The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Thursday, September 13, 2012 - 5A

The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, September13, 2012 - 5A

EFFORT
From Page 1A
has made significant progress in
cutting down on tobacco use, it
has become a neglected effort in
recent years.
"So many of my patients suf-
fered preventable suffering and
died preventable deaths from
tobacco dependence," he said, "So
it is very troubling right now in our
country - despite the fact that we
have had great progress in tobacco
control in recent decades - that
too many have taken this progress
for granted and have ruled their
attention elsewhere."
Additionally, he said current
data shows that the number of
young people who begin smok-
ing after age 18 has climbed from
600,000 annually a decade ago,
to nearly one million, noting that
approximately 25 percent of full-
time college students age 18-22
are smokers.
"In the face of these chal-
lenges, the Tobacco Free College
Campus Initiative that we are
launching today represents an
RANKINGS
From Page 1A
and World Report - it's where
we've been ... we move up and
down occasionally one or two
numbers from year to year. It real-
ly doesn't mean much," Fitzgerald
said.
Fitzgerald said he believes that
while rankings can be interest-
ing to examine, they are limited
in their ability to capture the full
profile of a uhiversity. He added
that it's often more advanta-
geous for students to focus on the
strength of a particular program
they are interested in, rather than
the overall rankings of a univer-
sity.
"It's always good to see where
you sit in comparison to other
schools, but we really don't think
that ... it's the best measure of
qualityof an institution," Fitzger-
ald said. "We think, for example,
in our position, that the quality of
the faculty (is a) better indicator
of the quality."
UNIONS
From Page 1A
graduate students at Brown Uni-
versity are students, not employ-
ees, and thus cannot unionize.
"Without any new facts or com-
pelling reason, the board is recon-
sidering (the Brown) decision
and contemplating whether to
abandon policies that have helped
advance learning experience of
graduate students nationwide," he
said.
Roe also discussed a recent
NLRB ruling that significantly
sped up the union creation pro-
cess.
"The board's ambush election
scheme would leave graduate stu-
dents struggling to keep up with
their studies and the demands of
their professors," Roe said. "Just
10 days to decide whether they
want to join a union."
U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx
(R-N.C.), chairwoman of the
higher education subcommit-
tee, said she was once a graduate

assistant and ALSO advised many
SMOKE-FREE
From Page 1A
level of respect. I think that's
tremendously important."
Kenneth Warner, co-chair of
the Smoke-Free University Steer-
ing Committee and former dean
of the School of Public Health,
said though the new program
has been effective, problems are
bound to arise with the imple-
mentation of any new policy.
"I don't see a whole lot of
smoking on campus, (but) I do
see it occasionally," Warner said.
"There are laws against drunk
driving, but people drive drunk
... There is no policy of any con-
sequence that is not violated to
some extent."
While people still smoke on
campus, Winfield said the policy
has visually lessened the num-


opportunity," he said. "Campus
policies, such as the ones that you
enjoy here at the University of
Michigan can protect health and
support tobacco-free living for
some 20 million students who are
enrolled in institutes of higher
learning."
He called the new program an
important historical collabora-
tion between public and private
officials dedicated to promoting
a smoke-free culture that will
become a new "social norm."
"The goals are very important
for public health in our country,
and the outcomes are tangible
and very relevant," Koh said.
Coleman - who helped pio-
neer the smoke-free movement on
campusbycreatingthe MHealthy
program in 2003, an organization
dedicated to improving health
and well-being at the University
- said the decision to enact the
policy was "very deliberate and
very methodical."
"It has tobe a concerted effort,
that brings together all voices and
all concerns of a campus commu-
nity," Coleman said.
Over the course of two years,
The Ross School of Business is
tied at number three for under-
graduate business school with
UC Berkeley's Haas School of
Business, and the University Law
School is ranked 10th nationally,
down from seventh last year.
According to its website, U.S.
News and World Report uses a
widely accepted ranking method
in which it considers up to 16
factors it believes to accurately
measure academic excellence,
including graduation rates, reten-
tion rates and quality of teaching
faculty. M
While schools inevitably strive
for high rankings, there is vary-
ing opinion among students as to
whether the U.S. News and World
Report rankings are helpful.
For Kinesiology junior Michael
Freedman, numbers did notcplay a
large role in his application deci-
sion. Freedman said he believes
that putting too much focus on
rankings can be misleading given
that high-ranked schools might
not offer a particular major or
social life.
during her time working in higher
education as the president of May-
land Community College in North
Carolina.
"I understand the value of the
system as it currently works," she
said. "The cost and uncertainty
associated with the proliferation
of unionization among graduate
students could force institutions
to curb, or even shut down, gradu-
ate student assistant programs."
Peter Weber, dean of Brown
University's graduate school,
spoke as a witness at the meeting
and claimed that graduate assis-
tants are primarily students.
He said that having graduate
assistants teach is a vital learning
opportunity that prepares them
for future employment.
"I am quite certain that defin-
ing Brown's graduate students
as employees would damage the
very fabric of graduate education
at Brown University and many
private institutions of learning,"
Weber said.
Christian Sweeney, deputy
director of the AFL-CIO's Orga-

