4A -Thursday, January 31, 2008
T
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@umich.edu
KARL STAMPFL IMRAN SYED JEFFREY BLOOMER
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position oftthe Daily's editorialboard. All other signed articles
and illustrations representsolely the views oftheir authors.
The Daily's publiceditor, 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 contact the public editor
with questions and comments. He can be reached at publiceditor@umich.edu.
Sharing the wealth
'U' must keep endowment safe from Senate but open to aid
E ndowments are ballooning. Tuition is rising. A lot of people,
are starting to ask: Where is all of the money going? Among
those getting curious is the U.S. Senate Finance Commit-
tee, which is demanding that universities release detailed financial
repqrts on endowment spending. This Senate investigation should
be condemned by universities, including the University of Michi-
gan, as an inappropriate attack on the autonomy of universities and
a poor substitute for necessary federal funding. At the same time,
it is clear that tuition at the University is getting out of control and
must be kept reasonable, even if that means getting a little more
generous with our endowment.
N T L QOTABI
I am the mayor, I made the mistake,
I am accountable."
-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, in a televised address last night, taking the blame for
having an affair with Christine Beatty while she was his chief of staff.
Promiscuous Mr. Kilpatrick
4
It's usually tricky to tell who
likes the sweet taste of political
scandal more: the local televi-
sion newscasters
who serve it up to
viewers via "break-
ing news alerts" or
the audience mem-
bers who are pleas-
antly surprised
during their regu-
larly scheduled
programs by the
news. But as WDIV THERESA
News reporters KENNELLY
broke into Thurs-
day night TV to
dish out selections from the scandal-
ous text messages between Detroit
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and then-
chief of staff Christine Beatty, there
was hardly anything delectable about
it for the viewing audience.
First, there were the sexually
explicit details lacedinto thelovers'
conversations, details so precise it's
like they were written for a prosecut-
ing attorney. Granted, there are plenty
of justifiable reasons for releasing the
words exchanged between Kilpat-
rick and Beatty. But at first glance, it
seemed a little unnecessary for the
newscasters to run a segment where
the text messages were read verbatim
by a newscaster. Do I really need to
hear from my local TV news that the
mayor's top aide was made to "feel so
damn good" by the mayor "the most
recentSaturday atthe Residence Inn"?
Especially given that these conversa-
tions happened more than five years
ago, it was a little too much informa-
tion about a part of a political scandal
that has enough history and informa-
tion to sustain itself without divulging
the exact content of the text messages.
Then,there was the unnervingsense
of dja vu in the news that made it so
unappetizing. Kilpatrick? Involved in
scandal? Didn't that just happen last
fall when he was put on trial by a for-
mer deputy police officer and ex-body
guard who claimed the mayor fired
them after trying to expose his illicit
activities? Didn't that verdict cost the
city millions of dollars? There was that
weeklong resort vacation he took with
his family on city money earlier last
year too. And the Lincoln Navigator he
bought his wife on city money in 2005.
And who can forget about the murder
of an exotic dancer in 2003 after alleg-
edly performing at one of the mayor's
mansion raves, which is still at trial.
The news that broke last Wednesday
didn't come as a surprise. It was a trip
down memory lane.
Like the other scandals, this one
ended with the mayor asking the city
for forgiveness and continued trust.
As he spoke from his church last
night, seated next to his wife, Kilpat-
rick said, "I'm sorry for the embar-
rassment and disappointment the
events of the past couple of days have
caused you," and, "I would never quit
on you, ever." So everything will go
on as normal in the Manoogian Man-
sion tomorrow, and Kilpatrick will
gracefully gloss over this drama with
a friendly smile, handshake and per-
haps a new sport coat.
