4A - Friday, October 25, 2013

The Michigan Daily - michigahdaily.com

4A - Friday, October 25, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom

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Rewards in space exploration

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.
No more NERD
Snyder's refusal to disclose donor names fails public obligation
Monday, Gov. Rick Snyder's press secretary Sara Wurfel
announced the impending dissolution of the controversial New
Energy to Reinvent and Diversify - or NERD - Fund. NERD is
considered to be a public state fund, but the revenue is generated by anon-
ymous, private donors. Since the NERD fund was created, it's been dis-
covered that some of the funds have been used frivolously, such as paying
for home improvements on Snyder's house. The ambiguity surrounding
the fund's donors and usage has created uproar from the public. Snyder's
consistent refusal to disclose donor names and explicitly state what the
funds were spent on infringes on the public's ability to participate in gov-
ernment affairs and breeds suspicion about the special interests of offi-

'm willing to bet that the
125-million Americans who
don't support federal fund-
ing for space
programs have
never met Colo-
nel Jack Lousma.
To hear the
distinguished
Michigan gradu-
ate, space shuttle
pilot and capsule JULIA
communicator ZARINA
of the Apollo 13
mission speak
about his 17
years as an astronaut is to forget for
a moment that you've never been
out of Earth's literal and figurative
sphere of influence.
The stories he told during our
interview were vivid reminders of
what inspired me and thousands
before me to live out childhood
afternoons in refrigerator box
spaceships big enough for tiny astro-
nauts with stars in their eyes. They
are what motivated dreams of space
camp and Tang-drinking orang-
utans in zero gravity.
Most importantly, his experienc-
es are critical reminders that space
exploration demands a continued
place in our curricula and political
agendas, not just in our history text-
books as a faint, retro-futuristic fad
of a bygone era.
Since the cancellation of the
Space Shuttle program two years
ago, the United States is at a crucial
crossroads in space research. In a
political climate that is unrecep-
tive to the financial costs associated
with a national space program, the
questions the country faces now are
different from the ones at the begin-
ning of the Space Race - funding
and support, more than technologi-
cal capabilities, are now the limit-
ing factors to space exploration.
Although societal trends dictating
the use of such technologies have
changed drastically in the past 60
years, space exploration today is
as important as ever for both the
immediate and long-term futures of
innovation and research.
One of the most visible changes
in space research is the introduc-
tion of commercial companies in an
area that had previously been the
exclusive jurisdiction of regulated
government initiatives. Businesses
like SpaceX and. Orbital Sciences
have proven themselves to be suc-
cessful, profitable partners in logis-

tical roles associated with space
exploration - such as delivering
cargo to the International Space
Station - and show potential for
great growth in developing manned
commercial spaceflight programs
in the near future.
While commercial space compa-
nies will undoubtedly play a role of
increasing importance in the future
of space exploration, it is premature
to say that we are past the era of
government-funded space programs
being necessary or useful. As Lous-
ma emphasizes, the goals and most
important functions of NASA as an
organization relate to exploration
and discovery, although their mis-
sion in recent years seemed analo-
gous at times to running a kind of
extraterrestrial airline to and from
the International Space Station.
"I think it's unlikely that the
commercial sector will eventually.
take over (activities like) deep space
exploration," Lousma says. "It's too
costly, takes too much time and I'm
guessing it will be an international
effort when it does get underway
... It's what NASA would like to do.
The resources required and the
startup cost of it is going to dictate
that the federal government do this
kind of research."
Opponents argue that funding for
space programs wastes money when
there are widespread fiscal crises on
Earth, and that the motivations that
drove the United States to develop
the world's most advanced space
program are no longer as relevant
as they were during the days of Cold
War rivalry. Although dominance in
space exploration may not be at the
forefront of our national security
interests anymore, the continued
support of these programs is both
an economic asset and a social and
scientific necessity.
Besides the positive economic
returns associated with investing in
space research, the avet'age Ameri-
can benefits from these govern-
ment-funded programs in tangible
ways. Lousma points out that the
benefits of space research have rel-
evant mainstream applications and
can be impossible to predict.
"Things we never thought might
spin-off (from space research) are
the things we have now: comput-
ers, in every house, GPS systems,
Internet, cell phones. A whole lot
of things like that are spinoffs of
space technology and are prod-
ucts that nobody ever thought of,"

