4 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 20, 1998
Edited and managed by
dtdan m a bCHRIS FARAH DAVID WALLACE
students at the + + Editor in Chief Editorial Page Editor
University of Michigan Jfl 3p f lr nn 4 nt t
fi r ~c'WZMUnless otherwise noted, unstgned editorials reflect the opiniwn of the
420 Maynard Street tnajority of the Dalys :editorial board. Allother articles, letters and
Ann Arbor, Ml 48109 cartoon do notn ecessardy reflec t the opinain of The Miehigan Daly
L ast Thursday, the University Board of
Regents approved a 3.9 percent increase
in tuition as part of the University's 1998-99
budget. In addition to the tuition increase,
LS&A students will have an extra $30 per
semester tacked on as a technology fee.
While the need for a large increase is need-
ed to improve the University, the $30 fee to
LS&A students is particularly burdensome,
and the University should find ways to
reduce future tuition increases.
While adding fees to tuition is nothing
new, the technology fee is particularly cost-
ly in light of the already large tuition
increase. Adding $30 takes the overall
University tuition increase of 3.9 percent
and raises it another 1 percent for LS&A
students. Keeping up with technological
advancements is something the University
should strive for, but the University should
look at other sources of funding rather than
creating extra expenses for students. For
many students, the cost of education at the
University is very difficult to raise. Extra
fees like this, while they may seem small to
Rising expens esAy et
University raises tuition nearly 4 percent
some, can possibly drive the price too high
and contribute to the University's dropout
rate.
While the increase will improve aspects
of the University, it damages students'
financial concerns in another way aside
from the obvious. The state of Michigan
gives a tuition tax credit to students whose
colleges or universities keep their tuition
increases at or below the rate of inflation.
For this year, the rate of inflation is approx-
imately 2.3 percent - a great deal less than
the 3.9 percent increase, and about half the
rate increase for LS&A students. The
University must take into account such ben-
efits for students when setting up its budget,
and attempt to reach this credit for students
whenever possible.
The University should involve students
when designing the budget. This year, stu-
dents were unable to look at the budget until
it was made public at Thursday's meeting.
This is not the best system, as students pro-
vide the shoulders on which most of the
financial burden falls. Obviously, with so
much financial responsibility, student input
should have some impact on the University's
budget. Such feedback can bring attention
to student concerns that the administration
might not be aware of, and make future bud-
gets more student-friendly while maintain-
ing the University as a leading institution.
Also, as MSA President Trent Thompson
noted during public comments, students
generally will support a tuition increase if
they understand why more money is needed
and what aspects of the University will ben-
efit from the increase. By not including stu-
dents when developing the budget, the
University leaves many students wonderinf
where their money goes.
Fretting students can take heart that
increases will be used to keep the Univers
competitive with other top-flight institu-
tions. Often underpaid when compared t
similar institutions, University faculty wil
see wage increases on a scale of 4 to 5 per
cent. To keep the best instructors in theit
fields, the University has to pay wages com
mensurate with the instructors' skills, anc
this should encourage many of them to stay
in Ann Arbor.
As a whole, the University's tuit'
increase will be used to improve the aca
mics at the University. And that in turn ben-
efits University students. But the extra fe
assessed to LS&A students definitely over-
burdens many on campus, and tht
University needs to do more to ensure tha
student concerns play a greater part in futur
budgets. The University must remain afford-
able at the same time that it stays academi-
cally competitive.
Good housekeeping
University accepts fewer applications this year
T his year, the University accepted 475 ditional residence halls.
fewer students than last year's record The national recognition the University
incoming class. The stresses of last year's gained through athletic accomplishments
class size led to many overburdened did appear to be a factor in the number of
University resources, especially Housing. applications received. For this year, 21,025
Now, the University has responded to calls applications poured in - thousands more
for change and taken the proper actions so than the previous year's 18,784. But the
that such a crunch for housing and class- University learned from its problems from
space does not occur again. a year ago and accepted only 12,351 of
Many of last year's incoming students those applications. Administrators expect
spent their first week at the University in the actual class size to number around
residence hall lounges instead of the dorm 5,200.
rooms that Housing promises for all first- This was an important action on the
year students. This was due to an inability University's part to benefit its students.
