4A - Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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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.
Delayed acceptance
'U' too slow to add gender to non-discrimination policy
F or a university that consistently prides itself on being on
the cutting edge of equality issues, the newest amend-
ment being considered to the University's non-discrimi-
nation policy is reprehensibly overdue. Today, the University
Board of Regents will vote to add the phrase "gender identity and
expression" to the list of protected freedoms explicitly listed in
the non-discrimination clause of the University bylaws. While the
University's stallingyears to make this symbolic change is disturb-
ing, hopefully such progress will now face fewer hurdles at other
colleges and agencies considering similar changes.
I'm probably one of the four or five best
known Americans in the world."
- Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, speaking to reporters yesterday at a hotel in London.
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Pre-public service
Until now, the University's non-discrim-
ination policy explicitly listed discrimina-
tion based on sex and sexual orientation
(along with race, religion, national ori-
gin, etc). when previously called upon to
include gender identity and expression
(a process that started in 2005), the Uni-
versity argued that this policy broadly
encompassed issues of gender diversity
and therefore additional mention of gen-
der was not necessary. Recently, though,
the University attempted to clarify the
meaning of "sex" by adding an asterisk
referring to a small footnote that said gen-
der identity and expression was included
within that category.
Any LSA student who has fulfilled the
one-course race and ethnicity require-
ment knows that sex and gender are not
the same thing. Whereas sex is a bio-
logical term relating to male and female
physiology, gender is a social construct
that addresses qualities like masculinity
and femininity. The pointless maneuver-
ing by administration officials in trying
to get out of including gender identity
and expression is mind-boggling. Was
that asterisk really worth two more years
of criticism?
Opponents of the gender identity and
expression clause claim that it is impos-
sible for the University's policy to mention
everyone, and the amendment would only
set the table for more clauses in the future.
However, if the University felt enough
pressure to add the asterisk, then clearly
the need to denounce gender discrimina-
tion is important to the community and it
should be explicitly mentioned. The debate
itself proves that there was some ambigu-
ity here and there is no harm in clearing it
up. The fear of future changes just isn't a
good enough reason to avoid a small sym-
bolic gesture in support of transgender
individuals.
The Regents will almost certainly unan-
imously approve the measure tonight,
bringing the University up to speed with
75 other colleges and universities that
already include the clause in their non-
discrimination statements. Hopefully
institutions that have yet to make this
change will now be able to follow suit with
minimal delay.
The addition of gender identity and
expression to the non-discrimination
clause 8f the University's bylaws is a fun-
damentally symbolic gesture, but that's
exactly why it's so important. It certainly
sends a stronger message of acceptance
than an asterisk. As the University has
been accommodating of sex and gender
issues in the past, it is shameful to have put
off this clarification for so long. After all,
symbolic gestures lose their significance if
they're adopted so begrudgingly.
Around these parts, when people
say they live on the Hill, they're
probably referring to their
awkwardly small
dorm room in Mary
Markley Hall. But
there's another hill
neighborhood that r
many Wolverines
have called home
- Capitol Hill. ,
Thanks to the Uni-
versity's position as NEIL
one of the nation'sT
leading universi- TAMBE
ties, many gradu-
ates have managed to make their mark
in Washington. Now, however, there
are additional specific (if unstated)
requirements for going into public ser-
vice that the University doesn't seem
to focus enough on. The environment
at the University these days isn't con-
ducive to ensuring that the public ser-
vants of tomorrow get their start in
Ann Arbor.
Wolverines have a strong presence
in the capital. Though it's little known,
the University has a government rela-
tions office in Washington that lobbies
Congress on issues like higher educa-
tion funding and intellectual property
rights. The University's alumni club
in D.C. is strong, active and proud.
Many alumni from various academic
backgrounds work in public service
careers.
However, public service is equally
important regardless of whether it
takes place in the glamour of D.C. or
anywhere else across the nation or
world. Although public service careers
are often unattractive because of low
pay or bureaucratic red tape, work-
ing in the public interest is fulfilling.
Public service changes the world and
provides for a reasonably comfortable
lifestyle.
This University has a long tradition
of public service. Former President
John F. Kennedy proposed the idea
that would become the Peace Corps
on the steps of the Michigan Union.
