2C - Tuesday, September 6, 2011 NEW STUDENT EDITION The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com SNYDER CONTROVERSY NICOLE MILLER AND BRIAN KOZIARA I Remain respectful of Rick March 16, 2011 - Who would have thought that a governor elected with such a mandate to revitalize our state and keep young people in Michigan would become a focal point for student anger when he was named the University's Spring 2011 Com- mencement speaker earlier this week? Why would students be so upset at the idea of such a promi- nent and successful University alum coming to address our grad- uating seniors? We believe that such anger at the simple decision to invite the governor of Michi- gan to commencement is uncalled for and unbecoming of an open- minded University where dif- fering thoughts and viewpoints can be expressed and exchanged freely. Many of those who are unhap- py with the pick oppose Republi- can Gov. Rick Snyder's selection on the basis that Snyder has proposed cutting state funding to our own University. But this is truly nothing new. The Uni- versity's website explains that higher education funding has been cut by every administration since the 1960s. Over the last nine years - Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm's two terms as gov- ernor - state funding declined by 13 percent. Snyder's proposed cut of 15 percent is comparable and fair given the current fiscal realities that our state is facing. Some hold the additional mis- conception that the state money the University receives susfains it and constitutes a source of fund- ing we couldn't survive without. But in reality, Snyder's proposed cut of 15 percent in current state funding to the University is much smaller than it sounds. Because state support makes up only 20 percent of the University's gen- eral fund - and the general fund makes up just 27.8 percent of the University's total budget - in reality, the proposed cut is less than 1 percent (0.834 percent to be exact) of the University's over- all budget. Our University has done well and can continue to flourish without relying on this state funding. This cut can be managed. And it will have to be. Anyone who is willing to take an honest look at our state's bud- get will see that Michigan simply cannot continue spending at the current levels. The politically expedient path taken by Snyder's predecessor was to back' down from tough spending cuts for fear of losing political support. Snyder inherited a real structural deficit that cannot be repaired without far-reaching structural changes. Luckily for us, he has risen to the challenge of proposing long- term solutions and has the cour- age to move forward, even with the knowledge that his ideas will make him no friends. People can complain all they want, but we have already seen that the alter- native - taxing the same, shrink- ing tax base and driving real jobs away from our state - hasn't worked. What's more, inviting newly elected governors - both Repub- licans and Democrats alike - to address graduates at commence- ment is a longstanding Univer- sity tradition, going all the way back to Republican Gov. William Milliken in the 1980s. Those who wish to protest the decision would be well served to place per- sonal politics aside, as many con- servatives on campus did last year with President Barack Obama as the commencement speaker. Where was all the hype and hys- teria then? In spite of some students' irre- sponsible and immature protest over petty political differences with Snyder, it's highly unlikely that the University's Board of Regents will make any decision other than to approve Snyder as speaker at their meeting today. He is our governor, whether the students at the University like it or not, and has taken on the task of making hard choices to protect our state's financial and economic future. He should be applauded for having the guts to make such unpopular but necessary deci- sions. Snyder doesn't deserve to be maligned or ridiculed on Face- book with crudely photoshopped red X's through his face. Such petty and degrading behavior from University students shows a lack of class and a lack of respect for an alum holding three degrees from the University - a loyal alumwho is seen courtside at bas- ketball games, who is a resident of Ann Arbor and who has sacri- ficed opportunities in the private sector to serve us as governor. Whether you agree with his poli- cies or not, Snyder has shown true leadership and achieved success both in politics and in the private sector. Let's not harangue him for that success, but instead recog- nize it, respect it and celebrate it this spring at commencement. Nicole Miller and Brian Koziara, of the College Republicans, are both LSAsjuniors. MARCH 13, 2011 The Rick choice t was going to be hard to find a commencement speaker to follow the presi- dent of the United States. Regardless of personal political views, having Presi- dent Barack Obama address the University's graduating class last spring was a special honor. But since University President Mary Sue Coleman couldn't bring the leader of the nation back to the Big House, it's no surprise that she would ask the leader of the state: newly inaugurated Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. 