to anticipate the number of accepted stu- First-year students are often away from
dents who would choose to attend the home for the first time when they arrive on
University. Class sizes had grown steadily campus. The first weeks at the University
for years, and it appeared that the are a difficult period of adjustment for
University no longer could accurately pre- many, as they experience the demands of
dict the amount of housing needed each University life. To smooth out such times,
year. it is important that each student has a com-
To alleviate burdens on housing facili- fortable place to call home; one that can
ties for the 1998-99 academic year, a poli- provide him or her with a place to study
cy preventing upperclassmen from return- and relax. Living in lounges leaves new
ing to traditional residence halls - those students with even less of a firm center to
that have a cafeteria - was instituted. This stand on, as they have to move a second
action outraged many students at the time in addition to acclimating to the
University, who cited the benefits first- University lifestyle. For the 1998-99 year,
year students receive from living with no students will put up with this inconve-
experienced students. Also, many upper- nience. Only a small number will live in
classmen were upset that they were noti- overflow triples - a better option than
fied of the policy well into the year, after lounges, which have a lack of privacy.
much of the best off-campus housing had By accepting fewer students, the
already been signed for. And as the University has improved the conditions
University won national titles in football under which thousands of new students
and hockey, increasing popularity and will enter in little more than a month. The
publicity for the University, it appeared the University did a very credible job in
situation might worsen. assessing student needs and then taking
Things turned around in April for the actions to meet those requirements. Such
upperclassmen, as many juniors and student-administration interaction greatly
seniors who wanted to live in residence improves the quality of the University as a
halls were accommodated - some in tra- whole, and must continue in the future.
Crossing the line
New bill endangers abortion rights for minors
1he U.S. House of Representative last some dysfunctional families, parent.
Wednesday voted in favor of a bill, may not be available to their children.
sponsored by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen close relative's help in such a trying tim
(R-Florida), that would make it a crime can be a great help to a young womai
for anyone other than a parent to trans- caught up in the complexities of@
port a pregnant young woman under the unwanted pregnancy.
age of 17 across state lines to have an In any case of an unwanted pregnan-
abortion. The restrictions imposed by cy, the worman's decision -- whatever i
this bill could seriously damage a may be is extremely anguishing. Foi
woman's right to have an abortion. many young women, this bill wouk
For a little more than 25 years, when limit the number of people they could go
the Supreme Court ruled that the word to for help, and add further complica
"person" in the Constitution did not tions to a difficult situation.
apply to the unborn, women in this And the bill likely would not accom-
country have had the ability to deter- plish its goal of enforcing parental e
mine what is right for their own bodies. sent laws in the pregnant youth's home
In that time, many states have passed state. A young woman could still go by
their own laws making it difficult for herself across state lines and receive ar
minors to have an abortion without abortion. And worse, some may consider
parental consent. This new bill works to having an illegal abortion. Legalizec
prevent people from bypassing restric- abortion, as even abortion's detractors
tive state laws. The bill makes anyone must admit, has helped prevent th
besides a parent - even a close relative tragedies that can result from illega
who is not a parent - who takes a young abortions, which have a very high mater-
woman out of state to have an abortion nal death rate. If this new bill were tc
subject to prosecution. Those transport- become a law, some young women ty
ing the young woman could possibly be consider this unhealthy and unsi
sentenced to one year in jail plus a fine. option.
They could also face legal action from Indications are that President Clintor
the young woman's parents. would veto the bill if it reaches his desk
This bill does not take into consider- - and that is exactly what he should do
ation factors that could make it neces- if the bill reaches him in its presen
sary for a pregnant youth to circumvent form. The House's margin of approval
her parents. Social, religious and ethnic 276-150, is not enough to overturn a
factors could all make an unwanted Presidential veto.
pregnancy - or an aborted pregnancy Abortion is a controversial right oro.
- the subject of considerable shame for tected by the Constitution, and it ni
a young woman. In some sad cases, par- remain protected. This bill infringes on
ets may be abusive to the young young pregnant woman's rights, furthe:
woman, and revealing an unwanted complicates her decision and couk
pregnancy could result in dangerous cir- result in a dangerous situation. It shouk
cumstances for the underage girl. And in not become law.