4A - Thursday, January 27, 2011.. The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com he ichigan 4at'hj1 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com Science Savvy: Nick Clift wants Speaker of the House John Podium Boehner to do more than make grumpy facial expressions. Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/The Podium MICHELLE DEWITT STEPHANIE STEINBERG and EMILY ORLEY EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS KYLE SWANSON MANAGING EDITOR Think outside, the box 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. Illu-minating safety Education and awareness is vital for protection While it's no Detroit, it's no secret that Ann Arbor hasn't exactly felt like the safest place lately. With a recentuptick in crime, students and parents are concerned about the safety of those who find themselves walking around Ann Arbor after dark. Members of the University's Department of Public Safety and Ann Arbor Police Department have tried to address these issues by increasing their patrol and holding informational panels. But more can be done to ensure the well-being of all Ann Arbor residents. The city of Ann Arbor needs to look into lighting concerns, the University needs to educate students about safety initiatives and students need to do their best to protect themselves. hy do you go to college? To get a job I presume. I don't think I'm alone in saying that since I arrived on cam- pus, the majority of sources have promoted that very message. I've lived with a Business School major and Col- JEREMY lege of Engi- LEVY neering major who regularly applaud themselves for, in their words, convincing me to transfer out of LSA. I've also read multiple Michigan Daily columns in which English majors have made fun of themselves and their supposed future uselessness. In my time here, I've silently upheld my personal belief that there is value in an edu- cation not directed toward a spe- cific occupation. But it's a difficult argument for many to buy into. This column is not about your major - I support students' deci- sions to major in nursing, business, architecture or whatever other occupational fields of study are out there. I'm more concerned about our education system as a whole and have generally felt that something very crucial is missing from our job- centered focus. The evidence for me to make such an argument has finally fallen into my lap. In a new book called "Academi- cally Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses," New York Uni- versity sociologist Richard Arum provides concerning data showing that many students are not picking up critical thinkingskills in college. Such skills are often championed as the heart of a liberal arts education, but they have appareotly beentaken for granted across the educational spectrum. Between 2005 and 2009, Arum tracked more than 2,000 students from 24 different colleges and universities. Using the Collegiate Learning Assessment to evaluate critical thinking skills, he found that 45 percent of students showed no improvement in their first two years of school, and 36 percent showed no improvement over four years. Some of the skills tested by the CLA include a student's abil- ity to analyze a series of documents with contrasting information and to critique the logic behind a political argument. While Arum didn't spec- ify which universitieswere involved in the study, he assures readers that they varied widely in selectivity and even elite universities weren't exempt from the findings. There's a persistent mind- set in today's educational system that hails job preparation at the expense of critical thinking. This study shows that students in tra- ditional liberal arts concentrations improved more in critical thinking than those with a career-specific major. This finding does not change the fact that the problem exists across majors, but does provide evi- dence that a career-centered focus is a major factor. Additionally, in the most wide- spread report on Arum'sbook, a stu- dent from DePauw University stated that critical thinking was "irrel- evant" for a student who didn't have a good resumd. The statement may be true to a degree, but it doesn't support the magnitude of Arum's findings. There are a variety of rea- sons that, on a macro-level, we need college graduates to think critically. Many of these reasons relate to politics. The CLA tests the exact skills that I would hope an educat- ed voter rhas-when ,selecting which political candidates to support. A more critical citizenrywould beless susceptible to campaign rhetoric that is purely political or emotional and would demand more substan- tive promises from elected officials. Additionally, such a base of voters would be more capable of realisti- cally gauging what range of policy options exist on a particular issue. As political scientist Morris Fiorina stated regarding the failed Clinton health care reform bill in 1993, "If citizens want guaranteed health care for all, unrestricted choice of doctors and facilities, and lower premiums than they currently pay, they are unlikely to be happy with any conceivable national health care plan." Something is missing from a vocational focus. Politics aside, it seems apparent that our future leaders and gradu- ates - be it in their occupations or elsewhere - will have to make big decisions with societal implica- tions, decisions that no subject-spe- cific education will prepare them for. There's no telling how our econ- omy or social structureswill change in our lifetimes. But we are doing ourselves a disservice by focusing on the skills that will help us in the present circumstances without giv- ing due weight