4A - Friday, November 14, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@umich.edu
The financial situation facing the Big Three
is not a national problem but their problem:'
- Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.)'commenting on why he isn't supporting a bailout
for Detroit automakers, as reported yesterday by The New York Times.
6
ANDREW GROSSMAN
EDITOR IN CHIEF
GARY GRACA
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
GABE NELSON
MANAGING EDITOR
MAX FABICK
E-MAIL MAX AT FABICKM@UMICH.EDU
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles
and illustrations represent solely the views of theirauthors.
The wrong priority
'U' mistaken to offer student-athletes early registration
R egistering for classes is a nerve-wracking process. But start-
ing next semester, some University students will have the
option to bypass scheduling anxieties and register for class-
es early. This is great - if you're a student-athlete, the only group
benefiting from this new policy. And while many do face serious
time constraints, the University's blanket policy granting all ath-
letes early registration gives the appearance of prioritizing athletics
over academics. To establish a fairer system, the University should
accommodate students with other special time constraints as well.
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A resolution supporting -the new policy
giving special privileges to University ath-
letes was passed in an overwhelming 23 to
3 vote in the Michigan Student Assembly,
followed by the unanimous passage of a
similar resolution in the faculty's governing
body, the Senate Advisory Committee on
University Affairs. This change and the res-
olutions in support of it stem from the com-
mon problem of University student-athletes
being unable to graduate on time because
they cannot find classes that fit in with their
rigorous athletic schedule. Allowing them
to select their classes earlier helps alleviate
this problem, and ensures that they are in
classes that meet the academic standards
set forth by the NCAA.
Given this, the needs of student-athletes
certainly cannot be dismissed. But despite
this rationalization, it is completely unfair
to award this new privilege only to ath-
letes - and to all of them without scrutiny,
at that.
Early registration should be extended to
other students, particularly those who are
also contributing to the University and have
difficulty accommodating their own sched-
ules. Take the time commitments required
of the ROTC or those involved in impor-
tant but time-consuming research through
programs like the Undergraduate Research
Opportunity Program. The Universitycould
implement a system through which mem-
bers of such programs and Michigan sports
teams could appeal to their academic advis-
ers for registration priority, making their
case based on pre-approved criteria, rather
than using an ill-considered, blanket policy
like this one. And if it can't make such a sys-
tem work for everyone, then no one should
benefit student-athletes included.
From a broader perspective, this policy
further strengthens perceptions about the
University's emphasis on athletics over aca-
demics. Administration officials have noted
that this policy is necessary and not without
precedent - similar policies are in place at
schools like Ohio State University, North-
western University and the University of
Notre Dame. But considering that this is a
school, not an athletic program, the Uni-
versity of Michigan cannot and should not
be so caught up in competing that it forgets
that, even if other universities do.
A policy that limits a special privilege to
a few students when some of their peers are
just as deserving - if not more so - consti-
tutes a flawed approach to academics at the
University. While sports are very much a
part of our University culture, it is impor-
tant that the University recognize and
accommodate students who sacrifice a lot to
make greater contributions to the commu-
nity - on and off the playing field.
n Nov. 4, the United States saw
a shift in world history with its
election of the first African-
American president. The U.S. presi-
dent, arguably the
most powerful per-3
son in the world, has
"historically" been
an old, upper-class,
white male. Many
Americans never
dreamed that the day
would come when an
African-American S
would hold this title SHAKIRA
because "historical- SMILER
ly," minorities have
experienced oppres-
sion and discrimination often support-
ed by government officials and political
leaders - including presidents. In fact,
most of the early presidents were slave-
owners themselves.
So should Barack Obama be exiled
fromtheblack communityforaccepting
a position that has "historically" been
racistagainstblacks? Of course not.
Yet, here on campus, one student
organization has come under fire from
some in the black community because
its president chose to join an organi-
zation that was "historically" racist
against students of color.
