4A - Monday, December 3, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4
I . 1diian B3a1,ly
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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.
The Daily's public editor, Paul H. Johnson, acts as the readers' representative and takes a critical look at
coverage and content in every section of the paper. Readers are encouraged to contactthe public editor
with questions and comments. He can be reached atpubliceditor@umich.edu.
F. reS P dMEFSd;h# f
Flawed leadership
Students must remove MSA president from office
The Michigan Student Assembly is elected to represent the
interests of students and the ideals ofthe University. Demean-
ing and threatening violence against an assembly member
with a disability in a secret Facebook.com group - as MSA President
Zack Yost did, even if just as a joke - is far from those ideals. In light
of his monumental mistake, Yost must do more than apologize: He
must resign. If he is unwilling, students must force him out.
I am the head coach at LSU. I will be the
head coach at LSU.
- Louisiana State University football coach Les Miles at a press conference on Saturday, ending speculation
that he would leave LSU to become head coach at Michigan.
Home sweet home
M
The private group, "I waste more time
reading Tim Hull's code amendments than
I do on Facebook," was created by Yost last
year while he was MSA student general
counsel. Its target was Rep. Tim Hull. In
the group's description, Yost wrote, "I'll give
that kid a fucking disability he can write
home about if he keeps sending these code
amendments to everyone" - suggesting vio-
lence against Hull and referencing Hull's
Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism.
The fact that Yost took the time to create this
group, invite a few people to it and discuss it
with others online shows that this was more
than just a momentary joke made between
friends.
In a fit of blatant (and ill-advised) politi-
cal opportunism at last week's MSA meet-
ing, Rep. Kenneth Baker made the offensive
group public. Baker himself is as much a vil-
lain here as Yost. He didn't tell Hull about
his decision to reveal this group until just
before the meeting, showing no regard for
Hull's feelings. Baker - a member of the
Facebook group himself - at least had the
decency to resign under pressure late last
week. Yost has so far refused to do so, and he
has implied that he would even allow Hull
to quit the assembly rather than step down
as president.
Almost as offensive as Yost and Baker's
actions were the immediate reactions of
their fellow assembly members, who tried
to silence any discussion of the offense at
the meeting, claiming that the assembly
session was not a place to discuss such a
"private" matter. Also, the fact that this
group existed for more than a year without
anyone speaking out against it shows that
this problem is bigger than Yost alone.
It should go without saying that it is inap-
propriate for anyone to make fun of someone
with Asperger's, especially in a forum like
Facebook. However, Yost, as the president
and face of the student body, must subject
himself to a higher standard of behavior than
the average student. He may be a great presi-
dent, as some of his colleagues have insisted,
but this violation transcends that. This was a
failure to lead in the most fundamental way:
Leaders are supposed to be examples for the
people they lead, and they are supposed to
uphold our deepest values.
Students should be given chances to learn
and grow on campus, but Yost has not prov-
en that he can reform MSA's culture. He has
not proven that he can represent the student
body after this scandal.
More important, he has not offered any
solutions beyond an apology to Hull. And
he has not shown that he knows his actions
have affected more than Hull: Is someone
with Asperger's syndrome likely to feel wel-
come at MSA as long as Yost is president?
A true leader should know better than that.
Yost should resign without being asked.
However, it appears as though he's intent on
hanging on.
While the assembly did once act in unison
to call for the resignation of former Rep. Ari
Liner after he sent out an offensive email to
a student and parent, MSA representatives
have been all too willing to overlook the vio-
lations of their fellow members of late. They
cannot be allowed to do the same thing this
time: We the students must force the assem-
bly's hand in calling for Yost's resignation.
All the power that MSA has is derived
directly from students (read the first line of
Article I of the Michigan Student Assembly
Constitution). Though exactly how a stu-
dent-initiated recall of Yost would work is
unclear (the assembly's constitution and
compiled code are long, arcane and inac-
cessible), students can petition the assem-
bly for any action. Once a petition signed by
at least 1,000 students is presented to the
assembly, the assembly is bound to adopt
the wishes of the petitioners or present the
matter to the student body for a vote.