to the critical think- ing skills that will allow us to adapt later on. Arum's study sheds light on these issues in an unprecedented way, and his findings shouldn't be ignored in the upcoming discourse on education. - Jeremy Levy can be reached at jeremlev@urrich.edu. 0 0 °. With two armed robberies in the past two months, there's been growing concern about the overall safety around campus. On Tuesday, campus leaders met with members of DPS and AAPD to talk about what's being done to ensure that proper precautions are taken to protect students and Ann Arbor residents, accord- ing to a Jan. 26 Daily article. Also discussed was the issue of the ill-lit neighborhoods in the Oxford Housing area that are particularly prone to crime. At the meeting, Jim Kosteva, the University's director of community rela- tions, stressed that new lights would be costly for the city. The most important, and obvious, fix for these areas is to install additional lighting. If streets near Oxford are better lit throughout the night, residents will be able to see more of their surroundings and other pedestrians. While the moratorium on, additional street light is "directly financial," according to Koste- va, the city should figure out how to produce the money. And charging individuals in the area for additional lighting isn't an appropriate option. Safety isn't a service for residents, it's a necessity. With students' presence on campus con- stantly fluctuating, it's difficult for them to be aware of all of the specifics of Ann Arbor. But it's crucial that students - especially incoming freshmen - are informed of safety concerns and protocol on campus. They need to be edu- cated about what resources are at their dispos- al and how to respond to emergency situations. This information is available on the Univer- sity website. But in light of the recent string of crimes, the University should e-mail safety information to students and post information in all academic buildings. While it's important that students are made aware of how to ensure their personal safety, it's equally necessary that they take precau- tions to protect themselves. All students should use ride services at night, be cautious when walking in ill-lit areas and trust their instincts by seeking help when they need it. It may seem tedious to students to adhere to every safety precaution, but it's irresponsible to not use the free or inexpensive resources at their disposal. Crime is an unfortunate reality, but it shouldn't stop students from going about their lives. With increased education and awareness, students will be able to ensure their personal safety. JOSH BUOY AND STEPHANIE HAMEL I Anti-crime collaboration EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Will Butler, Eaghan Davis, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Teddy Papes, Roger Sauerhaft, Seth Soderborg, Andrew Weiner PATRICK MAILLET | Answering a president's plea 0 0 Over the past month, students have expressed growing concern regarding recent crimes in the Oxford Housing area. With two armed robberies since early December, we recognize that something must be done to improve safety at the University. As chair and vicechair of the Michigan Student Assembly Student Safety Commission, we aim to inform students of what measures have already been taken to prevent future incidents from occur- ring and to help students get involved in their own personal safety. Since the start ofthis semester, we've sought meetings with administrative leaders respon- sible for student affairs and law enforcement in the University area. Through these con- versations, we've learned that preliminary actions have been taken by the Department of Public Safety, Ann Arbor Police Department and Housing Security to deter future crime. According to DPS Public Spokeswoman Diane Brown, DPS and AAPD "have been pro- viding targeted police patrols of the area as well as surveillance efforts." University Hous- inghas also extended Oxford dininghours and has stationed an additional security officer at Oxford Housing from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. each day. To facilitate safer student travel on the week- ends, Parking and Transportation Services has temporarily extended Oxford bus service from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sun- days. While these efforts take important steps toward improving safety at the University, there are also measures that students should personally consider when traveling alone or at night. As a start, use the buddy system - try to walk in groups of three or more, especially after dark - and stay on well-traveled, well- lit paths, even if they don't provide the most direct route to your destination. It's also criti- cal to remain aware of your surroundings at all times. Attackers are looking for distracted individuals, so think twice before texting, talking on your phone or listening to music as you walk home. Finally, be sure to call a friend before you leave so that someone knows when to expect your arrival, and never hesitate to call the police if you feel unsafe or observe suspicious behavior. As an alternative to walking, PTS and AATA provide a number of free or low-cost taxi ser- vices that are available to students throughout the night. S.A.F.E. WALK (734-763-9255) is a free ride-home program that transports stu- dents from anywhere on campus to a nearby off-campus location between the hours of 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. Ride Home (734-547-9800) is another free transportation resource that takes students from the UGLi, the Duderstadt Center or the Cancer Center on the Medical Campus to their residences