0 4A - Thursday, January 22, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com C Ihe iic[ ig n ily 0 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu ROBERT SOAVE COURTNEY RATKOWIAK EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR GARY GRACA EDITOR IN CHIEF Unsigned editorials reflect the official position oftthe Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views ofttheir authors. Permitted to play Individual colleges should determine eligibility of athletes After the disappointing season Michigan football just endured, improving the performance of student-athletes on the field might be fans' priority. However, many people tend to forget that the time student-athletes spend practicing and training does not give them a free pass to perform poorly in the classroom. Luckily, the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs has turned its attention toward the academic performance of student-athletes, evidenced by a recent proposal put before the group last week. If the proposal passes, it would change the way students' athletic eligibility is determined, eliminating a dangerous perception of conflict of interest and pushing students to maintain higher academic standards. Under current rules, a student-athlete with a GPA below 2.0 goes before the Com- mittee on Academic Performance (APC). The APC then recommends to University Provost Teresa Sullivan whether or not it thinks student-athletes should compete. A new seven-point plan, introduced to SACUA by the chair of the Athlete Academ- ic Advising Committee, Prof. Ed Rothman, would change that. SACUA is expected to vote on the proposal at its meeting on Jan. 26. If it passes, the APC would be stripped of its power to make eligibility recommen- dations to Sullivan. Instead, individual schools and colleges and the University would make the recommendations. One perk of the proposal is it would eliminate the perceived conflict of interest caused by the Athletic Department's long- standing and recently criticized practice of sending APC members on all-expense-paid trips to bowl games. According to Uni- versity President Mary Sue Coleman, the conflict isn't a problem because the APC doesn't make the final decision of eligibil- ity - the Office of the Provost does. But even though Sullivan has the final say, the APC recommendation is rarely overturned. The proposed change in regulations would temper the University's lack of action by simply erasing the perceived conflict. For student-athletes, the changes would mean a new, more sensible way of assessing eligibility. Putting colleges and schools in charge would help tailor academic expec- tations to each student, taking into account the specific academic demands of each school and college. Most importantly for the University's image, though, is that the new regulation would ensure that student-athletes will be held to the high academic standards that the University prides itself on. That's because colleges and schools have a vested interest in ensuring their students have impressive GPAs. The higher a school's average GPA, the greater chance it has of attracting the best and brightest from around the country. That gives colleges an incentive to insist student-athletes meet and exceed the University's standards in order to play sports. But while the new system should go a long way in ensuring that student-athletes are representing the University well, there must be preventative measures in place as well. Student athletes' grades should never drop to the point requiring them to go before their colleges to determine eligibility. Coaches and Athletic Department administrators should be carefully monitoring their athlete's grades to ensure that they are maintaining an acceptable GPA. Because - devotion to Michigan football despite a disastrous sea- son aside - this is a university and student- athletes must be students first. All my little McCain-ites are excited about the inauguration' - Martha McIntosh, a social science teacher at'Dana Hills High School in Orange County, CA, commenting on Republican students' enthusiasm for the inauguration, as reported yesterday by The New York Times. BELLA SHAH E-MAIL BELLAAT BELLZ@UMICH.EDU. * * 7 tr.. Fair housing for all s Obama settles into the times. It didn't include mention of tion team" have met with influential White House, it's difficult for gender discrimination on its listuntil, LGBT figures to stay on good terms, me to feel duringa period of increased tolerance but Obama must do more than pay like anything has in 1974, women's rights advocates in lip service to gay rights. He needs to changed. I still have Congress managed to push it through. pressure Congress into amending the to walkthroughthe Kudos to the legislators - the maver- Fair Housing Act to include sexual snow to get to class, " icks, if you will - who overcame all orientation. Furthermore, he must be I still have mounds sorts of opposition to pass an undeni- mindful in his further appointments of homework and I ably just law. to equally include gays and lesbians in don't feel any dif- But it has to be more than a con- his administration with heterosexual ferent physically. gressional effort. As he tackles the counterparts. I feel a little more nation's other concerns, Obama must tired, I suppose. Yet MATTHEW add addressing the issue of gay rights from the way peo- GREEN to his list and galvanize a Democratic Obama owes ple have been car- coalition behind the matter. He owes the rying on for these the LGBT community. According to LGBT com munit past two weeks, it's CNN exit polls, 4 percent of those com muity almost as if they expected Obama to who voted in November