Lousma says.
"I think our greatest benefit is
probably unknown at the moment."
This idea may appeal to policy-
makers like Jack Marburger, former
presidential science advisor, who
was once quoted as saying the debate
about space exploration "comes
down to whether we want to bring
the solar system within mankind's
sphere of economic influence".
Although this may be true when
it comes to debating the national
budget, the real, compelling rea-
sons space exploration matters are
not found in the numbers. We study
finance and government to be mas-
ters of our own systems, but the
challenge of exploring something
unknown for its own sake is what
makes us uniquely human. We are
compelled to write symphonies,
climb mountains and break records
not because it will make us rich, but
because it will make us better col-
lectively and as individuals.
"There are no grocery stores
or gas stations in space," Lousma
remarks. "You have to learn to con-
serve your supplies and get along
because you're on a mission that is
important, is risky and has conse-
quences. In the same way, we're on a
spacecrafthere;welive onthe space-
craft Earth. It's flying through space
at tremendous speed and we need
to learn to use our resources more
effectively and efficiently and learn
to get along with each other better
than we have in the past in order to
have a safe and successful mission."
To purposefully examine and
promote these ideas is to contrib-
ute to history and our own under-
standing in a profound and almost
super-human way - it's impossible
to quantify what is perhaps the most
under-valued benefit of space explo-
ration: the generations of scientists,
astronauts, engineers and students
who have been inspired to innovate
and explore because of it.
"You'll always find things that
haven't been done before," Lousma
says in support of those pursu-
ing careers in space research. "It's
being a part of something that's big-
ger than yourself. And you'll find
that when it's risky, there's a lot of
reward in winning."
This isthereal reasonspaceexplo-
ration matters. The rewards are out
there; it's up to us to go get them.
- Julia Zarina can be reached
at jumilton@umich.edu.

cials and private organizations. .
A play upon the governor's "One tough
nerd" slogan, the NERD fund was established
in 2011 to relieve the taxpayers of the burden
of paying for specific government expendi-
tures such as technology and event outreach.
Although the nonprofit was well-intentioned
and Snyder and board members assure it obeys
all tax and election laws, its aura of secrecy
rightfully disturbs Michigan citizens. Recipi-
ents of the money from this "social welfare
program" include Rich Baird, Snyder's friend
and top adviser, and Kevyn Orr, the appointed
emergency manager of Detroit.
Michigan citizens can't pinpoint who
donated the money or exactly how the
grossed $1.6 million was spent on "social wel-
fare." However, a major portion of NERD's
scrutiny stems from the money spent on pay-
ing the monthly $4,200 for Orr's condomin-
ium at Westin Book Cadillac and his travel
expenses. Likewise, NERD supplied Baird's
$100,000 annual salary and paid for furni-
ture in state-owned residences that Snyder,
uses. Other suspiciously vague expenses out-
lined in the non-profit's 2012 tax form include
- $411,917 for "charitable causes," $13,157
"to support public policies" and $173,630 for
travel in general.

NERD's status as a 501(c)(4) organization
allows for donor anonymity, and Snyder's
spokeswoman implied the donors won't be
disclosed due to the pretense that their con-
tributions would stay anonymous. When
questioned about the identities of these pri-
vate contributors, Snyder explained that
the board operates independent of him, and
therefore he does not know who donated.
Yet, the directors of the board include indi-
viduals who assisted in his 2010 election. The
lack of transparency in the inner workings
of the NERD fund prioritizes wealthy inves-
tors who can furnish extravagant lifestyles of
government officials over the people's right
to know how government funds are spent and
who truly is influencing state politics.
The public is the only entity who should
benefit from public funds - not Snyder him-
self or his political allies. Wurfel acknowl-
edged the dissolution of NERD will be
followed with a more "transparent fund that
will go far beyond what the law requires."
Spending and donor names will be posted
online on a regular basis, but these small
amendments will not erase the suspicions
and criticisms lurking within the minds of
the public after three years of secrecy.