But if the rally led by municipal
union leaders and other Kilpatrick
opponents in front of the Sprint of
Detroit statute yesterday is any indi-
cation, Kilpatrick's going to face a lot
more (deserved) antagonism. This
scandal isn't going away anytime
soon because it goes beyond just a
couple of text messages and a sexual
relationship he had with his former
chief of staff. If it had just been that,
Kilpatrick's remorseful press confer-
ence last night would have been more
reasonable. It may have even allowed
me to forgive and forget. Instead, the
content of the text messages con-
firmed that Kilpatrick and Beatty
both lied under oath in the August
2007 trial in which the former police
officer and body guard sued Kilpat-
rick for violation of the Whistleblow-
er Protection Act. Both the mayor
and Beatty denied a romantic rela-
tionship in the lawsuit and denied .
that a cover-up of their relationship
led to the firing of the two men. Beat-
ty rolled her eyes when questioned by
the prosecutor on this possibility, and
Kilpatrick made reference to his deep
respect for women when questioned.
And not only did the mayor commit
perjury. He also cost Detroit $9 mil-
lion after the city lost the suit. Nine
million dollars to conceal this affair.
In addition to the elements of the
scandal Kilpatrick failed to address in
hispress conferenceyesterday,thefact
is that Beatty stepped down in light of
the scandal and essentially took all
of the blame. Kilpatrick also failed to
Mayor finds
himself, yet again,
in a scandal
explain why he hasn't responded to
the news since it broke last Wednes-
day, let alone why he's been in seclu-
sion these past seven days.
If Kilpatrick thinks that his 10-
minute press conference is going to
make up for these transgressions, he
should think again.
This time Kilpatrick's in real per-
sonal trouble - trouble that he can't
pay off with city money and trouble
that has been all too familiar to
Detroiters. Kwame should be pack-
ing his bags and leaving Detroit with
his tail between his legs as fast as his
wife's Navigator can take him.
Theresa Kennelly is an associate
editorial page editor. She can be
reached at thenelly@umich.edu.
The trends in tuition and endowment
growth at the University are typical of
what is happening across the country. Yet,
the University's 25.4 percent return on
investments last year was the best percent-
age gain achieved by any of the nation's 10
largest university endowments. Many won-
der why large tuition increases have con-
tinued despite a $1.4-billion increase in the
University's endowment, which is now the
eighth largest in the nation at $7.1 billion.
Although slightly offset by increases in
financial aid, just last summer tuition rose
7.4 percent for undergraduate and 5 percent
for graduate students.
The last thing the University needs,
though, is the Senate sleuthing into its
finances. How hypocritical of an institution
that earmarks hundreds of millions of dol-
lars for pet projects - from slightly useful
constituent projects to completely useless,
corrupt projects - to think it can tell uni-
versities how to spend their endowments.
One of the main reasons universities even
have to rely on endowments is because the
federal government and state governments
that used to financially support them have
defaulted on their responsibilities. The real
problem - the one that the Senate Finance
Committee does not want to address - is.
that public universities don't receive ade-
quate state and federal funding.
However, thd Senate is right about one
thing. There's a problem. Universities can do
more to share their newfound wealth with
students, especially at the University. It's not
enough for the University to say its hands
are tied when it comes to the endowment.
The University should follow the lead of
other schools with large endowments and
make more of its endowment available for
student financial aid. When a benefactor
gives a massive donation to a construction
project or research fund, the University
should require a small percentage of that
donation to go directly to tuition relief.
Donors with this type ofbig money shouldn't
have a problem earmarking some of it for
students. If they do, these really aren't the
type of people the University should want
its buildings named after anyway.
The University should tell the federal gov-
ernment to buzz off. Then, it should fix the
problem itself.
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
A false Peace Corps
characterization
Panamanians que
habits, ability to<
and deftness wit
never questioned
our ability to wor
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Emad Ansari, Anindya Bhadra, Kevin Bunkley, Ben Caleca, Satyajeet Deshmukh,
Milly Dick, Mike Eber, Gary Graca, Emmarie Huetteman, Theresa Kennelly,
Emily Michels, Arikia Millikan, Kate Peabody, Robert Soave, Neil Tambe, Matt Trecha,
Kate Truesdell, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Rachel Wagner, Patrick Zabawa.
