4A -Thursday, January 3, 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 7L 1 4clwc4tpan43atly Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. AnnArbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu IMRAN SYED JEFFREY BLOOMER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR It disenfranchises certain voters or makes them make choices between putting food on the table and caucusing."' - Tom Lindsey, an Iowa City high school teacher, describing how the Iowa caucus, which is being held today, is too inconvenient for some working voters to participate in, as reported yesterday by The New York Times. Hal, hai to what again? KARL STAMPFL EDITOR IN CHIEF Unsigned editorials reflect the official positionof the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations representsolelytheviews of their authors. The Daily's public editor, PaulH. 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 andcomments. He can be reached at publiceditor@umich.edu. Refund season Like other state universities, 'U' should return tuition hikes Michigan State University students didn't just have four more days of holiday break than we did to look for- ward to this January: When they return on Monday, they might have a refund waiting for them too. Like the Univer- sity of Michigan, MSU raised its tuition rates this summer in fear that state funding was in jeopardy. But more funding than expected arrived in November, and now the university is passing some of it back to students. Here at the University, we want our money back too, please. The new public face of the Uni- versity of Michigan didn't seem to know the lyrics to "The Victors" when he was hired. Rich Rodriguez says he has since learned them, but someone should > ' make sure he knows the part about being the . leaders and best, because Athletic -' Director Bill Mar- KARL tin has given him a big responsibility. STAMPFL Like it or not, - the football coach is the most recog- nizable representative of this univer- sity and its values. While only a few reporters watch University President Mary Sue Coleman at regents meet- ings, a legion of television cameras follows former head coach Lloyd Carr, whose last day on the job was Tuesday. This column's on the opinion page, so let's assume that Rich Rodriguez is the best coach in the history of foot- ball, that he makes better inspira- tional speeches than Vince Lombardi, that he will be able to transform quar- terback Ryan Mallett into a hero and that his spread offense will remake the Big Ten. There's a lot more to this job than that. Even Carr, whom the administra- tion and media have lauded as the height of integrity, could have done better. His team's graduation rate (73 percent, according to the most recent numbers) isn't that terrific when you consider that it's 10 points below stu- dent athletes overall at the University of Michigan. Notre Dame's football graduation rate is 93 percent. Martin should have been lookingfor someone who will improve on Carr's legacy, not someone who might uphold it. Rodriguez doesn't have the best No one seems.to have any reason record on loyalty. After declaring his to believe that Rodriguez will be the undying affection for the school a next Gary Moeller, who made way for year ago, he deserted West Virginia, Carr by punching a cop. Maybe he's a where he played, where he coached saint. But is it unreasonable to hope for seven seasons, where his wife was that Martin would hire someone with a cheerleader. He says he hopes he'll at least some investment in the Mich- retire at Michigan, but what if NFL igan tradition? franchises start calling? There's not At his first press conference, Rodri- much to tie him down in Ann Arbor. guez said he has seen this year's team To his credit, Rodriguez seems play "a little bit." An Athletic Depart- to think that Michigan's values can ment press release touted his connec- be learned, and he's right (though tion to Michigan football as having it would be nice to keep a few more grown up five miles from the birth- of those assistant coaches around). place of Fielding H. Yost and having Rodriguez is not the problem; he's played for a coach who was once an only a symptom. assistant to Bo Schembechler. His first trip to Ann Arbor was in December. He's "studying" Michigan tradition. Apparently, though, he only cares It's a problem that about it enough to retain one of Carr's nine assistantcoaches.He'sjettisoned the new coach has the other eight, at least for now. "That's 128 years of history gone, few University ties. with no one with anysrecollection of that the tradition," senior running back Mike Hart told The Detroit News. "If these guys get to know the The real problem is that being history and tradition, they will learn versed in the University's standards that Michigan is a lot different than isn't one of the top qualifications for any other place." Hart's not talking the job. The real problem is Martin, about x's and o's, either. who seems to care more about the A Michigan head coach needs to be offense than the values of the insti- attached to the school - not just his tution. The real problem isn't that own career. Rodriguez didn't know the lyrics to Michigan shouldn't be a career The Victors - it's that Martin doesn't stepping stone; here coaches should care what that signifies. be expected to do more than bolster Bo Schembechler was in a similar their own resumes. If skipping a top position when he was hired (he had recruit because of character issues is more of a connection to Ohio State necessary, a Michigan man should do than Michigan). And perhaps Rich so without thinking whether it will Rodriguez will be the most Michigan cost him a few games and thus a shot of Michigan men. at the New England Patriots job. If If so, don't credit Bill Martin. suspending a star quarterback on the night before a bowl