4 - Tuesday, December 7, 2010 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com E-MAIL ELAINE AT EMORT@UMICH.EDU i1E 1JIdlIani 0 a4 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu ELAINE MORTON JACOB SMILOVITZ EDITOR IN CHIEF RACHEL VAN GILDER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MATT AARONSON MANAGING EDITOR "Cflt T 21o UNP6RARM&IJR:.$0D OASi, 6RF:9 16 ~4_KIN Svy i N( F ORRlS? Welcome the Cornhuskers 0 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. Funding a home County must work to decrease homelessness Jf you've been encountering more panhandlers around cam- pus lately, you're not alone. The number of homeless indi- viduals in Washtenaw County, specifically in the city of Ann Arbor, increased in 2009. But area homeless shelters haven't been able to keep up with the influx of people in need of help. As the weather in Michigan gets colder - even dangerously cold - it's especially important that homeless people have a shelter avail- able. Washtenaw County and its residents have a social responsi- bility to help the homeless. The county should allocate resources toward expanding homeless shelters and programs for helping 0 these individuals to find jobs. According to the Washtenaw County Office of Community Development, the number of homeless individuals registered in the county has grown from 3,940 in 2006 to 4,618 in 2009, as reported in an Oct. 25 Daily article. This increase has resulted in overcrowding at shelters around Washtenaw County. Ellen Schulmeister, executive direc- tor of the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, attributes this increase to the "gen- erosity of students." Brian Nord, a found- ing member of the tent city for homeless individuals known as Camp Take Notice, believes that homeless people are drawn to Ann Arbor because of the safety of the city. The residents of Washtenaw County should devote time to understanding and battling homelessness. While giving money to the panhandlers is kind, it may have an effect of keeping homeless individuals from becoming financially self-sufficient. Stu- dents and other residents should make an effort to realize the causes behind the pov- erty of the homeless. It's a public duty ofthe county to help those who are financially less fortunate. Home- less shelters are able to provide food, water and a bed to people who would otherwise go without. Currently, the Delonis Center - the main homeless shelter in downtown Ann Arbor - is able to help 1,200 to 1,500 people annually in a variety of ways by maxing out its resources. But the shelters still aren't able to help everyone in need. Washtenaw County needs to allocate more funds toward improv- ing shelters and building more so they can help more people. Shelters can't single-handedly solve the problem of homelessness. Though home- less shelters are important in the short term, homeless individuals still need help in the long term. Individuals often move from shelter to shelter and are never lifted out of poverty. It's crucial that there are resources in place to help homeless people to find jobs and eventually a permanent place to live. The Delonis Center currently has a long- term residential system in place, but it needs the resources from the county to expand so it can serve more people. Washtenaw Coun- ty needs to increase social services aimed at decreasing poverty and homelessness, which are necessary to reduce the number of peo- ple who rely on the shelters. The increase in the number of home- less individuals in Ann Arbor has stretched resources too thin to help all those in need. The county needs to allocate resources to provide immediate help to the homeless, while also helping to lift them out of poverty. As the fall sports season for the Big Ten draws to a close, it brings the end of an era. Next year schedules, teams and com- petition level will change for all Big Ten sports when 4 the University of Nebraska joins the conference. We shouldn't get comfortable with - just the addition of COURTNEY Nebraska - there's potential for even FLETCHER more teams to join the Big Ten in the coming years. While most fans won't be personally affected by the addition of Nebraska - after all, it's just an extra team on the schedule - it affects the Big Ten greatly. The level of competition from Nebraska will be undeniably high. The Cornhuskers live and breathe athletics and have outstanding sup- port from fans. They have 21 teams - including bowling and rifle - that are all talented. At the end of each year, the National Association of Col- legiate Directors of Athletics gives out an award called the Directors Cup. This award runs on a system that awards each team a certain num- ber of points. Whichever school has the most points at the end of the year is crowned the strongest Athletic Department. Last year, five Big Ten schools were in the top 25 - the Uni- versity of Michigan included - and so was Nebraska. The Big Ten isn't just adding easy wins to its sched- ules, it's adding a high-level competi- tor that not only has the potential to hold its own, but could possibly be a powerhouse Big Ten team. Highly competitive teams are fol- lowed closely by fan support. The Big Ten is known for having outstanding and downright rabid fans. Rivalry games like Ohio State vs. Michigan, Michigan vs. Michigan State and Purdue vs. Indiana all bring out the best - or worst - in fans and games. If you've ever played Nebraska or been to a Husker event, you know these fans are no exception. The state of Nebraska has no profession- al teams or notable tourist attrac- tions, but they have the University of Nebraska. They think they're the best, expect the best and play the best, which means they'll fit right in with the mentalities of schools like Michigan State