Page 4A - Monday, November 3, 2014 t (c inan 4 at Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MEGAN MCDONALD PETER SHAHIN and DANIEL WANG KATIE BURKE EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR 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. FROMTHEDALY A principled tradition The University must focus on morals in new athletic director tandingintheRegentsRoomintheFlemingAdministration Building on Friday, University President Mark Schlissel announced the resignation of Athletic Director Dave Brandon. Brandon's resignation comes on the heels of a slew of controversial events and decisions that led to public outcry from students and alumni alike. As the athletic director, Brandon was rarely able to genuinely connect with or understand Michigan fans, often implementing shortsighted policies and marketing tactics that betrayed the core beliefs of the school. Brandon's justified departure presents an opportunity for President Schlissel and the University to realign the Athletic Department with the school's foundational traditions and values of a strong moral code, academic excellence and tradition of athletic success. The Michigan Daily --michigandaily.com FROM THE DAILY Taylor, White, Weiser and Schauer :us on issues that impact students, the Daily endorses four candidates ipcoming Nov. 4 election has the potential to change politics on and off campus. Tuesday's ballot will cover a host of issues tingto students, includingthe election oftwo Universityregents, Arbor mayor and a hotly contested election for state governor. en seems like elections are a topic with little everyday impact, >uld pay attention to local and state elections. Basic services costs are influenced by the future mayor, while University :isions are made by the Board of Regents. Similarly, all Michigan ill be affected by the gubernatorial election. Because there at stake,students must pay attention to the issues and make cisions Tuesday. While much of the public outrage toward Brandon was due to the football team's poor performance on the field, the heart of student and alumni discontent wasbased onthe appar- ent disintegration of Michigan's values. Dur- ing Brandon's tenure, the Athletic Department mishandled a number of critical incidents, a reflection of the department's failure to pri- oritize basic University principles. On Nov. 23, 2013,former MichigankickerBrendanGibbons was allowed to play in a game against Iowa despite the fact that three days prior Gibbons had been found responsible for an violating the University's Student Sexual Misconduct Policy. At best this was a communication fail- ure, and at worst it was a willful disregard for the ethical standards of the University. In the Sept. 27 football game against Minnesota, after Michigan sophomore quarterback Shane Morris suffered a concussion on the field he was allowed to reenter the game. Though the incident seemed to be an accident of ignorance . - another breakdown in communication, apparently - the fact remains that the policy in place failed to protect student-athletes. Rather than reinforcing player safety policies or the personal conduct of its student- athletes (see former Michigan offensive lineman Taylor Lewan's alleged physical assault in addition to Gibbons')upontakingthe athletic director position, Brandon appeared to prioritize the gimmicky marketing strategies of a profit-driven agenda; effectively brushing aside the virtues of a "Michigan Man." From raising football ticket prices, to the accidental Coca-Cola ticket giveaway promotion, to the skywriting incident, Brandon's marketing decisions were a series of rather impulsive ideas or mistakes from which he backtracked following public disapproval. The University cannot afford another athletic director with such misaligned values. All of which is to say the University needs to better integrate the Athletic Department into its overall mission. In addition to choosing a principled athletic director, Schlissel has to find a balance between an efficient delegation of responsibilities and sufficient oversight to ensure that the Athletic Department is an exten- sion of University virtues. Learning from Bran- don's mistakes, the next Athletic Director needs to focus on student-athlete safety, player behav- ior and connecting with alumni and students. Michigan's storied history is a winning one - especially in football - but it's not the scoreboard from which students and alumni draw their pride. Michigan tradition is defined by morals, not money; the team, not the brand. By forgoing profits, wins or skywriting in exchange for ethical behavior in the Athletic Department, President Schlissel can continue to maintain that proud tradition. For the first time in 14 years, Ann Arbor will elect a new mayor to servethecity'sresidents.AnnArbor City Councilmember Christopher Taylor (D-Ward 3) is running against independent candidate Bryan Kelly in this year's mayoral election. Taylor's platform relies partially on reinforcing strategies that current Mayor John Hieftje (D) has utilized in the past. Taylor is a strong advocate for expanding public transit, increasing outreach to students and initiating change in downtown development and zoning districts. While Kelly has noted the importance of restructuring our development infrastructure, his platform is focused on the city's debt, especially pension debt and health care. While it's clear that Kelly is passionate about the city and its people, his visible lack of experience is a red flag for voters. With the city's focus currently on the Downtown Development Authority and expansion of public transit and related services, The Michigan Daily Editorial Board endorses CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR for mayor. However, honorable mention is given to independent candidate Bryan Kelly for his obvious passion and investment in the city's issues, and his initiative to reach out and connect with students. Kelly should continue his political career and with future experience, he will hopefully prove to be a great candidate for the city. In the race for two seats on the University's