4A - Monday, October 28, 2013

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com


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MEGGIE RAMM

E-MAIL. MEGGIE AT ROSERAMM UMICHL.EDU

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THEN NOW
THE FISHBOWL THE ENTERPRISE.
HouRS! INITIATE WARP
-SPE E1 ru3Y
O T is o~UR MAINe
COMPUTING SrME

ANDREW WEINER
EDITOR IN CHIEF

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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.
Lowering tuition, expanding opportunities
Wayne State's new policy will boost student population in Detroit
his past week, Wayne State University in Detroit announced that
it will extend in-state tuition to admitted students from the Great
Lakes states - Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - and Ontario, Canada beginning in Janu-
ary 2014. Wayne State offers in-state tuition to veterans and undocument-
ed students, and the new policy will give the same offer to a wider range
of individuals. Students affected by the policy can now save an average of
$13,000 for 30 credits a year.

The me, myself and Igeneration

Ninety-five percent of the students at Wayne
State are from Michigan, and enrollment has
been steadily decreasing since 2009. The new
tuition policy was implemented in the hope to
attract more students to the university. Wayne
State Provost Margaret Winters told the Detroit
Free Press that the lowered tuition fees may
draw more students to the university "beyond
our normal recruitment area, and become bet-
ter known in other states." Winters also added
that the new policy keep the university com-
petitive: "All our competition has spread their
areas more widely. We needed to remain com-
petitive with them."
In addition to drawing students to Wayne
State, the lowered tuition rates will also draw
more people to the city of Detroit. In the last
several decades, Detroit has been experienc-
ing economic decline and a.rapid decrease in
population. In the last decade alone, population
has decreased by about 25 percent. By entic-
ing more potential students to Wayne State, a
wider range of individuals can gain exposure
to the city. Increasing exposure to the city can
simultaneously increase awareness of Detroit's
thriving culture beyond the common miscon-
ceptions and stereotypes of the Motor City.
As new students live, learn and engage with
Detroit, they can form ties with community
organizations, take part in local internships
and contribute to the city's economy.
Though Wayne State's new tuition policy is
an excellent way to invite more students to the

area, the lack of similar policies nearby may
undermine the university's efforts. A success-
ful program implemented in western states
called the Western Undergraduate Exchange
allows students to apply to more than 140 col-
leges and universities at a reduced tuition rate.
The success of the program lies in the ability to
bring together several institutions, so that they,
all benefitcfrom building an educated workforce
and increasing the diversity of their student
body. Adopting a similar program in the Mid-
west would allow more students to seek afford-
able education outside of their home state, and
would strengthen the program at Wayne State.
Despite the lack of other institutions par-
ticipating in a collective program, Wayne
State's efforts to provide affordable educa-
tion to a wider range of students is nota-
ble. College and university prices across
the country have been steadily increasing.
Here at the University, in-state tuition has
increased about 40 percent since 2004. The
constant rise in tuition prices sends a clear
message: that institutions will maintain a
rigid structure with little regard for stu-
dent's needs. Wayne State is sending us a new
message. With prices constantly increasing
and higher education becoming less acces-
sible, Wayne State is taking the initiative to
solve these pressing issues. Hopefully, more
institutions can follow their example to pro-
vide solutions for the steadily increasing cost
of higher education.

As I was combing through
articles for a column, topic
this week, a Thought Cata-
log post caught
my eye. It was
titled: "Millenni-
als: We Suck. But
It's Okay, Because
We're Going
To Change The
World." Before I
come back to this
article, let me HARSHA
backtrack a little. NAHATA
A lot has been
said about our
generation, most of it not very nice.
We've been called self-absorbed, eas-
ily distracted, entitled, apathetic and
lazy. The cover of Time Magazine
labeled us the "ME ME ME Genera-
tion." After all, we are the generation
of gold stars, short attention spans
and Facebook.
We've been criticized for being
unrealistic about job opportunities
- how dare we be picky in this econ-
omy - and difficult to manage in the
workplace - going back to the whole
"gold star, unable to take criticism,
easily distracted with Ipxods and
texting" thing. In short, we've been
dubbed pretty much the "Worst.
Generation. Ever." - courtesy of
Will McAvoy, the fictional anchor of
HBO's "The Newsroom."
But, thankfully, we have the
Internet to save the day, or at least
tell us what's wrong with us. A Sep-
tember 2013 Huffington Post article
kindly elaborates on "Why Genera-
tionYYuppies are Unhappy." In case
you were wondering, it's because of
our unrealistic expectations, overly
ambitious career goals and the fact
that every elementary school teach-
er we had told us we were special.

