#I
4 - Friday, January 28, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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STEPHANIE STEINBERG
EDITOR IN CHIEF
MICHELLE DEWITT
and EMILY ORLEY
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
KYLE SWANSON
MANAGING EDITOR
We conclude first and foremost that
this crisis was avoidable."
- Chairman of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Phil Angelides, said
about the 2008 financial crisis on Thursday, as reported by Time Magazine.
The law school scam
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.
Ad just) the system
Swain case could set a dangerous precedent
uilty people go to prison, and innocent people don't. What
seems like the most elementary rule of the criminal justice
system is being called into question in the case of Lorinda
Swain. Swain - convicted of sexually abusing her adopted son in
2002 - currently has her case pending before the Michigan Supreme
Court. The court's initial decision not to hear the case risks compro-
mising the values of the justice system and sets a dangerous prec-
edent in which innocent people are incarcerated and unable to prove
their innocence. The Michigan Supreme Court should re-examine
the case and give Swain the opportunity to clear her name.
In 2002, Swain was sentenced to 25 to 50
years in prison for abusing her adopted son,
according to a Jan. 23 Detroit Free Press
article. Her son - who testified against her
at the time - later admitted to fabricating
the accusations. She has recently been work-
ing with attorneys from the University Law
School's Innocence Clinic who have presented
witnesses who also refute the charges. After
reviewing the evidence, Calhoun County
Circuit Judge Conrad Sind agreed to grant
Swain a new trial and released her on bond in
2009. The prosecution appealed this decision,
which was reversed by the Michigan Court of
Appeals. The case was then taken to the Mich-
igan Supreme Court, which declined to hear it
in a 4-3 vote. Swain has asked them to recon-
sider that decision.
The decision made by the Court of Appeals,
which the Michigan Supreme Court has so far
chosen not to correct, reflects a very narrow-
minded interpretation of the law. The ratio-
nale behind not hearing the case is that the
evidence now presented isn't new because'
Swain's previous lawyers were aware of it,
and chose not to use it or even speak to the
witnesses involved. And while it's true that
her former lawyers were aware of the exis-
tence of these witnesses, it's also true that
they were found to be constitutionally inef-
fective in their handling of the case. That, in
and of itself, isgrounds for a new trial, and the
court's inability to recognize that could send a
likely innocent woman back to prison.
The specifics of Swain's case are trou-
bling, but it also points to many concerning
flaws about the criminal justice system. With
advances in technology and DNA evidence,
people once proven guilty are now being
found innocent with new, concrete evidence.
It's horrific to imagine innocent people spend-
ing years in jail for a crime they didn't com-
mit, but it does happen. Regardless of the need
for finality of judgments, there should always
be the opportunity for innocent prisoners to
prove their innocence in court.
The prosecutors appealed the decision to
grant Swain a new trial, arguing that allowing
her to be heard in court years after her convic-
tion would open the floodgates of appeals by
prisoners. But even if that did happen, if any
prisoner can present the kind of evidence that
Swain has, they should have their case recon-
sidered. To not pursue justice because of pos-
sible inconveniences for the court system is an
irresponsible position that compromises the
right to a fair trial that all people are constitu-
tionally guaranteed.
The Michigan Supreme Court needs to
give Swain the opportunity to have the new
evidence heard in court both to prove her
innocence and to set a precedent of always
allowing the justice system to come to a just
conclusion in all cases.
( on't go to law school."
After a couple gasps,
several nervous laughs
and a few gri-
maces silently
asking "are you
serious," we got
the message.
My LSAT
instructor
uttered these :
very words the
last day of a five- JULIAN
week prepa- TOLES
ration course
offered through
the University's Career Center. And
the suggestion was, indeed, genu-
ine. This meant a lot coming from a
current student at the University's
Law School. Apparently my instruc-
tor isn't the only person echoing this
sentiment. Google's eerily accurate
suggestions feature, also finishes the
words "don't go to" with - yes, you
guessed it - law school.
Almost every profession in every
field has borne the brunt of our cur-
rent recession. And, in the midst of
our economic milieu, people tend
to seek shelter under the roofs of
graduate programs and the particu-
larly paradigmatic "safe bet" that is
law school. The fact of the matter is,
quite frankly, that the legal field is
evolving - rapidly.
As students, we often have the
old, familiar "it won't happen to me"
notion that embodies a naive sense of
optimism. Unfortunately the adage
all too often turns into "I never
thought it would happen to me."
Since 2008, 15,000 legal jobs have
vanished to outsourcing, restructur-
ing and cutbacks, yet the total num-
ber of students enrolled in lawschool
is 20,000 more than it was just 10
years ago. And about 40,000 law stu-
dents graduated last year.
The failure to take note of the
sign of the times is evidenced by the
fact that law school applications
and admissions have soared the
past few years. Between 2007 and
2009, the number of students tak-
ing the LSAT rose 20.5 percent. The
University of Alabama Law School
saw it's applicant pool grow by 70
percent last year.