Board of Regents, four candidates have become the frontrunners: Mike Behm, Rob Steele, Ronald Weiser and Katherine White. Of the four, the Daily endorses KATHERINE WHITE and RONALD WEISER. White, the current chair of the Board of Regents, has maintained a strong relationship with the student body throughout her terms, including the reporters at the Daily. White has previously said she endorseslowering tuition for students as well as increasing minority enrollment and diversifying campus. With a strong background in higher education and advocacy for diversity on campus, White is an excellent choice for the board. Newcomer Ronald Weiser is a University alum, a former ambassador to the Slovak Republic and the founder and CEO of multimillion-dollar real estate firm McKinley Associates. Weiser has demonstrated his dedication to the community. His service on the board for the Detroit Institute of Arts shows his dedication to the arts, which is encouraging for the University as he emphasizes greater funding for non-specialized programs. Weiser believes his background in business can help the University better manage its funds, especially with regard to responsible budgeting and lowering student tuition. On diversity issues, Weiser plans to increase diversity by lowering tuition and improving accessibility. Weiser, who has strong ties to the Ross School of Business, must focus on all parts of the University in order to be successful. The 2014 gubernatorial election pits incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Snyder against former U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer. The decision was difficult, as the editorial board had reservations with some of the stances of both candidates on different issues. Though the course of the state economy has trended positively during Snyder's term, his policies, such as the elimination of the Michigan Business Tax, tax reforms and elimination of various tax credits for individuals that mostly affected the middle and lower class and introduction of taxed pensions, have delivered good, but not sensational, results at the expense of the aforementioned raises in personal taxes. Education funding, while initially cut under the Snyder administration, has trended upward over the past four years, but his plans for more educational choice have spawned charter schools that lack oversight. His role in the Detroit bankruptcy proceedings and the Grand Bargain were instrumental, but his pro-fracking and other environmental and energy stances lack the progressivism we wish to see. Snyder also continues to dodge questions on social issues, and it's difficult to figure out where he stands. Meanwhile, Schauer says a lot of the right things, but lacks details on how he would implement his ideas. He wishes to reinstate tax credits for lower- and middle- class individuals and eliminate the pension tax, as well as repeal Right to Work legislation. However, his general proposals such as cutting waste and expanding the tax base do not specifically answer how he would achieve the increased revenue needed to accomplish things like substantially increasing education funding, rendering his plans idealistic. He says he would not have instituted an emergency manager in Detroit, but hasn't provided details on how he would have dealt with the situation differently. However, Schauer sets himself apart from Snyder with his stance on social issues, his progressive environmental goals and his vision for education in the state. The Michigan Daily has a strong precedent of placing importance on these issues, therefore, we endorse MARK SCHAUER for governor. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Devin Eggert, David Harris, Rachel John, Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Allison Raeck, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Mary Kate Winn, Jenny Wang, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe Exactly the right time CAROLINE SEMRAU I Vote yes on annexation Before Friday, Michigan's midterm elec- tions seemed primed to be the story of the week. Then former Athletic Director Dave Brandon turned heads_ one last time, resigning his office, and suddenly, the gov- ernor's post seems secondary. compared to the still-warm w but newly empty chair of the athletic director at the Uni- versity of Michigan. ° Normally it would be TYLER cheeky to suggest the oust- SCOTT ing of an athletic director at a single university trumps the importance of a changing of the guard of the state's highest political office, but timing is everything. With each progressive controversy, the question of what exactly it would take to get Dave Brandon fired mid-season was asked with increasing regularity. In the end, whether it was the botched handling of Shane Morris-gate, the ineptitude of the highest-profile athletic team or just the mounting public pressure Dave Brandonisnowgone - somethingthatstudents should be proud of. Tirelessly, the mantra of the "leaders and best" is preached, but even in this liberal haven, most dramatic illustrations of student activism elicit a response that can only be measured by how likely a passerby is to actively avoid the Diag on demonstration day. After the misery of the Minnesota game on Sept. 27, organizers of the protest to have Dave Brandon run out of town seized the perfect time to voice the growing discontent. Hundreds gathered around the heart of campus and the media were there to listen. Students - the most faithful followers of the once-great Michigan Wolverines - were seemingly more fed up than anyone. Poor Mark Schlissel. Not even a semester into his tenure as University President, and hordes of angry students were literally out call- ing for change from the front steps of his home. The decision sat with Schlissel, but the protest made national news. It wasn't that the evening on the Diag caused any change directly, even with the news chopper whirling overhead. But it evoked frustration with the status quo and put Dave Brandon in the middle of a nightmare, albeit one that looked escapable. There seemed for a moment to be a glimmer of hope for