MENGYUAN HOU
The most wonderful "rip-off"
"Shaman Drum is totally ripping me off."
Those were my thoughts after my first visit
to Shaman Drum after paying hundreds of
dollars for a few softcover textbooks. What I
did not realize then, was that Shaman Drum
made almost nothing from my purchase.
As' consumers, the only things we see
are the final price tags. Therefore, when we
have to buy a 74-page softcover textbook for
over $100, it is hard not to envision all of that
money goingstraight to the pocketbooks ofthe
textbook store owners. However, my recent
internship with Shaman Drum has taught me
that there often is more than meets the eye
when it comes to the textbook industry.
Always on the lookout for new opportuni-
ties, I was ecstatic when I learned about the
Shaman Drum internship at Festifall. Being
interested in business marketing, I had envi-
sioned the internship as an innovative way to
learn about the structure of a business from a
different viewpoint. But what I took from the
experience proved to be so much more.
Thrust into meetings with publishers in
our first week at Shaman Drum, I knew that
the pace of the internship would be per-
fect for me. In the first few weeks, we went
through all the offices of Shaman Drum at
an almost dizzying pace. It was wonderful.
Although the internship was set up to be
information intensive, the staff at Shaman
Drum presented everything in a digestible
way. As someone who has worked on numer-
ous committees in the past, I was impressed
by the organizational skills of the Shaman
Drum Company. I soon realized that it was
because it had to be.
There are so many different aspects of the
textbook industry that continually change;
Shaman Drum has to be completely on top
of everything to just stay afloat. Although
a textbook may sell for over $100, Shaman
Drum will only make $10 or less per book.
In fact, the revenue that the store generates
during its fall and winter rush basically runs
the entire store for the year, including both
downstairs stores. Shaman Drum really does
not make that much at all.
In fact, Karl Pohrt, the owner of Shaman
Drum, wants to use the internship to faze
the company into a non-profit, student-run
organization dedicated to securing the low-
est textbook prices for all students. Karl's
vision, along with the Michigan Student
Assembly and LSA's commitments to lower-
ing the rising cost of textbook prices, led to
the formation of the current program. The
basic premise was to create an internship for
two students who would shadow the owners
of Shaman Drum and generate a policy pro-
posal to decrease the price of textbooks.
In my final weeks at Shaman Drum with
the other intern, Marcus Smith, our pro-
posal idea started with the random topic of
recycling paper. That idea led to a discussion
about coupons and value cards. Marcus and I
presented the entirety of the proposal at the
LSA open meeting last night. The crux of it
is that students will be offered a $1000 gift
card for $800, valid for any three semesters
they choose,
We are still refiningthe proposal and would
love any suggestions. Direct any comments or
ideas to the LSA Student Government.
Mengyuan Hou is an LSA freshman. She
was the business office marketing intern
for the Shaman Drum during fall term.
TO THE DAILY: ways to improve o
As a former Peace Corps volun- And ultimately,
teer, I take exception to a number I return to Pana
of comments in Tuesday's article, I will be greeted'
"University ranks fifth in grads smiles from some
joining Peace Corps" (01/29/2008). that I have everI
Clearly, the concerns that LSA have. I call that a
senior Claudia Williams expressed patronizing or disi
about some volunteers' motivations
and experience are legitimate, as Jon Fazzola
they are in most fields. For exam- Law school andPubli
ple, not every doctor enters the
medical profession to save lives. At Limiting lh
the same time, to reduce the value
of Peace Corps service to the "edu- s
cational value of travel" indicates a
misconception about the program
and, more personally, trivializes TO THE DAILY:
two years-of my life. I am writing it
To begin with, while a lotofyoung Daily's editorial
adults choose to enter the Peace for a Ride" (01/21
Corps, many volunteers bring years some confusion a
of professional and life experience may not obtain ac
to their service. Take, for example, Michigan.