University and Ohio State University. I think teams will enjoy competing against the Huskers. It's an experience that can't be for- gotten. For example, when the volley- ball team beat the Huskers in three short games on their home court in fall 2006, I've never heard 5,000 peo- ple so quiet. Scheduling is going to be the big- gest change for athletic teams. For 20 years, teams have enjoyed the same rotation in schedules. For exam- ple, volleyball has enjoyed an even "round-robin" schedule where every- one plays each other twice each sea- son - once at home and once away. With new teams comes larger rota- tions and fewer meetings of teams. There has been fear that rivalries would be lost. Can you imagine a football season without a Michigan matchup against Michigan State or Ohio State? While fans enjoy watch- ing our football team beat up on the University of Connecticut and Illi- nois, those aren't the games that they enjoy the most. Keeping the confer- ence strong is important, but I think keeping traditional rivalries alive is as, if not more, important. So far, rivalries have stayed in tact, 0 but with the possibility of adding more teams I think we'll see fewer of these matchups. There's a possibil- ity that fewer meetings will lead to rivalry games becoming an even big- ger deal, leaving teams with two-year bragging rights. But I can only see fans liking this if their team wins. Nobody wants Michigan State boasting for two straight years without a chance at redemption. But because the con- ference is driven by money and the media, it seems these games would stay on the schedules simply because of the revenue that they bring in. Nebraska could be a powerhouse 0 Big Ten team. While the Big Ten will benefit from the addition of Nebraska, the biggest beneficiary is Nebraska itself. * The Big Ten is a stronger and more prestigious conference than the Big 12 - Nebraska's current conference - which should improve the school's recruiting. The Big Ten is stronger than the Big 12 in academics as well. At first I resisted the idea of add- ing new teams to the Big Ten, but I'm starting to come around. People said the same thing when Pennsylvania State University was added 20 years ago and it has turned out to be one of the strongest teams in the confer- ence. While nextyear might be a little shaky as the Big Ten adjusts, I think it's going to turn out to be an over- whelming positive in the end. - Courtney Fletcher can be reached at fletchco@umich.edu. 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. Letters are edited for length, style, clarity and accuracy. All submissions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umich.edu. The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed, passionate writers to be columnists for the winter semester. Columnists write a 700-800 word column every other week on a topic of their choosing. If you are an opinionated and talented writer, consider applying. E-MAIL MICHELLE DEWITT AT DEWITTM@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION. Make time for contemplation Who's to say what it means to bea true'Michigan Man?' TO THE DAILY: I'm so glad all the Michigan Men happen to write for the Daily. It's such a fresh breath of air for you guys to let us, the students, know who really is and isn't fit for the overused and now meaningless title of "Michigan Man." Hell, I had no clue all you young journalists had the merit and experience to judge who should be fit for the throne as head coach of our foot- ball team. Imran Syed's recent column (The next Michi- gan Man, 12/06/2010) is so full of shit that you can tell from his picture that he's enjoying his own stink. I didn't know that "Until three years ago, all was well with the state's great Univer- sity and its football team." I forgot about Lloyd Carr giving up on recruiting, giving up on bowl games (losing five out of his last seven) and giv- ing up on "The Game" with Ohio State (losing a pitiful seven out of his last ten). So, Syed, was Bo a "Michigan Man" because he grew up in Ohio, played for Miami of Ohio and coached for Ohio State or is it because he won games? Because if it's the latter, then that would mean all it takes to be a "Michigan Man" is winning games. But that would contradict your point that there is more than just winning required to be deemed a "Michigan Mar." Please tell me how many other coaches these days are "leaders" that push for better academ- ics and an all-around better campus - because I can't find any. Do you know why I can't find any? It's because all the fans (and the media, which includes you) have been getting so worked up about any flaw in Michigan athlet- ics that we simply won't allow for anything but the best coaches and players. You see, back in the day the students didn't all wear the same silly colors to games (What is this, Michigan State?) and there weren't 500 SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU Michigan apparel stores on campus. People had a little more patience when it came to los- ing. Coaches weren't fired every three years because the virtue of patience was a little more prominent. Yes, Roderiguez has a bad record, but as supposedly smart as this school is, get- ting rid of him doesn't seem to be wise. With wisdom comes patience. If you did the math (3 wins, 5 wins, and this year 7), you would know that things are headed up. But no: You want results and you want them now. Give me, give me, give me. You sound like a "Michigan Man." I mustn't forget Managing Sports Editor Ryan Kartje, either. Kartje wrote a scathing column speaking against the head coach when Michi- gan was chosen for abowl game (GatorBowlputs Michigan's coachingfarce in spotlight, 12/06/2010) - which is a privilege, not a right, by the way. Athletic Director