identified as frba 1n- h m be sworn in and immediately, they'd LGBT and 70 percent of them voted be free from debt or cured of cancer for Obama. To put that into perspec- or perhaps ten pounds lighter. tive, the same polls show that only A few things have changed, to be 2 percent of the voters were Jew- Most importantly, Obama needs sure, but America has yet to see the ish. Yet, courting the Jewish vote to set an example. The president is true change we all expect Obama to was near the top of the list for both arguably the most powerful indi- accomplish. I was reminded of this of the candidates. Gay voters came vidual in the world, but he has more as I perused Wikipedia a few days out - forgive the pun - in droves to limitations than people tend to think. ago. I had just read an article about support Obama. It's time that he paid There's only so much a president can the political disagreement in Kala- that debt. really do, politically speaking. His mazoo regarding housing discrimi- Unfortunately, Obama's not off to biggest role is to provide Americans nation against gays, and I decided to a great start. His choice of the evan- with a responsible, moral and intel- research exactly what rights queer gelist Rick Warren to give his inau- lectual model of leadership. Obama individuals have when it comes to gural invocation was an affront to the must show more Americans in both housing. Though thirteen other states millions of LGBT Americans whose red and blue states that gays ought to have adopted provisions to protect basic civil rights Warren would pre- be treated like everyone else. No mat- LGBT people from housing discrimi- fer to deny. Warren's Saddleback ter how hard the evangelists may try, nation, gays in the state of Michigan Church adheres to a fundamentalist homosexuality will always exist. have no such protection. There is no variety of Christianity that espouses After eight years of a role model federal protection, either. conservative social beliefs and con- who had little to offer other than The Fair Housing Act of 1968 pro- demns homosexuality. I understand choking on a pretzel, American's will hibits landlords from discriminating the importance of giving both sides a look to Obama to change the way they on the basis of race, religion, national voice, but perhaps Obama could have choose to see both themselves and the origin, sex, disability and whether or chosen a nonpolitical figure from his country's issues. not a tenant has children. But the act's past, a more moderately conservative As a nation, we have officially neglect of sexual orientation has cre- minister or even simply a speaker who handed Obama the keys to the car. In ated a loophole for legal housing to might be uncomfortable with homo- the next few months, we'll see how discriminate against LGBT individu- sexuality but hasn't publicly likened it well he handles driving on the ice. als and families. Despite the fact that to bestiality as Warren has. it's still incomplete, the Fair Housing But Obama has-made some encour- Matthew Green can be reached Act has already been amended a few aging moves. Members of his "transi- at greenmat@umich.edu. A one-sided alliance a 4 4 4 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Elise Baun, Harun Buljina, Ben Caleca, Satyajeet Deshmukh, Brian Flaherty, Matthew Green, Emma Jeszke, Shannon Kellman, Edward McPhee, Emily Michels, Matthew Shutler, Neil Tambe, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder 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. Letters are edited for style, length, clarity and accuracy. All submissions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umich.edu. , I SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEPAILY@UMICH.EDU MSA should spend time on Kallus isan LSA freshman and Borovitz isa Pub- licPolicy senior more relevant issues TO THE DAILY: MSA has once again proved itself irrelevant in the face of pressing student issues today. At this week's meeting, they spent hours on end debating a resolution dealing with the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Undoubtedly, the conflict is of severe international concern and we hope President Obama confronts the issue early in his administration. Forgive us, however, if we think it ridiculous that he might consult with the Michigan Student Assembly when formulating his foreign policy. Muggings are on the rise in student housing areas this year - why aren't we spending more time improving the lighting for our streets? Rob- beries over winter break increased significantly from a year ago - why hasn't MSA been work- ing with the Ann Arbor Police Department to try and curb this epidemic? The state legislature is considering significant budget cuts to higher education - who will be our voice? We realize the situation in Gaza and Israel affects students on this campus emotionally and that many have family and friends in the region, but MSA rep- resentatives were elected to deal with campus issues, not international ones. Yes, MSA has .a responsibility to take positions on situations directly affectingthe University community, but when MSA simplybecomes a sounding board for ideological debate, it has most certainly lost its relevance asa representative of the student body dealing with student issues. Richard Kallus and Jeremy Borovitz Gaza resolution a waste of time for MSA meeting TO THE DAILY: Three things happen every year in MSA: people hand out pink fliers with the same promises in order to get elected, the election turnout is bemoaned and MSA passes resolu- tions that have nothing at all to do with their mandate (such as the recent one on the Israeli- Gaza Conflict). And