nizing Department, disagreed

Coleman, along with Winfield
and Kenneth Warner, then-dean
of the School of Public Health,
worked to develop the program,
using feedback from students,
staff and faculty.
"As a community we have
worked hard to reduce cigarette
smoking and to become a smoke-
free campus," Coleman said.
"More important than working
hard though, is that we've worked
together."
Rackham student Ishwarya
Venkat said in an interview after
the event that she believes the
University's smoke-free initiative
has been critical in establishing a
healthier campus environment.
"I think it's really important
that we have a healthy environ-
ment to live and study in," she
said.
She added that she foresees
the Tobacco-Free College Cam-
pus Initiative being successful
and making a national impact if
approached effectively.
"If it's implemented in the right
way I see itcbeing very successful.
We have the ability to create an
impact," she said.
Freedman added that he is
satisfied with the University's
current ranking because he feels
the school does an effective job of
offering students a diverse expe-
rience, from quality academics to
athletics.
However, for LSA freshman
Christopher Bransburg the rank-
ings offered helpful insight to his
potential college choices.
"I think (the rankings are) a
relatively significant portion of
college admissions because it
gives you the opportunity to look
ahead and maybe see what is the
potential that the school has and
what exactly does it lack," Brans-
burg said.
Despite the drop, Bransburg
said he feels this year's rankings
portray the high caliber of educa-
tion the University offers.
"Would I like it to be better?
Yes," Bransburg said. "Would
I like to say that I came from a
school that was ranked number
three or number one? Yes. But
29th out of the nation, I think
that's really good."
with Weber's assessment.
Sweeney said graduate assis-
tants have many issues, from
workplace safety to health insur-
ance, that only unionization is
essential in helping to fix.
"The notion that the NLRB or
Big Labor is somehow pushing its
way into academia is misguided,"
Sweeney said. "In fact, the oppo-
site is true. Workers in academia
are reaching out to unions in large
numbers."
At the University, the Gradu-
ate Employees Organization
attempted to unionize graduate
student research assistants, but its
attempts were unsuccessful after
the state Legislature passed a law,
signed by Republican Gov. Rick
Snyder, earlier this year that pro-
hibited GSRAs from organizing.
The unionization struggle
divided University leaders as
the Democratically controlled
Board of Regents supported the
unionization efforts despite the
objections of University Presi-
dent Mary Sue Coleman, Provost
Philip Hanlon and nearly all of

the University's deans.


