4A -Thursday, December 5, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4A -Thursday, December 5, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
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MEGGIE RAMM
E-MAIL MEGGIE AT ROSERAMM@UMICII.EDU
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the University of Michigan since 1890.
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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.
Protecting Detroit's retirees
Bankruptcy decision threatens the future of the pension program
ederal bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes ruled Tuesday that
Detroit could formally enter bankruptcy, and the widely held
belief that pensions were protected under Michigan's Constitution
was shattered. Under Chapter 9 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, state resi-
dents believed that public-sector pensions were protected by the state's
constitution; however, as Rhodes said, "pension benefits are a contrac-
tual right and are not entitled to any heightened protection in a municipal
bankruptcy." This ruling puts not only the well being of retired Detroit
employees at risk, but also the protected pensions across the country.
"This is one of the strongest protected
pension obligations in the country here in
Michigan ... If this ruling is upheld, this is
the canary in a coal mine for protected pen-
sion benefits across the country. They're
gone," said Bruce Babiarz, a spokesman for
the Detroit Police and Fire Retirement Sys-
tem. So, while Detroit's bankruptcy gained
notoriety with reports that the city would
consider selling the Detroit Institute of Art's
collection, the implications of this ruling have
much more far-reaching impact. Now, Emer-
gency Manager Kevyn Orr will be able to
eliminate the city's pension obligations to its
retirees. Rhodes did say that the city should
be "fair and equitable" as it decides if and by
how much pensions should be reduced. How-
ever, any substantial cuts could be devastat-
ing to pensioners. Amru Meah, a pensioner
who worked for the city fof 32 years, said the
pension is "going to affect me greatly. A big
pension cut may force me to file for bankrupt-
cy. I can't afford to take a pay cut." Although
it's unlikely the city will be able to resolve its
debts without affecting its legacy obligations,
Orr should make every effort to structure the
cuts to be as minimal as possible.
The cuts will affect Detroit's 23,500 retir-
ees, even though they previously believed
they would be receiving their full pension as
it is in the Michigan Constitution. However,
there are various other options as to where
these pension cuts may come from. There are
options that won't hurt Detroit's oldest and
poorest retirees and instead, will instead take
cuts from the future pensions of Detroit's
active workers or will impose smaller cuts on
the city's retired police and firelighters.
By ruling in favor of the U.S. constitution's
supremacy clause over the state constitution's
protection of pension, other struggling Amer-
ican cities and states may follow suit and not
guarantee the protection of pensions for retir-
ees. Cities that struggle with the rising cost
of pensions and funding of public school and
public safety departments - such as Chicago,
Los Angeles and Philadelphia - may now
take this option into consideration. In cities
and states that are dealing with unfunded
pension liabilities, public-sector retirees may
lose the obligations made by their state in the
wake of a Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
HERE'S Youg TICKEET PAD AND
YOUR HAT WELCOME TO THE
ANN ARB~OR PARINGwc POLICE!
Why I don't value being comfortable
W hen I was growing any way, you act - not just speak - to waiting for your turn to speak -
up, the most repeated stop it. When you are called out for when the discussion is about expe-
phrase I heard from a problem, you listen, you learn and riences you could never possibly
my parents was an exasperated you fix your mistakes. when you trip claim as your own. It's about learn-
"Why can't you on the sidewalk and are unable to get ing to move through your own prej-
just be OK with up due to the fact that your overload- udices in a way that does not make
what you have?" ed backpack combined with the force the conversation about you, or place
It was usually of gravity has turned you into some the burden of your education on
following some kind of freakish turtle on its shell, others, or confuse appropriation
highly question- you know that your friends laughing with empathy. It's about recogniz-
able plan I made hysterically is the universally accept- ing that becoming a better friend,
to stir up trouble ed response. a better ally, a better anything of
for myself and Not valuing being comfortable importance is a process that liter-
others around means not trying to change or dilute ally n one else can tell you how to
me. ZARINA who you are and where you come best navigate, however difficult and
Exampie: from, in all of its flawed glory, and no inconvenient that truth may be.