between the hours of 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Night Ride (734-528-5432) is a $5 shared-ride taxi service within the city of Ann Arbor, and it runs from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Also, if you decide to take a cab, make sure you ask the driver to wait until you are safely inside your destina- tion before leaving. Though these safety tips are crucial to assuring personal security, promoting these suggestions is only the beginning of what can and should be done to improve safety through- out campus. With everyone's attention turned toward the recent Oxford-area crimes, it's up to us - the student body - to come together to initiate positive, proactive changes in safety procedure. Working alongside the Dean of Student's Office, we plan to organize a cross- campus safety coalition with representatives from MSA, LSA Student Government, Greek Life and other student organizations. With everyone on board, we will have the capability to pool our resources, streamline information to students in efficient and creative ways and determine which next step will have the great- est, most direct impact on student safety. We are enthusiastic about the student response thus far, and we hope to expand this dialogue between all interested students in order to construct the safest campus possible. If you are interested in participating in this discussion, please join us at our meetings on Fridays at 2 p.m. in MSA Chambers (3rd floor of the Michigan Union). We look forward to collaborating with you to make a lasting dif- ference at the University. Josh Buoy and Stephanie Hamel are the chair and vice chair of the MSA Student Safety Commission. As a self-defined political geek, I've always had faith in the American political system. I've always believed in this democracy and its limitless potential. But like many others, I've been disgusted with the level of partisanship that has plagued America over these past couple years. It seems that ifa Republican proposes a piece of legisla- tion, Democrats in Congresswill inevitably shut it down. If President Barack Obama suggests a bill, Speaker of the House John Boehner predictably opposes every aspect of it. Elected officials have stopped trying to determine whether or not the ideas of their political opponents are valid and simply oppose them regardless of their pos- sible potential. In recentyears, this unprecedented level of partisan- ship has been readily apparent. In November's midterm election, matters appeared to grow worse when the Republicans gained control of the House, thus polariz- ing our political system even more. I was beginning to lose faith. I was sure that neither side would be able to accomplish anything so long as there was a Democratic president and a Republican House. Two more years of ineffective government seemed inevitable. But then, as so many times before, America united in the face of trag- edy. On the morning of Jan. 8, 2011, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot along with 18 others in Tuc- son, Ariz. During the memorial service for the victims of this tragedy, Obama spoke about bipartisanship in one of his most inspirational and least politically-driven speeches thus far in his presidency. He outlined for all Americans how we can honor Representative Giffords and the other victims by working together to end par- tisanship. Soon after Obama's touching speech, members of both political parties worked together to create a new seating arrangement for the State of the Union address. Unlike the usual seating arrangement based on party affiliation, this one was randomized and had Democrats and Republicans sitting among each other. While many believe this unprecedented seating was irrelevant and unnecessary, it actually stood for something much more than a random arrangement. For the first time in a couple years, Americans were able to watch their elected officials act civilly toward each other. Considering that the last State of the Union was interrupted by Congressman Joe Wilson shout- ing out "You lie!" at the president, it was refreshing to see Democrats and Republicans clapping and laughing together. However, as Obama made it very clear in his State of the Union speech, "What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight, but whether we can work together tomorrow." Unlike most State of the Union speeches, Obama focused on both parties working together in order to achieve American prosperity. Instead of commenting on politically-dividing topics, the president honed in on why and how the government can work together in order to produce the most efficient outcome for America. So what now? Will our government officials happily work together and pass every piece oflegislation thatthe country needs? The answer is obviously no. The presi- dent made it extremely clear in his speech that we won't always agree on everything, and that's fine. In fact, it's this disagreementthat allows America to be the greatest country on Earth. What we must understand is that just because we may not politically agree with each other on certain topics, we must still work together in a civil way in order to accomplish greatness. As the president appropriately said in his State of the Union address, "We will move forward together, or not at all." In order to secure the future of this amazing country, we must be willing to reach across the table. Only then will we together, as one people, be able to give our chil- dren a better world than the one we were given. Patrick Maillet is an LSA freshman. 0 0 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. Send letters to tothedaily@michigandaily.com