Sorry to break it to you: We're not
really all that special.
Basically, we were overly pam-
pered growing up and are now
unprepared for the world - the
really depressing and dysfunctional
world - we have to face. Or so they
say.
Jokes aside, there's some truth
to be found here. We are 'coming of
age' in an increasingly difficult real-
ity. We're the first generation to be
living in a world of approximately
seven billion people. That's bound
to cause some problems. We're
growing up in a world of decreasing
economic opportunity, increasing
income inequality, looming climate
change and numerous bloody con-
flicts. It's not exactly the most opti-
mistic picture. Not to mention the
fact that older generations continue
to put off solving some of today's
most pressing problems, leaving
them for us to deal with down the
road.
And, the fact that we didn't grow
up exactly as our parents did is, in
fact, what will prove to be our great-
est asset.
Yes, we are overly idealistic but in
a world where almost 50 percent of
people live on below the equivalent
of $2.50 a day, don't we have to be?
Yes, we expect more of ourselves
and our jobs - we want to be doing
something we love, not just earning
a living - but it's this passion that'll
inspire us to work hard at what we
do every day. Yes, we were singled
out and propped up on pedestals as
kids, but that also gives us the con-
fidence needed to stand by and push
for the big reforms that many of our
social systems need.
The Thought Catalog post
claimed that our generation, as a

result of how much we are exposed
to, is growing up with a taste of
everything, but not enough in depth
training in anything. And while this
makes us seem easily distracted or
apathetic, it's also forcing us to be
innovative and chart our own paths.
We have fewer traditional pros-
pects, but we have the confidence,
passion and creativity to make new
opportunities - provided, of course,
that we're able to get away from
Facebook long enough to do so. As
the article says, "we might not rein-
vent the wheel" but we're seeking
to reinvent everything since. We're
seeing that certain political, social
and economic systems that have
been in place for years, don't apply
as well to the world we live in. And
because we were told from an early
age that we can do anything we set
our mind to, we're determined to
find ways to change them.
That's not to say that some of
the criticisms aren't valid - we're
not exactly the best-informed gen-
eration. Ironic, given the amount of
access we have to information. With
so many things constantly compet-
ing for our attention, we're con-
stantly forced to decide what is and
isn't important. And, I'll admit, we
haven't been the greatest at doing so.
Buzzfeed articles of adorable yawn-
ing kittens certainly don't help. But if
we are able to find ways to focus our
energy, the very things "Generation
Y" is criticized for can become our
biggest strengths. In fact, that pas-
sion, confidence and ability to remain
idealistic is essential now more than
ever, given the world we will be
inheriting.
- HarshaNahata cahe
reached at hnahata@umich.edu

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An open letter to Sir Walter Wannabe

Dear Sir Walter Raleigh Wannabe,
I came across your piece titled "Why
Chivalry is Dead, From a Man's Per-
spective" last week after it
was shared on myFacebook
newsfeed. I read it once,
twice and then a third time
for good measure, looking
for a hint of satire. When I
didn't find it, I read about
Elite Daily, thinking maybe
the publication is a sort of
offshoot of The Onion. It SARA
isn't. You actually feel this MOROSI
way, and I'm baffled.
In your opening argu-
ment, you mention that you grew up in a tight
knit Italian family, and because of that, feel
you're equipped with a strong set of values. I,
too, grew up in a tight knit Italian family, and
I feel similarly. I can even relate to your ref-
erence of the wooden spoon. But it seems as
though you and I have very different takes on
"why women act the way
they do" - something on
which, according to your
biography, you are quite M ale ch
the expert.
I don't believe chivalry is is still ve
dead. I do believe the way -.
society defines "chivalry" al
has changed with time.
you say that the women
in your life have taught you
"the value of chivalry and etiquette." And, as a
woman, I appreciate that. But the truth is, your
mother and grandmother's experiences with
chivalry reflect the society in which they grew
up and dated - one that left little room for the
empowerment and success of women outside of
the nuclear family, and is very different from
ours. In fact, one of my favorite stories that my
dad tells is about the time, at age 10, he beat up
a boy for saying my grandmother was a terri-
ble mother because she worked outside of the
home as an elementary school teacher.
As women have gained more respect, the
way society regards chivalry has shifted. It's no
longer about a man finding a woman to provide
care for the family while he purses the Ameri-
can Dream. It's about mutual respect.
You say that you're "the only single guy
you know that actually takes a girl out to a
restaurant on a first date." Along with "don't

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flatter yourself," I have to say you might want
to reconsider the men with which you sur-
round yourself. I have plenty of friends who
are willing and happy to spend the time and
money to take a girl out on a date. I'm sure
you'd get along great with them.
Then again, maybe you wouldn't. I grew
confused when you proceeded to say: "When
did it become acceptable to just text a girl,
inviting her to come bang? Don't get me
wrong, I'm not complaining about those
instances ..." Correct me if I'm wrong, but
it seems there are times that you dismiss
the traditions you swear by, and conform to
exactly what it is that you are condemning.
You also claim that the death of chivalry has
led to the subsequent end of simple gestures,
like holding doors open. I disagree, as I see this,
among other displays of courtesy on campus,
every day. I do not expect anyone - male or
female - to hold the door open for me, espe-
cially just because I am a woman. I am fully
capable of opening the door myself. But if do
you hold the door open for
me as I scurry into Mason
Hall, I'm going to appre-
auvinism ite it and I'm going to
thank you. I'm also going
:ry much to look over my shoulder
to see if anyone is coming
ye. in behind me before let-
ting the door close. It isn't
about chivalry; it's about
mutual respect.
Your argument that chivalry is dead only
shows that male chauvinism is still very
much alive.,
You state: "The real problem here is that
women, for one reason or another, have
become complacent and allowed men to get
away with adhering to the bare minimum ...
and receiving what we ultimately want any-
way - sex." There is a strong differentiation
between any definition of chivalry and chau-
vinism, and by putting the blame on women
for an imagined epidemic of disrespect, you
are surely displaying the latter.
Since you offered us so much enlighten-
ment, I'd love to return the favor. If you con-
tinue to hold on to said perspective, sir, do not
expect a high return rate on second dates.
- Sara Morosi can be reached
. at smorosi@umich.edu.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Eli Cahan, Eric Ferguson,
Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald,
Adrienne Roberts,Paul Sherman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
Notfar enough

