4A - Thursday, April 8, 2010 0 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 17" C dC 4gan al Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu JACOB SMILOVITZ EDITOR IN CHIEF RACHEL VAN GILDER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MATT AARONSON 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. The students have spoken After survey, 'U' must adopt gender-neutral housing We are not protecting our customers by keeping this quiet. The time to hide on this one is over." - Irv Miller, Toyota's vice president of environmental and public affairs, in an e-mail to top executives before the company's recall of millions of vehicles with sticking brake pedals, as reported yesterday by The Detroit Free Press. CHRIS KOSLOWSKI I E-MAILCHRISAT CSIOSL1W CUMICH.EDU Whaes heo -un er on Kissing a stranger in the Safe the percentage of time If I were them, rd i Sex Store brings six more campus day tour guides give skip the facts, and spend all weeks of winter!" falsn informatioo? my tiee crnating outrageous o,..4 cIfl ampas lngends. a "If you badf in Mary Sue's l duno. 61%? «,, , o' toil shn s ours'uino",. M My ellow Americans listen up 0 0 T he University supposedly prides itself on encouraging campus diversity, but its policy on housing doesn't seem to support this claim. But that soon could change. A recent survey of campus community members showed support for the creation of a gender-neutral housing option. If implemented by University Housing, students living in residence halls will have the option to choose the gender of their roommate, a long-awaited opportunity for many students, particularly those who identify as transgendered. And students have shown that they favor the option. To acknowledge the needs - and wants - of students, the University should offer gender-neutral housing. The proposal for gender-neutral housing, introduced to the University in April 2009, was designed to create a housing option tar- geted at transgender students. Currently, the option is only offered on an individual need basis. After much debate, the Univer- sity gave students an opportunity to voice their opinions through a survey conduct- ed by the Gender Neutral Housing Coali- tion. According to an Apr. 2 Daily report, 19 percent of the 9,545 students surveyed responded. 19 percent of respondents did not support the option. But 67 percent of those who responded said that gender-neu- tral housing "would bea welcome option for the University Housing community." And 38 percent of those responses claimed that they would choose gender-neutral housing if given the option. Students should be given more housing choices. As the policy stands now, hous- ing doesn't provide an appealing option for transgender students. And many students who feel that living with a member of the opposite sex may be a better situation for them don't have that option. By not having the opportunity to select a gender-neutral rooming assignment, the University is indirectly discriminating against these students. If approved, this change would create a greater sense of acceptance and ensure that all students were comfortable with their living situation. Gender-neutral housing has already been implemented and shown to work well at several institutions of higher learning across the country. According to a Sept. 30 Daily article about the proposal, 36 colleg- es, including Harvard University and Stan- ford University, have provided students with a gender-neutral housing option. Uni- versity Housing Spokesman Peter Logan told the Daily in September that he has been in contact with many of these schools in exploration of the option, but campus hasn't seen the results of these talks yet. Since many other universities have seen success, there's no reason the University should be lagging behind. The results of the recent survey show that the majority of respondents support the enactment of a gender-neutral option in student residential housing. The posi- tive response reveals that the desire for its creation spans further than just those students who would chose the option. Students on campus have demonstrated that they support a more inclusive hous- ing option. The University should realize the significance of this response and make gender-neutral housing available. The limits of current roommate gender choice are unsatisfactory for students, and the survey has proven that the campus community supports a change. The Uni- versity should respond appropriately and in a timely manner to provide students with the option of gender-neutral housing. L iberals and conservatives alike can agree that President Barack Obama has a lot on his plate. Though his office is the plum of politics, there's no one alive who envies his work- load. An economic crisis, two wars, global warm- ing, vast income inequality, lag- ging public educa- MATTHEW tion, the continued threat of terrorism GREEN and countless other concerns. It's got to make Obama wonder at least once in a while why he schlepped Michelle and the girls to Washington to take this seemingly impossible job. But while Obama continues to focus on the chasm between Wall Street and Main Street, or between Israelis and Palestinians, I hope he won't ignore the restless tenor of cultural conten- tion between everyday Americans as well. He should take note of the increasingly bitter divide between his party and the GOP, fueled by even more bitter cable news networks on both sides of the debate. And on another front, I hope Obama recog- nizes that many Americans don't seem to differentiate between the words "terrorism" and "Islam." Equally important, Obama must address the Tea Party movement, though not necessarily by adopting any tenet of their antithetical, loosely assembled platform. Rather, when the historic health bill neared its pas- sage last month, I hope the president's ears perked up during meetings with dithering Democrats to hear Tea Par- tiers hurling epithets at black and gay members of Congress. Yet more important than just taking note of these cultural realities, I hope he'll say something in response. I hope all of the above because I know