4A - Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@umich.edu
GARY GRACA ROBERT SOAVE COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
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.
F1 JTE AILY
Secondary education
Flint and Dearborn campuses deserve equal attention
When there's a minute left in the fourth quarter and the
football team is down by a single touchdown, all the
students in the Big House cheer wildly, regardless of
which of the University's campuses they attend. So when a policy
was created last football season that gave priority football seating to
students from Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint students were right-
fully outraged. The policy has been changed for the next football
season, but the dispute brought to the surface the importance of
the University's smaller campuses. To keep up with recent efforts
to improve the Flint and Dearborn campuses, the University should
invest more time and attention in them.
,.. ,,
*1
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
NOTABLE Q TL
A government that cannot deliver for its
people is a terrorist's best recruiting tool:'
- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, commenting on the need for an Afghan government free from
corruption in the presidential election later this year, as reported yesterday by CNN.
Diversity daze
Last year, the Athletic Department insti-
tuted a policy that gave priority seating at
football games to Ann Arbor students over
Flint and Dearborn students. This year,
220 fewer tickets were sold to Dearborn
students than in previous years, quite pos-
sibly because of this policy. But after stu-
dents from all three campuses confronted
the Athletic Department arguing that this
policy was blatantly unfair, the policy was
repealed.
Many students at the Ann Arbor cam-
pus may be upset at losing priority seating
because they feel that they are entitled to
it. It's true that Ann Arbor students pay sig-
nificantly higher tuition fees than students
in Dearborn or Flint. But denying Flint and
Dearborn students an equal opportunity
to attend football games sends the mes-
sage that they aren't part of the University.
Football games at Michigan Stadium are a
defining characteristic of the culture that
draws students to the University, and all
students deserve the chance to take part in
this important Michigan tradition.
This policy was also emblematic of the
discrepancies between the Ann Arbor-
campus and the Flint and Dearborn cam-
puses, and ending it should serve as anoth-
er move toward granting these campuses
the proper recognition. The University
has recognized in recent years that Flint
and Dearborn can be valuable assets, but
only if the University is willing to invest
in them. The Flint campus, for example,
opened its first residence hall last year.
Improvements like this demonstrate that
the University's other campuses have
much to offer students.
But there's still more to do. The Univer-
sity has a responsibility to its students, and
not just those in Ann Arbor. It must ramp
up support of these other campuses' needs
in order to provide an education and a col-
lege experience that is just as worthwhile
as Ann Arbor's.
The University of California is a prime
example for the University to emulate.
There are six University of California cam-
puses that operate at respected academic
levels and each have their own unique but
centralized identity. Considering that the
University of California was originally
modeled after the University, it's a little
embarrassing that it now showcases a bet-
ter working system of sister campuses.
Granting equal access to football games
doesn't signal a sudden increase in interest
in Flint and Dearborn, butit was the right
decision to make. Now the University must
move forward to utilize the Dearborn and
Flint campuses to their full potential. And
that means investing time and, yes, money,
in them.
pening remarks of the
Obama Rally at the Univer-
sity of Michigan:
MARY SUE
COLEMAN
(Addressing massive
crowd on the Diag):
On this day I will "
not stand before you
and say 'Welcome
everyone.' (Pauses.)
On this day Iwill
stand before you WILL
and say 'Welcome
diversity.' For at the GRUNDLER
University of Mich-
igan, 'diversity' is
not just an abstract noun - it is also a
pronoun. To everyone here today, you
are diversity. I welcome you. I wel-
come diversity. Let us consider what
this means.)(Closes
eyes. Considers.)
(Opens eyes.) As
you are aware, some
months ago it was
rumored that Presi-
dent Barack Obama-
would visit campus
todayApr.1,todiscuss
his stimulus plan and
its effects on educa-
tion. The enthusiasm,
expressed by Uni-
versity of Michigan
students, faculty, pro-
vosts, regents, assis-
tant provost regents of
diversity and myself
was immeasurable. I
am certain the irony
of today's date was
not lost on those of
you in attendance. Yet
all of you have come.
Will President Obama
come? (Pauses. Looks
up. A helicopter is
heard.)
MARY SUE COLE-
MAN: Look! (The -
helicopter swoops into
view and approaches
the Diag. It hovers
above the crowd before
descending in front of
the steps of the Gradu-
ate Library. Several
men emerge dressed in black, followed
by President Obama.)
MARY SUE COLEMAN (Awe-
struck.): Ladies and gentlemen, the
President of the United States of
America!
PRESIDENT:(Waving, shaking
hands, making way topodium)
MARY SUE COLEMAN (Foregoing
prepared speech): Of the United States
of America!
PRESIDENT: Thank you very mu
MARY SUE COLEMAN: Barack
Obama!
PRESIDENT (Amused): Let me
thank all of -
MARY SUE COLEMAN: Mr. Presi-
dent, you have reached your ultimate
goal. You are the first African-Ameri-
can President ever to step foot on the
University of Michigan. Tell us about
that inconceivably diverse journey.
