4A - Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam
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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.
Equal work, equal tuition
Regents should put the tuition equality debate behind them
n March 24, The Detroit News, a traditionally conservative
newspaper, published an editorial in support of the Univer-
sity's Coalition for Tuition Equality, a student-led umbrella
organization championing in-state tuition for undocumented stu-
dents. While the University has expressed a desire to grant tuition
equality for the estimated 21,000 affected students, practical reali-
ties and legal hurdles have caused progress to stagnate on such poli-
cies. In the editorial, The Detroit News pointed out universities in
13 other states extended in-state tuition to its undocumented stu-
dents. The University should do the same. With growing support
for tuition equality from faculty, students and community members,
the hesitation in implementing tuition equality at the University is
Obviously, I don't give a damn about
a personal attack on my apperanCe."
- momentUM CSG presidential candidate Nick Swider said in response to an e-mail sent by the forUM
party chair to Pi Kappa Alpha faternity which including a picture of Swider.
MICHAEL PROPPE AND BOBBY DISHELL
It's all about 'you'
no longer acceptable.
Current University policy charges undocu-
mented students out-of-state tuition. CTE
argues that undocumented students who've
lived in Michigan for the majority of their
lives and meet certain requirements deserve
to pay in-state tuition. In its editorial, The
Detroit News similarly contended that
regardless of one's position on immigration
policy, the children of undocumented work-
ers grew up in Michigan "involuntarily"
and shouldn't be punished for choices they
didn't make. Furthermore, The Detroit News
argued that "rather than driving these excel-
lent students underground, or out of state,"
keeping graduates in Michigan will help the
economy. To this end, CTE is proposing a pol-
icy in which undocumented students can gain
in-state tuition if they agree to attend a state
university for at least three years and plan to
stay in Michigan. Growing support from such
diverse media outlets for tuition equality is
indicative that this topic has become a larger
issue than just an internal affair of the Uni-
versity. More universities should be having
this conversation.
University President Mary Sue Coleman
earlier this month voiced her support for
tuition equality. "Iwould love to have the same
circumstances here, but we don't," she said in
reference to California state provisions, which
allow universities to grant in-state prices for
undocumented students. Although there may
be some complications in providing tuition
equality while complying with state law, the
University's status as a constitutionally auton-
omous state institution gives it the leeway to
move forward on the issue. In fact, other pub-
lic universities in Michigan - also constitu-
tionally autonomous - have proven that it's
not impossible. Wayne State University, West-
ern Michigan University and Saginaw Valley
State University have all found ways to offer
tuition equality to students while adhering to
the state laws. Implementing tuition equality
is plausible, and the University can't continue
to use legal complications to delay fair policy.
Last week, Oregon's state Senate passed
a bill calling for tuition equality, poising the
state to become the next to support undocu-
mented students. While the state senators
worked with college administrations across
the state, Oregon sets an example of state gov-
ernments taking responsibility on the issue.
Michigan lawmakers should look to the exam-
ple of Oregon, as well as other states such as
Texas and California, and become a role model
itself in advocating for student rights and
higher education.
Though the comprehensive of immigra-
tion reform must continue at local, state and
federal levels, the University needs to take
this as an opportunity to be a leader in pro-
moting tuition equity. Other state universi-
ties in Michigan have shown that it's legally
possible. The Board of Regents should review
the report on tuition equality, acting on the
right side of history and putting this issue in
the past.
This year, when you cast your
vote for Central Student Govern-
ment executives, you won't just
be casting your ballot for political
pleasantries or feel-good slogans.
Instead, you'll be choosing your
campus leaders for the upcoming
year - leaders who'll represent the
student body to our administration,
faculty, the campus community
and the outside world. It's impor-
tant to consider what each of the
candidates and parties will seek to
accomplish - and will reasonably
achieve - as a student government.
This year, youMICH is presenting a
platform full of tangible, achievable
goals that will positively impact the
lives of students on campus. From
creating an off-campus bus route
to developing an MCard app and
increasing student organization
funding, we want to make student
government all about the students
again - all about you.
Our presidential candidate, Busi-
ness and LSA junior Michael Proppe,
has served as CSG's speaker of
assembly for a year and is the presi-
dent of his business fraternity, Delta
Sigma Pi. LSA sophomore Bobby
Dishell, our vice presidential can-
didate, has served as an LSA repre-
sentative since November and is the
vice president of recruitment for the
Interfraternity Council Executive
Board. As CSG members and leaders
of student organizations, Proppe and
Dishell understand that CSG works
best when it works for the lives of the
students. We aim to help with your
student organizations, your campus
community and your academics.