Many alumni have become diplomats,
esteemed civil servants or leaders inthe
non-profit realm. The late Gerald Ford,
one of our mostcelebrated alumni, was
Speaker of the US House of Represen-
tatives before becoming president in
1974. Make no mistake, this Universi-
ty's public servants are just as bad-ass
as graduates from the medical school,
business school and law school.
University officials recognize the
importance of public. service and
provide some excellent programs to
accommodate public service-minded
students. The Public Service Intern
Program - which is run by the Career
Center and with which I have worked
in the past - helps students learn how
to get summer internships, mainly in
the nation's capital. The Michigan in
Washington Program, which is run by
the political science department, has
semester-long programs for students to
study and work in the capital. Another
option for students interested in public
workis applicationtothe Gerald R.Ford
School of Public Policy's undergraduate
degree program. In its first year, the
program is receiving rave reviews.
Despite these excellent services,
some programs are lacking. Study
abroad programs, a viable first step
toward a life of public service for many
students, are a headache. The Univer-
sity's programs are relatively limited
and some serious scheming is required
to successfully transfer credits earned
abroad. Learning other languages is
another integral part of preparing for
public service that is somewhat under-
emphasized at the University. Some
languages that could be very handy for
a public servant are taught in classes
more unnecessarily difficult than oth-
ers, and they are therefore often avoid-
ed. Besides that, the LSA language
requirement structurally incentivizes
the study of mainstream languages
such as Spanish, French and German,
allowing experienced students to fin-
ish their language requirement quick-
ly. Thus, fewer students are motivated
to learn new languages declared by
the federal government to be of critical
need, like Arabic, Mandarin and Farsi.
Besides difficulties studying abroad
and learning foreign languages, our
International Studies minor is simply
not up to par compared to internation-
al relations programs at other schools.
The International Studies minor is
more like a degree in culture than a
major in international relations, which
emphasizes international politics.*It is
a shame that the University is denying
students by not offering such a major.
Shifting the focus
from hedge funds to
public service
Student interest in public service
also suffers at the hands of politically
extreme student groups that turn stu-
dents off to politics instead of inspir-
ing others to participate in the process.
The moderate majority on campus
could benefit from more partnership
across the ideological divide. To all the
wonks out there, check out www.elec-
tionreformproject.org,aprojectthrough
which the American Enterprise Insti-
tute and the Brookings Institution,
two think-tanks generally regarded to
'be polar opposites, have teamed up to
improve elections. A similar partner-
ship is possible on this campus and
would probably help new students
engage in issues of public interest.
We've all heard about pre-law, pre-
business and pre-med programs. Let's
add pre-public service to our vernacu-
lar and reinvigorate interest in a noble,
exciting, crucially important career
path.
Neil Tambe can be reached
at ntambe@umich.edu.
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SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
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Don't expect economics
department to do it all
cally, a dangerou
nomic theory. B:
have a lot to say
tomers will do g
absolutely nothii
TO THE DAILY: emotions of the
Katherine Berezowskyj's solution to the thing before a d
"economic misunderstanding" represented that Apple betray
in her viewpoint this week (Economics for and psychology
the rest of us, 09/18/2007) is both absurd and of insight on that
unfair to the economics department. Her
inability to understand basic notions about James Somers
economics is not the department's responsi- LSA junior
bility. Injecting history and political science
into courses designed to give students the
mathematical tools to understand real eco- SOLE ad
nomics is not the department's mandate.
Students may want a class overviewing demandim
the work of people like Adam Smith and Karl
Marx, but they need to know more about TO THE DAILY,
advanced tax policy withka focus on macro Congratulatio
growth models so that they might see the for Labor and Ec
effects of our theories in practice. The eco- students informs
nomics department can't cover everything lack of progress
in its courses: Allocating scarce resources shop labor used1
carries opportunity costs. not confronting
The group's vies
Sharon Traiberman the corporate str
LSA junior betrayal of the st
for truly empowa
One onint mi
s misrepresentation of eco-
asic microeconomic models
about what potential cus-
given a price decrease and
ng to do with the personal
people who bought some-
rop. The real issue here is
yed its most loyal customers,
would be the better source
t one.
virable for
q results
ns to Students Organizing
onomic Equality for keeping
ed about the unconscionable
in the fight against sweat-
to produce University (Still
sweatshops, 09/17/2007).
wpoint accurately described
ategy of self-regulation as a
udents' decade-old demand
ered workers.
ust be clarified, however.
apparel companies pay for
Ality programs is not suffi-
e wages several times over.
be preferable for the money
s rather than to corporate
ts.