For over five years, the Black Vol-
unteer Network has actively contrib-
uted to Black Welcome Week. But this
summer, the community service-based
organization found itself alienated
from all Black Welcome Week-spon-
sored events because of its president's
membership in Order of Angell, a
society of campus leaders previously
known as Michigamua. This past sum-
mer,inaSalemWitch Trial-esque town
hall meeting, Gabrielle Sims - a senior
in the Ross School of Business and the
president of BVN - pleaded with sev-
eral black leaders on campus to allow
her organization to be recognized as a
Black Welcome Week participant.
Members of organizations partici-
pating in Black Welcome Week took
part in a formal vote, and the final deci-
sion was that the Black Welcome Week
committee wouldn't endorse BVN.
The society formerly known as
Michigamua has been a controversial
subject on campus since it came under
fire for its use of Native American ritu-
als and artifacts in secret but integral
parts of its ceremonies. Since then,
the organization has repudiated such
offensive practices, publicly disclosed
the names of its members and changed
its name in order to salvage its reputa-
tion and represent its move toward less
offensive, more sensitive practices.
Cordaye Ogletree, the speaker of the
Black Student Union and anLSA junior,
explained his group's criticisms of the
group this way: "The Black Student
Union does not support historically
racist student organizations like Order'
of Angell because of their secrecy and
their refusal to be a completely open
and transparent organization."
It is completely understandable that
black students would be outraged by
the disrespectful past of Michigahoua,
its successor order of Angell and its
members. But completely exiling a
whole organization created to uplift
the black community because of one
person's affiliation is divisive and det-
rimental to an already underrepresent-
ed community on campus.
In an evolving nation where a black
man has been elected to the highest
office in the country, it is dishearten-
ing to know that many black students
often feel as if they are forced to choose
between loyalty to their ethnicity and
loyalty to their professional ambitions.
If black students at the University
are ostracized for joining organiza-
tions that have past ties to racism and
discrimination, then are black stu-
dents at this school traitors to the black
community because we opted to give
thousands of dollars to a historically
white institution rather than histori-
cally black colleges and universities?
Are black families that move from the
inner city into suburban areas self-
ish because their tax dollars are being
spent to enhance an already advan-
taged community? Are black women
who choose to join Delta Delta Delta
over Delta Sigma Theta (the largest
black sorority) any less black because
of their affiliation?
Further, how do we have a say if we
completely excommunicate ourselves
from organizations that have been
misguided? We miss out on teachable
moments and opportunities to evoke
change. We limit the possibilities to
educate the broader society on the
issues important in our community
because we cannot simply expect to
impact an organization if we don't indi-
vidually help make internal changes.
As Sims explained to me, this was
the opportunity Order of Angell pre-
sented. "Order of Angell has given me
a forum to improve campus by branch-
ing away from a segregated university
community and by facilitating campus
synergy," she said.
Should blacks
join historically
racist groups?
At many white universities, black
students weren't allowed to live in on-
campus housing and thus formed their
own social organizations, like histori-
cally black fraternities and sororities,
so thatthey could support one another.
But now, as more leadership opportu-
nities are openingup for black students
in traditionally white institutions, we
should use this as an opportunity to
restructure a system that has negative-
ly displaced African-Americans.
As black students, we should always
strive to help progress the black com-
munity, but we cannot progress the
community when we only discuss
our problems among each other. The
only way we can accomplish this is by
knocking downwalls andturning com-
munal black issues into larger societal
issues, even if this means we have to do
it through organizations that have his-
toricallyturned us away.
Shakira Smiler can be reached
at stsmiler@urich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Elise Baun, Harun Buljina, Ben Caleca, Satyajeet Deshmukh,
Brian Flaherty, Matthew Green, Emmarie Huetteman, Emma Jeszke, Shannon Kellman,
Edward McPhee, Emily Michels, Kate Peabody, Matthew Shutler, Robert Soave, Eileen Stahl,
Jennifer Sussex, Imran Syed, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Margaret Young
ANDRES RAMOS WPiI4 NT
Teach for equality
It's days like Thursday, Oct. 23 that can really
testyourmettle as ateacher. I'mtalkingaboutthe
days when you squeeze a roll of vocab'quizzes in
your hand and wonder whether taking responsi-
bility forthe linguistic ability and literacy of more
than100 English Language Learners was the best
idea four months after graduating college.