PRESIDENT: Thank you once
again, but today I-
MARY SUE COLEMAN
(<em>Addressing crowd</em>): Born
in Honolulu, Hawaii, to a Caucasian
mother and an African father, Barack
Obama received most of his primary
education in Indonesia. Mr. President,
you echo diversity like ... like a great
underground cavern echoes the sound
of bats and water!
PRESIDENT: (Confused.)
MARY SUE COLEMAN (Glances
that Brobdingnagian experience and
how it changed your global view.
What might
happen if Obama
met Coleman.
PRESIDENT: I appreciate your
interest in my background, but today
I would like to talk about the future,
particularly how the proposed stimu-
lus package will impact universities
like -
MARY SUE COLEMAN: The Uni-
versity of Michigan.
PRESIDENT: Exactly,
which -
k Grundler MARY SUE COLE-
MAN: - is the future,
true. But I think,.and I
believe the same logic
governs the belief in
multiple universes, that
there is the definite pos-
sibility that more than
one future exists, if you
follow me. And I think I
am looking at one right
ly now. Mr. President, you
are the future.
PRESIDENT: Look,
I'm quite flattered, but
what I would -
MARY SUE COLE-
MAN: What I would like
to do is extend the Uni-
versity's sincerest recog-
nition of your efforts by
offering you an honorary
degree. (Produces diplo-
ma.)
PRESIDENT: A B.S. in
"Diversity Studies"?
w MARY SUE" COLE-
MAN: Congratulations!
PRESIDENT: I don't
know if I -
MARY SUE COLE-
MAN: Of course, of
course, I forgot; here you
are!
PRESIDENT: No! I
don't want a robe either!
MARY SUE COLEMAN: Now, here
is a photo of me, and if you could just
make it out to "Mary," that would be
more than...
PRESIDENT: (Walks to helicopter.)
MARY SUE COLEMAN: No! (The
helicopter takes ofJf
MARY SUE COLEMAN: Shoot!
Provost, I need a provost! Yes, you!
Come up here. What? No, I'm leav-
ing. I don't know, talk about foot-
ball or something. Now somebody
get me the hospital helicopter!
- Will Grundler can be reached
at sailgull@umich.edu.
0
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Elise Baun, Harun Buljina, Ben Caleca,
Satyajeet Deshmukh, Brian Flaherty, Emmarie Huetteman, Emma Jeszke,
Sutha K Kanagasingam, Shannon Kellman, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee,
Matthew Shutler, Neil Tambe, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Laura Veith
LET TT T E SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
Ethic alread a nart of hard decisions about financial, environmental,
at prepared speech.): Er, I mean, you
echo diversity like the University of
Michigan echoes diversity. Proudly.
Strongly. Passionately. Born in Hono-
lulu, Hawaii, to a Caucasian mother
and an African father, Barack Obama
received most of his primary educa-
tion in - oh, I already said that.
PRESIDENT: Er, thank you. Thank
you very much. I -
MARY SUE COLEMAN: Oh, here
we go! Barack Obama then returned
to the United States to pursue higher
education, and with hard work and
scholarships,he attained degrees from
ColumbiaUniversity and Harvard Law
School. Mr. President, share with us
0
School ofBusiness classes
TO THE DAILY:
I read with interest Tuesday's editorial urg-
ing the University to renew its commitment
to ethics (Bringing ethics back, 03/31/2009).
There's no question that one of the responsi-
bilities of higher education is to equip students
to enter "the professional world prepared to
handle the difficult ethical decisions they will
inevitably face."
As your editorial notes, business schools are
being increasingly - and properly - questioned
about how they address ethics. But I think your
editorial fails to accurately capture the current
state of affairs as far as the Ross School of Busi-
ness is concerned when it says, "The Business
School must mount a concerted effort to make
the discussion of ethics a substantial part of
its curriculum." The piece implies that ethics
training is not currently a substantial part of
the Ross curriculum, when in fact it is.
We have received some impartial recogni-
tion on this point. The Aspen Institute's Beyond
Grey Pinstripes survey, which ranks MBA pro-
grams according to how well they integrate
ethics - as well as socially and environmen-
tally responsible business practices - into the
curriculum, ranks Ross No. 2 in the world. The
survey is a rigorous examination of our MBA
curriculum and it judges us on both core classes
and electives.
Nor do we limit our efforts only to curricu-
lar activities. All Business School students are
required to sign a statement of community.
values, which addresses the responsibilities
of students to one another and their academic
community. And, in the past two years, we have
expanded our co-curricular leadership develop-
ment program from an event centered around
orientation to a more robust set of activities that
runs throughout the two-year MBA program
with a substantial focus on ethics in real-life
decision making. These activities, by the way,
involve much more than "incorporating ethi-
cal situations into everyday lectures," as your
editorial recommends. They involve elaborate
simulations that require participants to make
or social risk.
This is not to argue that we shouldn't contin-
ue to think hard about how best to incorporate
issues of ethics, leadership, and judgment into
our work. We should, and we will. But it is to say
that, at Ross and at other schools in the Univer-
sity, we are not starting from zero. ctive habits
are not something to celebrate.