game because of Karl Stampfl is the Daily's some moderate academic offense is editor in chief. He can be reached necessary, he should do that too. at kstampfl@umich.edu. I I This summer was an uncertain time for Michigan's state universities. While state legislators were showcasing their incompe- tence in Lansing, squabbling over tax hikes and spending cuts, these universities were left to figure out how to balance their own budgets. Across the state, universities pre- pared for the worst, raising tuition by an average of more than 10 percent. Although its tuition hikes were com- paratively low and partially offset by an 8.9-percent increase in financial aid, the University took the same approach. Tuition skyrocketed for undergraduate students by 7.4 percent and by 5 percent for graduate students. The increases were based primarily on the assumption that the University's state funding would stay static at $320 million. At the University of Michigan Board of Regents meeting in July when the deci- sion was finalized, Regent Martin Taylor (D-Grosse Pointe Farms) emphasized, "If these assumptions are wrong, if they go the other way, I think it's really incumbent of the regents to revisit this issue." Well, the assumptions went the other way. As promised, the state legislature paid back the $140 million it postponed in July. Even better, it increased funding by 1 per- cent for all state universities. It even sepa- rated the three research universities - the University of Michigan, MSU and Wayne State University - into their own appro- priations bill, a change the University had been lobbying hard for Lansing to make. Acknowledging the unexpected good news, last month Ferris State, Michigan State and Wayne State Universities offi- cially announced plans to cut tuition rates for the winter semester or refund part of the fall semester's tuition. At MSU, an. estimated $3 million will be returned to students. Individual students could save more than $64 next semester if they meet several requirements. While the individual reductions wouldn't amount to much money for indi- vidual students and the University is hint- ing that the money would instead be used for President Mary Sue Coleman's new- est initiatives, it still has an obligation to share the unexpected funding. The tuition hike this summer was basically justified as short-term revenue needed to bail the University out of a potentially tough time at students' expense. That justification no longer holds. The University won't look too attractive to potential students unless it repays the favor either. Equally as important, in a state where the average tuition has risen by 37 percent in the last six years, returning part of the funding increase to students would be a symbolic confirmation to Lansing that its funding is going directly to students. For a meager $3 million, the University can portray itself as an institution that puts students first, an image that is increasingly hard for the University to keep. Besides, this is supposed to be the sea- son of giving. I I SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU Preventing a college birth control crisis dize the West Vi Athletic Departm training your coas called the Univers Morgantown, and 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. CRAIG ROOT Something not to be thankful for For many of us, the holiday season reminds us of all the great things we have to be thankful for. For others, the holidays elicit reminders of a lost family member or friend. For those who have lost a family member or friend because of some form of gun violence, it's a reminder that we must continue speak- ing out against it. On Nov. 20, 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would hear a case challeng- ing a circuit court ruling in March 2007 about the District of Columbia's ban.on handguns. The lower court ruled that the District's hand- gun ban was unconstitutional. Now on appeal to the Supreme Court, there is an opportunity to reverse this erroneous ruling and give juris- diction back to the local authorities to decide what is best for their communities. It is imper- ative for this ruling to be reversed if America stands any chance of reducing unnecessary gun violence. The Second Amendment must be interpreted in its entirety, and communities must have the right to ban handguns and save their residents' lives. According to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence our country is experiencing a startling problem. There are approximatelyf65 million privately-owned handguns in Ameri- ca. It is estimated that 1to 3 million handguns change hands on the black market each year. In 2004, 29,569 people in America died from firearm-related deaths, including 11,624 mur- ders, 16,750 suicides and 649 accidents. As the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence found, "For every time a gun is used in a home in a legally-justifiable shooting, an estimated 22 criminal, unintentional and suicide-related shootings occur." Asanundergraduatestudent,Itookayearoff from school and volunteered in an inner-city neighborhood. I lived in a violent community and witnessed the effects of gun violence on a weekly basis. It seemed like everyone I talked with knew someone who had been a victim of gun violence. The thought of having someone close to me shot and killed was foreign to my sheltered mind, but when I found bullets on my street, heard gun shots at night and talked to the friends I made, the reality sank in: This is commonplace for many people. As a graduate student working toward a masters degree in social work, I am interest- ed in working with children and adolescents who struggle with mental health problems. Among the many topics in our readings and lectures, suicide continues to startle me. I'm learning about the psychodiagnostic assess- ment that could prevent