It's days like Oct. 23 when you just scratch your
head and wonder if it's even possible to accomplish
bullet point No. 3 of your goal: getting 100 percent
of your students to pass the Texas Assessment of
Knowledge and Skills exam and graduate to the
ninth grade. It's days like Oct. 23 when you catch
yourselftappingyour watch in frustration because
the kid who had promised to come in for tutoring
failed to show up for the third day in a row.
Yes, it's days like that that have you thinking,
"Do I really have the power to help eliminate
educational inequality in this country? Do I real-
ly have the potential to effect positive change in
the lives of my students?"
Personally, I chose to join Teach for America
for many of the same reasons I decided to apply:
to help abate educational inequality in the United
States; to live among, learn from and work tire-
lessly for some ofthe most marginalized members
of our society; and to utilize the knowledge and
skills which I developed at the University in order
to effect positive change both inside and outside
the classroom. As nice as that all sounds, though,
the romantic feeling of endless possibility you
have as an applicant doesn't go untested. It might
be twisted and tugged, pulled at from all angles
and bent into shapes you never imagined possible.
At times, it may even lose its robustness.
Taking this into consideration, if you believe
you are someone who thrives in the face of obsta-
cles; if you have refused to allow the inevitable
challenges of life become roadblocks to success;
and if you truly believe that eliminating the
achievement gap in this country is indeed pos-
sible, consider Teach For America.
If you're considering becoming a teacher, the
real questions that you should be asking yourself
are, "Do I have the enthusiasm, the foresight and
the driveto lead my students to where they need to
go? Do I have the ability not only to persist in the
face of challenges but to excel when facing them?
Will I be able to sustain the intense energy neces-
sary to provide meaningful learning experiences
to my kids no matter what obstacle may arise?"
There will be obstacles, and I'll admit it, the
facts do look grim. More than 13 million children
are growing up in poverty, half of whom will
never graduate from high school. Those who do
graduate will, on average, perform at an eighth-
grade level. In addition, nine-year-olds growing
isp inlow-income communities are already three
grade levels behind their peers in high-income
communities. The lack of resources, everyday
obstacles facing your students and responsibil-
ity for their academic achievement can be quite
overwhelming.
Although the road will no doubt will be full
of challenges, not everyday is Oct. 23. It's days
like Oct. 22, when I saw the look on Israel's face
after he completed his first picture book with
me in eighth grade English, that help me realize
the positive impact I'm having on my students'
lives. It's days like Oct. 24, when Roman told me
that I was the first teacher ever to believe in him.
It's days like Sept. 28, when I was literally jump-
ing for joy in my classroom because Armando
'T - a
- c
received his first A on his unit test, that once
again instilled in me the notion that all students
can achieve if they really want to.
Through what will unfortunately but likely be
a process of trial and error, you too can learn how
to equip a room sensibly, make demands of stu-
dents without oppressing them and enlist your
students and their mentors towards the goal you
envision for your classroom. So, if you find your-
self wondering what you might do after gradua-
tion, I'd ask you to remember one simple truth:
You came to the University so that you could
leave more experienced and informed that when
you came. What will you do with the new knowl-
edge and experience you have acquired?
How aboutworking relentlessly so that the gap
between the promise of America and the reality
of America can one day be closed for millions of
children growing up in poverty. How about mak-
ing a difference? How about teaching?
Andres Ramos is a University alum. He is teaching
in Rio Grande Valley of Texas with Teach For America.
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
conflict in Dar
Harnessing the Big House's energy surface, that d
people is bein:
TO THE DAILY: out of its contr
Several Saturdays ago, a friend and I were cheering on the fact thatth
the Michigan Wolverines in the. Big House when an idea militias, whoa
occurred to us. Cognizant of the shift toward all things people and dis
"green" and sustainable, my friend and I wondered how the Yes, the con
energy of 107,501 roaring fans could be harnessed. We tried how can you to
to figure out a way for the University to pioneer a sustain- complicated oi
able stadium, but couldn't come up with a viable strategy at of success lool
the time. heid in South.
