4 - Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
413 E. Huron Sc.
, "Ann Arbor, MI 48104
tothedaily@umich.edu
KARL STAMPFL IMRAN SYED JEFFREY BLOOMER
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR 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.
Outreaching expectations
'U' must dig deeper into pool of potential applicants
D espite the continuing fear that the recent affirmative action
ban will hurt campus diversity, there have been some hope-
fulsigns in theUniversity's fight to protect diversity.A stron-
ger outreach program has contributed to the 5-percent increase in
minority applications from this time last year. However, until the
University has its real test next year with a full year under Proposal
2's restrictions, outreach programs need to continue to expand and
be creative if they hope to overcome the negativity generated by the
debate surrounding University admissions.
Why shouldn't the black community ask questions?
Are we now being told, 'You all just shut up?"'
- Rev. Al Sharpton responding to comments that he is trying to hurt the campaign of Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama, as reported yesterday by CBS.
SAM BUTLER | E A
lie.eo~ dh .
-'
Tti
This cartoon arngsally appeared is the Jan.25,2004 edition of The Miehigan~ooiy.
6
6
Since the affirmative action ban passed,
the University has come under fire from
both sides of the political spectrum for its
diversity policy. Supporters of Proposal 2
attacked the University's admissions pro-
cess as illegal under the new amendment,
forcing an immediate change in admissions
policy. On the other side, BAMN filed a law-
suit trying to force the University to contin-
ue its affirmative action policy despite the
new state law.
High school students who pay limited
attention to the news rarely get the full
story and are likely to be disturbed by see-
ing the University attacked. All this would
be expected to have a negative effect on
minority applicants. Following the Univer-
sity's Supreme Court battle in 2003, there
was a 28 percent drop in black applicants.
Most expected this to happen again.
These dark predictions have not hap-
pened yet - but this stasis is temporary.
Instead, the University seems to have found
a grassroots formula that transcends the
negative portrayals in the media: simple,
individual outreach. It's time to move for-
ward with that policy.
As of now, the University's outreach pro-
gram is primarily targeted atupperclass high
school students in underrepresented areas.
However, the University often gets to these
students too late. While wealthier school dis-
tricts in the state are able to provide advis-
ing from the beginning to ensure students
understand the requirements to get admit-
ted to the University, low-income districts
are not so fortunate. By simply expanding
the efforts already in place for juniors and
seniors to include freshmen, sophomores
and perhaps even younger students, the Uni-
versity can begin preparing students to be
admitted, not simply inform them about the
application process. The University wants a
more diverse body; it has the chance to liter-
ally build that one student at a time.
Outreach programs must also move
beyond students to include reference groups
that students turn to when they need to
make difficult college decisions, like teach-
ers and parents. Not only are these groups
important for changing the image of the
University's commitment to diversity, they
also provide the pressure that pushes stu-
dents to prepare for college.
These efforts should not be exclusive to
just the University administration; students
can have an impact on how high school stu-
dents perceive our campus culture. In the
past, the University has e-mailed students
asking them to participate in recruiting
events in their hometowns over the sum-
mer. We hope these events continue, and
students must seize these opportunities to
share the positive experiences they have
had at the University.
The University should be commended for
its actions in securing diversity thus far, but
it should never become complacent.
Bulimia is our own fault
a
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
We know there is a health care
crisis in America. From sky
rocketing obesity rates to
national health care policy, the issue is
known as the "third rail" of American
politics because it's so controversial.
More than 45 _
million Americans
live without health
insurance. It was
discoveredlast week
that at Walter Reed,
our nation's state-
of-the-art military
hospital, veterans -
are living in mold- MARA
filled rooms where GAY
rats abound, among
more than a few
other problems. It's obvious thathealth
care-related issues warrant attention.
But we're college students. It's dif-
ficult to get outraged about a situation
that seems so far removed from our
lives. Well-fed, well-sexed and barely
into our 20s, we feel health is a topic
to be explored by a more geriatric-like
age group. There always seems to be a
sexier issue to organize around.
At least that is how I used to feel.
Then three of my friends landed in the
hospital, all in the month of February.
Very quickly I realized that whatever
sense of invincibility I had previously
associated with my youth was a farce.
First my friend Robyn ate half ajar of
Peter Pan peanut butter, unaware that
it was part of a bad batch infected with
Salmonella bacteria. A few days later,
word came that a high school friend of
mine studying abroad in Spain had con-
tracted bacterial meningitis and was in
acoma. And toround off the month, my
roommate had a serious bout of appen-
dicitis. The experience was made far
scarier by the fact that she unknowing-
ly walked around with a burst appendix
for two days after University Health
Services misdiagnosed her symptoms
as "stomach flu" and sent her home as
a walkingtime bomb.