suicidal ideation, but I can't seem to understand why we're making it so easy for our children to kill themselves by allowing easy access to the guns that are so often used to commit suicide. Our country is in the midst of a preventable pandemic. Advocates, lawmakers and politi- cians alike must rally around this issue and put the decision-making power in the hands of those who know best: the communities. Itis my hope that the Supreme Court reverses the previous decision and gives the fight against gun violence a chance. After all, who is thankful for gun violence? Craig Root is a graduate student in the School of Social Work. TO THE DAILY: Michigan could r' Ask any woman on campus if her whomever froma birth control is too expensive and ginia's ranks it wa the response would likely be a clear On the bright sit "Yes." Unfortunately, the price is gan head footballc rising. In January 2006, President guez has proven tI Bush signed into law the Deficit a team into a natit Reduction Act, which - uninten- the opportune pt tionally, according to most reports ginia was in this ye - dramatically raised the price could not even get of some forms of birth control for beat Pittsburgh Um university health centers. It has Good luck. And been a year, and still nothing has in four years find been done to fix this problem. In after Rodriguez h response, some university health secutive losingsea centers, including our Univer- realizes what a mi sity Health Service, overstocked Instead of con their shelves with the last remain- I should have just ing low-cost birth control before and left it at that. the law went into effect. But their reserves won't last forever. Lewis Hardway For the women who will have to West Virginia Univer pay up to ten times more for their monthly birth control, this is a prob- lem that needs to be resolved imme- Dispose yoz diately. Most people support the idea of lower birth control prices, bottled wat yet very little is being done to ensure that low prices can continue. TO THE DAILY: Congress has already devised On a campus wl a solution to this problem as .well, day a large percei with no additional cost to the gov- are carrying disp' ernment. This provision would tles, we as'a come allow university health centers to better informed a continue distributing birth control problems that th at a lower cost. A seemingly simple it may be part oft fix, members of Congress have now tine to wake up, g attached this provision to multiple grab a bottle of w bills with little success. the door, this habi Once Congress returns from win- Being a lifelong ter recess on Jan. 15, it is vital that understand the im this change be pushed through. If ing hydrated. I'm this problem is not resolved quickly, water consumption women on college campuses will ing to educate and feel the effects of the hefty price Instead of wG hike in birth control. The only producing flimsy way to prevent this is to take action immediately. Let your local repre- sentatives know that their support on this issue is imperative. Encour- ARIELA STEIF age them to attach this no-cost fix to any Congressional legislation that the President will sign. If we don't act now, millions of women across the country will have to decide if they can afford to con- tinue to protect themselves. This is not a decision any woman should h a v e t o m a k e . J n a C s y- Jenna casey School ofSocial Work Michigan owes West Virginia for coaches { TO THE DAILY: TTHDAL:I just wanted to pose a ques- tion tosthe University of Michigan Athletic Department, boosters and I University powers: At what point ... is the University going to subsi- rginia University ent for its role in ches? It could be ity of Michigan at the University of outinely just take among West Vir- nted. de, the new Michi- coach Rich Rodri- hat he can't coach onal title. Look at osition West Vir- ear and Rodriguez the team ready to niversity. I even better luck ing a new coach as his fourth con- son and Michigan stake it made. mplaining, maybe said "thank you" sity alum ur plastic er habit everyone could reuse a Nalgene or a Camelback bottle. We live in a state that is blessed with clean drink- ing water, yet we still stuff landfills full of plastic water bottles and fail to acknowledge their damaging effects. Most students don't know that America produces 38 million water bottles a year from 1.5 million bar- rels of oil. They probably also don't know that most smallbottles are pro- duced with polyethylene terephthal- ate, a chemical that produces more than 100 times more toxic emissions than an equivalent amount of glass, according to the Berkeley Ecology Center. The chemical can also leach into the water. As informed students, we could make a huge difference. If half of the students on campus drink and throw away one bottle a day each semester, that means roughly 20,000 students throw away a bottle seven days a week for 14 weeks a semester. That's 1,960,000 bottles that we could-Cave per semester. I encourage students to do some- thing about this problem and spread the word. On campus, we can change the way we live and the way that others live as well. here on any given Shari MacDonald stage of students LSA sophomore osable water bot- munity need to beAut bout the growing r ey create. While M ichigan fo the morning rou- et ready for class, ater and walk out TO THE DAILY: t needs to change. Whenever a coll athlete, I fully hears "University o portance of stay- first word that co not discouraging "class". So, why did n. Rather, um try- of Michigan hire Ri inspire change. asting resources Dan Unger plastic bottles, Moatsville, W. Va. a 'ation for otball? ege football fan f Michigan" the mes to mind is I the University ch Rodriguez? 4 f t. 4 4 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. All submissions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umich.