Student organizations are the
lifeblood of this campus, and CSG
should do everything it can to aid
and empower them. If elected,
we promise to ensure that at least
50 percent of CSG's budget goes
straight back to student organiza-
tion funding via the Student Organi-
zation Funding Commission.
Our proposed off-campus bus
route is a smart solutionto a serious
problem. An off-campus bus route
servicing the Hill Street, South
University Avenue and Washtenaw
Avenue corridors, the State Street
and Packard Street area, and those
at Scorekeepers will provide stu-
dents with increased safety, reduce
wait times for SafeRide and create a
more sustainable campus environ-
ment by reducing emissions from
dozens of taxis.
We're working on an Mcard app
to eliminate the need to carry your
Mcard by incorporating it right onto
your smartphone. The Mcard is the
key to unlocking the campus com-
munity; it gets students into Greek
events, buildings, exams, sport-
ing and social events, dining halls
and so much more. Why not make
it a part of your smartphone and
eliminate the need to carry your
Mcard everywhere?
youMICH will also create a stu-
dent organization sorting hat survey
to help match incoming students
with groups on campus. At orienta-
tion, new students will be able to
indicate their passions, interests and
organizations they were involved in
during high school and types of orga-
nizations they'd liketo join in college.
Organizations can indicate what
types of profiles match what they're
looking for, and CSG will put new
students and organizations in touch
with each other.
Creating a 24-hour cafe in the
Duderstadt Center on North Cam-
pus is also a no-brainer, and you-
MICH is proud to have been first
to propose this idea in the election.
Since we've put this in our platform,
other parties have followed suit, and
we're flattered by their imitation.
The 24-hour cafe in the Shapiro
Undergraduate Library has been a
huge success and important part of
academic life on campus. Caffeine-
starved engineers and artists on
North Campus deserve the same
round-the-clock support that stu-
dents can enjoy on Central Campus.
Finally, CSG has done well in
supporting student entrepreneur-
ship this year, and we want to keep
that work going. We have proposed
creating a five-year combined bach-
elor's and master's in Entrepreneur-
ship program that will be housed in
a residence hall. This will give the
innovative and courageous students
a University-supported platform on
which to thrive.
There are 43,000 students at
Michigan, and it's time to have a
student government that listens to
their real concerns and addresses
tangible issues on campus. With
creative and innovative thinkers
responding to student concerns and
issues, CSG can become a proactive
environment for making academic
life and the campus environment all
about the students again. Michael
Proppe, Bobby Dishell and all of our
youMICH candidates will be ready
to hit the ground running on day
one, and we hope to have the oppor-
tunity to serve you. It's time to have
a student government that makes
student needs its first and foremost
priority - that's why youMICH is
all about you.
Michael Proppe is an LSA junior.
Bobby Dishell is an LSA sophomore.
Iihe The Working Ethic: Ever feel like your life is a never ending
rotation of all-nighters, pre-games and Pizza House gorging?
pOdi u Charlene Lerner reminds us to take a break every once in a
while - it might do your GPA some good.
Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/The Podium
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Jesse Klein,
Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Patrick Maillet, Aarica Marsh,
Megan McDonald, Jasmine McNenriy, Harsha Nahata,
Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman,Sarah Skaluba,
Michael Spaeth, Luchen Wang, Derek Wolfe
SCOTT CHRISTOPHER AND ETHAN MICHAELI
Hail to our peers
There are many talented individuals who
would like to serve as your next Central Stu-
dent Government leaders. In fact, we believe
that when it comes to values, character and the
desire to truly make a difference for University
students, those of us who are running for office
have more similarities than differences. We
view our opponents as worthy competitors, not
adversaries. We genuinely respect all who are
competingto lead CSG, representyourinterests
and give you a strong voice in student affairs.
We believe our differences are best illustrated
by vision and ideas, not through adversarial
engagement. Instead of "going negative," which
seems to be the easy path to distract from the
real issues in today's competitive world, it's
necessaryto generate healthy debate over mat-
ters of true importance. It's sad, really. We sim-
ply won't go there, and we hope it's an example
that all will follow. As your only independent
candidates for CSG president and vice presi-
dent, Scott Christopher and Ethan Michaeli,
respectively, are campaigning on ideas - a
full, independent platform of ideas with equal
importance on plans to get them cone.
We recognize and share many of our oppo-
nents' goals, and we also have some very criti-
cal objectives that are unique to our platform.
Reform of the University's Counseling and Psy-
chological Services, returning power back to
the student organizations and the safest cam-
pus are three key initiatives within our plat-
form. You can check out our entire platform on
our website.
