4 - Friday, February 17, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com ', 4 - Friday, February 17, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom * Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com ASHLEY GRIESSHAMMER JOSEPH LICHTERMAN and ANDREW WEINER JOSH HEALY EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solelythe views of their authors. Imran Syed is the public editor. He can be reached at publiceditor@michigandaily.com. Same sex, same rights Mich. should follow trend of marraige equality The state of Washington's recent legalization of same-sex mar- riage is an important step toward equal rights in this country. This is a positive breakthrough for the United States, not only because of the moral obligation to provide equal rights to all, but also for practical economic reasons. Same-sex couples should be allowed Don't skate around the issue This weekend, the University will sponsor free ice skat- ing on North Campus in an attempt to dis- pel the notion that the campus is a lost abyss., There are worse ways to use our , money. But as a North Campus denizen and an JOEL Architecture and BATTERMAN Urban Planning student, I have to conclude that without more serious change in the University's approach to the campus, efforts to re-brand it are bound to fall flat. Frankly, we'd be better off if North Campus didn't exist. The University could have chosen to grow up instead of out, keeping its original Central Campus footprint with some added expansion into the near-downtown neighborhoods. Ann Arbor's sky- line would look a bit different, and we wouldn't see as many deer, but we'd have saved ourselves innu- merable hours crammed into buses and countless calories consumed at Panda Express. Unfortunately, in 1952 Univer- sity planners still believed that cars would make the very concept of distance disappear, and felt wide open spaces were more necessary to human life than daily conveniences you could reach on foot. Back then, not much existed in Ann Arbor north of the Huron River, but that didn't stop the University from buy- ing itself a giant new campus in the middle of nowhere. The US-23 free- way was originally planned to run up Huron Parkway, so they might have been counting on being right near the off-ramp. Whatever the weird logic of that decision, there's no going back now. Yet that doesn't mean we have to resign ourselves to the North Cam- pus that currently exists. Indeed, the University is realizing that the cur- rent state of the campus is a liability. It seems candidates for faculty positions have complained North Campus doesn't even feel like a part of Ann Arbor, setting off alarm bells among the deans anxious to recruit top talent in engineering and other disciplines that are housed in North Campus. As a result, more substantive action - beyond ice rinks and hot air balloons - is underway. In 2008, the University completed a North Campus Master Plan Update that envisioned a more densely developed campus, with a walkable city block replacing the current car-oriented Northwood culs-de-sac. The Univer- sity has also helped fund a study on improving the heinously overcrowd- ed transit line between the campus- es, though only after much coaxing from the city. The University has also helped fund a study on improving the hei- nously overcrowded transit line between the campuses, though only after much coaxing; one City offi- cial I spoke with last year expressed exasperation that the University had to be persuaded to put up a paltry $50,000 for the project. But none of this goes far enough. To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the University is not the solution to North Campus; the University is the problem. The biggest issue with North Campus isn't the absence of skating opportunities, but the pathet- ic lack of choices for basic goods like food, a direct result of the Univer- sity's monopolization of the 800-acre North Campus area. My politics run left, but the dearth of decent conveniences on North Campus relative to Cen- tral is an excellent argument for the superiority of open markets in certain contexts. A single block of South University adjacent to Cen- tral Campus has more restaurants than the whole of North Campus. Perhaps half the late-night traffic on Broadway is pizza delivery vehicles smuggling contraband edibles onto campus, while long lunchtime lines for often sub-par food on North itself resemble those of 1980s Moscow. In fact, the Pierpont Commons base- ment is crony capitalism atits greas- iest, since the University essentially , auctions off fast food rights to the highest bidders. Supply-side economics for North Campus. * To fill the North Campus abyss, the University could start by permit- ting food carts there. It should also consider selling real estate at key locations, such as the parkinglots off Fuller Road, so that developers can meet demand for more stores and services there and the properties can contribute to Ann Arbor's tax base. As University Planner Susan Gott said, Ann Arbor might not need a second downtown like that of State Street, but the growth of the small shopping district at Plymouth Road and Murfin Avenue, which already contains a few excellent restaurants despite its distance from the cam- pus's core, indicates just how much of an afterthought North Campus's people are under current University policy. Changing that would make students a lot happier, which is in the direct interest of the Univer- sity. And heck, if