Robert J. Dolan
Dean, Stephen M. Ross School ofBusiness
Recent assault attempt
shows women can, fight back
TO THE DAILY:
I'm writing to express my hope that if the
Daily covers the attempted sexual assault that
took place on Mar. 27, it will provide details
about how the intended victim successfully
fought off the man who attacked her.
Unfortunately, a lot of reporting on sexual
assault ignores or obscures women's resistance
to violence. When our communities are repeat-
edly exposed only to stories that emphasize
vulnerability in women and violence in men,
we internalize false, sexist messages leading to
apathy and despair.
I celebrate that this young woman success-
fully stopped a violent attack even though she
was pinned to the ground by the perpetrator. As
a self-defense instructor, I know it's a myththat
there's "nothing you can do" from the ground.
In reality, kicking from the ground can be an
extremely strong position for a defender. For
example, most women's legs are stronger than
most men's arms. Young women can defend
themselves.
Daily readers should know that University
community members have taken self-defense
classes through the Rackham Graduate School,
the U-M Dearborn Women's Center, MFIT,
U-Move and at some on-campus sororities
despite the fact that there is no campus-wide
program offering training for students.
Katy Mattingly
Staff
REBECCA ROBERTS-WOLFE '
',N
A hunger strike for human rights
Three political prisoners of Western Saharan (Sahrawi)
origin, Khallihanna Aboulhassan, Ali Salem Ablagh and
Brahim Baryaz, have been on a hunger strike since Feb.
12. They are striking from a Boulhemharez prison in Mar-
rakech, Morroco, in protest of the miserable conditions
of the prison and in an appeal to be treated as prisoners
of conscience. On Mar. 24, the Collective of the Sahrawi
Human Rights Defenders (CODESA) called on interna-
tional human rights associations to intervene in order to
save the lives of these three Sahrawi prisoners.
The region known as Western Sahara has been occu-
pied by Morocco since 1975 despite a decision by the
International Court of Justice in that year which upheld
the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.
Violence between the Moroccan military and the Polisa-
rio Front - the independence movement of the Sahrawi
people - broke out the same year and continued for many
years. Throughout the 1980s, Morocco constructed a
series of walls to keep the Polisario military forces out of
the occupied territory.
The war between the two sides ended in 1991 with a
ceasefire agreement brokered by the United Nations. The
ceasefire was contingent upon a referendum being held
the following year to decide the future of Western Sahara
by popular vote. This referendum has still not taken place
and the United States government has done little to pres-
sure Morocco, a close ally, to fulfill its agreement to con-
duct the referendum. Eighteen years later, the Sahrawi
people are still waiting for justice. The conflict between
the people and the Moroccan government, though largely
forgotten by most of the rest of the world, continues to
severely disrupt their lives and society.
The walls built by the Moroccan government in the
1980s separate the occupied majority of Western Sahara
from a small territory along its eastern and southern bor-
der that is controlled by the Polisario. The walls continue
to be heavily monitored by Moroccan troops who severely
limit the movement of civilians between the occupied ter-
ritories, Western Sahara and the outside world.
Most Sahrawis in exile live in refugee camps near
Tindouf in western Algeria, just on the other side of its
border with Western Sahara. For decades, Sahrawis in
the camps have been divided from their families in the
occupied territory. The level of expense and bureaucratic
negotiation that would be required for these families to
visit each other makes most such visits impossible. The
refugee camps are located in one of the most inhospitable
regions of the world, with temperatures reaching over 120
degrees in the shade during the summer. Despite concen-
trated efforts by the Polisario and the refugees to improve
the standard of living in the camps, conditions there are
extremely difficult.
Sahrawis living within the occupied territory have
very little freedom of expression. Journalists and politi-
cal activists are routinely beaten, detained and made to
disappear by the Moroccan police. Political prisoners like
Aboulhassan, Ablagh and Baryaz suffer terrible condi-
tions in prison. Although the health situation of the three
men - who have now been on hunger strike for well over
a month - is reported to be critical, the prison adminis-
tration continues to ignore their demands.
The United States government has a long and regretta-
ble history of supporting repressive regimes for economic
and political reasons. It has strategic interests in main-
taining its longstanding friendship with the Moroccan
government. This is largely because Morocco currently
controls the world's largest phosphate reserves, which
are located in Western Sahara.
But the practice ofputtingitsshort-termstrategic inter-
ests before the defense of international law and its moral
obligations tarnishes the U.S. government's international
image, damages its credibility and risks creating enmity
among foreign populations - things that have occurred
all too frequently over the last several years. This practice
should be put to an end. The U.S. government must use its
diplomatic weight to influence the Moroccan government
to conduct the U.N.-mandated referendum under fair and
reasonable terms. In the meantime, the U.S. should per-
suade the Moroccan government to mitigate the condi-
tions of the hunger strikers and their fellow prisoners.
Rebecca Roberts-Wolfe is an LSA junior.