However, everyone has great ideas about
moving forward for next year. We hail Mike
Proppe and Bobby Dishell of youMICH for
moving forward the student organization
sorting hat, a part of their platform that links
students to clubs of interest. It's definitely
somethingthatwe would've loved as freshmen.
momentUM's Nick Swider and Jill Clancy have
made huge strides reconnecting to students,
especially freshmen. It's always gratifying to
see Nick taking big steps during his firstyear on
campus. Chris Osborn and Hayley Sakwa from
forUM offer a progressive platform, touching
some key areas for the University's success.
Personally, we can't wait to have more fresh
and sustainable food on campus. Finally, the
Defend Affirmative Action Party is pushing for-
ward an important issue on campus. Its execu-
tive candidates realize that Michigan isn't as
diverse as it claims to be, and they're making
strides to bring a greater voice within CSG for
diverse and underrepresented students.
We want to salute and hail every one of our
peers in this election. We're thrilled to be com-
peting with such great individuals, and I hope
we can all work together next year. As we said
duringthe debate, we pledge to work with every
candidate no matter the result of this election -
because what we can do as two people is noth-
ing compared to what we can all do together.
As we move into this busy week, I encour-
age everyone to become informed on the great
candidates that are running, and, most impor-
tantly, to vote! This is the time that we truly
bring CSG back to each and every student as 10
dedicated candidates hoping to change the Uni-
versityfor the better.
Scott Christopher is an LSA junior.
Ethan Michaeli is an LSA freshman.
CHRIS OSBORN I
Over the past six week:
seen it all: the Facebook p
tweets, the chalk, the fly
debates, the candidates a:
supporters. The first day ofE
is now over. You have 24 hou
play a part in the future of y
versity - so go vote and m
voice heard atvote.umich.ed
There are five individuals
for student body president t
and all of them bring good
the table. Let me repeat th
them. We cannot let ourselv
that fact, because what uni
Wolverines is so much stron
what divides us. But the wa
about making those impro
differ, and those differen
important.
You've heard and will coi
hear today ideas for moving
versity forward from the ot
didates. I can speak only fo
and my party - our party, f
the largest party running t
built from the ground up by,
ers like you. We have 45 car
from the Taubman Schoolc
tecture and Urban Plannin
Ford School of Public Poli
DPS Oversight to Rackham
ate School, from the Ross S
Business to LSA and the C
Engineering.
That's the first difference1
An open forUM
s, you've us and other parties. We created an Implemi
osts, the open application on our website, so making.
ers, the that anyone at the University with Advocat
nd their ideas for impactful, long-lasting enrollmc
elections change could apply to run with us. ingtuiic
irs left to Like our opponents, we recruited Wills
your uni- top talent from different student be diffic
ake your groups on campus. But many of our cate for
Iu. candidates came to us on their own We doi
running because we had an open application. thing to
his year, None of our opponents can say the said we(
ideas to same. amnesty
at: all of forUM is different. Over and over campaig
es forget again, you've heard us say we're out workeda
tes us as to create a more open dialogue at law. We
ger than Michigan - and we meanit. Itstarted promise
ys we go with the open and transparent way Don't
vements we recruited our candidates, so that Look at
aces are everyone who wanted to join had Daily ei
a fair shot. But it doesn't end there Faceboo
ntinue to even if we win this election. An open nation t
the Uni- dialogue is a constantly evolving youMIC
her can- dialogue. It shows that we're always turned i
r myself thinking; we're always tweaking our Iwan
orUM - ideas based on your input. - to do
his year, I pledge right now that, win or lose, why we
support- on Friday we'll turn our website into we have
ndidates, a community discussion where any- support
of Archi- one can post their ideas and debate for us. Jc
g to the the best solutions to improving this I'm as
cy, from campus. That's what we are: a forum sure yoi
Gradu- for your ideas. And you've already already-
chool of come up with some great ideas - for all o
ollege of putting a student representative new for
on the Board of Regents. Bringing
between more local, healthy food to campus.
enting online appointment-
at University Health Service.
ing for increased minority
ent and retention. Support-
ion equality.
achievingsome of these goals
ult? Yes, but we don't advo-
things because they're easy.
it because they're the right
do. A year ago, everyone
could never achieve medical
y for underage drinkers - a
n many of our volunteers
hard on. But today, it's state
e'll follow through on our
s.
just take my word for it.
our support: The Michigan
indorsement, our 1,000-plus
k supporters and the nomi-
that one of my opponents,
H, first gave me before I
it down.
ted - we wanted, all 45 of us
something different. That's
created forUM. That's why
thousands of students who
us and have already voted
oin them. Join us.
sking for your support. Make
u vote today, if you haven't
- for me, for Hayley Sakwa,
f our other candidates, for a
UM and for the University.
Chris Osborn is an LSA junior.
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