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OPINION
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01he Micht-gan Builti
Vol. XCIV, No. 26-S
94 Years of Editorial Freedom
Managed and Edited by Students at
The University of Michigan
Editorials represent a majority opinion of the
Daily Editorial Board
Tainted money
MANY PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED
that the answer to the University's
budgetary woes is to have the athletic depart-
ment contribute to the support of academic
programs. The athletic department finally
complied and is enhancing the budget of the
least academic unit of them all - the physical
education department.
A year ago, a budget review committee
recommended that the program be cut 40
percent and be removed from its home in the
School of Education. That cut was lessened to
30 percent and the department was
established as an independent academic unit.
But the athletic .department stepped in and
donated $300,000 - a sum equal to the amount
of the cut.
That money will be laundered through the
University's general fund - from which all
academic and administration units are
funded. Because the funding is indirect,
University administrators claim the athletic
department will not have any control over how
the money is spent.
But the tie between the athletic and the
physical education departments are obvious.
The physical education program has long been
a back door for athletes with academic
qualifications below that of other University
students.
Obviously, Don Canham, the athletic
director and a member of the committee who
devised this funding scheme, believes that the
athletic department will gain from this
expenditure. Even though the coffers of the
athletic department are overflowing from
football revenue, $300,000 is a huge sacrifice
for the powerful department.
The athletic department could have
influence in such inappropriate areas as
admissions' policies, teaching practices,
grading guidelines and academic
requirements in the physical education
program.
If the athletic department is to help fund the
University's academic programs, it should
spread the bounty to everyone. The Schools of
Art, Education, and Natural Resources have
received budget cuts over the last year
ranging from 18 to 40 percent and no one
bailed these more deserving academic units
out from their financial crises.
Friday, July 20, 1984
The Michigan Daily
Wasserman
MONDALE (S A LoSER , REAGAN is MaNDALE AK JUST PIG6ED GERALD\ E
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Chilly scenes of other worlds
from a traveller's notebook
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By Naomi Saferstein
SANTIAGO, CHILE - For
most, traveling abroad brings
hopes of sun-filled beaches,
romantic walks along winding
roads, dancing until dawn. For
me, wearing four shirts, a
sweater, long johns, two pairs of
wool socks, and tights, all I find
myself hoping for is a lifetime
supply of Vicks Vapor Rub, a mit-
ten for my nose, and a central
heating system.
vet, it is common knowledge
that foreign travel is bound to
bring about new experiences, in-
teresting endeavors, and a sense
of adventure, but never did I
imagine all this would fall upon
me in the bathroom.
Being a suburban Sue, I often
forget that the world is not a
West Bloomfield or an Ann Ar-
bor, that certain countries are not
fortunate enough to know the
things which we so frivolously
take for granted-things, for
example, like hot water.
You think I'm kidding, right?
Real funny, huh? Well, I surely
wasn't laughing yesterday when I
went to take a shower and the
Senora stopped me, saying to
wait a few minutes "while she
gets things ready."
Although r1offered to do it
myself, she insisted, and not wan-
ting to offend her, I obliged,
adhering to her customs, and
waited while I imagined the dear
Senora drawing a bath, making
sure there's soap and towels, a
place to wipe my feet-Latin
American hospitality.
When she said, "It's ready," I
thanked her for her trouble,
walked into the bathroom, and
stopped, because in the tub, to my
utter chagrin, was a pot of boiling
water, otherwise known as my
hot bath:
Wait a minute, thought I, this
must be a mistake, another
bathroom awaits. This pot of
water isn't for me, it's for fine
washables. Woolite kind-of-stuff.
I smiled and shrugged my
shoulders, surprised at my
foolish third world projections,
and tip-toed around the corner, in
search of my bathroom.
- Wrong. No other bathroom. No
tub, no towels, no place to wipe
my feet. No woolite. The only
fine washable that was going to
be cleaned in that pot was me. I
wanted to try; the pragmatist in
me opted against it, the energy
could be used in a more heat ef-
ficient manner.
So, with no other options, I
stood there naked, feeling as
desperate as Jesus before the last
supper. Shivering, because the
apartment, as well, has no heat.
Trying to bathe while my skin
was turning hues of blue, my
teeth chattering. All the while,
telling myself that somewhere,
this too, must have its silver
lining, that in some manner, this
is broadening my horizons,
giving me something I didn't
have before-like pneumonia.
And before I know it, my little
pot was empty, my body clean,
and I felt that experiences like
these are what add color to time
spent abroad. And I smiled, or
tried to, though my lips were still
frozen, feeling a little
tougher-or perhaps it was my
blood becoming a little
thicker-considering myself for-
tunate because not everyone has
the opportunity to become an ice
cube in South America, not
everyone is fortunate enough to,
as you guessed it, become chilled
in Chile. Lucky me, I thought,
lucky me.
Saferstein is a Daily staff
reporter.
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