all three of these things are intrinsically linked. The reason there is bad election turnout every year is because MSA never fulfills any of the promises made by those elected. That is in part due to the large amount of time spent arguing and making resolutions, especially ones that are controversial which they have no control over. It is understandable that MSA members want to take stances on certain positions and have people listen to their opinions - we all do. However, they are not representing the major- ity of students by doing so. The majority, I am sure, would rather have them improve student life at Michigan in concrete and doable ways. Here is a lesson in leadership - you should do the job you are elected to do before assum- ing other responsibilities. If they are unable to do this, then their next resolution should be in favor of "economic stimulus," and they should send us all our eight dollars back. Ben Cousineau LSA junior n January 8, a resolution was placed before the United Nations Security Council calling for a cease- fire to the Gaza conflict. Fourteen of 15 members had already voted in favor of the resolu- tion, and Secretary of State Condoleez- za Rice was set to do the same. But at the last second, IBRAHIM the United States KAKWAN abstained. _I The reason became clear in the hours following the event. The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, went on Israeli television and boasted thathe made a phone call to President Bush, telling him that the U.S. must not vote in favor of the resolution. [Olmert:] "It transpired all of a sudden that a vote would be held in 10 minutes' time. I tried to find President Bush, and I was told he was attending an event in Philadelphia. "I know that if somebody tried to find me on the phone right now, it would have to be something unusual and extraordinary for them to say: Leave it all and go to some room to talk to me. In this case, I said: I don't care, I have to talk to him right now. "He [Bush] was taken off the podi- um and brought to a side room. I spoke with him; I told him: You can't vote for this proposal. "He said: Listen, I don't know, I didn't see, don't know what it says. "I [Olmert] told him: I know, and you can't vote for it! "He [Bush] then instructed the secretary of state [Rice], and she did not vote for it." Although the U.S. officially denies this version of events, those are the words of the Israeli Prime Minister broadcast on Israeli television. As an American, I am ashamed that our president is taking orders from the prime minister of Israel, a man who hasbeen undercriminal investigation for the last two years and who is set to be indicted on corruption charges. Since when is it the place of Israel to tell the United States how to vote in the Security Council? Rice had already promised her Arab counter- parts that the United States would vote in favor of the resolution, only to snub them all at the request of Olmert. This is an embarrassment to the United States and hurts our credibility in a region where we are already regarded with little esteem. To governments like Egypt, which stood by us in the War on Terror often against the will of their own citizens, is a mistake. And why should we suck up to Israel? We give them an average of $3 billion a year in aid when their per capita GDP is greater than either Portugal or South Korea. What do we get from them? An "ally in the Middle East"? Our unwavering sup- port for Israel has won us many more enemies, and is a top reason cited by terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda, for their anti-American activities. And Israel doesn't seem to care what the U.S. thinks. Before sending troops into Gaza, they did not seek permission, and in November, a top Israeli Defense Ministry official hint-. ed at the possibility of a strike on Iran regardless of U.S. wishes. The insta- bility that would result from such an action can only be guessed - and you would be the one paying higher gas prices when speculators panic in the wake of such a conflict. You already did because of the Gazan incursion. In the last three weeks of fight- ing, Israel has shown its disregard for the international community. Israel shelled numerous U.N. schools and the headquarters in Gaza. It even saw fit to blast the Associated Press head- quarters. It is no secret that Israel likes to play dirty. The Israeli arms industry took in about $4.7 billion in 2007. In the 1980's, they armed the death squads of Guatemala and did the same for apartheid South Africa's brutal police, who suppressed and mur- dered black activists. More recently, destabilizing Israeli arms found their way into the 2008 Russia-Georgia conflict, and Israel attempted to sell advanced weapons to China. Supporting Israel costs the U.S. more than it's worth. In the late 1980's, Jonathan Pollard was convicted of spying for Israel, having passed thousands of classified documents to the country. Then in 2006, Lawrence Franklin was found guilty of espionage against the U.S., for passing classified information to Israeli lobbyists. The documents pre- sumably found their way to Israel. Sadly, in January 2008, Olmert asked Bush to consider pardoningPol- lard. Numerous lobbyists and Jewish groups, including congressmen with affiliations to these religious groups, have also taken up Pollard's cause. Since when do-American congress- men lobby for spies? Since when does the U.S. consider releasing traitors? Since when does our country embar- rass itself in front of its allies and support attacks on the international . community? Since Israel and its lobbyists asked for it. Ibrahim Kakwan can be reached at ijameel@umich.edu.