The Bernstein Bus drives stops in Lansing for the Michigan Democratic Convention.
BUS tion," Bernstein said. "It couldn't As
BUS g1be a fancy Mitt Romney bus ... it st
From Page 1A had to be a classic, iconic, public pa
school bus, because it delivers to
four states - including Nevada, the message about education Di
Colorado and Nebraska - that very powerfully."
hold elections for positions to Ultimately, the Bernstein Bus @
public university boards. The is meant to serve as what Bern- er
others boards in other states stein calls a "spectacle" designed
are appointed by governors, in to capture attention and get peo- th
an attempt to avoid ill-informed ple talking about his campaign. he
voting on positions with that "The traditional approach to
voters often know little about. running this kind of campaign sc
Bernstein said his inspiration is to fight for the nomination and ne
for the bus came from the late then do virtually nothing ... that it's
Minnesota Senator Paul Well- is not my strategy," Bernstein a<
stone who campaigned for U.S. said. "My strategy is to run a co- we
Senate in a green school bus in active, aggressive, hardworking, M
the 1990s. Bernstein added that highly-visible campaign and the
the signature success of his own bus helps me accomplish this." es
bus derives from its association In addition to using the bus to ca
with the public school system. garner votes, Bernstein has also or
"This specific type of school been among the most active can-
bus is an iconic symbol of educa- didate on Facebook and Twitter. M

FACEBOOK
s of Wednesday evening, Bern-
ein has 4,257 likes on his cam-
ign Facebook page, compared
Steele's 255. Horning and
ggs do not have election pages.
Similarly, his Twitter account
MGoBernstein has 689 follow-
rs.
LSA senior Kellen McCoy said
e bus successfully captured
r attention and interest.
"I mean, any brightly colored
hool bus would probably gar-
r some attention. But, I think
s a clever twist on the idea of
campaign bus, and I love the
ords on the door of the bus,"
cCoy added.
University alum Angeles Men-
es said seeing the bus on the
mpaign trail was out of the
dinary.
"It is very eye-popping,"
eneses said.

Clinton appears subdued
after convention speech

Former president
avoids harsh
criticism of GOP
after Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The
free-wheeling and fiery Bill
Clinton who stole the show at
the Democratic Party's conven-
tion showed up in Florida this
week far more subdued.
The former president's tem-
perament appeared designed
to match the moment. Clinton's
campaign swing on behalf of
President Barack Obama coin-
cided with two somber occa-
sions: the anniversary of the
Sept. 11 attacks and the tumul-
tuous events in Libya that left
four American diplomats dead.
In a nod to the tragedies,
Clinton muted much of his
direct criticism of Republi-
can presidential nominee Mitt
Romney during campaign ral-
lies in Miami and Orlando. But
he did draw sharp and detailed
contrasts between Obama and
Republicans on a myriad of
policies, including health care,
education and the debt.
Clinton never mentioned
the deaths of the Americans in
Libya, perhaps trying to avoid
interfering with the delicate
diplomacy his wife, Secretary
of State Hillary Rodham Clin-
ton, was dealing with back in
Washington.
Chris Stevens, U.S. ambas-
sador to Libya, and three dip-
lomats were killed Tuesday as
protesters overran and burned
the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
Clinton drew about 4,300
people to the two events in
Florida, building on his well-
received address at last week's
Democratic convention.
"What works is cooperation.
What fails is constant conflict,"
he said Wednesday in Orlando.
Clinton was talking about
Obama's economic vision, but
he might as well have been
talking about the complex rela-
tionship between the two men.
They may not be close friends,
but Obama and Clinton have
bonded over the shared expe-
rience of the presidency. And
they've largely healed their
divisions from the 2008 Demo-
cratic primary when Obama
defeated the former president's
wife.
But their freshly minted

