4 - Tuesday, February 12, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4~ ~ i ic ia - usa, eray 2 03 h ihga al -mcianalp Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF Unsigned editorials reflectthe official position of the Daily's editorialboard. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. EPO)M TH LA ' Funding the future Gov. Snyder needs to redirect budget emphasis on education M ichigan Gov. Rick Snyder's newly unveiled budget for fis- cal year 2014 calls for a slight raise in funding for higher education - a 2-percent increase from the last year. While the increase seems like a good move on the surface, modest growth in education spending comes after large cuts that occurred over the past two years, including a staggering 15-percent cut for 2012 and a 3-per- cent reduction the year before. While Snyder's increase in education funding recognizes the need to invest in this area after two years of hard cuts, his desired increase isn't sufficient enough to be effective. The longest odds offered by the bookie are 1,000 to 1 on the Irish singer Bono, who is not Catholic, and the Irish television star Father Dougal Maguire, who is not real." - The New York Times published the odds of the next pope selection as listed on the bookmaking website Paddy Power after Pope Benedict XVI announced his retirement Monday. Be mine, me " 0 Snyder's billincludes a 2-percent increase for both higher education and community colleges. State universities and community colleges are both funded on performance-based measure- ments. Universities' performances are based on the number of federal Pell Grant recipients they have, undergraduate degree completions and adherence to tuition-cost restraint. Snyder plans to have $100 million in bonds to allocate to universities that try to increase graduation rates and the number of students enrolled in engineering. For community colleges, $8.5 mil- lion will be distributed to those that increase degrees in critical skills areas. Because of Snyder's previous cuts, a 2-per- cent increase - which may not keep pace with inflation - is not enough. As Michigan con- tinues to suffer from a brain-drain effect - or the widespread emigration of highly skilled individuals - a larger focus must be placed on sustainable education. Michigan needs a larger increase in higher education to stay nationally and globally competitive, improve the econo- my in the future and make up for the cuts of the last two years. Snyder's budget also calls for incentives in the state's community colleges, offering $8.5 million for local colleges that produce gradu- ates in science, technology, ingineering and mathematics fields. However, these incentives should be expanded to four-year institutions. Larger universities also struggle with produc- ing majors in these so-called "critical areas." By expanding these incentive programs to bigger state intuitions, Snyder can ensure the innova- tion that he championed for in his campaign. Increasing the number of graduates who stay in the state must also become a goal for Snyder. In 2009, only 24.6 percent of Michi- gan's population held a bachelor's degree or higher. The governor could look into other ideas, like tax incentives for college gradu- ates who stay in state - a policy Maine has adopted. Other states, most notably Penn- sylvania, have thought of forgiving student loans for those graduates who decide to work in state. Gov. Snyder needs to look at more efficient ways of improving and utilizing edu- cation in Michigan. Snyder has started, slowly but surely, to increase education funding. His proposedbud- get does call for increases, but the increases are insignificantcompared to the cutshe has made in the past. He also lacks ideas about ways to improve college education in Michigan and should be working to keep recent graduates in state. Snyder must be more ardent in his plans to better Michigan's education. 'm throwing a "Jumanji"- themed party on Valentine's Day. For those unlucky souls who've never ' seen it, "Juman- ji" is a 1995 children's flick about a magic board game that puts partici- ANDREW pants in jungle- ECKHOUS themed danger after every roll of the dice. Roll a two and you may find your home infested with mur- derous vines. Finish the game and all of your troubles disappear. I didn't choose this theme as a method of flipping love the bird, and I'm not trying to say that rela- tionships are plagued with the same arbitrary pitfalls as a turn in "Jumanji." Rather, I want to redefine what Valentine's Day can be. Last week, my housemate Dave and I had a disagreement about Valentine's Day traditions. He con- cluded that Valentine's Day should be about loving yourself, not oth- ers. He obviously put quite a bit of thought into his argument, as he methodically outlined his rationale. It boiled down to three points: 1) Too many people spend an inordinate amount of time cultivating a public image and neglectingthemselves; 2) Even though we're constantly think- ing about ourselves, it's often times stressful (i.e. grades, job/internship applications); and 3)1f we can't love orselves,-then we can't love'others. Why take a day to love others when most people don't have time for themselves? Though I rarely waste my time pontificating on the meaning of Valentine's Day, Dave's arguments made me think. While there aren't any indices that accurately quan- tify any of his three points, there are trends in our culture that seem to bolster his assertions. While casting social media as Satan's tool to destroy our grammar and our confidence is far too easy, there are some legitimately nega- tive side effects that support Dave's