Page 4-The Michigan Daily--Wednesday, March 20,1991
WbeoMkbiguu flailg
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
ANDREW GOTTESMAN
Editor in Chief
STEPHEN HENDERSON
DANIEL POUX
Opinion Editors
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Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board.
All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
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'U' hiring
Undergraduate departments should employ flexible policies
T he much-ado surrounding Prof. Drew
T Westen's departure from the University's
Psychology Department has brought considerable
attention to certain University hiring practices.
In many of the University's departments, a
traditional and un-written policy exists which dis-
courages the hiring of Michigan doctoral gradu-
ates into the tenure track. Doctoral graduates from
the University of Michigan- should they even be
considered for a position - are always hired on a
temporary basis, and are subject to termination
every year. Similar policies exist at other universi-
ties throughout the United States. Westen is the
most recent and - because of his ardent student-
following - press-worthy victim of such unwrit-
ten policies.
Many faculty members agree that discouraging
the hiring of Michigan graduates prevents "in-
breeding." Concerted efforts to hire doctoral
graduates from other fine universities bring in
newer, fresher perspectives. As a matter of reputa-
tion, credibility, and survival, academic institu-
tions must prevent their departments' respective
faculties from preaching only one doctrine of any
discipline. The free exchange of one idea can never
be as effective as the free exchange of many ideas.
While the effort to keep Michigan's pool of
philosophies diverse is understandable and admi-
rable, it must be carefully balanced with the needs
of the undergraduate students at the University.
Michigan doctoral graduates who have proven
themselves capable of teaching undergraduate
courses - while still capturing and holding the
attention of their students - deserve the
University's efforts to keep them on faculty. Westen
is undoubtedly one of these graduates. His Psy-
chology 172 class is one of the most popular at the
University, and he is consistently one of the highest
evaluated instructors on campus.
Students have strongly voiced their support for
Westen, and their pleas should not be left unan-
swered. But whether he is truly a great professor
that the University should keep on is a debate for
another time.
The more pressing discussion is that of the
administration's apparent lack of consideration for
those most directly affected by hiring policies:
University students.
The University's departments should keep the
policy of not hiring Michigan doctoral grads as
flexible as possible. When dealing with an issue as
sensitive and important as undergraduate educa-
tion, stiff policies can only hinder productive
achievement. The students - and their concerns
and interests - should come first. Written or not,
this hiring policy should not be adhered to as
gospel.
Fortunately, the College of Engineering has
already shown its willingness to overlook tradi-
tion. Three Michigan graduates have been hired
into the College's tenure track. Erdogen Gulari,
associate dean for academic affairs of the College
of Engineering, has recognized the fact that the
three new faculty members are clearly the most
qualified.
This is an ideal example of undergraduate ne-
cessities superceding other University policies.
Other departments are encouraged to follow a
similar policy of flexible freeze when turning
Michigan doctoral graduates away.
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TA threats are
'crocodile tears'
To the Daily:
The sad thing about Mike
Fischer's lurid sermonette
("Vampires in the Fleming
Building," 3/15/91) is that the
University administration has,
with laudable exceptions, largely
abandoned its true mission and
purpose - to teaching, learning,
and research - and has given
itself over to the management and
consumption of education goods
and services.
Giddy with the prospect of
ending human civilization,
Fischer and the GEO prophesy
such "chilling" scenes as a TA
strike, with members on picket
and a University paralyzed.
Would this be a bad thing, to
expose the fiasco being played out
by both sides? Would not students
benefit from a few less crocodile
tears from Fischer and administra-
tion and a facing of the real issue?
In short, wouldn't it be better for
the administration to minister, for
teachers to teach, and for Fischer
to get a good-paying real job?
Leo McNamara
Professor
Department of English
Language and Literature
U.N. not biased
against Israel
To the Daily:
In her March 14 column,
Jennifer Knoll claims that the
United Nations cannot mediate a
Middle East peace settlement
fairly because of its "historical
anti-Israel bias." However, if we
compare the United Nations'
response to similar acts of
aggression carried out by Iraq and
Israel, it becomes clear that Israel
has been treated leniently.