political alliance comes with
risks for both men.
Clinton risks denting his
sky-high favorability ratings
by jumping back into the politi-
cal fray. He learned that lesson
when he campaigned for his
wife in 2008 and came across at
times as angry and out of touch
with the current political land-
scape.
Some Democrats fear that
the popular Clinton could over-
shadow Obama. A new Pew
Research Center poll found
that 29 percent of those sur-
veyed said Clinton's convention
speech was the highlight of the
party gathering, while just 16
percent called Obama's speech
the highlight.
Clinton won praise for deliv-
ering a forceful defense of the
president's economic policies
and pressing the need for him
to serve a second term. But the
convention address revived
a nagging frustration among
Democrats who can't under-
stand why Obama hasn't been
able to make that case more
clearly himself.
"Sometimes Obama speaks
at a level that is only for the col-
lege-educated," said Ray Vera,
a Florida Democrat. Vera said
Clinton's convention speech
compelled him to come see the
former president speak Tues-
day at an Obama campaign rally
in Miami.
Unlike Obama, Vera said,
Clinton speaks "with such calm
and confidence" and in ways the
average person can understand.
Obama himself joked this
week that someone recom-
mended he name Clinton "sec-
retary of explaining stuff."
The president's aides either
dismiss the risks that come with
joining forces with Clinton or
say they're worth taking
With Clinton, first lady
Michelle Obama and Vice Presi-
dent Joe Biden at its disposal,
the president's campaign now
has three popular and persua-
sive surrogates who can fan
out across battleground states.
And Clinton shines with groups
Obama sometimes struggles
to connect with, particularly
working-class whites and older
voters.
In a true sign of Clinton's
popularity, Romney has decid-
ed not to try to fight against the
former president. Instead, he's
trying to use him to highlight
for voters what he says Obama

is lacking.
"I think he really did elevate
the Democrat convention in a
lot of ways," Romney said Sun-
day on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"And, frankly, the contrast may
not have been as attractive
as Barack Obama might have
preferred if he were choosing
who'd go before him and who'd
go after."
Unlike Obama, Romney can't
call on his party's last occupant
of the White House in this elec-
tion. Former President George
W. Bush remains a polarizing
figure and Romney is seeking
to distance himself from many
of Bush's policies, both for-
eign and domestic. Bush didn't
attend the Republican conven-
tion and isn't expected to have
any role in the fall campaign.
Clinton, on the other hand,
is expected to campaign for
Obama frequently between
now and November. He's likely
to return to Florida again and
is also expected to campaign in
Ohio, Virginia and Iowa.
Obama's team has also put
Clinton, a prolific fundraiser,
to work helping them close
their money gap with Rom-
ney. Obama and Clinton have
teamed up for two campaign
fundraisers, and the former
president is also helping Priori-
ties USA Action, the struggling
Obama "super" political action
committee, raise funds.
It's also something of a turn-
around for Clinton, who left
office with positive approval
ratings for his handling of the
presidency but negative ones
for his personal character.
In a January 2001 Gallup/
CNN/USA Today poll, 65 per-
cent of Americans said they
approved of the way Clinton
was handling "his job as presi-
dent," while just 41 percent said
that they approved "of Clinton
as a person."
Fast-forward to the pres-
ent: A Gallup poll released
last week showed Clinton was
viewed favorably by 69 percent
of Americans, including 43 per-
cent of Republicans and 68 per-
cent of independents. That's his
highest favorability rating in
polls back to 1993.
Clinton, of course, has his
own motivations for his full-
throated support of Obama's
campaign. Those close to him
say it's no secret he'd like to
help pave the way for another
presidential run for his wife.


ber of smokers, especially near
the Michigan Union, the Michi-
gan League and other prominent
buildings.
"Not only has the visual count
of people who are smoking
dropped, but the amount of ciga-
rette butts in many of these (pop-
ular) locations has dropped,"
Winfield said.
Marsha Benz, a health edu-
cator at the University Health
Service, said there are programs
available at UHS through the
Tobacco Consultation Service for
smokers at trying to nix the habit.
Along with behavioral coun-
seling services, Benz said TCS
and UHS offer free nicotine
replacement products, such as
patches and gum, to help smok-
ers hoping to quit.
Though LSA junior Miranda
Kahn acknowledged the envi-
ronmental benefits associated

with the smoking ban, she said
the choice to smoke should ulti-
mately be made by each person.
"It promotes healthy environ-
ment and promotes clearing the
air, but in the sense of the issue of
free will, that can also be some-
thing that is in conflict," Kahn
said. "I believe that if someone
chooses to smoke that is their
own personal choice."
Kahn said her friend was once
reprimanded for smoking outside
a library, and Kahn thought the
breach of protocol was handled
effectively.
"He came back saying that a
couple of people had come up to
him, advising him of the rules,"
she said. "I thought that was
great that there were people
who were being verbal about
(the smoke-free policy) and they
were expressing to him their con-
cern."

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