4A -Thursday, February 28, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com I e firic4t*gan + Keep the'U' honest 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. Own up to reality University policies must accept severity of sexual assault n Feb. 25, University of North Carolina sophomore Landen Gambill received an e-mail from the school's graduate stu- dent attorney general. The e-mail said the school was charg- ing her with an honor code violation for "disruptive or intimidating behavior." Gambill is part of a group of 68 UNC students filing a com- plaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights alleging that the school failed to protect their rights as survivors of sexual assault. This week, she received the e-mail after she talked publicly on campus about her own experience with rape. While the university maintains that the violation wasn't in retaliation to the complaint, the application of the honor code in this case sends the wrong message. Universities must own up to the realities of sexual assault on college campuses, and discouraging students from speak- ing out will only serve to silence rape survivors. n the constant tug-of-war for state funding, the University has historically been on the losing end. In 2011, Michigan Gov. Snyder and the state legisla- ture savagely cut state appropria- tions to higher education by 15 percent. See- KEVIN ing the error of MERSOL- their ways - or BARG more likely, an electoral oppor- tunity - they raised fundinby 3 percent in 2012. And, once again, the oh-so-generous governor cut public universities some slack and proposed a 2-percent increase this year. With state appropriations on the rise, everything must be peachy keen, right? Wrong. University President Mary Sue Colemanwas righttounderscorethis point on Tuesday. Speaking before the House Appropriations on Higher Education Subcommittee, she urged legislators to invest in Michigan's publichighereducation as ameans to fuel the state economy. She said this last year, and years before that. Yet, more often than not, these words fall on deaf ears. Ultimately, a 2-percent increase this year won't remotely offset the 35-percent cut in appropriations over the past decade. Coleman and other higher education lead- ers around the state recognize that the state legislature has abandoned public universities; the governor has forsaken his alma mater. And the students, saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, feel this reality bearing down upon them every day. Now that the University knows it's effectively on its own, it must reflect on how to increase revenues in the absence of state funding. To their credit, Coleman and her adminis- tration have been mulling this over for some time. And from what I can tell, they're focusing on two sources of revenue: out-of-state students and corporations. Both have pitfalls. Last May, Coleman asserted that the University, among others in the state, is "underperforming in terms of our out-of-state student popula- tion." By what measure is the Uni- versity underperforming? This semester, Winter 2013, 51.7 percent of the student body is in- state - about 21,200 students. And about 19,800 students - 48.3 percent - constitute the non-resident part of the student body. Already almost half of students on campus are from outside of Michigan. In addition, more out-of-state stu- dents enroll per year as compared to in-state students than ever before. By my measure, it seems like the University has this "performance" issue covered. But President Coleman sees it a dif- ferent way. In a recent article in The Michigan Daily, Coleman stressed that greater numbers of out-of-state students "come paying full freight ... (and) add tremendously to the econo- my of the state of Michigan." In other words, the University best performs when more of its stu- dents pay higher tuition rates. True, this does generate greater revenue - but at what cost? Among other costs, the expressed mission of the University: "to serve the people of Michigan." Coleman, identifying this short- coming wisely, has sought to address it by arguing that out-of-state stu- dents will stay and invest in Michi- gan post-graduation. While this may be the case elsewhere, what proof is there to support this in Michigan, a state grappling with grave unem- ployment? Until she presents solid evidence, I'm calling this what it is - a ploy to generate revenue that exploits out-of-state students and fails to meet the University's com- mitment to the state. The University is working to address the employment issue through partnering with corpora- tions, which serve as another poten- tial source of revenue. On Monday, Coleman spoke to Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs about partnering with Business Leaders for Michigan. BLM serves as a roundtable of prom- inent leaders frombusiness and pub- lic universities in Michigan. In part, it works to partner industry and uni- versities in research initiatives and fundraising efforts. Raising revenue doesn't have to compromise our values. At the SACUA meeting, Phil Hanlon, University provost and executive vice president for aca- demic affairs, identified corporate partnerships, such as those through the BLM, as key in "boosting the University's financial base" and by extension, bolstering the Michigan economy. The thrust of the effort promotes education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, math and entrepreneurism. Almost as a footnote, Coleman assured faculty members that the efforts would incorporate broader fields, like liberal arts. This approach stands to increase opportunities for students and offset cuts to state appropriations. How- ever, I'm concerned that efforts such as this, and Coleman's other initia- tives around entrepreneurism, fail to engage students from all corners of campus in a meaningful way. Plus, the added influence of corporate interest must be heavily monitored to make sure we're not compromis- ing the University's goals for a boost in revenue. The University understands its situation. Its game of tug-of-war with the state nears futile. Instead, Coleman and her administration have proactively sought out alter- native revenue sources. Now they need to address some serious issues with these alternatives. Although there's no perfect solution to the rev- enue problem, the