Dave Brandon is keeping Rich- Rod until after the game because he, unlike you, has patience and doesn't jump to conclusions like the media and the ungrateful student population. Iknow if Bo had sung the same Josh Groban song while still alive, you would have certainly praised him faster than I could say "ironically-nonathlet- ic sports columnist." Do you really want current Stanford foot- ball head coach Jim Harbaugh to be the next Michigan head coach? The guy who grew up a brat in the Michigan football system? The guy who didn't grab the coaching job the first time around because he was too busy bad-mouthing his former alma mater for their supposed lack of academics? The guy who grew up with a sil- ver, maize and blue spoon in his mouth? Have you read the news recently? Harbaugh has a nice big contract at Stanford. And he'll prob- ably stay there - but my guess is that's only because he doesn't want to have to deal with the bratty, self-entitled students at Michigan. Keep up the great junior high journalism, guys. Sam Zettell School of Music, Theatre & Dance senior n writing my last column (Pur- suing the Semester's Theme, 11/22/2010), I sought to bet- ter understand the nature of the LSA theme semes- ter, "What makes life worth liv- ing?" I wanted to articulate why I " felt slapped in the face every time I saw it advertised around campus. I LIBBY wanted to know the intentions of ASHTON the professors who organized it. I also wanted to grasp the implications of probing such self-conscious thought among students at the University. That aspiration to have a sense of what it would mean for us - students who live a specific lifestyle and face a specific set of challenges - to answer the question posed by the theme semester required further conver- sation, consideration and a longer word-count. I decided that I should learn about how anyone considers the meaning of life and then assess how well-situated we are to make the con- sideration ourselves. I spoke with the two professors who organized the theme semester, Psychology Professor Christopher Peterson and Ford School of Pub- lic Policy Professor John Chamber- lin. I suspected both perspectives would offer personal and profes- sional insight on considerations of the meaning of life. I also hoped they would maintain an awareness of undergraduate students' unique position. From our conversations and from my own introspection, I think I'm on to something. Answering the question "What makes life worth living?" requires two steps: first, living an active life that has meaning and second, living a contemplative life that allows for the appreciation of meaning. At first glance, it seems that action requires harder work and leaves more room for mishap than contemplation. After all, things that stand in our way of action are often out of our control, whereas what stands in our way of thought is under no one else's control but our own. When I asked Chamberlin what made his life worth living, he said his theme semester t-shirt reads, "Justice Makes Life Worth Living." His answer is consistent with duties of government, which his field (pub- lic policy) is responsible for study- ing. When I asked Peterson the same question, he responded in an e-mail, "work, love, play and service." A basic understanding of the duties of gov- ernment might demand that a just society allows all people to lead an active, meaningful life of work, love, play and service. So if society does its job in guaran- teeing the freedom to actively pursue happiness, does it have a further obli- gation to guarantee the space to con- templatively pursue happiness? Internalizing the richness of life requires time - time to wander (both in place and in thoughts), time to form beliefs as well as challenge them, and time to create something. But, as Chamberlin and many others of his generation have noted, we - as University students - don't have that kind of time. We've found ourselves in a system that places extreme pres- sure on the task of leading an active, meaningful life but inhibits our abil- ity to engage the equally important task of contemplation. Chamberlin acknowledged the conundrum. He noted that the stu- dents he admits to the Ford School of Public Policy are expected to havetop grades, display serious leadership in several extracurricular activities and remain interesting, energized and engaging people. We have a campus full of students who race from one source of meaning to the next, rarely stopping to breathe let alone read a piece of fiction for pleasure. These students' ability to lead a maximally fulfilling life is stifled by their leading lives that are too full. Internalizing the richness of life requires time. The pathways to meaning and hap- piness vary with each person. For some, love is the answer. For others, it's freedom. Peterson said cheering on the Wolverines could be a primary source of purpose for someone. But the "What makes life worth living?" t-shirt that can be worn by everyone reads "balance." We seem to live in a culture that's collectively off-balance. I would call for a serious reprioritization. In order for society's future leaders to do their jobs well, they must be nourished emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. As we transition into finals and then into our all-too-short winter break, I hope we're forced to consider the balance in our own lives and restore what's not there. - Libby Ashton can be reached at eashtonwumich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Will Butler, Eaghan Davis, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Will Grundler, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Teddy Papes, Tommaso Pavone, Leah Potkin, Roger Sauerhaft, Seth Soderborg. Julian Toles, Laura Veith, Andrew Weiner