first point. Facebook and the never- ending quest for 'likes' expose the lengths to which our obsession with perception has gone. There's a suf- focating need for ubiquitous expo- sure. Posting PhotoBooth selfies and pictures from a weekend in Chicago may seem self-indulgent, but it's also a strategic attempt to impress one's virtual friends. Is thatany differentthan the past? Not really. People have always been presenting themselves strategically, and they always will. But now it's constant. Between Facebook, Twit- ter and Instagram, I can manipu- late my image all day, every day, and that can be both stressful and exhausting. There's a reason studies have shown that social media can increase anxiety and insecurity. Dave's second point seems valid as well. As a second-semester senior, I can attest that every week, I devote hours to stressing about jobs, school- work and the added burden of check- ing every box on my 'before I leave Ann Arbor' checklist. It's hard to find time for myself, and after three years of hearing similar complaints from nearly all of my friends, I know I'm not the only one. Many of us are overstressed, run- ning on a diet of caffeine during the week and alcohol during the week- end. We're overexerting ourselves, but we're constantly reminded that we could be doing more. The Sha- piro Undergraduate Library is now open 24 hours a day, so why aren't you studying all night? Want a bet- ter GPA? Just spend about ten min- utes searching for Adderall - it's that easy. Instead let's celebrate our surroundings and ourselves. As for the last point, take that with a grain of salt. "How can you love someone if you don't love yourself" is a common piece of folk psychology, but what does it mean? Why couldn't you love your- self through loving others? Studies have shown that committing acts of kindness for others positively affects one's own self-worth, illus- tratingthat loving others can be the key to loving one's self. Dave's phrasing may be off for the final point; but the sentiment sum- marizes his argument. In order to enjoy ourselves, we must understand what makes us tick. Find your pas- sion and immerse yourself in it. Your sanity will thank you. Valentine's Day doesn't need to be another day of stress. For those who enjoy the romantic side of Saint Val- entine, go for it. But I think I'mgoing to take a big step back and focus on me (and no, that's not a double- entendre). Valentine's Day should celebrate love, but why should we limit it to romantic love? Instead, let's redefine the day to celebrate lov- ing your surroundings and yourself. I promise that my passion-doesn't revolve around reenacting Jumanji scenes. But right now, it's exactly what I want to do. And if it makes me happy, then why not celebrate it? - Andrew Eckhous can be reached at aeckhous@umich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Patrick Maillet, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Jasmine McNenny, Harsha Nahata, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Sarah Skaluba, Michael Spaeth, Luchen Wang, Derek Wolfe EAGHAN DAVIS AND TAYLOR-RYAN NEDD I A forUM for Michigan Bleeding Blue: Are you not sure what to feel about Michigan becoming the 24th right-to-work state? Joe Paone gives the liberal take on this new law. podium Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/The Podium Is just anothe day 0 A university education means we belong to a community. We learn with each other, but also from each other. From our many perspec- tives and experiences, we challenge ourselves to be better students and better people. This is why we're among the 'Leaders and Best.' This process of education produces leadership in a multitude of ways. As tuition rises, students are paying more and more to a student government that gives back less and less. We aim to change that. We are forUM, a new party and a new idea: From our different pasts we come together as one voice for the future so we can make profound, long-lasting improvements to our campus community. We're led by students who come from a wide range of academic and extracurricular interests, a diverse set of backgrounds and a vast array of skills and beliefs. We hold these qualities to be assets - tools tested by the fires of our passions - forged in the belief that we might allay what divides us into an alloy of what unites us. ForUM is running LSA junior Chris Osborn for president and LSA junior Hayley Sakwa for vice president of the University's Central Student Government. We chose them because they represent the best of the University and the best of our ideals. Osborn currently serves as CSG treasurer and has a financial prowess incomparable to any other student on campus. This is criti- cally important in understanding the intrica- cies of an organization like CSG, where he has successfully managed a $700,000 budget and overseen 22 commissions. He's a proven leader who deeply cares about this institution and will do right by students as he has done time and time again. Sakwa volunteers her time in a variety of roles, including at University of Michigan Hillel and in the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. In 2011, she founded the Jewish Detroit Initiative, engaging University stu- dents with city residents throughsocial action, education and.fun. She's committed to foster- ing a culturally inclusive university. Now, we don't pretend to have all the answers. Butthe oneswe dohave, we think, are the best. These are the planks of our platform: Equity: We would liketo see a student rep- resentative on the Board of Regents. Many other university boards have student represen- tation, and we