Twelve U.N. Security Council
resolutions were passed between
Aug. 2 and Nov. 29, 1990,
condemning Iraq's illegal
occupation of Kuwait. The United
Nations' swift response, orches-
trated by the United States, was
unforgiving and ultimately
effective.
On the other hand, Security
Council resolutions condemning
Israel have been unable to affect a
withdrawal because of a lack of
enforcement provisions. The
United Nations clearly has a
double standard. Arabs who mess
with oil supplies are given the
stick with merciless force, while
Israelis are subjected to nothing
harsher than condemnatory
rhetoric.
The United Nations' double
standard is a product of U.S.
foreign policy. The United States
has consistently used its veto
power in the Security Council to
shield its client, Israel, from
harsher measures. This inaction
has only encouraged Israel to
intensify its policy of discrimina-
tion towards and often brutal
harassment of Arabs living under
occupation. Assurances of $4
billion dollars yearly in U.S. aid
only reinforces Israeli intransi-
gence.
When Israel fails to respond to
the Bush administration's latest
peace initiative - as it surely will
- it will be time for the United
States to begin cutting aid to
Israel and for the United Nations
to impose sanctions.
Aggressors, like Iraq and
Israel, should be treated with
consistency.
Jonathon Skaff
Rackham graduate student
CC represents
student interests
To the Daily:
The challenge of choosing
new MSA officers is coming up
on March 26 and 27. Who should
we vote for and shouldn't we vote
for? We want a united party
without divisions within. A party
that will give back to the students
what is given to MSA. A party of
new ideas willing to implement
its new ideas. A party that is
representative of the student body.
Which party would it be..
Certainly not the Anti-
Imperialist Action Caucus. "Open
admissions and free tuition?"
What kind of joke is this?
Common Sense? Its presiden-
tial candidate has so much
common sense that Angie Burks
was penalized for forgery and the
vice-presidential candidate Todd
Ochoa was arrested for chalking.
Common Sense is certainly not a
winning party.
The Independents have no
stand. None of them can success-
fully serve the purpose of MSA.
The Conservative Coalition is the
party to choose. It has a strong,
diverse candidates and a real
platform. Vote Conservative
Coalition!
Kenneth R. Bartlett
LSA first-year student
oin Hood Act.
State's education plans ignore greater funding issue
n June 1990 the Michigan legislature passed the 3/16/91) The poorer districts such as Detroit and
secondary school aid package that will redis- many of the distant out-state areas are so
tribute $50 million from wealthier school districts underfunded that in some schools, they do not have
to the poorer systems in the state. It is unfortunate basic supplies such as text books for each student.
that districts such as Farmington, Rochester and So, while students in the wealthier districts will
Troy will be hard hit by the funding cuts to their possibly have to do without new computers next
district. But it. seems that this is the only way to year, students in the state's poorer areas will receive
achieve equality in funding for the state's public some of the basic educational resources they so
schools. desperately need. Until the poorer systems get
While it is encouraging to see the state legisla- enough funding to function adequately, it is hard to
ture making strides toward erasing the disparities sympathize with the wealthier districts' sacrifices.
in public school funding, shuffling money from While re-allocating the current resources to
one districtto anotherdoes not address the generally equalize funding is a positive step, the solution
low budgetary priority placed on education in this requires an increase in the current resource base.
state. The bottom line is that the state needs to ear-mark
Overall, the state of Michigan spends too little more funds for primary and secondary education.
on primary and secondary education. The way to The state's efforts to address educational inequities
improve the system is to allot greater funding to the do not focus on expanding the bases for education
a poorer districts so that they can afford the resources funding, and therefore arenot feasible, long-term
of wealthier areas. By taking funding from the solutions. Legislators in Lansing must concentrate
state's richer districts, the "Robin Hood Act" will on generating more revenue for education to truly
institute equal funding -but not without cost to improve the state's suffering schools.
the entire system. It is important to laud the long-overdue step
For example, the Rochester Community School toward equalizing education, but redistributing
District spends $5,511 per pupil, while other dis- funds is little more than a stop-gap measure that
tricts spend less than $3,000. (Detroit Free Press, ignores the state's true educational problems.
