6 6000 ST-UPS. classes. Building a more competitive basketball program is only the beginning of what these revenues could bring. The Athletic Department could upgrade successful club sports programs like the women's lacrosse team - which went to the national championship game last spring - to NCAA Division I status. Low-reve- nue Division I sports currently supported by the University - soccer, swimming/ diving, gymnastics, etc. - would not have to worry about being cut in a round of financial belt-tightening. No matter which side of the skybox debate you are on, we can all agree increasing student access to athletic activities is something to encourage. Renovate it, and they will still come. The arguments against renovating the Big House are not convincing. Some express concern over the University potentially losing its claim to the largest capacity stadium in the world - to which I say, big deal. When I cheer for Michigan football, I root for the team to win, not to pack more asses in seats. We can keep holding pissing matches against Ohio State and Penn State over who draws big- ger home football crowds, but the true measurement of the respective programs is success on the field. Another counter-argument rests on the assumption that Michigan Stadium should remain as one of the last tradition- al bowl-shaped stadiums without luxury W HAT? re T HAT supposwO r o HEL.P M E RE L EASE MY FRUS R AT ION OQSoM ET HINF? boxes because the status quo fosters an environment of misery spread equally. However, these critics fail to realize those sitting on the SO-yard line are already more important economically because they can afford to pay higher ticket prices ($350 each) and seating licenses ($500 each) than other fans inthe stadium. Yet another school of critics argues building luxury boxes is the first step down the "slippery slope" toward adver- tising within the stadium and auction- ing off the stadium's naming rights to increase revenues. Tome,this argumentis the most credible of the bunch. However, given the choice between buildingluxury boxes or placing advertising within the stadium and possibly changing its name, I'll take the boxes. Auctioning off nam- ing rights is a cheap, tacky way of adding a few million into the bank account, and advertising in the stadium is an annoy- ance. Unfortunately, both are character- istic of 21st-century sporting venues. For the time being, I will take Martin at his word that those two revenue streams will not open on his watch. I encourage Martin and the Univer- sity Board of Regents to be more open to debate over the proposed renovations and to remember that while opposi- tion to the plan may be more vocal than those in favor, the administration will be vindicated in the end. A decade from now, when critics return to the Big House and see fans enjoying the 21st-century amenities added to Michigan Stadium, cheering for student athletes recruited to Michigan with new scholarship money and celebrating the success of new sports programs, they will say, "It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine." John Stiglich is an LSA senior and a member of the Daily's editorial board. NO, UT IT'L4, TONE ABS ANO MAKE YOU LWOK CUTE FOR BOY61 A I Editorial Board Members: Reggie Brown, Kevin Bunkley, Amanda Burns, Sam Butler, Ben Caleca, Devika Daga, Milly Dick, James David Dickson, Jesse Forester, Gary Graca, Jared Goldberg, Jessi Holler, Rafi Martina, Toby Mitchell, Rajiv Prabhakar, David Russell, Katherine Seid, Elizabeth Stanley, John Stiglich, Rachel Wagner.