it's that famous Obama hope - the one that Americans met dur- ing a campaign about bringing people together - that will once again (or per- haps for the first time) unify the coun- try. He conveyed that hope by reaching out and inspiring Americans through his oratory. And that's exactly what he should do now. He ought to call a press conference, look into the camera and say somethinglike this: "My fellow Americans, you've got to listen up. Because I've been listening to you, and I've heard a whole lot of crazy talk. And more than crazy talk, I've heard a lot of unproductive talk. For starters, let's get it resolved once and for all that'Socialism' is not the same as 'Fascism.' In fact, they're pretty differ- ent from one another. Those who favor universal health care are really not 'fascists,' people. And for that matter, if some of you stopped using 'Socialism' as a reactionary buzzword, and stud- ied it in a philosophical context, you may realize it raises some pretty good points. Just somethingto think about. "Andyouknow, Iwasthinkingabout that whole conversation in 2008 about whether ornotIwas a Muslim, and I've been thinking that I took the wrong approach. It's true that I'm a Christian. Most definitely. But I should've asked: what if I were a Muslim? I've got to tell you, if it weren't for American Mus- lims in our military, particularly those who've served as Arabic translators, our efforts in the Middle East wouldn't be worth anything whatsoever. Count- less Muslims now join the ranks of his- tory's great American patriots. "Which brings me to another point - not only can non-Christians or non- whites illustrate true 'patriotism,' but non-heterosexuals, too, can exhibit the true spirit of America. I'm not saying you guys need to change your religious views, but everyone's got to accept that gay people are here to stay. Someone is gay like someone is Asian or has green eyes. They can allitry to hide it, but they shouldn't have to in America. It's time to treat the gay community with as much respect as anyone else. SObama needs to put a stop to all of the crazy talk. "That respect is the bottom line, people. It's what we're missing across the board. Here in Washington, liber- als and conservatives need to respect each other since both, like gay people, are here to stay. As the greatest coun- try in the world, every nation ought to respect us - but we can't expect them to until we make ourselves respectable. Think about it, people. And God bless America." Yeah, in a perfect world, it might go somethinglike that. It's appropriate for a president, especially one formerly on the faculty of an esteemed university, to take a moment to teach the country some- thing important. Presidents, we are taught in gram- mar school, must wear a number of hats while they're in office. But they must never forget that the United States is a nation of hard hats in addi- tion to top hats; one of yarmulkes and hijabs and turbans, too. We wear graduation caps and hairnets, sailor caps and sombreros. And as Obama puts on his hat as our head of state, the ceremonial head of one indivisible nation, it's his duty to remind us that that's exactly what we are. - Matthew Green can be reached at greenmat@umich.edu EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Nina Amilineni, Jordan Birnholtz, William Butler, Nicholas Clift, Michelle DeWitt, Brian Flaherty, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee, Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Alex Schiff, Asa Smith, Brittany Smith, Robert Soave, Radhika Upadhyaya, Laura Veith SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU Campus-wide smoking ban used. Johnson & Johnson does not make any Camp s-wie sm kingban prescription-only smoking-cessation products. reflects what students want RobertW. Winfield, M.D. University of Michigan Chief Health Officer TO THE DAILY: I'm writing today to correct some of the Attacks on Coleman and faulty assumptions used by Daily columnists to smoking b unfounded argue against the smoke-free campus initiative an are (Coleman's smoking gun, 04/05/2010, Banned discussion, 04/06/2010). TO THE DAILY: The decision to make all three University campuses smoke free by July 1, 2011, was made University President Mary Sue Coleman by University President Mary Sue Coleman deserves nothing but respect and admiration for and her executive officers based on a recom- her courageous stand in favor of public health mendation from the University's chief health and against the tobacco industry. The desperate officer - me. accusations of a conflict of interest, led by Rob- I brought the idea of taking the entire cam- ert Soave's Tuesday column, are nothing more pus smoke free to President Coleman after than the hopeless efforts of a raucous minority students living in our residence halls brought (Coleman's smokinggun, 04/05/2010). their concerns to me and an associate vice The fact is that Coleman is following over 260 president in the Division of Students Affairs. other campus communities with the ban, includ- Students sought our help in finding a solution ing Ball State, Indiana, Iowa and Purdue. More to the problem of smokers gathering outside importantly, there is absolutely no evidence that residence hall entrances. the tobacco cessation products the University Some students objected to walking through subsidizes will be Johnson & Johnson products. smoke at the entrances. Others were con- To put it more simply, there has yet to be any real cerned about smoke infiltrating rooms near evidence of a conflict of interest. the entrances. The forces of dissent have frantically tried After careful consideration for more than to make this initiative a referendum on Cole- a year, we took a recommendation to Presi- man. Opponents fail to see what this initiative dent Coleman and her executive officers. They is truly about: public health. Smoking not only agreed to the smoke-free campus initiative and causes sickness and death to those who choose they agreed to our suggestion of a two-year it, it also harms those who happen to be around. implementation process. While damages due to second