0 In her eight years at the University, Coleman has often invited major political figures to speak at com- mencement, including Obama, former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and former President Bill Clinton in 2007. As the chief executive of the state, Snyder is an obvious choice to help usher the class of 2011 into life after college. He will speak from a unique perspective as both a businessman and a pol- itician. But he will also speak as someone who once sat where the class of 2011 will be sitting, since he's an alum who received his Bachelor in General Stud- ies, Masters of Business Administration and Juris Doctorate from the University. But what makes Snyder unique is that he is a different kind of politician. Unlike most elected officials, he went straight from his CEO position at venture capital firm Ardesta, LLC to Lansing. Instead of spending years on the campaign trail delivering persuasive speeches, Snyder promptly made the decision to run and was elected in one year. So it wouldn't be surprising if instead of delivering a typical political speech, Snyder spoke in a more business-oriented tone. It will probably be a good speech. Snyder co- founded and ran a venture capital firm and became the state's governor with virtually no political expe- rience. Clearly, Snyder knows how to command all types of environments, and will be able to utilize those skills when he enters the Big House on April 30. However, the irony of this commencement speak- er decision cannot be overlooked. Snyder has fre- quently discussed the importance of education for the state's future. But when it came time to allocate funding in the budget he announced on Feb. 17, that message got lost in the translation, as his proposal included a 15 percent cut to higher education fund- ing. It's difficult to appreciate a commencement speaker who wants to reduce funding for the state's public universities by such a large amount. While Snyder most likely won't focus on that unfortunate reality for University students, it will undoubtedly be on the minds of non-graduates at the ceremony. How can Snyder motivate the class of 2011 when the class of 2015 will enter the University with likely raised tuition costs and potentially fewer resources because of his budget? Thus far, a lot of responses to the commencement speaker announcement have been less than enthu- siastic. Many students are upset about Snyder being invited. There are four Facebook groups protesting the decision. There is also a UPetition asking the University to reconsider Snyder for commencement speaker that had more than 2800 signatures as of midnight last night. And it's difficult to blame them. MARCH 16, 2011 make deductions for supporting their alma mater. Inviting Snyder to deliver the commencement address tacitly endorses his gutting of the Universi- ty's budget and his threats to University donations, all while bestowing upon him an honorary degree. Irrespective of students' wishes, the University will convey to our governor that we supporthis plan, one that threatens the very fabric of our University and discourages successful alumni from donating. Hope isn't lost, though. Students opposed to Snyder's budget "fix" should pressure the Univer- sity's Board of Regents to reject Snyder's invitation to speak at Spring Commencement. We shouldn't honor someone whose proposal decreases access to education while privileging incarceration. Rather, we should send a message of concern to the gover- nor, noting that we're discouraged by his plans that threaten Michigan's future. Zachary Goldsmith LSA Senior LOVING THE NEW STUDENT E DITION? Come to one of The Michigan Daily's mass meetings at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 12,13,18 or 20 at 420 Maynard St. f X11 _ .I > c domand _p. tm.c_ ts ._---i Attend today's Snyder protest in the Diag TO THE DAILY: It saddens me to see University President Mary Sue Coleman's announcement that Republican Gov. Rick Snyder will deliver an address at Spring Com- mencement, especially given Snyder's recent policy initiatives that jeopardize the University's future. The cut of $100 million to the University's budget might seem acceptable in a time of fiscal crisis, but consider that the budget for the Michigan Depart- ment of Corrections will now dwarf the higher edu- cation budget - spending $0.79 on education for every $1 spent on corrections. Further, Snyder wishes to eliminate personal tax deductions for those wishing to donate to pub- lic universities; those making more than $75,000 ($150,000 per couple) would no longer be able to 01 0