University should continue to strive towards a better solution - one that aligns with the University's mission. - Kevin Mersol-Barg can be reached at kmersolboumich.edu. 0 According to the U.S. Department of Jus- tice, fewer than 5 percent of rapes involving college women are reported to law enforce- ment. The complaint filed to the OCR alleges that even when incidents were reported to campus authorities, the school fell flat assist- ing students afterward. Andrea Pino, a UNC junior who joined in the complaint, said the Academic Advising Office at UNC told her she was "being lazy" when she was having trouble going to classes after a sexual assault incident. While UNC does have a program intended to help survivors, it's critical that the univer- sity ask appropriate questions when talking to students about rape. Furthermore, the com- plaint makes it clear that the university should widen its understanding of rape. Dismissing an assault because it happened between a cou- ple, as alleged in the complaint, displays both an incredibly narrow grasp on the realities of sexual assault. Unfortunately, stories like Gambill's are becoming increasingly common. In October, Angie Epifano, a former student at Amherst College, claimed the school was unsympathet- ic after her own struggle with sexual assault. Epifano argued the college's officials treated her as a problem, rather than a survivor, which compelled her to leave the school. In response to Epifano's article, Amherst's president Carolyn Martin hosted a campus- wide talk about sexual assault. While this dialogue is a start, Amherst still hasn't rec- tified its sexual assault policy. According to an article from Jezebel, students who com- mit sexual assault usually receive a two- to four-semester suspension as their punish- ment, while students caught stealing a laptop receive five semesters of suspension. While discussion is a critical first step, the conversa- tion must lead to changes in how universities handle sexual assault. Members of the University community must look internally and question how our own col- lege handles sexual assault and survivor sup- port. Through the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center and Counseling and Psychological Services, students can receive support after assaults. But, in order to get stu- dents to take advantage of these resources, we must ensure that survivors feel safe talking about attacks. "I Will," a recently launched student-led campaign, encourages the campus to discuss sexual assault. It's absolutely crucial that this conversation continues does not end with the academic year. Through regular discussion and reexamina- tion of policies, that reality can change. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, 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 SAMIA AYYASH 1 Humanizing the inhumane PATRICK SIER I Meet the real Detroit Sometimes, if a half-truth is repeated enough, we start to think of it as fact. Look at any recent national news story about the city of Detroit and you'll learn plenty about its problems. It's the same narratives over and over: The old leadership was corrupt and the new leadership is ineffective. The population has gone down while crime has gone up. The city is bleeding money and state takeover of the municipal government seems imminent. The buildings are burned out and uninhabitable. I am on the planning team for the Detroit Partnership. For us, most of the media cov- erage of Detroit has only focused on what's missing. Of course, understanding the city's problems is important. But it's not the whole story. I think it's about time we focus on what Detroit does have - inspiring people willing to work for change. People like Riet Schumack, an activist and community leader who moved from a com- fortable Rosedale Park neighborhood to the more disadvantaged Brightmoor neighbor- hood. Since moving, she's worked to empow- er the community through urban agriculture, public art and blight reduction. People like Chazz Miller, an artist who works with the organization Artist Village, using the creative arts not only to beautify the city on the outside, but also to strengthen its people on the inside. He runs art work- shops for the thousands of Detroit students who have lost art programs in their schools due to budget cuts. People like Yusef Shakur, a former gang leader incarcerated for nine years who turned his life around empowering disadvantaged youth. As an author and community activist, he takes his story of redemption to others. These are only a few Detroiters among the many that work tirelessly for the day they can see their city back on its feet. Detroit is a city with a history of both tri- umph and struggle and an increasing divide with its suburbs. Built by the auto industry, Detroit is now fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit. Detroit is a city that's motto translates to "We hope for better things. It will arise from the ashes." This motto originally referred to the fire of 1805 and the city's subsequent reconstruc- tion. But today, the ashes we see come from a very different place. Today we see a beautiful city marred by the forces of racism and dein- dustrialization. We hope for better things. One day cannot fix a city. But ifa fire can destroy a city in one day, maybe Detroit Part- nership Day can spark a fire to bring it back. Detroit needs people who burn with hope for the future and passion for the present. People who will be advocates when the usual jokes get batted around. People who'll choose to live in the city even when they're considered crazy for doing so. I hope you'll challenge yourself to look beyond an occasionally rough exterior to see what so many have cherished about this city. Detroit has become more than just a place to live, it has become a community. Every year, we hear stories of community members see- ing the work on Detroit Partnership Day and asking what they can do to help. Interactions like these make our work worth doing. On March 23, be one of 1,400 Michigan stu- dents working alongside proud Detroiters for the betterment of the city. Work on projects ranging from urban gardening with Neigh- bors Building Brightmoor and the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative to painting murals in Artist Village. Know that, whether you're holding a paint- brush, a