When I was eight matter how far off the "ideal" it is. It Not valuing being comfortable
years old, I was grounded for life means that due to my Eastern Euro- isn't synonymous with not being
for going AWOL from my elemen- pean roots, my face isgeneticallypre- happy with what you already have; it
tary school in Egypt. After months disposed to frighten most youngsters means only that you are not content
of careful scheming and reckless into eating their beets and my body to be complacent with what already
uprooting of decorative plants, I built will undoubtedly assume the natural exists. Being grateful for something
a step ladder out of flowerpots behind curves of a potato eventually. Accept- and demanding its improvement
the supply building at my school, ing this means recognizingthat I will are not mutually exclusive activi-
hauled myself over the eight-foot never age with the grace, beauty or ties, whether that something is your
wallthat surrounded the campus and figure of Beyonce, but it also means community, yourself or your favor-
climbed down a tree into the frenzied being thankful for the fact that at ite TV show. Nothing I've loved has
traffic of downtown Cairo. In my least my family will not suffer from ever gotten a free pass; if anything,
backpack, I had a crayon-drawn map a beet deficiency. Accepting who you the only things worth being critical
of my wildly inaccurate perception of are also implies of are the things
a direct route back to my apartment that as a human that truly matter.
building, a book of matches I smug- you will probably Not being The thing
gled out of a restaurant and a piece of never master the about being
foil-wrapped cheese. I was flying the power of flight or Comfortable means comfortable is
damn coop. I was a rebel with a cause the art of echo- that it is a really
- we had been studying the same location - two not being content to easy thing to
pharaoh in Egyptian culture class for very uncomfort- ' do. I can't truly
three weeks, and I was really bored. able revelations be complacent with say that I don't
Today, 14 years older and prob- in an entirely dif- what exists. value being
ably two-and-a-half years wiser - ferent sense that comfortable at
and truly sorry for the previously I once had. all. There is a
stated incident - I would tell my Not valu- certain safety
mother that although I hadn't quite ing being comfortable means being in knowing the spaces and places
figured out how to appropriately able and willing to address issues and people with whom you fit in
express it, I was never "just OK" that are inherently uncomfortable effortlessly and these places and
with what I had because I didn't if approached with the level of seri- people are legitimate and impor-
want to value being comfortable. ousness that valuable conversations tant. But never making the choice
I still don't. demand. Not valuing being com- to be uncomfortable is accepting
Not valuing being comfortable fortable means forcing yourself to complacency. It's accepting a fate
means becoming overly and person- constantly reassess and learn from that is unending and resolute. We
ally familiar with the reality that topics that are undeniable parts of do the same things, have the same
everybody - but seemingly most the human experience and, yet, are conversations, make the same mis-
often, you - will make mistakes all still considered "dirty words" in takes and can only expect a differ-
the time; and in turn, it means learn- polite society - sexuality, race, gen- ent outcome by way of some kind
ing how to appropriately recognize der, emotions, growing up, death, of divine intervention or statistical
those mistakes. love and hate. elimination. Without being uncom-
when you hurt someone you love, It means learning to recognize fortable, nothing changes.
you overcome your pride and apolo- your privilege as it applies and
gize for your actions. When some- knowing when your voice is valu- - Julia Zarina can be reached
thing is racist, sexist or prejudiced in able and when to listen - without atijumilton@mich.edu.
New president must improve racial relations
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan,
Rima Fadlallah, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein,
Kellie Halushka, Melanie Kruvelis, Aarica Marsh, Megan
McDonald, Victoria Noble, Adrienne Roberts, Matthew
Seligman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
KELLIE HALUSHKA ( WP
The'Not a Racist'badge
The #BBUM campaign on Nov. 19 received about race issues as a white girl hailing from
national attention and sparked conversations suburban Michigan because I cannot call
on race at the University. I know I've been talk- myself a victim of the discrimination I hope to
ing about it more than usual, and some conver- prevent. I understand privilege and think that
sations I've had with other friends - people I this is a good place to help bring other would-
otherwise consider tobe enlightened and toler- be enlightened people up to speed.
ant individuals - have left me both angry and For one thing, it's insensitive for a person
aware of how far race relations at this school to say that he or she doesn't see race because
still have to come. this ignores that he or she is allowed to not do
I've found my hometown and high school to so. For many, race is something seen, heard
be more racially diverse than my experience in and thought about almost every moment of
Ann Arbor thus far. Since kindergarten, I've every day, and discrimination based upon it
been intimately familiar with the customs, is always a possibility. When a person says
foods and clothing of other cultures - the older that they "do not see race," they aren't saying
couples withwhom my parents hangout always that they are tolerant; rather, they are say-
commented on how diverse my homecoming ing that because they personally choose not
group pictures were. to discriminate against others, their identity
College has been a strange experience for doesn't matter and shouldn't affect them. It's
me because the University appears tobe more vitally important to not ignore the experi-
active in its discussion and encouragement of ence of others, and part of this is acknowledg-
cultural and racial diversity than demonstra- ing and being sensitive to the fact that race is
tive of it in terms of actual demographics. For always a factor in some people's lives.