believe it's time our university did too. Our 40,000-plus student population deserves one seat at the table. Accessibility: We'll advocate for an increase in healthful food options on cam- pus - especially the year-round availability of fresh produce. We think it'd be a great idea to make the MFarmers Market a permanent institution, and perhaps open a caf4 dedicated to fresh, local ingredients. Synergy: Wait times and paperwork at University Health Service are a nightmare. Let's simplify things by putting critical infor- mation - lists of medications and allergies, blood types and health insurance - onto our Mcards, so we can swipe in instead. The Uni- versity figured out how to use an Mcard at TCF ATMs; surely this isn't beyond ourreach. Efficiency; We propose a common applica- tion for student organization funding, taking the current 15 or so down to one. This will reduce paperwork, increase transparency and smooth students' frustrations greatly. Diversity: Finally, we must not forget that these are just our ideas. We'd like to hear yours. The strength of our university has always been measured as much in the diverse perspective students bring as it has in the results they come up with. Following this model, we'd like to use CSG as a medium to foster collaboration between diverse student groups on campus. If you think we'd be a good fit for you, and you for us, come to our mass meeting next Tuesday, Feb. 19 in 3330 Mason Hall at 6 p.m. We're individuals whose record of leadership is second only to our conviction that a just and more equitable university requires new lead- ers and new ideas. We believe that the change we seek is greater than the sum of our own differences - that this idea binds us all to this new forUM for student government. Fortune favors the bold. Join us. Eaghan Davis is an LSA junior, and Taylor-Ryan Nedd is an LSA sophomore. "( ouldyou be free to meet up some time later this week?" I click to my Google Calen- dar tab, scan over the week and quickly type back, "How does Thursday night sound?" I have no plans for that HEMA evening, and I KARUNA- figure it'll be a KARAM great time to schedule a casu- al meeting. Unfortunately, meetings usu- ally involve more than one person, and apparently I've made a terrific blunder. For those of you who haven't yet recognized my gaffe, this Thursday is Valentine's Day. Andbytheunspoken rules thatnguide-us throughthe social labyrinth that is college, I should be spending that day either canoodling with a romantic interest, commiser- ating with single friends or celebrat- ing rebellion against all Hallmark holidays. Canoodling, commiserat- ing or celebrating. There is no fourth option; there is no room for arbitrary meetings that don't acknowledge the significance of Feb. 14. And what is it about the 14th day of the second month each year that floods shops, restaurants and our newsfeeds with infinite references to all things pink and romantic? Leg- ends abound referencing Pagan tra- ditions, Christian martyrology and Shakespearean literature - but none of these things should dictate when we do or don't celebrate our feelings. Whether we support or denounce it, why do we bother giving in to the holiday at all? If you're in a relationship of any sort,youmostlikelyhavebetterdates to celebrate: birthdays, anniversaries or perhaps the first time you locked eyes across the Diag? Instead of giv- ing in to the Valentine's hype, it'd be far more meaningful to do special things on some other, more personal- ly significant day. And if you're of the party who prefers to celebrate Sin- gle's Awareness Day - your relation- ship status probably won't change in the vicinity of Feb. 14, so why choose to acknowledge it on this day spe- cifically? The need to do something in honor of one's relationship status seems far too arbitrary. But perhaps all of this has been said too often. Increasingly, the new trend is to shun such traditions alto- gether and rebel against the holiday. But choosing to not wear red, to not go out to a nice dinner, to not wish your friends a nice holiday, is still acknowledging that something's happening on Feb. 14 and you just don't wantto be a part of it.-- Whether you're canoodling, com- miserating or celebrating, what difference does the date make? Whatever your choice may be, you can do this on any other day of the year too. And, likewise, things like meetings shouldn't need to be rescheduled just because it's Feb. 14. Yes, some people callithis Valentine's Day; some people call it Single's Awareness Day; but some people, like me, think it shouldn't make a difference in the way we, lead our lives, one way or another. It doesn't matter whether I'm single or taken on Feb.14. So where will I be this Thursday? Maybe you'll spot me on a date at a fancy restaurant. Or maybe you'll find me getting late-night dessert with my roommate. Maybe, like last year, you'll discover that I'm watch- ing a decidedly un-romantic movie (read: American Pie) with a decid- edly single friend. And maybe, I'll be holed up in the stacks all alone, studyingformyupcomingmidterms. This Thursday, it doesn't really matter where I am or who I'm with. It doesn't matter whether I'm single or taken, whether I'm wearing red or black, whether I'm enjoying gift- ed chocolates or a cheap midnight burrito - at least, not more than it would any other day of the year. If none of these things matter to you, great. Feb. 14 is just another day of the year. So let there be no Val- entine's Day. And if they do matter, that's fine too. Feb. 14 is just another day of the year, so let every day be Valentine's Day. - Hema Karunakaram can be reached at khema@umich.edu.