new development brings a few bars within walking distance of the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, I'm sure not complaining. - Joel Batterman can be reached at jomba@umich.edu. to marry in all 50 states. On Monday, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signed a gay marriage bill, making Washington the sixth state to legalize same- sex marriage. Gay marriage is already legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Same-sex marriage is also legal in Washington, D.C. New Jersey's gay marriage bill, approved by the State Senate yesterday, was sent to Republican Gov. Chris Christie for his signature, though he is expected to veto it. The steps these states have taken toward equal marriage rights are commendable and a positive trend for our country. Michigan should not sit on the sidelines of progress. In addition to the states that have legalized same-sex marriage, there are 16 others that currently offer either civil unions or domes- tic partnerships. But Michigan is not follow- ing suit. On the contrary, on Dec. 22, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a ban forbidding state employees from receiving domestic partner benefits. It is inexcusable that while the rest of the country becomes increasingly tolerant, Michigan's legislature is inhibiting the rights of a minority. For those not convinced by the moral argu- ment for marriage equality, legalization of gay marriage helps the personal finances of the couples involved and benefits the economy at large. Married couples are privileged with joint finances and shared insurance, whereas unmarried couples end up paying extrafor these services because they are kept separate. Allowing same-sex couples to marry would make them more financially secure - some- thing that should be a priority in hard eco- nomic times. Some companies will resent having to cover additional spouses under their insurance plans, but the financial costs do not outweigh the moral implications of marriage equality. This should be no excuse to hinder marriage legalization. California's Proposition 8, which was a 2008 ballot measure banning same-sex marriage, was declared unconstitutional by a federal appeals court last week. The case will likely be brought to the Supreme Court where the justices will have a pivotal opportunity to pro- mote equal rights. The legality of the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 also has frequently been called into question. America's judiciary system should continue to take action against discriminatory laws such as this and stand up for equality. The time has come for America to fully accept gays as equal citizens. This is a question not of personal opinions or religious beliefs, but rather of the progression of society. Jim Crow laws are still in recent memory, and we shud- der at the ignorance and bigotry of those rac- ist policies. The present question of same-sex marriage puts us at a similar crossroads. Mich- igan needs to reverse its shift toward repress- ing same-sex couples. Michigan, along with the other 43 states that have yet to legalize same- sex marriage, should choose to be on the right side of history by taking action now. CONTRIBUTE TO THE COVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Both must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. Send submissions to tothedaily@michigandaily.com. Sit back and relax EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Laura Argintar, Kaan Avdan, Ashley Griesshammer, Nirbhay Jain, Jesse Klein, Patrick Maillet, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Harsha Panduranga, Timothy Rabb, Adrienne Roberts, Vanessa Rychlinski, Sarah Skaluba, Seth Soderborg, Caroline Syms, Andrew Weiner SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM Dibbern should waive FERPA and release records TO THE DAILY: It's time to hear the full story surrounding the Jennifer Dibbern case. Dibbern,withthehelpofGraduateEmploy- ees Organization, has publicly claimed her GSRA appointment ended because of her involvement in union-forming efforts. The University claims it ended because of poor academic performance. Due to FERPA - the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - the University has been prevented from releasing the full story to the public. We have heard from Jennifer's colleagues who claim she wasn't an effective researcher, but they don't have access to academic records, department files and records of conversa- tions between Dibbern and her advisors. These records can only become available if Dibbern waives her FERPA rights. I understand Dibbern wants to retain her' privacy, but this situation is being used as support for unionization, which will affect 2,200 current GRSAs and may affect GSRAs for years to come. Having chosen to make this matter public, all the facts are necessary. The key question is whether the Univer- sity's decision is academically justified or not. If this situation is as clear-cut as has been claimed, then certainly the release of all department files will back that up. While we understand and respect FERPA, these records need to be released so this issue can be properly examined. Dibbern cannot have it both ways. She cannot expect us to believe that she was unfairly dismissed while refusing to give all parties access to evidence that could support or refute her claims. If Dibbern and GEO are not playing a political game and really believe what they say, it is time to show their cards. If