4A - Thursday, February 14, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4A - Thursday, February 14, 2013 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 MELANIE KRUVELIS and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF 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. 4Adios, espaiol? Michigan students need a globalized learning experience tn a stunning blow to education and diversity, state Rep. Phil Potvin introduced a bill that would remove foreign language requirements in high schools earlier this month. Potvin argued that Michigan's current curriculum standards, which began to include world languages in graduation requirements in 2010, "forces kids into frustration," which pushes students to drop out of high school. While Potvin believes his bill will protect Michigan's students, in reality, his proposal will do exactly the opposite. If Michigan legislators wish to keep the state's students competitive in both college admissions and the job market, they shouldn't pass Potvin's bill. Foreign language must remain a top priority for educators and students in the state. I think it just shows that while Americans are united in their support for the Second Amendment, it needs to go hand in hand with keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals." - Zach Pohl, executive director of Progress Michigan, said in response to a EPIC-MRA poll conducted last week. The poll showed that a majority of Michiganders support ban on assault weapons and background checks. Love it or leave it, it's V-Day ike other stereotypes, the reflect my personal tastes. fool around with in the little spare assumptions about women This year I've finally broken my time we have. on Valentine's Day do reflect own constant dating cycle, and To be clear, it's not that I hold morsels of the being on my own sounds refresh- any resentment for Valentine's Day truth. Some- ing. I also know I'm not the only as a concept. Despite the flack this where there's single lady who's throwing her holiday has gotten over the years - a girl weeping hands up with the joy of glossing it's been called a capitalist scheme into a pint of over Valentine's Day traditions. rigged by Hallmark, a day to cel- New York Super When I asked an unattached friend ebrate heteronormative behavior Fudge Chunk ( how she planned on celebratingthe and a day to make single people as she watches day, she said she was going to treat feel like sneaker gum - I bet it's Meg Ryan mov- EMILY herself, which would include buy- great for those who are turned on les and wishes PITTINOS ing herself gifts and dinner wher- by the idea of classic romance. 0i Under the curriculum changes implement- ed in 2010, Michigan students are required to take at least two credits of a language other than English inorder to graduate high school. While this was a good step in ensuring global education for Michigan's students, foreign language classes should be implemented from an even younger age - which many schools already offer - and certainly not done away with all together. Though researchers dis- agree on the specific time when studying a foreign language becomes more difficult, most agree that before puberty is the best time to learn a new language. The brain plas- ticity theory argues that the younger the brain, the more receptive it is to learning a new language. These studies suggest that foreign language studies would be more suc- cessful at younger ages, ensuring that these classes would no longer be a "frustration," as Potvin contends. Many colleges, public and private alike, require a foreign language when a student is applying., At the University, for example, two years of high-school foreign language is requited for consideration, while four years are highly recommended by the Office of Admissions. Often, high-school students don't begin finalizing future plans until later in their high-school career, when it's too late to begin a four-year foreign language require- ment for an application. By keeping, and even expanding the foreign language requirement in Michigan public schools, students would be more prepared for college when the time comes. Furthermore, for students who don't plan on immediately 'entering higher educa- tion, foreign language skills are critical in the workforce. According to Euro London, a multi- lingual recruitment agency, bilingual workers can expect to earn 10 to 15 percent more than English-only speakers. Whether it's the U.S. government or international business, experi- ence in multiple languages attracts countless employers, throughout the world. Removing this requirement in Michigan schools will not protect Michigan students as Potvin argues; rather, it will only make them less desirable to both universities and employers. The foreign language curriculum in Michi- gan public schools should be reviewed to make sure that the classes teach more than vocabu- lary. Foreign language classes offer students an opportunity to engage in cultures that don't otherwise fit into the high school curriculum. World language educators have an opportunity to breakstereotypes, and explore identities that Michigan students may not otherwise experi- ence. Michigan's current language require- ments can offer students exposure to different cultures - and it would be ill-conceived to remove that opportunity. she were at Sava's with the strappingguy who will never notice her. There's also a woman going bananas over a heart-shaped box of chocolates with a pair of diamond earrings hidden inside. But the Valentine's Day dog and pony show isn't necessarily for everyone. Asa recovering serial dater, I've experienced a variety of these cel- ebrations ranging from the nice to the terrible. My most memorable one was when I was 14 and my first boyfriend pulled out all the stops. He got me jewelry and chocolates, and played his own arrangement of "All the Things You Are" on his trom- bone, but by the end of the day he was crying while he rubbed my feet. I don't remember what triggered his breakdown - maybe it was the day's pressure or his deep-seeded oddness - but I do remember my toes were wet with tears and that moment set the tone for my future run-ins with classic romance. You could argue that this experi- ence was a fluke, and if I were with someone else then the schmaltz of it all wouldn't have failed me. But that wasn't the only Valentine's Day I've had that ended with a cry instead of a bang, and I've since learned that the holiday's expectations don't ever she wanted. It's possible that people who believe in the one-fits-all stereo- types might think the day she described sounds like a way to cover up her tragic loneliness with material goods and eaten feelings. However, if you've met my friend, you'd know that she's actually a super sexy, independent catch who - despite her mother's incessant skepticism - has no interest in a relationship, let alone being pam- pered by a dude on Valentine's Day. "I'm excited," she said while - snacking on a box of crackers in our kitchen. "I deserve it." Another friend of mine said she's also over the world of chocolate and flowers, and even monoga- mous sex. "I just want something casual," she wrote via Facebook Chat. "Nothing uber-romantic, that would be soooo uncomfortable." She's also not alone on this one. It seems like a lot of women my age, myself included, aren't only disinterested with the connota- tions of Feb. 14, but the involve- - ment thatgoes along with the kind of relationship that demands some- thing special out of the day. When it comes down to it, women like us are too busy for commitment and just want someone to hang out and The Valentine's Day dog and pony show isn't necessarily for everyone. So, if you're currently in love and jazzed about the Valentine's Day you have planned, then that's swell. If you got the reservations at the fancy restaurant with the tinfoil swans, and have 50 bucks' worth of rose petals in the fridge and the stars aligned with your period so you can tear off your partner's clothes and make sweet, clean love, that's awesome. Go for it. Just remember that if a girl is skipping out on the Valentine's Day hype, there's a detent chance that it's her choice. She doesn't need to be pitied or told it's just another day on the calendar because you never know - she might be reserving that time for rewarding her daily hard work with a shoppingspree and some casual carnal activity. - Emily Pittinos can be reached at pittinos@umich.edu. 0l BARRY BELMONT I Parlez-vous Python? 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 Kepi progressive Foreign language requirements in public schools are too restrictive. House Bill 5534, currently in the Michigan legislature, would do away with them entirely, shifting educa- tion focuses to more vocational opportunities. This legislation is misguided for a number of reasons. Learning a foreign language has been shown to have cognitive advantages, and it exposes students to cultures and basic college prerequisites. Not only should foreign language requirements remain in Michigan, but they should be expanded to include pro- gramming languages. Any definition of "language" is likely to include points on translating signifiers into signs into symbols (letters and words) that can be arranged and rearranged by certain rules (syntax and grammar) to communicate a mes- sage. Languages are tools of communication. Were they not adequate mediums of expression, languages would have begun and ended in the grunts of our ancestors, never having risen to' their place amongthe chief accomplishments of the human race. So engrained in our minds are the effects of language that we have a hard time picturing our lives without them - from speak- ing to, writing, thinking to doing, languages pervade nearly every aspect of everything we do. This is entirely true of programming lan- guages as well. And yet there is reticence to expanding for- eign language requirements to include com- puter languages. Some contend that foreign language requirements should only extend to human languages spoken predominantly in other countries. There are three main argu- ments to this point: one, learning a language that's spoken by a large portion of the popula- tion opens up more possibilities; two, there's a deeper and more meaningful "cultural" signifi- cance conferred by spoken human languages; and three, programming languages are con- structed and are therefore more "artificial" than other languages. Let's consider these points in reverse order. All human language is human-made and arbi- trary distinctions made in favor of a preferred language smack of warrantless elitism. Fur- thermore, while history does bestow a certain cultural inertia to many traditional languages, to automatically dismiss the modes of thinking, types of expression and social aspects of pro- gramming misses a significant reason why we should try to learn second languages. And final- ly, there are millions of programmers across the world whose words have global effects; after all, the Internet is nothingshort of the collected works of countless coding authors. Program- ming languages matter. Eventhe U.S.government agrees.Inhis State of the Union address, President Barack Obama reiterated a point that his administration has stressed time and again: The country is in dire need of computer scientists, technicians and engineers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics pre- dicts that there will be more than two-million additional jobs requiring computer specializa- tions by 2020. How will these demands be met with such a dearth in supply? We need people who can speak these languages. Without being able to communicate with professionals in a field - without understanding how computers, servers and just about every electronic device on the planet uses language to operate - there's quite literally little to be said on the matter. We simply cannot solve our problems if we don't know how to convey them. Beyond the real-world applicability of learning a programming language as a second