the first time in my life, I've been in predomi- Another phenomenon I've observed is the
nantly white academic and social environ- dismissal of race-specific experiences in the
ments, which has shown me how out of touch name of a warped notion of "equality." An
some people are with other races, due not to African American student Tweeted, "#BBUM
prejudice but rather to a simple lack of expo- is my mom calling me worried about my safe-
sure and education. ty because I wrote an opinion piece about my
The infamous Theta Xi party notwith- identity." One of my friends asked me why
standing, I believe that the vast majority of this was relevant to a race discussion when
students on this campus are not overtly rac- they also get concerned calls from parents
ist. One of the biggest issues I've observed telling them not to walk alone at night. My
among my peers is the assumption that the response is that issues like this Tweet are rel-
status quo is good enough. Because they have evantbecause of the history of racial profiling
been raised to accept others who are different behind them like the Trayvon Martin case.
from themselves, they don't "see race;" they An ironclad equality-is-equality mindset
don't understand why initiatives like #BBUM does not work when everyone in the United
are important when they address problems States is not and historically has not been
that "also happen to white people." Basically, equal. It's great that people on campus are
they don't understand that these feelings are racially sensitive, but being so is part of a
wrong because they come from a position of dynamic and life-long learning curve. Put-
privilege. They don't intend to be hurtful or ting on the "Not A Racist" badge and then
deserve tobe dismissed as racists, but they do ignoring the conversation is not a solution.
To the University of Michigan
Regents and Presidential Advisory
Search Committee:
The Association of Black Profes-
sionals, Administrators, Faculty
and Staff feels that the candidate
selected as the new president of the
University must have a documented
history of a strong commitment to
racial diversity. We request that
the selection committee obtain and
address documented data that sup-
port the selected candidate's suc-
cessful work in promoting racial
diversity in a university setting. In
addition, the selected candidate
should have a verifiable history of
havingsupported and instituted pol-
icies that promote the recruitment
and retention of African American
faculty, staff and students.
One of the most important attri-
butes of a successful and vibrant
university is the cultural diversity of
its students, faculty and staff. Given
the current climate of the Univer-
sity, with growing African American
student dissatisfaction and protest,
and the filing of Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission com-
plaints from African American staff
in the University of Michigan Health
System, we believe it is essential
that the new president is aware of
and willing to act upon issues, such
as poor recruitment and retention
of African Americans in many units
around campus.
In many instances, the lack of
recruitment of African Ameri-
cans is directly related to current
departmental policies and process-
es that allow failed and ineffective
practices to continue to exist. Fur-
thermore, in many units, African
Americans are undervalued and
not appropriately promoted. We
are also concerned about the lack
of presence of African Americans
in the skilled trade positions within
the University and in the workforce
of suppliers and contractors.
Additionally, we request that the
new president embrace and support
health system executive leader-
ship in a continued effort to make
the UMHS a more inviting, accept-
ing, engaging and equitable place
for African American staff, faculty
and patients.
The new president must also be
supportive of developing programs
that foster collaboration and part-
nerships between the University
and its neighboring institutions
and communities: Detroit, Metro
Detroit, Ypsilanti, Eastern Michi-
gan University and Wayne State
University. The new president
should also build relationships with
the city of Ann Arbor to help create
a climate in the city of Ann Arbor
that is welcoming to all students,
faculty and staff. The experiences
of faculty and students are not only
affected by the campus climate, but
also by the climate of the adjoining
city, and the new president should
join other area leaders in improving
the climate.
We request that the final candi-
dates meet with our organization,
ABPAFS, during their on-campus
interview sessions for a question-
and-answer session. Once a candi-
date is selected for the position we
request that the new president reg-
ularly meet with our organization
to continue the dialogue and work
of addressing issues that affect
African Americans on campus.
Concrete institutional goals and
systemic practices must be estab-
lished to significantly improve the
recruitment, retention and satisfac-
tion of African American faculty,
students and staff. Additionally, we
request that interval assessments be
conducted to evaluate the Universi-
ty's progress in meeting these goals.
The Association of Black
Professionals, Administrators,
Faculty and Staff
Leon Howard Ill is the president of
ABPAFS and a hall director.
Sonja Brandon is the vice president
of ABPAFS and an administrative
specialist for senior healthcare.
Darquillius Johnson is the treasurer of
ABPAFS and a hall director.
Terrance Wilbert is the assistant
treasurer of ABPAFS and
a hail director.
Shelley Clifton is the secretary
of ABPAFS and is the Associate
Managing Director of Oversight and
Performance.
Charles Ransom is a member
of ABPAFS and a Multicultural
Studies librarian.
Jeffery Harrold is a member of
ABPAFS and is the coordinator
for Academic Standards and
Special Populations.
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need tobe educated.
It makes me vaguely uncomfortable to write
Kellie Halushka is an LSA freshman.
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