Thankfully, such freak incidents
are rare. While most of us will never Catch an Illegal Immigrant Day. But
have to experience a meningitis- when it comes to the health of the
induced coma or poisoning by peanut student body - our own and that of
butter, many of us put our health at our friends - we have little to say, at
risk every day. least collectively. Alcoholism and drug
The combination of drugs, sex and addiction are not characteristics we
rock'n'roll, infamous among parents like to associate with a wealthy and
and social conservatives everywhere, elite student body, and yet their pres-
are a part of college life for many. But ence on this campus is very real. We
while I have no interest in indulging speak in hushed tones about these
the moral police, I will admit that I afflictions and the peers they harm.
sometimes wonder: How much drink- But these issues should be talked about
ing is too much? And if this kind of openly because they are not always iso-
drinking was going on outside of the lated incidents of students gone off the
college campus or the 18-to-25 age deep end. They are often symptoms of
range, would it be considered (gasp) a University community that is not as
alcoholism? healthy as it should be.
According to the National Institute
on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, it
would. Binge drinking is defined as Health care issues
consuming five drinks in a row for men
and four for women within a two-hour are ngnored on
period. This definition makes even
your average game of beer pong a flir- College campuses.
tation with alcoholism.
Eating disorders and depression
also plague college campuses. Accord- Technically speaking your room-
ing to the National Institute of Health, mate's bulimia is all in her head. But
about 10 percent of college women are do we really believe her condition has
bulimic. And a 2004 American College developed independent of a community
Health Association survey found that in which college women can be found
almost half of college students have in mini-skirts and stilettos in the dead
reported some form of depression. of a Michigan winter? It might very
These statistics should come as no wellbe, for example, that the wealth in
surprise to University students - we the University's Greek community has
already know we have a problem. created a special market for cocaine
Almost everyone has that one friend among college students. Or that the
who goes to the bar a little too often or general unease with which the black
who doesn't ever seem to eat enough. community regards mental health may
We don't need statistics to tell us that put that group of University students at
cocaine has returned to college cam- higher risk for depression. But instead
puses with a vengeance. And just last of trying to offer a social context to
year, two students at our university these issues we have chosen to treat
committed suicide, jumping to their breakdowns inhealth amongiour peers
deaths off of the same parking struc- as solely of the individual.
ture less than two months apart. Strangely, in the face of its own
None of this, though,,seems to instill health crisis, one of the most vocal
a sense of urgency or alarm in the stu- groups of college students in the coun-
dent body. try has remained altogether silent.
Odd - this campus is filled with
activism and protests of almost every Mara Gay can be reached
kind, from anti-Coke coalitions to at maracl@umich.edu.
To freeloading students:
Since when is stealing OK?
TO THE DAILY:
Regarding Paul Tassi's B-Side article (File-
sharing blues, 03/08/07), I have to disagree
that everyone pirates music. His attitude of
"why the hell am I going to stop and pay an
outrageous price for something I barely want
in the first place?" as opposed to just stealing it
is extremely naive.
I don't mean to defend the RIAA - their
shock and awe tactics are reprehensible and
their statistics on the effects of piracy are
known to be overinflated. But regardless of the
situation, when did stealing become ethical?
Only want one song from a new album? Try
99 centsoniTunes.Don'tknowifyou like anew
band? Find track previews on Amazon.com or
temporarily download songs. But don't try and
defend stealing with the high cost of music;
you have free choice to not buy anything.
Christopher Peplin
LSA sophomore
Action necessary to
prevent another Katrina
TO THE DAILY:
The many Americans struggling to rebuild
their lives after hurricanes Katrina and Rita
need to know that Congress has not forgot-
ten them. Hope was provided when three
members of the Senate Homeland Security
Committee flew to New Orleans in January
to re-focus attention on the progress of the
rebuilding efforts. The crafting of sensible pol-
icies requires the correction of three common
misperceptions.
First, the aftermath of Katrina is not merely
a local crisis; it is national problem. Second,
Katrina was just not a natural disaster; it was
a human-made disaster triggered by natural
events. The flooding, caused by the breaching
of the levees, was the direct result of human
mistakes and neglect.
Third, the federal government was respon-
sible for the causes of the catastrophe. Over
decades, our government made decisions that
eliminated the wetlands as the natural buffer
against storms and allowed the water surge
to devastate Ne
region. It also do
known to be ina
What is nee
but accountabil
Students for G
national organi:
ed to working w
er disaster like
Washington, D:
with our repres
non-partisan St
to take the step:
Katrina.