Under MSA's wildly flawed recall sys-
tem, the assembly could delay a recall vote
on Yost until the next general election in
March, when his term would be ending any-
way. That is not acceptable. Students must
pack this week's MSA meeting (Tuesday
at 7:30 p.m. at MSA Chambers on the third
floor of the Michigan Union) and subsequent
meetings and demand that representatives
do something more than sit on their hands.
There is a provision in the compiled code for
special elections - if ever there was a time
for one of those, it's now.
Students can also petition specifically to
have Yost removed immediately in lieu of
a recall election: There is such a thing as
impeachment in the MSA Compiled Code,
though even Student General Counsel
Arvind Sohoni is unsure of how that would
apply in this case. The Rules and Elections
Committee is charged with removing MSA
members engaging in inappropriate con-
duct and an Investigative Committee can be
formed to look into the alleged misconduct
to determine if impeachment is necessary.
With plenty of confusion swirling around
how the constitution and compiled code
would apply, the Central Student Judiciary
will have to step in to interpret and clarify
rules.
But this whole process will get nowhere
unless students compel MSA to act against
its beloved tendency of stagnation. It is
vital that the-hoards of students who have
written outraged letters to this newspaper
back up those words and demand action
from MSA. Organize a group to attend the
meetings and overwhelm the assembly
with numbers: It is specifically forbidden to
ignore the will of the students.
ith seven days of classes
left in the term, home is
on the minds of most stu-
dents. However,
with landlords free;
to show apartments
to prospective ten-
ants as of last Sat-
urday, students
have to start think-
ing about a differ- r
ent kind of home.
The Ann Arbor EMMARIE
lease ordinance, HUETTEMAN
which has been
under fire recently
for its loopholes, prohibits landlords
from showingtheir properties earlier
than 90 days after the start of the cur-
rent lease period. For much of the stu-
dent housing near campus, that means
that landlords have to wait until Dec.
1. Or at least they should: For my lad-
lady, Nov.28is apparently kosher.
When she first contacted us about
showing our apartment, my house-
mates and I saw it as a minor crisis. It
was as if she had given us a passive-
aggressive ultimatum: I'm showing
your place, so hurry up and decide if
you want it. At the time, we had been
living together for approximately 86
days. Do we want to live together next
year? Do we want to live in the same
place? Do we think we can find anoth-
er affordable place so close to campus?
Do we even have time to look for an
apartment right now?
"No," said one housemate as she
reviewed her Organic Chemistry notes.
"No," said another as she typed her
evolution paper. "No," said members of
our a cappella group as they posted fly-
ers for Friday's concert. "No," said my
Hull is a leader
worth following
TO THE DAILY:
As a former representative on the
Michigan Student Assembly (LSA,
2002-2003), I was very disappointed
to read about MSA President Zack
Yost's recent conduct (MSA presi-
dent under fire for Facebook group
that mocked rep, 11/28/2007). A
higher level of scrutiny comes with
being the student body president
at a high-profile institution such as
ours, and Yost has failed that exami-
nation. Whether or not he should
step down is a question I leave to
him and his conscience. This is a
low point in the already checkered
history of our student government.
Kenneth Baker is no hero either,
and it is probably for the best that he
stepped down (Under fire, MSA rep.
resigns, 11/30/2007).
The real story here is Tim Hull.
He strikes me as a leader in a group
of wannabe leaders. He has served as
a committee chairman and immers-
es himself in the laws of the body by
offering amendments to the arcane
Complied Code. As one who has
endured the pain of reading that
document, I commend Hull for his
dedication to the assembly: Such
dedication should not mocked on pri-
vate social network groups.
I hope Hull pursues the presiden-
cy in March. Leadership is not about
who belongs to the best fraternity,
colors with the brightest chalk on
the Diag or makes the most infeasible
campaign promises to gain the sup-
port of our largely uneducated elec-
torate. Instead, leadership is about
beingthe person who is willingto put
in the time behind the scenes to make
government work. It's about press-
ing forward when others around you
continuously shoot you down. It's
about students like Tim Hull.
Tim, while our paths have not
crossed, I salute your strong leader-
ship and commitment to our great
institution.