KIM WILKE E
Ken's Place provides a necessary service
iPhone frustration can't be What these hi
social responsi
explained with economics cient to increa
Even so, it woul
TO THE DAILY: to go to works
Katherine Berezowskyj's claim (Econom- image consulta
ics for the rest of us, 09/18/2007) that anger
over the new iPhone price is steeped in a Jeff Ballinger
misunderstanding of economics is, ironi- Vienna, Austria
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. The Daily reserves the right to edit
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Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to: tothedaily@umich.edu.
The death of a loved one is one
of the most stressful events a per-
son can experience. Other stressful
life events include moving, divorce,
terminal illness and loss of employ-
ment. I have experienced two of
these events simultaneously, and the
word stress doesn't even come close
to describing what I've survived and
what I'm still enduring.
I came to the University in the fall
of 2005 as a transfer 'student from
Grand Valley State University. I had
a rough first semester dealing with
schoolwork while meeting new peo-
ple; the stress of moving away from
everything I knew was overwhelm-
ing. Transferring was a lot harder
than I imagined, but nothing could
prepare me for what happened over
Winter Break. My dad passed away
suddenly on Dec. 27, 2005.
I was devastated and had no idea
what to do. I was already a year
behind in my program because of
transferring schools, and I knew my
dad wouldn't want me to quit school.
I persevered and returned for the
winter semester. I was still not fully
adjusted to the University. Iwas deal-
ing with the loss of my dad, and I had
to handle 14 credits on top of that.
My mom suggested I contact the
University's Counseling and Psycho-
logical Services to help me through
this difficult time. I was looking for
other people who were my age and
were handling the stress of school,
living away from home and deal-
ing with a similar loss. To my sur-
prise, CAPS didn't offer any type of
bereavement support group.
When I thought all hope of finding
help was gone, I saw an advertisement
for Ken's Place, a support group for
those students experiencing loss, on
a bulletin board in my residence hall.
I was so excited because this was just
thegroup Iwaslookingfor.Itfeltlikea
sign: My dad's name was Ken.
I went to the first meeting to find a
diverse group of undergraduate and
graduate students all experiencing
some type of loss - a friend, parent,
relative orsignificantother.Duringthe
meeting not only did we talk about the
people we lost, we discussed how the
stresses of college life affect the way
we deal with our losses and how few
people our age can relate to the idea of
loss. The social worker facilitating the
group was very welcoming and helped
all of us share our feelings. I have now
been a member of the group for three
semesters, and it helped tremendously
in coping with my grief.
Ken's Place was started by Chase
Finney, who recently graduated, dur-
ing her first semester here in the fall
of 2003. Chase's dad passed away
the summer before she came to the
University. In her transition from
her home in California to Michigan,
she hoped to find support here on
campus. When she arrived she was
frustrated - like myself and many
others were - to find that CAPS did
not offer any support group for those
experiencingloss.
Chase decided to take this mat-
ter into her own hands and establish
a group named after her late father.
She contacted a social worker with a
hospice and art therapy background
to lead each session. I admire Chase
for establishing such an incred-
ible group while she was under the
stress of being freshmen in college,
away from home and dealing with
the recent loss of her father. Her per-
severance to get this group off the
ground just shows what a need there
was for something like Ken's Place.
Today, as I near graduation, I am
unfortunately anticipating another
grave loss. Ken's Place is in danger
and the group may cease to exist if it
does not secure adequate funding to
sustain it. I, along with the many stu-
dents who have found the solace and
support needed to survive the loss of
a loved one in Ken's Place, are asking
the University community for dona-
tions to keep Ken's Place alive. If you
are interested in donating, please e-
mail kensplaceinfo@umich.edu.
Despite its financial insecurity,
Ken's Place will be running all this
semester. Meetings are Sunday eve-
nings from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Ginsberg
Center at the corner of East Univer-
sity Avenue and Hill Street.
Kim Wilke is an LSA junior.
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Editorial Board Members: Ben Caleca, Mike Eber, Brian Flaherty, Kellyn Jackson,
Gavin Stern, Jennifer Sussex, Neil Tambe, Radhika Upadhyaya
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