0


EMILY GEISTER-DANVILLE I
Self-har
Sara felt unsure and afraid while she was
an undergraduate at the University. She cut
long slits into her thighs to relieve the stress
and anxiety, but instead of feeling better, she
felt more alone. She didn't know where to get
help and was afraid of being misunderstood.
Sara's story is a common one. Self-harm is
widely considered to be a growing problem
among adolescents, young adults and col-
lege students. Self-harm is the intentional
destruction of body tissue without the intent
to die. Like Sara, those who self-harm rarely
seek treatment. They are afraid of being insti-
tutionalized, marginalized and demonized.
Self-harming people have been treated poor-
ly by healthcare professionals due to a lack of
understanding and knowledge. This lapse in
treatment must be addressed at the Univer-
sity of Michigan. The Counseling and Psy-
chological Services administration must add
information to its webpage about self-harm
and its treatment, as well as developing the
University's philosophy on how self-harming
individuals will be treated.
CAPS does not list any specific treatment
or information about self-harm. Having
access to information regarding how self-
harm behavior is treated and understood is
important when trying to provide for those
who participate in this stigmatized behavior.
A multitude of descriptive pages on the CAPS
website exist. These pages include informa-
tion regarding the help groups available and a
variety of treatment philosophies. Depression,
anxiety, suicide, eating disorders, substance
use, sexuality and racial issues are addressed -
CAPS offers information as well as a variety of
treatment options. Even with the wide range of
present topics, self-harm is excluded.
Providing specific information will help
self-harming individuals feel more com-
fortable and welcomed at CAPS. A study by
researchers Michelmore and Hindley in 2012
found that self-harming individuals are less
likely to seek help than their non-harming
peers with other mental health issues. A 2009
study found that self-harming behavior pre-
dicted poorer school performance and higher
rates of suicidal thoughts. These facts amplify
the necessity to have comprehensive informa-

m stigma

tion to persuade students to seek treatment.
The DSM V - the latest edition of the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Health Disorders - acknowledges self-harm
as a separate condition prevalent in mid- to
late-adolescence and continuing to reach its
peak in both severity and frequency during
a person's 20s. A study by researchers Whit-
lock, Eckenrode and Silverman revealed that
nearly 17 percent of undergraduate and grad-
uate students reported harming themselves.
Self-harm is a complex issue that should
have its own University webpage. This would
allow students to seek more information and
assuage their anxieties about treatment. On
this page, there should be a list of philoso-
phies about self-harm. This will provide self-
harming individuals with an idea of how the
counselors view their behavior. Specifically,
the University should use Deb Martinson's
1998 Bill of Rights for People Who Self-Harm,
in which Martinson delineates ten main val-
ues that guide self-harm treatment.
The self-harm specific CAPS webpage
should also display information on available
groups that address self-harm. If a group
specifically addressing self-harm doesn't
already exist, CAPS should establish one.
Targeted groups foster a sense of community
and aid in reducing the isolation, shame and
stigma around self-harm. Lastly, this page
should provide emergency contacts - such as
800-DONTCUT - where students can seek
self-harm-specific support.
Adding information and philosophies
of treatment for self-harm to the webpage
would be an effective and inexpensive way to
reach self-harming students. If changes are
not made, rates of self-harm will most likely
continue to rise. Students may continue to
feel unsure of counseling services and there-
fore won't seek help, possibly putting their
lives and academic careers at risk. Adding a
category of self-harm to the CAPS website
could change the future for many students
who have felt their mental health concerns
do not have a place on campus.
Emily Geister-Danville is a graduate
student in the School of Social Work.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan,
Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis,
Maura Levine, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble,
Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
Is this the end of unpaid internships?