Brandon. Next year's student football ticket prices were slashed, excitement about the upcoming basketball and hockey seasons quelled some woes, and Michigan finally won again - at home, under the lights, with proud and elated players. It was all a cruel coincidence. A loss at Michigan State on Oct. 25 reincarnated the dismay, and the University's Board of Regents began to put serious pressure on Brandon. Perhaps the left-leaning board was happy to excusably berate the staunchly conservative corporate pizza man, and perhaps much of what transpires on the football field doesn't fall directly on the athletic director. It should be said that Brandon did some great things for the University. Chiefly, the state-of- the-art facilities for many of the athletic teams and clubs should come to mind, but the timing was all wrong. Once this season began its disap- pointing course, Brandon never had a chance. To claim that students had some hand in the resignation of Brandon may be overreaching. A lot of degrees, experience and money go into making decisions of such magnitude. Nevertheless, the entire ordeal would have had a different feel were it not for the protest on the Diag that fans and media members alike often referred to. For once, it at least feels like the student voice meant something, that it made a difference by providing a key outlet of discontent - and at exactly the right time. - Tyler Scott can be reached at tylscott@umich.edu. Perseveranceisputtingfortheffort through difficult times. Last month, Whitmore Lake students focused on the character trait of perseverance, They learned that perseverance is important throughout life. Perhaps unknown to these stu- dents, their own school district is tryingto persevere in providing high- qualitysustainable education despite continued inadequate funding from state government. Whitmore Lake is not alone. The Ann Arbor public schools struggle to maintain excel- lence in the face of state reductions to support classroom teaching. These two school districts are proposing an innovative, joint approach in their tenacious battle. Both districts support the annexation of the Whitmore Lake public schools into the Ann Arbor public schools. Annexation will be on your ballot Tuesday as the Ann Arbor Schools Proposal. It deserves our support. The future of our children depends on a "yes" vote. For the last eight years, I have had the pleasure of teaching Whitmore Lake children. As an Ann Arbor resident of 12 years, I compare the resources at our Ann Arbor neighborhood school to the limited Whitmore Lake offerings: no elementary art, limited AP courses, only Spanish in high school. How is it that students, only a few minutes north of Ann Arbor, are the casualties of a political decision made before their births? Proposal A, implemented in 1995, centralized control of school funds at the state level. A foundation allow- ance, or the appropriation per pupil, was allotted based on enrollment. The foundation allowance of each district reflected its spending prior to Proposal A. Ann Arbor students cur- rently get $9,100 per student while Whitmore Lake students receive only $7,126 because of the patterns and policies of over two decades ago. Annexation is a local, proactive solution that benefits students in both districts. After annexation, all students in the expanded district wouldreceiveafoundationallowance of $9,095 per student. This allowance includes an ongoing annual state appropriation of an additional $100 per student to districts choosing annexation. With the nearly 18,000 students in both districts, the added $100 per student would yield $1.8 million annually. Each district must, by law, have its own superintendent and board of education. Each district must also have central administrative services such as business services and human resource departments to fulfill its educational and fiduciary respon- sibilities. Annexation would lead to the elimination of a superintendent and other duplicative services. The consolidation of central adminis- trative seryices would cut costs by $500,000. These savings would dwarf the $5 decline noted above for the Ann Arbor foundation allowance. The sum of the $1.8 million in recurring revenue and the $500,000 reduction in administrative costs yields a total of $2.3 million of new annual support for instruction. In addition, the state is offering a one- time grant of $1.4 million to offset costs related to the annexation. The annexation of Whitmore Lake would attract students back to the Whitmore Lake schools and attract School of Choice students from a broader geographic area. It would further lower central administra- tive costs per student and increase the proportion of the state, appro- priation devoted to instruction. The Ann Arbor superintendent and the Board of Education are pursuing this policy now. Incorporating Whitmore Lake into this plan would open up possibilities of new educational pro- grams, such as language immersion, STEAM, magnet schools and Inter- national Baccalaureate programs, which benefit students as well as attract them. The Whitmore Lake District would become a neighbor- hood attendance area analogous to those of Huron, Pioneer and Sky- line. The geographic area of sus- tainable, excellent public education would increase. The ability to think creatively allows people and, in this case, districts to persevere. The current system of funding schools is broken. If we wait for elected state officials to fix the problems, more students will have gaps in their education. Instead, this annexation proposal allows two districts to take a stand and work through the funding situation so the education of our students will not suffer. Together, Whitmore Lake and Ann Arbor will be a model of strength, unity and perseverance. Our community will model the traits we teach our students. Vote yes on the Ann Arbor Schools Proposal for annexation. Caroline Semrau is an Ann Arbor resident and a teacher in the Whitmore Lake Public School district. _ CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the writer's full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.