the enteringclass at my Peace Corps Recently, state,
post. We counted among our ranks a Mike Cox issued
lawyer, two teachers, 15 engineers, response to a que
two accountants, a computer pro- legislator about w
grammer, four public health special- tary of State is re
ists, an executive from a prestigious driver's license to
multinational firm and the director grant living in Mi
of the human resources department This opinion;
of a large public university. Perhaps Michigan and fed
more importantly, the rigorous as the U.S. Cons
three-month, in-country training the common-sens
that we received before our service "It would be incon
was designed not only to prepare body of law) to fi
us for the technical challenges of in this country it
the field, but also to help us develop regarded as a pern
the skills needed to help our host- Michigan." To str
country counterparts evaluate and jargon, if the fed
address challenges in their commu-
nities on their own terms and with
their own resources.
Secondly, rather than impos- ARIELA STEIF
ing its development plan on for-
eign countries, the Peace Corps
only creates posts in countries that
have extended the organization an
explicit invitation. In other words,
the Peace Corps doesn't send vol-
unteers to a country based on the AL.G AeDA
American perception of the needs
of that country's people, something
that would be "patronizing (to) the
people of developing countries."
Instead, it responds to a country's
request for assistance in specific ' j
areas and works with the country to
develop programs that best address
these needs.
. Finally, skepticism of Peace Corps
volunteers' "do-gooder mentality"
exemplifies the cynicism that the
Peace Corps works to counteract,
both in the America and abroad.
During my two years in Panama, the £'
country where I had the great honor
and privilege to serve, I questioned
my ability to communicate effec-
tively, defend myself and my home
against an infiltration of venomous
snakes and survive the heat, while
stioned my eating
dance the cumbia
h a machete. We
my sincerity or
k together to find
ur lives.
I know that when
ma this February
with the hugs and
of the best friends
had and ever will
a lot of things, but
ingenuous it is not.
ic Policy
'enses '
s security
n response to the
Monday "Taken
8/2008) to clarify
bout who may or
driver's license in
Attorney General
Opinion 7210 in
stion from a state
vhether the Secre-
quired to issue a
o an illegal immi-
chigan.
based on both
deral law, as well
titution, came to
e conclusion that
nsistent (with that
ind that a person
llegally ... can be
manent resident in
ip away the legal
feral government
does not offer an individual legal
status, then that individual is an
illegal immigrant. Neither Michi-
gan nor any other state, should offer
that individual legal residency.
However, if an immigrant is in
America legally, that person may be
entitled to a driver's license under
applicable Michigan law. The
attorney general's opinion men-
tions that certain immigrants, who
by the terms of their admission to
this country are allowed to estab-
lish permanent legal residence in
America, cannot be discriminated
against. In fact, these individuals
must be treated like any other per-
son residing in Michigan.
Certain other immigrants who
are here legally but are not permit-
ted under the terms of their visas to
establish residency, may need statu-
tory changes to make them eligible
for a state-issued driver's license.
In the meantime, these immigrants
may still drive with their previ-
ously issued and still-valid drivers'
licenses or with licenses issued by
their home countries.
This is not an esoteric argument.
As the editorial correctly noted,
"(a) driver's license counts as mdre
thanjust apass to drive a car... it is a
basic form of identification." Thou- *
sands of Americans died when 19
terrorists, all carrying state-issued
drivers' licenses and identification
cards, seized planes and destroyed
buildings. Michigan, with three
international bridges and one inter-
national tunnel, cannot afford to
take this issue lightly.
Rusty Hills
Director of Communicationsfor Michigan
Attorney General Mike Cox
CHRIS KOSLOWSKI
des you b een followinithe .oaf? . t's our duty as P d t s an "arrogatl,
a anditizens to stay informed i and Jenny is
G r isadanens economic
s sI amsplentyinform s d"admirably.
I know what the media said
SWithout even lookinghOa. How d d you do that? s
- 0
>A
0
0