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. - ... - - -..j ---- - ... -.. .- A -- .A O._ __- ~_ -J - - - --- --j - - - - - - o .........., . «.., . 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 bring their letters in on disk should include their phone numbers for verification.Call 747-2814 for details. ..Abortionist-at-large: armed and dangerous