.IVI~M:::S.DE TI UE.AT.....
THURSDAY..;3 ~r~...M g._:A NONBLRO
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I RONDUIFPPIZZA 'i
Shouldn't the "Energizer Bunny be banging his
drum sometime soon? The disputes between residents
and their neighborhood businesses (not to mention
universities) just seem to keep going and going and
going...
The latest saga involves Kenmore Square's very
own Captain Nemo's which is petitioning the city's
licensing board for approval to choose at 3 a.m. seven
days a week. Although this would only keep the doors
to Nemo's open an extra hour each night, a previous
request by the pizza and sandwich restaurant to extend
operating hours was denied.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely the licensing board will
reverse its decision. Just last week, the licensing board
ruled in favor of Kenmore area residents by denying the
comedy club, Stitches, permission-to extend the oper-
ating hours of its restaurant, the B&D Deli, by declaring
it was "too far into the neighborhood."
But Nemo' s manager Larry Pavlidis is right when he
said it would be "discriminatory" to be refused a late-
night license again in light of the hours of his competitors,
Pizza Pad and Charlie's Cafeteria, which are both open
............
three?
until 3 a.m. Unlike Nemo's, the B&D Deli is clearly
further away from the Kenmore Square area than the
other late-closing establishments. Nemo's does not
pose a threat of drawing a pizza-hungry crowd further
into the residential area.
Granting a one-hour extension to Nemo's is not
going to draw any more party-goers to Kenmore than
are there already; all it will do is simply redistribute the
hungry foot traffic between three restaurants instead of
two.
In fact, thinning the large crowds among Charlie's,
Pizzaz Pad, and Nemo's may actually be the best way to
control them.
Pizza Pad manager Debi Szmyt said if Nemo's was
to open for an extra hour, she would not lose business
because of the volume of people in Kenmore between
midnightand 3 a.m. And this is why Nemo's should be
granted the extension.
March 13, 1991, The Daily Free Press
Boston University
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To protec
WhenIturned 16,1-likemany
of my friends -received anew car.
It wasn't an expensive car, but it
was new, and it was mine. Needless
to say, the freedom to go where I
wanted
when I
wanted
greatly en-
hanced 'my aE S
social life.
But my
new-found
liberties did
not come by
without a Stephen.
heavy
price. You Henderson
see, any
young -
looking Black male driving a new
car in the City of Detroit is auto-
matically suspected of dealing
drugs. So, as I bopped around town
in my shiny new auto, going to
:t and serve whom?
would quickly turn to: "This is a
really nice car, son. Where'd you
get the money for this?" Though I
was never given a breathalizer test,
cited for any moving violations or
taken to the police station for any-
thing, the police always managed to
search the inside of my car and my
trunk - looking for drugs.
They never physically abused
me or verbally harassed me, but it
was clear to me that what they were
doing was wrong. They had no good
reason to suspect that I was dealing
drugs - except for the fact that I
was Black and driving a new car.
Their actions were not illegal, but
they were unnecessary. And they
were excessive.
Now, I realize that there's a big
difference between my experiences
with those who "uphold the law"
and the brutality other Blacks are
subjected to by excessive police
methods; I was never maced or
hnatnn narry to dath by ,.a, nnliran
outside the residence hall. The po-
lice department claims that the situ-
ation was near "riot level" and that
the use of mace was justified. But
when untold numbers of students
- who happened to be mostly white
- were involved in a real riot after
the NCAA basketball champion-
shipsin 1989, police stood idle while
thousands of dollars in damage were
inflicted on the South University
businesses.
In Los Angeles, this attitude was
incontrovertibly demonstrated by
the videotape of five white police
officers brutally beating Rodney
King, a Black man they had stopped
for speeding. And more importantly,
it is personified in the city's Chief
of Police, Daryl Gates, who at-
tempted to defend the incident by
referring to King's criminal record.
These are events with which we
are all familiar. However, what we
should keep in mind is that they are
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Nuts and Bolts
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by Judd Winick
(FIRE DRILL GANG!)