4A - Monday, April 13, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com * L74c lWtc4t*pan4,3at'lU 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 j 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. Gettin the wrong idea Universities must not dismiss students for personal reasons ne of the reasons many students choose to attend graduate schools is their open-mindedness. There's an understand- ing that these programs will accept many different points of view and facilitate discussion between them. It's these positive qualities of academia that make recent events at Eastern Michigan University so troubling. An EMU student was recently dismissed from her graduate program because her personal beliefs clashed with the administration. And while the circumstances that led to her dismissal were complicated, they amount to a serious disregard for academic freedom. In cases like these, universities should be wary that access to education must not become limited to only those students who subscribe to a certain ideological viewpoint. Julea Ward, a graduate student in EMU's Counseling program, was dismissed in March after she asked for a client in her practicum course to be reassigned to another counselor. Ward claimed that she did not feel comfortable advising the cli- ent because his sexual orientation went against her religious beliefs. After the cli- ent was reassigned, Ward's advisor, Prof. Yvonne Calloway, claimed that she was violating the American Counseling Asso- ciation Code of Ethics, which states that no client should be discriminated against based on, among other things, sexual ori- entation. Ward was then brought under review. A panel of professors questioned her on a number of other issues, including abor- tion and extra-marital sex, and she said she would still feel comfortable being able to discuss those issues with clients. The panel ruled that Ward was in violation of the code and the university dismissed her. On April 2, the Alliance Defense Fund Cen- ter for Academic Freedom filed suit against EMU on behalf of Ward, claiming that the university had violated Ward's First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. It's tough not to see Ward as the victim in this situation. Though her views on homosexuality are misinformed, backward and wrong, they are her personal views. Attempting to counsel the client in spite of these views would have been a disservice to the client, and referring him was the best course of action. This was in fact the course of action recommended by Callo- way, who then turned around and charged Ward with a violation of the code. It would appear that Calloway and the review panel dismissed Ward for no other reason than that they found her views dis- tasteful and wanted to send a message. That's a problem - because graduate pro- grams should be places where different views are accepted, not purged. Though a counseling program may not be the best forum for ideological debate, this program should certainly not exclude people based on personal beliefs. After all, the best way to change Ward's backward personal opin- ion on homosexuality is for her to come into contact with opposing viewpoints of other students at EMU. Ironically, it's EMU's treatment of Ward - rather than Ward's treatment of her cli- ent - that amounts to discrimination. If faculty and administrators are specifically targeting students for dismissal because of their personal beliefs, the educational sys- tem has squandered one of its most impor- tant features: tolerance for people who think differently. Ward's treatment is an example of the dangers of an academic climate that fails to tolerate different ideologies. In situa- tions like this, everyone loses. Universities lose the ability to benefit from different viewpoints - no matter how radical - and education becomes something that is lim- ited to a distinct type of person who holds certain beliefs. For the sake of both academic freedom and ideological diversity in the classroom, cases like Ward's can't become the norm at universities. Your family is saving a chocolate Easter egg for you. Unless your son eats it first' - Andrea Phillips, wife of Richard Phillips, the captain being held hostage by Somali pirates, in a note given to her husband upon his rescue, as reported yesterday by The New York Times. CHRIS KOSLOWSKI I T PATg' E-MAIL CHRISAT CSKOSLOW@UMICH.EDU apped dbo TersSpeakin of Transformers, iratesman? They're paec now too. what happened to ow.What happened From speakeasies and whisky Michael Bay to maps and bur ed treasure? 