Just a few weeks later, The New York Times published an his speech at H
interesting article about a Dutch nightclub that installed a Please don':
revolutionary dance floor that uses the power of piezoelec- you from bein
tricity to harness the movementcenergy and power the lights Democratic R
in the club. Piezoelectricity is defined as the ability of some atrocities liket
materials to generate an electric potential in response to
applied mechanical stress. Sarah Miles
Though this is a relatively new technology, it is based LSA senior
upon an old concept known by many, Newton's Third Law
of Motion that stated, "for every action there is an equal The uns
and opposite reaction." Every movement by people exerts
energy. That energy isn't lost, but rather is transferred else-
where. Piezoelectricity is a means of harnessing'that trans- TO THE DAI
fer of energy, which is both abundant and renewable. We are no
The piezoelectric Dutch dance floor cost the club owner crises in histoi
$257,000, money the owner projects won't be recouped by to shrink and
energy savings due to inefficiency of the new technology. many peoplen
However, as is the case with most technological process, current financ
piezoelectric capacities will most likely progress at an expo- that empower
nential rate described by Moore's Law. so-called "pov
So let us think back to our own Big House. According to es and lift the
the University's website devoted to the Michigan Stadium in global finan
renovation, the expected cost of renovation is $226 million, to decrease the
funded primarily through private donations and the Ath- has forced alo
letic Department. It is all well and good to have the largest to their poorc
and loudest stadium in the whole country, but if it isn't sus- outreach to th
tainable or "green," then has there really been any improve- interest rates.
ment? We ought to take the steps necessary to harness both "Main Stre
the energy and investment of our fans to create the world's unpaved, unm
first ever self-sustaining stadium. Those living o
their lack of fiu
Tyrone Schiff from providin
LSA senior life.
We should 1
Complex or not, Darfur needs help livesbyhelping
P your local legis
microcreditloo
TO THE DAILY: crises like this
I want to comment on Ibrahim Kakwan's column yester- us forget even.
day criticizing activism related to Darfur (Saving Darfur?, are dying beca
11/13/2008). As an activist, it's frustrating to read articles
that basically tell people it's not worth it to fight for the Josh Lee
rights of people all over the world. Though it is true that the Business sopho
-fur is more complicated than it seems on the
oesn't change the fact that a specific group of
g targeted for harm based on characteristics
ol - that's genocide. That also does not change
ie Sudanese government backs the Janjaweed
are responsible for killing more than 400,000
placing more than 2 million.
iflict in Darfur is incredibly complicated. But
ell students here not to act just because it's too
r because it's difficult? If you need an example
k at the divestment movement against apart-
Africa, which Desmond Tutu commended in
Hill Auditorium last month.
t let the fact that situations are difficult stop
ag a voice for innocent people in Darfur, the
epublic of Congo and other places where
this are occurring.
een tollof the financial crisis
LY:
w undergoing the one of the worst financial
ry, causing both the public and private sectors
significantly cut their expenditures. Though
may not be aware of it, another victim in the
ial calamity is the microfinance institutions
millions of people who are living under the
erty line" around the world to startbusiness-
mselves out of poverty. The lack of liquidity
icial markets has caused many formal banks
e availability of capital for MFIs. This change
t of MFIs around the world to scale back loans
clients. Many MFIs are now curtailing their
e poorest areas and even considering raising
et" in many South African countries is an
arked trail through small villages and slums.
r "Main Street" are suffering even more from
nancial support, which further prevents them
g their families with the basic necessities of
help them and empower them to sustain their
gmicrofinanceinstitutions. Pleasewriteorcall
slators and ask them not to give up on funding
ansthatgodirectlytothepoor.Duringfinancial
, the poor suffer the most. We must not make
in these tough times that there are people who
use they don'thave enoughmoney to buy food.
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