0

ike many of my fellow
seniors, I have been spend-
ing my few hours in-between
studying for
midterms and
pretending
to still have a
social life try-
ing to line up a
post-graduation
internship or
entry-level job.
Unfortunately, TIMOTHY
for more than a BURROUGHS
few students this
includes consid-
ering the dreaded unpaid intern-
ship, where experience and perhaps
a few academic credits replace a
paycheck. However, these positions
could be a thing of the past as indus-
tries that have relied on the grunt
work of unpaid interns for years are
reconsidering their payroll practic-
es. Last summer, a Federal District
Court of Manhattan ruled that Fox
Searchlight Pictures unlawfully did
not pay two interns who worked on
the production of the movie "Black
Swan". This decision is a strong
argument against the legal loophole
that allows job training to replace
wages in some instances.
The first major effect of the
"Black Swan" case was felt Wednes-
day as Cond6 Nast announced they
were cutting their entire internship
program asa result of a pending law-
suit against them. Cond6 Nast is a
publications company that produces
Vanity Fair, Vogue, The New Yorker
and various other magazines. Cur-
rent interns will not be affected by
the change and will work through
their previously established end
dates. Additionally, there's yet to be
an announcement about any new
entry-level or paid internship posi-
tions to fill the void left by the pro-

gram's end.
Last summer's "Black Swan"
decision brought validation and
substance to much of the criticism
against unpaid internships. In many
programs, the facade of valuable
work experience and training has
been completely debunked as work
days are filled with menial tasks
and little interaction with industry
professionals. In these instances, it
seems fairly obvious that compensa-
tion is deserved. Furthermore, many
critics of unpaid programs claim
that these internships aren't acces-
sible to lower-income individuals
who are unable to cover costs while
working long hours with no income.
Though many young professionals
have accepted unpaid internships as
a necessary evil to the start of one's
career, the "Black Swan" decision
represents the first major legal vic-
tory against these programs.
While the initial reception to the
decision from young profession-
als was very positive, the reaction
of Conde Nast could be a sobering
sign of things to come. Industries,
most notably media 'and publica-
tions companies, have begun to rely
on this low-cost labor and are cur-
rently not structured to offer their
many interns competitive wages.
Many see this as big companies
taking advantage of the competi-
tive nature of new hire programs
- which required extensive work
experience - and forcing students
to accept these unpaid positions.
In practice, these positions offer
the 'foot-in-the-door' experience to
numerous students and frequently
end with letters of recommendation,
a stronger professional network or
ideally a job offer.
By forcing companies to pay all
interns, firms, at a minimum, will
have to cut back the number of posi-

tions offered and select individu-
als even more carefully - limiting
opportunities even further. Alter-
natively, companies such as Conde
Nast may decide to completely scrap
internship programs entirely and
potentially replace their efforts with
new entry level jobs. Unfortunately,
those positions, especially when
paid competitively, attract more
qualified individuals, including
those looking for a potential career
change. Those established profes-
sionals can crowd outnew graduates
who are still looking for their first
major opportunity and trying to dis-
cover their future career. Though an
unpaid internship is far from ideal,
candidates are made well aware of
the compensation offered during the
application process and can decide
for themselves if the costs are worth
the potential benefits to their career.
Eliminating or forcing companies to
pay interns could potentially result
in a major increase in applicants,
including overqualified applicants,
to these already competitive jobs.
While the effects of the "Black
Swan" decision have only started,
the battle against unpaid intern-
ships is clearly gaining momentum.
Though critics argue that unpaid
internships represent a significant
cost to participants, the reaction
of Conde Nast illustrates how their
remedy could eliminate early career
opportunities even further. Ideally,
the "Black Swan" decision would
result in all interns' receiving pay
without a change in the quantity of
openings to college graduates, but
this appears far from reality. In a
super-competitive job market, any-
thing that amplifies this issue is bad
for young professionals.
- Timothy Burroughs can be
reached at timburr@umich.edu.

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