ast week I had the pleasure
of watching "Lee Daniels'
The Butler." The film was
phenomenal,
and I highly rec-
ommend see- .:
ing it. Although
the storyline
revolves around
a butler named
Cecil Gaines-
who works in
the White House PATRICK
for 34 years, the MAILLET
movie ultimately
says more about
the Civil Rights movement. The
movie ends with Gaines - a man
raised on a cotton plantation -
meeting President Barack Obama.
After leaving the theater, I couldn't
help but think about how far Amer-
ica has come when considering this
country's incredibly recent history
with racism and discrimination.
The day after watching the movie,
I had lunch with my friend Morgan,
who was in a noticeably bad mood.
After I asked her what was wrong,
she told me that she had just left a
class in which the discussion was
-whether or not gay marriage is con-
stitutional. As you can imagine at a
university such as Michigan, the vast
majority of the classroom supported
the constitutionality of gay mar-
riage. Interestingly enough, it wasn't
a comment that had caused Morgan's
irritation; it was the fact that this
conversation was even happening
that was so frustrating to her.
Morgan's parents are gay. Even
though she has lived in the "liberal"
city of Ann Arbor her entire life,
Morgan and her family have had to
deal with the universal, constant
adversity that gay parents face. Just
last week during parents' weekend,
Morgan was faced with a challenge.
My friends and I host a parent's

tailgate every year in whi,
of our friends bring their
It's always a highlight of th,
it's great to meet my friends
and for them to meet mine.I
Morgan brought her paren
to the tailgate, Morgan wa
of the reaction her two mor
receive from other parents.
our friends' parents arer
worrying her of the possib
her moms might not be wel'
the event. Luckily, it ended
great; everybody loved me
moms. Morgan's uneasiness
the tailgatehowever, mustlh
unbearable.
The concept of not being
to show my family off to f
incredibly foreign to me. I 1
ing friends meet my paren
always talk about
my familyto any-
one willing to lis- Futi
ten. Morgan isn't .
afforded this W I
luxury. Instead,
she has to live in
a constant state
of awareness tree
because she has.
no idea whether
people will accept or re
parents' sexual orientatio
worse, Morgan and her brs
constantly reminded by N
and other homophobic st
stitutions that her parent
people that raised her to
unbelievably smart, beaut
courteous woman that she
somehow worse at parent
their heterosexual counter
Michigan's constitution
a same-sex marriage ban
since 2004. It currentlyi
legal challenges by two
fromDetroitwhowereban
adopting each other's child
rights activists are hopeful

ch many 2004 ban will be declared uncon-
families. stitutional and Michigan will join
e season; the other 14 states and District
' parents of Columbia that currently allow
This year same-sex marriage.
ts. Prior In 1961, Obama's parents got
s unsure married in Hawaii. At the time,
ns would interracial marriage was still illegal
Some of in 16 states. It wasn't until the 1967
religious, U.S. Supreme Court Case Loving v.
ility that Virginia that interracial marriage
coined at would become legal throughout the
up being nation. Nowadays, a mixed-race
eting her student would never have to sit in
prior to a classroom and argue why his or
avebeen her parents' marriage is constitu-
tional. Nevertheless, only a gen-
g excited eration ago, this conversation was
riends is undoubtedly present in universities
love hav- across the country.
its and I One day, Morgan will likely be
telling her
children of a
ure generations time in which
r gtheir grandpar-
11 be mystified ents weren't
allowed to
y the current marry each
other. Her chil-
atment o gays. dren will likely
be mystified
by the bigoted
ject her mindset of the past, just as my gen-
in. Even eration looks upon colored drinking
other are fountains.
Michigan America has come so far in the
ate con- last few decades. We have bro-
s - the ken down barriers for all types of
be the people and we continue to do so
iful and today. Gay marriage will eventually
is - are be legal throughout the country.
ing than Morgan's parents will one day have
parts. a marriage that is respected and
has had acknowledged by all 50 states. But
in place until that day comes, America can-
is facing not consider itself a fully free and
women fair society.

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ned from
iren. Gay
I that the

- Patrick Maillet can be
reached at maillet@umich.edu.

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