In light of the changing nature
of the legal market, and students'
apparent refusal to consider market
trends, I suggest that the University
integrate more blunt, "in your face"
dialogue between prospective law
students and students or young pro-
fessionals who hold views similar
to my LSAT instructor. A decision
informed by all relevant perspec-
tives will be abetter one.
There are certainly a wealth of
campus programs and literature
about polishing essays and penning
the perfect personal statement. A
cursory glance at the semester list of
University-sponsored pre-law events
confirms this. But genuine, off-the-
cuff commentary may be the most
valuable of all. While it's certainly
encouraging to hear people's success
stories, it's equally valuable to hear,
stories of those who've become disil-
lusioned or regrettheir decision com-
pletely, as to assist future generations
from committing the same mistakes.
Though my instructor's sugges-
tion shocked me initially, it was
oddly refreshing. It was stimulating
to hear someone honestly tell the
"other side" of the story - a story
told directly from the front lines, as
opposed to a counselor or a seasoned
professional.
It almost seems as if, in the aca-
demic setting, stories of strife, strug-
gle and brute failure are discouraged,
as are routes that stray too far off the
beaten path.
Last year, at a presentation about
what the same LSAT course would
entail, a Law School student sug-
gested that we take a year off before
going directly to school. The coun-
selor conducting the session shud-
dered at the suggestion and swiftly
recommended against it. Frankly,
some counselors may be out of touch
with the stark reality and changing
nature of their respective fields. Or
they base suggestions upon sheer
numbers and statistics, and in this
case, the supposed higher likelihood
of acceptance for students who do go
straight to graduate school.
But using numbers as a strict
guide isn't necessarily the smart-
est route - specially in the midst of
what many have begun to call the
"law school scam."
Genuine, off-the-
cuff commentary
can be valuable.
Law schools willingly present sta-
tistics showcasing the employment
successes of their recent graduates,
which typically looms at about 90
percent. A recent New York Times
article says that law schools tend
to hold themselves to "Enron type
accounting standards," manipulating
data in any way they see fit in order
to boost rankings, ratings and appeal.
And it doesn't take much research
to find legions of disgruntled law
school graduates turned renegade
bloggers who feel betrayed by the
system, and in some cases, their own
personal misconceptions of what
schooling and the afterlife would
entail.
A few dedicated eventsior per-
haps a lecture series from the "I
wish I'd done otherwise" camp,
might rightly avert students on the
fence about their decision. Or it
would at least force them to intro-
spect if law school - or any other
professional program for that mat-
ter - is truly right for them.
40
-Julian Totes can be reached
at jaytoles@umich.edu.
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM
The Office fraternity
Study abroad in Israel
TO THE DAILY:
I studied abroad at the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem in the Winter 2010 semester. Yes,
I technically had to take a semester off, get my
classes pre-approved and transfer my credits.
Yes, it was a bit of a hassle. And yes, I had an
amazing, life-altering experience. But I never
felt that my security was at risk. Not once in the
five months I was livingthere. And that's com-
ing from someone who lived on Jerusalem's
Mount Scopus, which is technically behind the
green line. I'll even say that I felt much safer
there than I do in the United States.
The fact that the University doesn't have a
study abroad program with an Israeli institu-
tion is ludicrous. There's no more danger there
than in any other developed country. I can tell
you first-hand, I've been to Israel three times
for a total of more than seven months - the
media seriously over-hypes and blurs the
situation there. It's a peaceful and absolutely
beautiful place with the most amazing people,
cultures and foods. It's also a place with many
universities that are ranked in the top 100 in
the entire world.
Yes, I'm Jewish and proud of it. You can say
that makes me biased, but it still doesn't take
away from the fact that Israel truly is the most
magical place on the planet. Go there, set aside
your political ideologies for a moment and
explore the country. Where else can you go ski-
ing, hiking, scuba diving and explore the most
historically important sites on Earth in a coun-
try that is smaller than the state of New Jersey?
People need to stop basing their viewpoints
about Israel from the things they see in the
media. The field of vision of a television cam-
era isverynarrow, butrthe field of vision ofyour
eyes is as wide as you can travel.
I'm living proof that a study abroad program
inIsraelismandatoryforauniversitythatprides
itself on culturalunderstanding and acceptance.
Jacob Steinerman
LSA freshman
Catchy slogans will not
deter campus bigots
TO THE DAILY:
What are we trying to accomplish?
Let us all acknowledge that broadcasting
the days since the last bias incident in South
Quad Residence Hall was unsuccessful. The
tactic resembled a junior high achievement
goal: If we can collect $200 in bottle returns
for the food drive everyone gets a pizza
party! If we can have zero bias incidents in
three weeks everyone gets ... oh wait ... we're
in college.
The question I ask is what is the goal here?