Paul Scott
Third-year lawstudent
Yost is unworthy to
remain president
TO THE DAILY:
As someone who works in a spe-
cial education program for children
who have autism, Down Syndrome,
and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, I am
fully confident in how intelligent and
able these children are to overcome
obstacles and accomplish wonderful
things in their lives. Michigan Stu-
dent Assembly President Zack Yost's
creation of a crude online group
mocking an MSA member with
Asperger's Syndrome notonly insults
his fellow assembly memberbutindi-
viduals everywhere with mental or
physical challenges, as well as those
of us who support them.
The same person who recently sent
out an e-mail to unite the University
student body for the Michigan-Ohio
State game has been exposed for his
prejudice, which can only divide oth-
ers. What Yost did was stupid, dis-
respectful and wrong. He in noway
deserves to represent the student
body as our MSA president.
Aubrey Hall
LSA senior
editor as he asked for my next column.
While the Michigan StudentAssem-
bly and the Ann Arbor City Council
have taken commendable measures in
recent years to make the lease law fair
to students - loopholes aside - choos-
ing Dec. 1 was hardly an inspired
move. After all, alot can change in the
course of a year. It may seem worth-
while today to pay $600 for an effi-
ciency two blocks from the Union,
but maybe next year's course load
will be too heavy for you to keep the
job funding that cute one-bedroom. It
may seem safe to live with your new,
friendly co-worker who's looking for
a roommate now, but maybe you will
discover her dark side just after sign-
ing the lease.
More important, with the end of
the semester fast approaching, most of
our time is consumed by term papers
and final exams. This can make next
year's housing a stressful, loom-
ing afterthought for many students.
Considering that the lease law is sup-
posedly designed to help student rent-
ers, it would seem logical to take the
University's academic calendar into
account when setting the terms of the
ordinance. Instead students are forced
to take time away from their studies to
make sure that no one beats them to
the perfect house.
Judging by the room registration
timeline for the dorms, the Univer-
sity seems to understand that mak-
ing decisions about housing this early
is unnecessary and stressful. In fact,
that process doesn't even begin until
mid-February, and dorm-dwelling stu-
dents don'thave to sign their contracts
until early March. Unlike the rushed
feeling that can come from signing on
Dec. 1 after just 90 days in your cur-
rent home, those three extra months
can mean the difference between feel-
ing settled and feeling nomadic.
It all comes down to the landlords.
As permanent, tax-paying residents
who may even have friends in Ann
Arbor city government, they can exer-
cise the influence to make themselves
competitive in the market. The ear-
lier they rent their properties, the less
money and energy they have to spend
advertisingthem.
Lease ordinance
changes don't go
far enough.
However, in this case, students are
the consumers and as such can exer-
cise their own influence. With plans
to close the loopholes gaining momen-
tum, now would be a good time to
discuss the fundamental flaw in the
ordinance: timing. A change as simple
as pushing up the end of the waiting
period from Dec.1 to some time during
winter semester - Feb. 1, for example
- could make a significant difference
in its effectiveness. Students could bet-
ter predict what the fall will be like if
winter term is alreadyunderway.
After all, planning ahead is one
thing. Tying yourself down is some-
thing else entirely.
Emmarie Huetteman is an associate
editorial page editor. She can be
reached at huettemegumich.edu.
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
4
Substance abuse
treatment is smarter
TO THE DAILY:
Regarding the Daily's thoughtful
editorial last week about rehabilita-
tion services for prisoners (Locked-up
logic, 11/28/2007): A study conducted
by the RAND Corporation foundthat
every additional dollar invested in
substance abuse treatment saves tax-
payers $7.48. And there is far more at
stake than tax dollars.
The drug war is not the promoter
of family values that some would
have us believe. Children of inmates
are at risk of educational failure, job-
lessness, addiction and delinquency.
Notonly do the children lose out, but
so does society as a whole. Incarcer-
ating non-violent drug offenders
alongside hardened criminals is the
equivalent of providing them with a
taxpayer-funded education in anti-
social behavior.
Turning drug users into unem-
ployable ex-cons is a senseless waste
of tax dollars. It's time to declare
peace in the failed drug war and
begin treating all substance abuse,
legal or otherwise, as the public
health problem that it is. Destroy-
ing the futures of people who make
unhealthy choices and their families
doesn't benefit anyone.
Robert Sharpe
The letter writer is a policy analystfor
CommonSenseforDrugPolicy.
mass movement against second-class
treatment and demand that the Uni-
versity reverse the drop in minority
enrollment and fight the hostile cli-
mate on campus by ensuring the ban
on affirmative action does not stand.