hand smoke in Our primary motivation for implementing open air are small, a public university like ours this policy is to take the university one more shouldn't accept any risk to innocent bystand- step down the path of creating a healthier ers. That is why the co-chairs for the Smoke- environment for everyone. We are now close Free Initiative are Kenneth Warner, the dean to the point when we will receive recommen- of the School of Public Health, and Dr. Robert dations on implementation from five separate Winfield, the director of University Health subcommittees. Services. Those who study public health and I also want to address the smoking-cessation medicine know that Coleman is making the products that might be prescribed by Univer- right decision for public health. sity physicians to help those students, faculty When I was seven, my grandmother died or staff who choose to quit smoking. Some have from lung cancer, caused by smoking. Hopeful- raised concern about the appearance of a con- ly, with leaders like Coleman, fewer children flict of interest between President Coleman's will have to endure the heartache that so many service on the board of directors of Johnson & of our generation have endured. At the very Johnson, a company that produces some smok- least, we will be able to breathe easier when we ing-cessation products. walk to class, literally. Simply put, there is no conflict. Prescription- only drugs for smoking cessation are generally Anthony Mariano considered the most effective and most widely LSA senior JOSH BUOY AND STEPHANIE HAMEL|I Promoting fire safety awareness On Saturday, Apr. 3, four fires were reported off cam- pus within a span of 12 hours. The first, reported early Saturday morning at 909 Church Street, consisted of three burning cars and damaged the adjacent Abbey apartment complex but resulted in no injured or dis- placed residents. The second, a trash can fire on White Street, occurred within the next few hours. The third fire was initially reported as a burning trash bag on the porch of 928 State Street early Saturday morning. The fire spread to a sofa on the porch and quickly engulfed the house in flames. Of the seven people in the building, three were taken to the hospital due to injuries sustained while escaping the house. One of the hospitalized residents - Renden LeMasters, a 22-year-old Eastern Michigan Uni- versity student - sadly passed away later that day. The last reported fire involved a burning newspaper under- neath the window of a house on the 700 block of Church Street and occurred early Saturday afternoon. As the chair and vice chair of the Michigan Student Assembly Campus Safety Commission, it is our role to pro- vide the student body with safety information relating to all areas of on-campus and off-campus life. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the LeMasters family during this difficult time and we hope that such a tragedy can be avoided in the future. Having spoken with a number of students regarding Sat- urday's fires, it is evident that many are concerned and are looking for ways to prevent similar incidents in their own homes. After meeting with the Department of Public Safety, we wish to share some safety procedures regarding fire pre- vention and suggested protocol in the event of a fire. As the cause of each of Saturday's fires still remain unknown, it is important to consider a variety of fire safety precautions. Here are some ideas: Try not to light fires outdoors. In the last month, state and local officials advised not to burn anything outside. Due to the recent heat wave and dry air, vegetation and wooden structures are more susceptible to catching fire. Be careful when you grill. With the weather improving and more students using outdoor grills, it is important that hot coals and ashes are extinguished and discarded safely. Dispose of cigarette butts properly. Verify that all ciga- rette butts are completely put out before disposing of them. Also avoid flicking cigarette butts and smoking near flam- mable structures and materials. Don't leave trash lying around. Garbage can easily catch fire, soitshould always be fullycontainedintrashcansasafe distance away from buildings. Consider the risk of having a sofa on your porch. Although there is currently no city ordinance banning upholstered furniture on porches, DPS advises against keeping sofas, armchairs and other upholstery outdoors due to their flammable nature. Have an evacuation plan. Know the exits in your build- ing and prepare a back-up plan in case flames block usual escape routes. Hold practice fire drills to make sure all residents know how to get out safely. Keep escape routes clear. Ensure that doorways and win- dows are not blocked and avoid putting large objects in hall- ways because they can impede your exit in the case of a fire. Check your smoke detectors. Verify that there is at least one smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home. Test the devices often to find out if the batteries are working. Be sure to leave all smoke detectors uncovered, plugged in and turned on. In the case of a fire, it is essential to act quickly and decisively. If you smell smoke and are unsure of its source, immediately evacuate the buildingyou are in and informthe police or fire department of the situation. Also, always trust your smoke detectors - never presume that a fire drill is taking place or that the alarm is malfunctioning. This advice may seem obvious and redundant, as we have all heard fire safety tips countless times since childhood, yet in light of Saturday's tragic events, we are reminded that it is better to be proactive than reactive when dealing with fire. As always, if you note any suspicious behavior on cam- pus, contact DPS at (734) 763-1131. For suspicious behavior off campus, contact the Ann Arbor Police Department Tip * Line at (734) 794-6939. For all emergencies, dial 9-1-L Josh Buoy and Stephanie Hamel are the chair and vice chair of the MSA Campus Safety Commission. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be fewer 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.edu. 0