Dan Chiorean
Alum
w Orleans and the Gulf Coast
esigned and constructed levees
dequate.
ded is not merely assistance
ity. As a member of the Law
overnment Accountability, a
zation of law students dedicat-
ith Congress to prevent anoth-
Katrina, I will be traveling to
.C. on March 14. I will meet
entatives to ask them to sign a
atement of Principles pledging
s necessary to prevent another
Sentiment alone shouldn't
hinder needed development
TO THE DAILY:
Jon Koller's argument that City Council
should encourage Zaragon to build on the cur-
rent location of Good Time Charley's (Maybe
it's time to move the Big House to the Diag,
03/07/07) would be a good one if we lived in
the command economy he longs for. Unfortu-
natelyforboth of us, companies inAmerica are
free to build where they choose as long as zon-
ing and building requirements are met.
Anberay may not be the ideal location, but
the development of a high-quality, high-den-
sity mixed use building will only benefit Ann
Arbor. Bringing more housing and commerce
to city centers is an important part of curbing
urban sprawl and fossil fuel use. Buildings like
the one Zaragon proposes can help promote
the sort of lively downtown that makes profes-
sionals want to come to Ann Arbor and stay.
Although Anberay may have some value
as a historical relic, Koller's comparing it to
the Diag points out why this loss is not one to
mourn. Anberay serves no important social
function. Its courtyard is not a gathering
place where students rally for the proletar-
ian revolution. No one even sunbathes on the
lawn, and the building itself is in poor condi-
tion. The proposed development will provide
real benefit in exchange for a loss that is only
sentimental.
Gabe Slabosky
LSA junior
STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
Take action for U' laborers
The University is like a city in
itself. Its population consists of far
more- than academics, administra-
tors and students; there are thou-
sands of laborers here, too.
Be they groundskeepers, techni-
cal support staff or cafeteria work-
ers, this place runs thanks to the
labor of these largely invisible indi-
viduals. For these people, the term
temporary worker is inaccurate,
undermining the dedicated service
they provide.
Recently we were informed that
the conditions these instrumental
community members work under
would not make the student body
proud. Temporary workers here
are denied essential benefits. While
they have MCards, basic services,
like the use of the University Health
Services or enrollment in University
health care programs, are unavail-
able to these workers.
Many temporary laborers are
fired every three months, only to
be re-hired weeks later, prohibit-
ing them from attaining benefits or
full-time status, no matter how long
they have been employed. Some
workers' wages are permanently
capped far below a living wage.
Quite often, whole staffs are fired
after a determined number of years
only to be replaced by a new staff
that will work for a price far below
the old staff's wages.
As students, we are part of the
same community as these workers.
We must address this problem. Our
tuition goes toward new buildings,
athletics and administrative sala-
ries. While University President
Mary Sue Coleman makes more
than $700,000 a year, we are some-
how unable to provide a living wage
to the thousands of other workers
that enable the University to func-
tion. Workers are routinely denied
the respect that laborers at a world-
class university deserve.
We are part of the campus com-
munity, and it is our responsibility
to protect the rights of those who
work with and for us every day. Stu-
dents for a Democratic Society plans .
to work alongside these laborers in
promoting a change in University
practices. We need to see the day
when temporary workers are allot-
ted the same benefits as every other
member of the campus community.
This semester we will be orga-
nizing around this issue, which
inhabits every crevice of our cam-
pus. From cafeteria meals served
at Bursley to emptied trashcans in
Mason Hall, the work of these indi-
viduals affects all of ourlives. They
deserve to be treated with respect.
As students, we have the power
to change the University's practice
as well as its obligation to make
sure that all members of this com-
munity are treated equally. At this
very moment, many workers here
on campus are unionizing for the
first time. Students for a Democrat-
ic Society will back them every step
of the way.
At the University there are many
groups focusing on issues of social
responsibility. Students are fight-
ing to preserve the diverse student
body, to focus on researching new
energy alternatives and to ensure
the rights of workers at home and
abroad. On March 15, these groups
will be coming together to create
"Campus Unite" to show the Uni-
versity Board of Regents how we
feel and to take the first steps to a
socially accountable University.
Join us at the Cube on March 15
to help create a University that you
will be proud to represent.
Nathaniel Voss, Syma Khan,
Kelly Simmons are LSAjuniors
and Alexandra Lazar is an LSA
sophomore. They are members of
Students for a Democratic Society.
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Editorial Board Members: Emily Beam, Kevin Bunkley, Amanda Burns, Sam Butler,
Ben Caleca, Brian Flaherty, Mara Gay, Jared Goldberg, Emmarie Huetteman, Toby Mitchell,
Rajiv Prabhakar, David Russell, Gavin Stern, John Stiglich, Jennifer Sussex, Neil Tambe,
Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Wagner, Christopher Zbrozek