4 The Michigan Daily - Monday, August 7, 2000 Edited and managed by GEOFF GAGNON PETER CUNNIFFE students at the Editor in Chief JOsH WICKERHAM University of Michigan Editorial Page Editors tiless iotheinise noted, iiisigned editorials reflect the opinion of he 420 Maynard Street najorit of the ai :s editoril board. All other artcls, letters nd A Ann A rbor, MI 48109 ncatoons do not necessaril reflect the opinion f Thei i lichigani anl President Bollinger's appointment of Interim Athletic Director Bill Martin, a longtime Ann Arbor resident and successful businessman, to the full-time director posi- tion for the next five years comes as a wel- comed move and a much-needed measure to help heal this ailing department. As founder and chairman of the Bank of Ann Arbor, Martin has the business savvy and political prowess to confront the many issues facing the Athletic Department in the coming years. Topping the list of concerns is the Department's financial situation. Riding a wave of mismanagement from former dirtc- tor Tom Goss, the situation is compounded by Nike's decision to drop their official con- tract with the University, which could cost the University millions in the coming sea- sons. As a gesture of goodwill, Martin has donated his first year salary of $250,000 back to the Department. Bollinger's decision was based on a let- Martin Mania New athletic director has work cut out for him ter of recommendation signed by the major- ity of varsity coaches, despite three other candidates narrowed down by a search advi- sory committee. Having coach approval ensures support at all levels and opens com- munication within the department. Despite the other recommendations from the search advisory committee, president Bollinger's decision is sound and will increase the accountability of the department as well as respect for the new leadership. The only potential pitfall could reside in Martin's potential feelings of indebtedness to the coaches responsible for getting him the posi- tion. Part of the problem with the previous Athletic Director regime was Tom Goss' inability to deal with problematic coaches. This perceived lack of communication and accountability from within the Athletic Department is a pressing issue. Layers of bureaucratic safety nets have often made the department staff and coaches inaccessible for critique and evaluation by the commum- ty at large. Martin's press appearance last week marked a decided turn toward a more open and easily accountable departmental path with an impressively orchestrated attempt to meet issues head on. Martin's experience on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Olympic Committee and as the president of the United States Sailing Foundation, as well as his successful tenure as interim Athletic Director have given him the experience necessary to ensure a successful term at the helm. An important part of Martin's role is to restore the legacy of Michigan's good name in sports. In addition to improving the ov all logistics of the department - fr* coaching on down - Martin has set a goal of improving the track facilities and building a much-needed new baseball stadium. These goals should not overshadow the financial problems of the department or drain funds prematurely, resulting in higher apparel and ticket prices. With close to half of the neces- sary funds already raised, Martin should focus his resources on continued efforts to get the department back in the black while still keeping ticket prices low. As an integral portion ofte University's operations, the Athletic Department has an important responsibili- ty to the spirit of this university, as well as the role as a significant university invest- ment and business-like financial arm. Martin's experience shows him to be a man able and ready for the job. .. _ Grand Old Pretense Republican Convention a charade Corporate controversy Sweatshop movement must keep activist roots T he parade of African Americans and Latmos seen on the stage of last week's Republican National Convention was a departure from the usual GOP mold and an attempt by the Republican Party to put for- ward a diverse and friendly face. From Colin Powell, to unknown state legislators, the GOP mustered every minority officeholder and official in their party to march across the stage of the First Union Center and chal- lenge the Democrats' perceived lock on diversity. Unfortunately for the GOP, the inclusive image presented by their carefully scripted multiculturalism pageant was shattered every time the cameras turned away from the stage and onto the convention's delegates. The sea of white faces in the audience spoke much louder than the professions of diversi- ty coming from the podium. While the speaker's list of Philadelphia's Republican gathering was replete with Blacks and Latinos, they made up a mere 4 percent and 3 percent of the convention's delegates, respectively. While trotting out every minority speaker possible, including Samoan wrestler "The Rock" - in an apparent bid to seize the critical 10-year-old vote - may have convinced many subur- banites, and possibly a few minority voters, that Republicans are starting to look more like America, so far, it is largely a charade. The GOP has had some recent success in nominating and electing more minority Republicans to local and state offices, but their numbers still constitute a miniscule percentage of all minority officeholders and minority voters have yet to show much more inclination to vote Republican than usual. The GOP is hoping to get a larger slice of that demographic with its presidential candi- date, George W Bush, who