PERSPECTIVES.
Friday, July 31., 1987
the Michigan Daily
Page 7
D-
Do you know what your getting for your tuition dollars?
By Robert D. Honigman Now take junior and senior overhead is probably between $50 rule" in the University. Obviously, officials simply informed students
If the average teaching assistant liberal arts courses and imagine two to $70 million annually. In immature people aren't capable of of the practice and asked them to
earns the fractional equivalent of a full time faculty members teaching addition, the University probably making wise educational decisions write their representatives in con-
full time instructor earning $15,000 four courses of 90 students each. spends another $25 million in in the eyes of the regents and gress to redress the situation.
a year who teaches four classes, Their combined salaries, let's say, voluntary seed money to support its people in charge. So by attending Students have enormous political
with an average class size of 20 total $100,000 including fringe research programs with good labs, the University, students aren't clout. But university officials don't
students; and if first and and benefits. So the University spends experimental animals, equipment, legitimating its functions. They are want to offend their research faculty
sophomores in liberal arts normally on each junior or senior some travel vouchers, and so forth. Most just naive consumers being attracted and patrons. They are afraid that
take four courses mostly taught by $1,100 annually in direct of this money comes out of the by its glitter and glamor. But here's federal research budgets will be cut
graduate students; that means the instructional costs ($100,000 General Fund created by tuition and another paradox. If students are so if the federal government starts
University is spending $750 a year divided by 90). As a result, its state appropriations. Again, the true immature, then why is so much paying the full load. Their first
per student on direct instruction profit margin is lower and it figures are known only to the money being transferred away from loyalty is to their institution, not
($15,000 divided by 20). probably realizes only $30 million powers that be and are not widely them? You would imagine that the students. Meanwhile, academic
Now if the average freshman or in surplus funds annually from its advertised. University would try to enrich the scientists and federal officials also
sophomore pays tuition of slightly junior and seniors. The result of all this is a paradox. educational fare of its "immature" like the idea of getting their
over $4,000 (averaging in non- The above figures are admittedly Students are enabled to attend a students by spending more on research done on the cheap by
residents), and if the state allocates back-of-the-envelope calculations, world-class research university, but them. If the University is a true passing the cost along to students
around $5,000 per student, then it's but the University isn't likely to their educational benefits are parent, or at least a guardian over and state legislatures. So when
obvious, that the University ever cooperate in providing full severely impoverished to support student's best interests, shouldn't students borrow money from the
generates surplus funds from its information. the University's reputation. they fully inform student's best federal government or work part-
freshmen and sophomore students The reason the University needs Do students knowingly make this interests, shouldn't they fully time to earn their tuition money,
in the neighborhood of $8,000 per these funds is because federal trade? You would think that by inform students and obtain an and when their parents pay high
student. research requires the University to attending the University students informed consent to their research taxes for education, it's heartening
So, if approximately 8,000 fund a large share of research are implicitly legitimating its policies? After all, the money is to think that - unbeknownst to
students are.enrolled in liberal arts overhead costs itself. In addition, at financial structure, and the official coming out of tuition and state them - they are fostering national
freshmen and sophomore courses, many universities a lot of federal line is that most students are happy funds earmarked for student objectives and helping science.
the university would generate a cash overhead reimbursement is diverted - but when students ask for a role education. Some day all that knowledge will
surplus of over $60 million back to the research faculty rather in University policy they are told One final paradox. The federal be passed back to them by caring
annually. Knock off $10 million than going to the General Fund. I that although a majority are rule that host universities must instructors. It's just that no one
for teaching overhead, and the can't tell if that's the case here, but "happy" with the system, they are substantially contribute to knows when.
University still comes out $50 I would estimate that the too immature to play a role in its sponsored research overhead could
million ahead. University's share in all its research governance. There's no "majority be easily overturned if university Honigman is a Michigan alumnus.
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Right-to-Life in our
! By Timothy Huet
I have always respected President
Reagan and Reverend Falwell for
their keen attention to the problems
of abortion and Central America. I
stand behind them 110 percent in
their efforts to exorcise society of
that abominable evil, abortion.
And, knowing their great concern
for what happens in Central
America, our own backyard, I am
sure that they will be shocked to
learn that abortion is a common
practice in that bastion of
democracy. That's right, brother and
sisters! In our OWN hemisphere,
only an hour away by super-sonic
bomber, there are governments and
groups carrying out a systematic
program of abortions.
Let me tell you about the sins
being committed so you can be a
witness.
In El Salvador, an otherwise
peaceful and God-fearing country,
an eighteen-year-old newlywed wo-
man was dragged from her home by
members of a death squad. Three
days later, she was found decap-
itated, her torso severed in half.
Now, I know so far nothing sounds
un-Christian about this, but you
haven't heard the tragic part yet: the
woman was three months pregnant.
Yes, friends, among the assorted
body parts, was found an unborn
fetus, also cut in half. Imagine that,
unabashed abortion.
Another Salvadoran woman, this
one twenty-one-years old, was ab-
ducted from her home at midnight
by another death squad. They took
her to a military barracks in
Ilopagno. There they gang-raped
her, forced her to bend over, and
shot her from the rear. The bullet
backyard
ripped apart her face as it exited. I
know you're already outraged at this
case of pagan fornication and
adultery, but it gets worse. When
they killed this woman, she too
was three months pregnant. An-
other clear-cut case of abortion.
And, friends, it's not just in El
Salvador either. In Nicaragua, a
four-month pregnant, seventeen-
year-old wife was killed by repeated
stabs to the abdomen with bayo-
nets. Who could commit such a
brutal abortion? The Contras of all
people! How could they take the
humanitarian aid President Reagan
and fine fundamentalist church
groups have given them and use it
to perform abortions?! I'm stunned.
And it's not merely an isolated
occurrence. These Contras killed an
unborn fetus and, incidentally, its
soon-to-be mother in the village of
El Guabo also. Can I get a witness?
I'm outraged that the bayonets
and other aid our pious President
and churches are giving to Central
Americans is being used to perform
abortions. We must discontinue
such support so as to halt this
practice as soon as possible. It is
our Christian duty to protect every
Central American fetus' God-given
right to be born before it is killed!
Amen!
Huet is Daily Opinion Page Co-
editor.
The Daily welcomes letters from its
readers. Bringing in letters on personal
computer disk is the fastest way to publish
a letter in the Daily. Readers who can not
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747-2814 for details.
..Abortionist-at-large: armed and dangerous