Maricruz Lopez
LSA junior
The letter writer is co-chairofthe
University chapter ofBAMN.
U shouldfight
hunger in Ann Arbor
TO THE DAILY:
According to a recent story in The
Ann Arbor News, "Local food banks
and charities are reporting a rising
demand for food ... The numbers (of
families who need food) are going
up and the resources really aren't."
Many students do not realize that
more people than ever in Ann Arbor
are currently hungry, unable to even
enjoy a meal at a local homeless shel-
ter or soup kitchen.
I joined several University stu-
dents recently to form a group called
Homelessness - Awareness to
Action to fight homelessness in our
community. We proposed to donate
the extra food in the campus cafete-
rias to a local food bank instead of
throwing it away, which is what the
cafeteria admittedly does with much
of the leftover food.
As we see it, there is a major prob-
lem here. There are many hungry
people in our community, and the
T 051000 iii O[i C Lunmn teipn
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Emad Ansari, Anindya Bhadra, Kevin Bunkley, Ben Caleca, Jon Cohen, Milly Dick, Mike
Eber, Gary Graca, Emmarie Huetteman, Theresa Kennelly, Emily Michels, Kate Peabody,
Robert Soave, Jennifer Sussex, Neil Tambe, Matt Trecha, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van
Gilder, Rachel Wagner, Patrick Zabawa
ROSE JAFFE
\>f
university c(
Michigan must defend solve the pro
i . have founde
Gff'mativeaction their part to
people in th
TO THE DAILY: ford Univers
In the spring of 2005, thousands organization
of Latino youth across the country has been suc
walked out against the racist legis- on a weekly
lation HR 4437 and gave birth to a the Universi
new civil rights movement demand- implement a
ing an end to second-class treatment
for all immigrants. This new move- Jackie Fish
ment inspired others across the LSAfreshman
country to make a real fight against
racism and discrimination. More
recently, young people in Jena, La. The ma
made a conscious decision to take
a stand against the racism in their thef ire(
community.
Michigan has been at the fore- TO THE DAD
front in the fight to defend affirma- Gun right:
tive action. But philanthropy and The right to
private scholarships are not a proper a privilegec
response to the drop in underrepre- citizen. Fire
sented minority student enrollment many develo
in colleges. Initiatives in other states nations gene
similar to Michigan's Proposal2 have result. Grow
proven that there is no substitute for where gun o
affirmative action if we want true having guns
integration in higher education. certain impo
BAMN and other civil rights Firearms
groups have filed a federal lawsuit greater sens
challenging the constitutionality of should notbe
Proposal 2. We will not allow an ille- that they are
gitimate initiative placed on the bal- tection. Also,
lot through documented voter fraud accidents ca
and deception to undermine the every gun ow
gains of the civil rights movement sible gun owi
and turn the Fourteenth Amend- dents or allo
ment and Civil Rights Act of 1965 on fall into mor
their heads. There is no question as As with al
to whether affirmative action will is not an obli
be restored in Michigan. The ques- vote, we are,
tion is how soon. sess firearm
The University administration take advanta
must publicly state and act on the The right to
fact that minority and women stu- lege that sho
dents have as equal a right to attend sides of the a
the University as their white and
male counterparts. Students at the Harwood R(
University must join the growing LSA senior
ould do more to neap
blem. Other universities
effective methods to do
help feed the homeless
eir communities. Stan-
ity, for example, has an
called SPOONS that
cessful in donating food
basis. We believe that
ty of Michigan should
similar project.
ny arms of
arms debate
LY:
s are not human rights.
keep and bear arms is
of being an American
earms are banned in
ped nations, and those
rally do not suffer as a
ing up in a community
wnership is a norm and
of my own, I realize
rtant things:
may give a person a
e of security, but this
e conflated with the idea
necessary for one's pro-
guns are dangerous and
n happen. This is why
vner should be a respon-
ner so as to prevent acci-
wing their firearms to
e dangerous hands.
1 rights, gun ownership
gation. Like the right to
given the option to pos-
s. If you choose not to
ge of this right, so be it.
own firearms is a privi-
ild be respected by both
rgument.
owlandlI
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