was relatively successful at attracting minority votes in texas iortunately for them, Bush seems tothink his shaim alone will let him take this phenomenon national, as he has not deigned to alter his party's positions on any issues of significant interest to minority voters, only to pledge to "reach out" to minorities. By "reaching out," Bush seems to meanj he will be the first Republican presidential candidate in a generation to eschew the Strom Thurmond-invented "Southern Strategy" of political race-war. That strategy, used to great effect by many Republicans - including Bush's father - sought to build a White Republican majority by scarring Whites with Willie Hortons, "racial quotas," and "welfare queens." That this denigration of Blacks may end is certainly welcome news, but unearthing the decency to drop an overtly racist political manipulation designed to turn groups of Americans against each other hardly seems like any kind of heroic "outreach" The reasons the Republican Party has fared so poorly among minorities for the past fifty years have not been abrogated, but only glossed over. The broad opposition among GOP members to many programs designed to help lower-income Americans and their vehement opposition to programs specifically intended to help minorities, such as affirmative action, has not changed. Republicans should be trying to make their party more inclusive and diverse, but need to recognize that use of minorities as window-dressing at their convention isn't enough. GOP candidates should seriously reexamine the positions taken during their race-baiting past, such as opposition to affir- mative action, if they ever hope to attract more minority support. Clearly, this and opposition to other programs hugely benefi- cial to minorities, such as I lead Start, is what has hurt the GOP in the past. Taking the interests of increasingly influential minority voters into account is not only the right thing to do, but the politically smart thing to do. To paraphrase Colin Powell, there are more tmportntmotthings to criticize than a program that helps Black kids go to college. T hroughout the past year of anti-sweat- shop activism. discussion and decision- making, University students have not been hit with pepper spray. They have not been threatened by police force. Their demands have been heard, considered, and in many cases, met. Though not always visibly, University President Lee Bollinger has been behind much of this attitude of support for student activism. However, Bollinger has also followed a trend of careful considera- tion and compromise when decisions were to be made, and he continued that trend last week in a decision to provisionally join the Fair Labor Association, an organization formed and partially governed by corporate interests like Nike. The University's response has been fairly unique regarding the Workers' Rights Consortium. While other universities have resorted to police force before eventually giving in to student demands, the University has answered the student voice with cautious understanding. Perhaps the most important response has been the provisional approval of the WRC. This response not only supports fair labor, but encourages student activism. Activism is an important part of the polit- ical process in democracy, and such activism on the college level helps prepare students for future careers in ways that conventional classrooms cannot. Under the guidance of Bollinger and other University administra- tors and educators, student activists learn the difficulties of making themselves heard; they learn to support their words with their actions, but they also learn to compromise. This is a welcome change from the lessons of fear and belittlement that other universi- ties inflict. A more controversial response has been one of s ort' hfr the I1LA. ManyF Univesiety ht n discredit the FLA as a corporate-controlled organization that shares biased information only in the interest of higher profits. Both Bollinger and the Advisory Committee on Labor Standards and Human Rights have acknowledged these potential problems, but the resolution to wvork with the FLA is tmore an admiss~ than a decision. While the University's inter- ests may be better represented by the WRC, this organization does not currently have the resources to meet fundamental factory inspection goals. Though they will be at the mercy of corporate greed, the FLA does have resources and may be persuaded to use them to meet directives that are, in theory similar to those of the WRC. The University could abandon the FI . or in an effort to compromise, it could resign from both the FLA and the WRC. However. the FLA, while it has negative aspects, nei- ther affect the WRC, nor do they detract from the positives of the FLA. Both organi- zations have their weak points, including a shared lack of university representation that both Bollinger and the Advisory Committee have noted. The WRC is a relatively new organiza- tion. Though it may theoretically best repg sent the wishes of the University, it is no alone strong enough to fulfill its directives As the sweatshop movement gains more national support, it may also gain a nationa code of conduct for licensees. The WRC car increase its effectiveness by giving more rep resentation to the universities that support i as well as pushing for a national code of con- duct. The WRC does and should continue tc have a prominent place in the Umtversi. fair labor directives. Until the WRC has d necessary strength and resources, however the University can best meet its goals fo labot egpality iretie coibind effort: I of dhe W(RC1 ' 1 I