Is the goal to change the bigots at Michi-
gan? That would be unrealistic. Is the goal to
combat prejudice? That is a stretch. Posters,
slogans and banners won't erase the preju-
dices of a bigot, but they will make an igno-
rant teenager stop and think about how their
words affect other people. Prejudice isn't "a
swastika on a whiteboard or a friend drop-
ping the word 'gay"' but ignorance is. The
way to combat ignorance is to educate.
A bigot will look at those posters and
shrug it off. An ignorant teenager will look
at those posters and think, "Hey, I use that
language, and it has become a habit that I
need to stop." If one out of every 50 students
who are exposed to those posters stop and
think about their language, I would consid-
er the campaign successful. The goal of the
Residents Hall Council's anti-bias campaign
should be to educate. It's that simple.
A campus committee isn't going to solve
prejudice on Michigan's campus. But I shud-
der to think of what would happen if every
campaign decided it was better to do noth-
ing than try something, no matter how small.
If the best we have to offer is clever T-shirts
and good intentions, then by all means, bring
on the slogans.
Deidre Ratliff
LSA sophmore
0
hile some see fraternity
men as part of a beer-
slamming, Smirnoff
icing, "bro" cul-
ture, I saw my
experience as
a Greek at the '4
University as a
stepping stone to
my future career
aspirations. If
you believe the
aforementioned RYAN,
stereotype KNAPP
describes all
fraternity men,
feel free to stop reading my column.
To be quite frank, I probably won't
change your opinion of "frat bros."
For those of you still around - per-
haps those past, present or even
future Greeks - you will see how
my current journey has been greatly
affected by my decision to Go Greek.
As I embarked on my journey this
summer in New York City and left
the state of Michigan for the longest
period in my life, I was fortunate
enough to stumble upon intern group
housing. By an interesting twist of
fate, two of my other roommates
were also Greek and both served as
presidents of their chapters at Wil-
liam and Mary University and the
University of Minnesota. Doing our
best to relive the glory days of liv-
ing in the fraternity, the three of us
shared a single bedroom with anoth-
er roommate.
As I started working for one
of the largest international sport
agencies, I began to notice my
experience in my fraternity was
very similar to that of the corpo-
rate culture that I was becoming
indoctrinated into. Aside from the
familiar fraternity attire of Vine-
yard Vines, Brooks Brothers and
Ralph Lauren, or the fact that more
than half our intern class consisted
of Greek members, I noticed the
bureaucratic structure mirrored
fraternity life.
The senior vice presidents of the
company are like Fraternity presi-
dents who work together with their
executive board (vice presidents and
associates) to move the company
forward and steer clear from break-
ing the rules and regulations of the
S.E.C. and other governmental bod-
ies (Interfraternity Council). The
head of the internship program is
similar to a new member educator,
leading new members along the pro-
cess, dispensing advice and guiding
the rest of the intern class like a fra-
ternity pledge class. The IT people
act very much like older members
in the chapter - stopping by to give
words of advice and to help out in a
moment of crisis.
As an intern you are very much
like a fraternity pledge - learn-
ing about the company, fitting into
the current culture and completing
tasks that superiors delegate. You
learn about your fellow interns and
how people around the office oper-
ate in a rapid pace, desperately try-
ing to pick up as much as possible.
As you move along (hopefully) with
improved titles and more responsi-
bility, you may eventually find your-
self in senior position - no different
than serving as an executive board
member of your chapter.
For those fraternity and sorority
members who plan to embark on a
similar journey this summer, I will
impart a piece of advice that was
given to me after another intern -
also a fraternity member - showed
up on the first day of work. While
it's important to stand out, wear-
ing bright blue slacks, a pink button
down and Sperry topsiders is prob-
ably not the best way to catch the
attention of those working around
you. You will earn quite a reputation
around the office for being that guy.
I was fortunate to work with a
great team led by a senior execu-
tive who guided me throughout my
internship. But I can't help but think
my experiences in my fraternity were
a catalyst for my success this sum-
mer. Serving the Greek community
as the Interfraternity Council vice
president of public relations for the
past year, I had a unique experience
that allowed me to feel confident in
working in a team environment and
working on multiple projects at once.
Skills developed
in Greek Life
help in work life.
6
As I returned to Ann Arbor,
friends in my fraternity and in other
chapters related similar stories of
the fraternity-like culture in the
workplace. It's no coincidence that
people I previously worked with in
my chapter, or in the greater Greek
community, were working in invest-
ment banking on Wall Street, serv-
ing to bridge the gap of educational
inequality by working for Teach for
America or trudging through the
gauntlet known as law school. These
individuals, who have attributed a
lot of their success to their time in
the fraternity, honed their leader-
ship and social skills while they were
in the Greek system.
Whether or not you decide to join
a fraternity while in college, hope-
fully you can at least respect the
core principles of why these groups
exist. Whether you join for the social
aspect, the academic side or to fulfill
the need to belong to something big- 0
ger thanyourself, fraternities help to
provide the necessary skills that are
crucial for succeeding in the busi-
ness world.
Ryan Knapp can be reached
at rjknapp@umich.edu. 6
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