0 tocamera-phone qalty 6Nothing He aysuac O Prates used to be so coo Transformers DYDs. Sad. ra a e 0 Taking Detroit for a ride W e're coming up on the 35th The answer is yes, of course. And to provide a much-needed distraction anniversary of a Supreme for an explanation, it's helpful to look for out-of-work Michiganders - were Court case involving pub- at how we got here. held at the Palace of Auburn Hills and lie schools in Mich- The phenomena that racially polar- not within the city of Detroit itself. igan that you may ized the Detroit area are the same In what other city would that be a have never heard ones that wreaked havoc on race rela- problem? People would just get on the about - but its con- tions across the country for much of subway and go. But that's not possible sequences are all the mid to late 20th century - ten- in Detroit. The people Leno wanted around us. In the sions accompanying the civil rights to help - the recently unemployed, 1974 case of Millik- movement, redlining, white flight who may have lost their cars - had no en v. Bradley, a 5-4 and growing unemployment. These way to get to Auburn Hills. It's simply decision deemed things segregated neighborhoods and mind-boggling. cross-district bus- schools in many major metro areas, ing an unconsti- IMRAN but all of them hit Detroit especially tutional means SYED hard. of integrating Other similarly situated cities were H ow w e missed schools, able to somewhat mitigate the effects The policy involves sending kids of segregation in part because they an opportunity to to schools that may be farther away had what the Motor City did not: a in order to better integrate them. viable, comprehensive public transit integrate the city. While one may argue that there's system. While those regions may haveciy nothing inherently unconstitutional been segregated in terms of housing, about cross-district busing (states, at least disparate groups of people with their power over schools, argu- still had the ability to travel freely Since we can't use public transit as ably have the mandate to effect such within the region. a Band-aid here in the Detroit area, a a remedy), it's actually quite stunning Most major metro areas devel- more grassroots, holistic solution - that four justices supported the plan oped light-rail transit 50 years ago, as challenging as that will be - may - considering how intuitively offen- but debate over that issue never gave be the only answer. I don't know what sive cross-district busingseems. way to a solution in Detroit. General exactly that solution is, but perhaps The Milliken decision was an Motors's insistence that (GM-built) we should once again turn to schools. opportunity lost. Had cross-district buses, not trains,were the solution for Schools in the Detroit area were busing been upheld, the actual pur- Detroit undoubtedly swayed public desegregated, of course, but never pose of remedial busing would have officials, and by the time they realized became truly integrated. Had that been met. By the time I attended pub- that city buses were no substitute for happened, the regional disparity in lic schools in Detroit and its suburbs trains, it was too late to build a cheap, terms or race and prosperity would 25 years later, the problem would have comprehensive subway system. never have taken root. Knowing their been solved, all districts would have This unfortunate scenario has had children could go to school anywhere reached what courts call "unitary repercussions that University stu- in the region regardless of where they status" and such remedies would no dents know all about. For all the big lived would have prevented parents longer have been needed. But instead, games, nice restaurants, music clubs from actively moving to or from cer- cross-district busing was defeated in and museums in Detroit, there's just tain areas. Tax bases would not have the Supreme Court and the problem no feasible way to get to these things shifted so drastically and neighbor- of de facto segregation in major met- without a car. hoods would be more integrated. ropolitan areas - in schools and else- Besides the sheer inconvenience, In short, the solution the Supreme where - never went away. the systemic immobilization that Court rejected in Milliken would The Detroit area is one of the most results from the lack of a viable pub- have made the problem go away long segregated regions in the country. lic transit system serves to reinforce ago. But instead, we've had 35 bonus You might wonder exactly what that boundaries in our unfortunately seg- years of segregation. means in this day and age. Could regated region. Don't believe me? segregated regions still be so much For proof, look at the recent flap over - Imran Syed was the Daily's of a problem with, you know, Barack comedian Jay Leno's free comedy editorial page editor in 2007. He can Obama being president and all? shows. The shows - which Leno did be reached at galad@umich.edu. The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed writers to be columnists during the spring and summer semesters. Columnists write 750 words on a topic of their choice every other week. E-MAIL RACHEL VAN GILDER AT RACHELVG@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION. GREGORY WAGNERx jV WP - The future of the space race 0 6 6 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 SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU AmeriCorps is a worthwhile Students today are often thrust into college experience for students immediately after they graduate from high school. Armed only with adolescent experience and the advice of our parents, we're expected TO THE DAILY: to pick the classes and profession that will give A number of recent pieces in the Daily have us the happiest life possible. Summer intern- encouraged me to write in support of the ships and extracurriculars may help to guide AmeriCorps program (AmeriCorps gets boost us, but without a knowledge of what real work in federal funding, 04/06/2009). I spent almost and real life entail, it seems foolish to assume a year in full-time service with the program we're prepared for "real life." AmeriCorps