trowel or a sledgehammer, the real change is being made in the interactions you have with the community. Bridging the gap between Ann Arbor and Detroit through these connections is what service learning and social justice are all about. Be a part of that. See the city and gain new perspective. Meet Detroit. Detroit Partnership Dayisjust a beginning. Sign up to volunteer - on your own or as a part ofa student group - at thedp.org. Patrick Sier is an LSA sophomore. Last week, StandWithUS and I-LEAD brought two Israel Defense Forces soldiers to campus with the goal of humanizingthe IDF because they felt that the "media presented a skewed portrait of them." How did the soldiers attempt to do this? By dehumanizing the Palestinian narrative - its culture, politics and people. The discourse used during the event didn't simply cater to a specific audience; it was grossly offensive and inaccurate. From the beginning of their pre- sentation, the soldiers, Lital and Ari, repeatedly used the term "terror- ist" to refer to the Palestinian civil- ian population as a whole. I kept a tally of how many times the soldiers referred to Palestinians as terrorists. Five minutes into the event, my count reached 21. Lital, a female IDF soldier, attempted to gain sympathy points with the crowd by discussing the fear she feels partying in Tel Aviv. According to Lital, clubbing in Tel Aviv is risky business because Pales- tinians could strike at any time with their homemade rockets. While Lital is entitled to her feel- ings, the facts on the ground tell a much different story. It's not Lital or her friends that must fear Palestin- ians; it's the 1.7 million people in the Gaza Strip that must fear Israel. Not one rocket that has ever landed in Tel Aviv has caused a civilian death. And the recent escalation of violence in November was the first time a rocket from Gazaevenremotely approached the urban hotspot. Because the audi- ence was looking only to praise the IDF for ridding Israel from "terror- ists," of course they were unable to recognize the plight of the Palestin- ian civilian. While Lital chooses her wardrobe for a night out, Palestinian children drown in sewage ponds due to faulty or non-existent sewage net- works that cannot be maintained due to the Israeli blockade. When was the last time an Israeli died from drown- ing in sewage? While the soldiers asked the audience to feel sympathy for their plight, Israeli air strikes wiped out three generations of a Pal- estinian family. The soldiers' claims about Hamas were also totally false and baseless, further reflecting both their igno- rance and prejudice. They cited Hamas, deemed a terrorist organi- zation by the U.S. government, as justification for continued occupa- tion and obstacles to peace, specifi- cally referencing the recent conflict in November. What they didn't acknowledge was Israel's role in the strategic assassination of Ahmad Jabari, a chief negotiating partner for a finalized truce with Israel. A video of sheer propaganda was shown regarding Hamas and its leaders in Gaza. Produced by the Middle East Media Research Institute, an orga- nization founded by a former Israeli intelligence officer, it has often been criticized for its faulty translations and is known for its cherry-picking of extreme viewpoints to represent the general nature of Arab media. Additionally, why was there no men- tion of the open-air prison in which the population of Gaza lives? To por- tray Hamas against Israel as a con- flict fought on a level playing field is far from accurate. Unfortunately, the students sitting in that room will never see the implications of the blockade on the Gaza strip: the pov- erty, hunger, dire living conditions and failing infrastructure. The only social services the people of Gaza will ever know come from Hamas, the democratically elected govern- ing party. When I asked about the implica- tionsofPalestine-nowanobserving member state in the United N'ations - taking Israel to the International Criminal Court to prosecute crimes committed against Palestinians, Lit- al's exact words were, "I don't want to comment on that." Ari followed suit, as they both assured there was no validity in such a claim against the most "moral" army in the world, disregarding their own words earlier in the evening as they relayed stories of Palestinian terrorists. Early on in her presentation, Lital told a story of a Palestinian "terrorist" who was nine months pregnant, in an ambu- lance and in dire need of a hospital as she was trying to cross a check- point. Explosives were discovered in the ambulance. Lital used this to characterize the general nature of Palestinians and ended the story. After raising the question regarding the ICC and hearing the responses of Lital and Ari, I asked about the fate of that woman in the ambu- lance - did she make it to the hos- pital? No, she didn't make it to the hospital because Lital and her fellow IDF soldiers at the checkpoint were forced to shoot out the tires, and the ambulance subsequently exploded. She didn't comment further, and the event ended. If the purpose of the event was to humanize the IDF, that feat wasn't accomplished. Rather, an entire pop- ulation was dehumanized in order to justify crimes against an unarmed, civilian, indigenous population. Praised for their support of a two- state solution, Ari and Lital are blind to the implications this will have for institutionalizing racial segregation and the persistence of conflict in the region. While young girls in Tel Aviv fear spending their leisure time at clubs, young Palestinian children cannot walk to school without being chased by IDF soldiers. Palestinians are denied water rights; their houses are demolished - they cannot even move within their own lands. Events like these held on our campus make us all, as University students, complacent in Israel's eth- nic cleansing of the Palestinians. They rationalize the status quo, which endangers any hope of a peaceful future for the Israeli and Palestinian people. I made all of the comments during and after the event last week, but, per usual, the voice of a Palestinian was silenced. Samia Ayyash is an LSA junior. I CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit viewpoints. Viewpoints can be on a wide array of subjects and should be 550-850 words. Send them to opinion@michigandaily.com.