language, there are pedagogical benefits. Pro- gramming languages have fairly loin barriers to entry in that one's thoughts can be translated quite easily from one's primary language. This easy translation is also coupled with instan- taneous feedback (whether one's words, logic and syntax are correct will be checked almost immediately), removing' the temporal lag in uncertainty and reducingthe problem of work- ing bad habits into one's vocabulary. More- over, creativity can flourish almost as quickly. Though you may be able to talk about your trip to the library and how nice the tables at the res- taurant were after a semester of Spanish, after a semester of nearly any programming language a person is equipt to do everything from find- ing the first million prime numbers to creating a personal version of Tetris. The fact that com- puter languages are also uniquely positioned to take advantage of the recent trends in edu- cation toward online learning and massively distributed courses is one that shouldn't escape educators and legislators alike. Programming languages are languages. Their importance is obvious and should be translated to our nation's students. As our globe becomes increasingly interconnected, we need ways of transcending borders. The students of today must be able to greet this reality in as many ways as they can. Barry Belmont is an Engineering graduate student. ike most students, I'm a bit cynical when it comes to student government. Year after year we vote to put our peers into office, never to hear back from them again. However, with so many resources at their disposal, KEVIN our elected MERSOL- representatives BARG can potentially serve students in a way no other student organi- zation can. The Central Student Government commands a budget of more than $700,000 each year and wields significant influence when dealing with the University's top decision-makers. Historically, it has played a criti- cal role in everything from holding University administrators account- able to funding important programs. According to a document submit- ted to the Board of Regents, CSG investigated University policies as a community watchdog and in 1978 "spearheaded a student-led refer- endum to bring (Student Legal Ser- vices) to campus."And just last year, CSG helped realize initiatives to expand access to childcare subsidies for students with children and install more water-bottle refill stations around campus. To achieve this, CSG provided funds that incentivized the University to act, which helped resolve intractable talks between students and administrators. Next month, we have an oppor- tunity to shape the future of CSG and our University. CSG will hold elections for offices such as student body president and representatives. I encourage prospective candidates to embrace progressive issues in their platforms and, if elected, act on them., I call upon them to leave their mark on the University - to address issues of accessibility and campus climate. More than ever, students are struggling to meet the cost of a higher education. Accordingto the Record Update, students' "tuition bill ... has gone up an average of 5.56 percent in each of the last 10 years." In other words: in-state, lower-divi- sion LSA undergraduate students in 2002 paid about $7,500 and now pay nearly $13,000 per year. Tuition increased dramatically more for out-of-state students. Of course, stu- dents must cut checks for more than tuition - they have to pay for books, housing and other sundries. The cost of a university educa- tion has long been prohibitive for bright students in Michigan and beyond. For those of us fortunate enough to afford it, it poses a great financial burden - in the form of student loans - that will haunt us for decades. CSG has the power to lobby decision-makers and fund ini- tiatives that can reduce this burden to great effect. And while the state of affirma- tive action in Michigan remains in flux, the University needs all hands on deck to recruit and retain students from minority communi- ties. First generation students, low-income students and students of color enhance diversity on cam- pus. Greater diversity on campus assures greater diversity in other areas of society, exposing and sensitizing more people to others with different identities and experi- ences. The University plays a key role in transforming our world for the better, and, as part of the Uni- versity, CSG can do this too. More than just concerns of accessibility weigh heavy on the minds of many students on cam- pus. Another widely held concern looms: How can we, as a University community, confront bias incidents and create a healthy campus cli- mate? Incidents arise all too often, such the torn down flyers in Haven Hall last October. As a nexus of communities on campus, CSG is uniquely positioned to provide a forum for students to dialogue about bias incidents,.exploring the underlying issues while creating safe spaces for minority students. Student leaders must go beyond small projects and promote ambitious vision. As a former candidate for student body president and a student gov- ernment veteran, I ask this year's candidates to heed my advice. Look beyond small tangible projects and promote an ambitious vision for what campus life could look like five or ten years from now. Rather than campaign on 'making student gov- ernment relevant,' promote solutions that are more relevant to students. Gauging student input is important, yes, but you should confront issues proactively because we've already identified some large ones and they're becoming worse with time. As a concerned student, I intend to support candidates who cham- pion progressive causes. Of course, this requires that progressive can- didates join the race. When eyeing a run for elective office, consider ways to tackle social inequities at the University. Break the mold traditionally cast for student gov- ernment. Dare to envision a pro- gressive future and act on it. - Kevin Mersol-Barg can be reached at kmersolbumich.edu.