between my junior and senior years. I can say gave me the chance to sample the post-gradu- that it was, without a doubt, the best decision I ation world before being fully committed to it. have made in my undergraduate career. And to be blunt, I got a pretty unique chance While hitchhiking through Yosemite to figure out what was awesome and what was National Park in the summer of 2007, I got terrible. picked up by a girl about my age. She asked me On top of making great friends and doing what I was doing in the park. I was rock climb- amazing things, I was paid, provided with ing, dirt-bagging and generally avoiding the health insurance and received a $5,000 bonus real world. When asked what she was doing, I can spend on anything relating to my educa- she replied, "Volunteering for AmeriCorps." tion. I urge anyone interested in doing com- Those three magical words would shape my munity service, taking a break from school life forever. or getting a job after graduation (or all three) I applied for the position she had had and to visit the AmeriCorps website and read tes- was presented with the wonderful opportu- timonials of other program graduates. And if nity to spend 2008 in the Sierra Nevada, work- you don't want to wait until after graduation, ing on environmental restoration, monitoring don't. Takea year off - serve your country and air and water quality and leading volunteers. serve yourself. In short, I had an experience so extensive and valuable I'm sure I still haven't realized its full Becca Sonday worth. Engineering senior 6 On Apr. 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin chiseled his name into history forever by becoming the first human to see the Earth from space. Drifting above the planet's surface in the Soviets' Vostok 1 capsule, he reflected to ground con- trol: "The Earth is blue. How wonderful. It is amazing." Since Yuri's journey, this rare view has been passionately sought and shared by some privileged men and women. It is Yuri's milestone in human history and the achieve- ments of humanity in space since that time that are the subjects of Yuri's Night, a holiday and worldwide celebra- tion of space. What exactly is space? Space is everything. The whole universe falls within our conception of it. Our concrete minds will say that space is galaxies, stars, planets, gas and dust, but it's also a concept - a large and empty void that is marked by silent grandeur. We are stirred by images brought from the corners of the universe of strangely twisting, burning galaxies and of majestic plan- ets, striped and ringed. Even if we only glance skyward on a clear night, we can sense the presence of the stars. Space holds mysteries that challenge us to explore. Some say that space is a blank slate where the past is of no con- sequence, a place where humanity can learn to live and start anew. Space is important to us. It supports integral compo- nents of our civilization, even if we are not aware of it: entertainment, communication, weather prediction and GPS. It allows for telescopes and observatories, the explo- ration of the solar system and experiments in zero-grav- ity, not to mention the forthcoming industries of space tourism and habitation. But beyond the mere practical benefits, space can inspire us. The emotions we attach to space can be tapped to unite individuals and motivate diverse groups of peo- ple. An easy example of this power was the Apollo mis- sions. Hundreds of thousands of engineers, scientists and laborers devoted themselves to the singular purpose of delivering a human ambassador to the moon. This pursuit cost billions of dollars, led to advances in electronics and materials and persuaded a generation of children to pur- sue careers in science and mathematics. Students for the Exploration and Development of Space is holding a Yuri's Night event on Tuesday, Apr. 14 from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Rackham Amphitheatre. With this event, we hope to excite passion and motivate a new generation to pursue goals in the science of space. We believe this pursuit can lead, as it has before, to innovation and tech- nological breakthroughs that can benefit all. We will focus on the commercial side of space exploration and develop- ment, where we believe the true future of space lies. Governments, ofcourse, should continue (and increase) their funding of science missions, interplanetary probes and great space observatories. But commercial space, which some say is in the midst of a new space race, shows the greatest promise to bring space to the doorstep of the ordinary citizen. In such a quest, innovation and technol- ogy will advance, too. Tomorrow's event will include a screening of the documentary film Orphans of Apollo, a dinner and reception where student groups around cam- pus will display their purpose and activities - some will bring actual hardware from current projects - and atalk on the Google Lunar X PRIZE. So come to the Rackham Amphitheatre to hear an incredible story about private human spaceflight and learn more about how you can aid in the effort to bring people to space - or perhaps travel to space yourself Come in order to celebrate the legacy of Yuri Gagarin and the unknown power of space. Gregory Wagner is an Engineering senior. 6 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 tothedoilyt@umich.edu.