GEO intends to continue to making claims of intimidation, then Dibbern needs to waive her FERPA rights, and let us all see the whole story - not just the part of the story that Dibbern and her GEO colleagues choose to release. Steven Raiman Founder ofStudents Against GSRA Unionization Boeing 747s, security lines and seat belt signs are all things I associate with stress. Consid- ering air travel in my family has long consisted of frantic checks to make sure bags are prop- erly packed and three-ounce LEAH containers are tightly sealed, POTKIN the stress has certainly been justified. Well, apparently I'm not alone in my anxiety. Enough travel- ers share my concerns that a recent article in Time magazine announced the addition of a yoga room to the San Francisco Inter- national Airport to promote relax- ation during travel. Quite frankly, this is a lovely idea - props to San Francisco. But if airport travel causes enough stress to justify a room dedicated to relaxation, then college campuses certainly do too. In fact, with the winning mix of midterms, papers and job applications, I can't think of a place better fit for - or more in need of - such a calming space. Many students would agree that life on campus, though rewarding in its challenges, is at least as cha- otic as an airport, and certainly deserves a space dedicated to relax- ation. Thus, the University should follow in the footsteps of the inno- vative California airport, which converted a 150 square-foot stor- age room into an open space with chairs and yoga mats, and create public spaces for students to take study breaks and escape from the stresses of life on campus. To promote relaxation, the yoga room in San Francisco requests that visitors remove their shoes and refrain from bringing food, drinks or cell phones into the silent area. These requirements, referred to by the air- port as "Yoga Room Etiquette," cre- ate an environment of tranquility in an otherwise chaotic arena. In the same way a traveler could use the yoga room to de-stress after dealing with a particularly irritat- ing Travel Security Administration official, students could use relax- ation centers to relax during exams, after a long study session or even between classes. Sound mental health is vital for students' success here on campus. Having a convenient place to de- stress during the day, perhaps in the UGLi or Duderstadt, would benefit students immensely. Not only would students have the leisure of popping in for a quick mental break between classes, but they'd also have the benefit of a place where dissociation from their fast-paced lives is both possible and encouraged. And while the Univer- sity does already offer classes in meditation and yoga, students have to work these into their schedules - not on an as-needed basis. Keep- ing in mind that most students already lead very busy lives, the convenience of drop-in relaxation centers on campus would likely encourage students to take advan- tage of this resource more readily than if they had to schedule time into their days. Ann Arbor certainly has its fair share of yoga studios. I'd assume from the number of people I see double-fisting backpacks and yoga mats that they're popular, but these classes come at a price. All students should have access to places where they can center themselves free of charge, and the creation of relax- ation centers would quite easily allow for this. As the Time article mentioned, the yoga room in the airport doesn't include instructors or any additional amenities, and merely serves as an environment in which people are free of noise, commotion and other external stressors. And while the term "yoga room" might conjure up images of people in the downward dog position, a campus relaxation center would not be limited to yoga practices and could be used merely as a place to sit in silent meditation. Thus, creation of such spaces would require little effort on the Universi- ty's part, yet would benefit students in big ways. Not to mention, the benefits of relaxation practices, while already widely appreciated, are only recent- ly becoming better known, and dare I even say, trendy. With celebrities like Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres and Russell Brand promoting Transcen- dental Meditation, the popularity of such practices is no longer limited to the hippie, alternative type and will undoubtedly continue to grow. Students need quiet recharging spaces. So, while airports are certainly stressful, college campuses with- out a doubt rival them as places in need of some good old R&R. While some students may find it easy to relax either at home or in front of the television, many students would take comfort in having a convenient place here on campus to escape their everyday stress. The San Francisco International Airport is onto some- thing, and the University should fol- low in its footsteps. - Leah Potkin can be reached at lpotkin@umich.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @LeahPotkin. @UMichMemes Stop being creepily accurate about our lives. #procastination "" '" #needtostudyformidterms . -Ih My Ann Arbor: O " Eliana Fenyes explores the (G) men Pod iU f behind the music. A capella, that is. Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/The Podium :. ..Yy FOLLOW DAILY OPINION ON TWITTER Keep up with columnists, read Daily editorials, view cartoons and join in the debate. Check out @michdailyoped to get updates on Daily opinion content throughout the day. 1