Page 4-The Michigan Daily-Thursday, April 11, 1991
Wbe £ibigwn flaiIy
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
ANDREW K. GOTTESMAN
Editor in Chief
STEPHEN HENDERSON
DANIEL POUX
Opinion Editors
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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Greenspan, FRB should change
In the midst of the nation's worst recession
since 1982, Federal Reserve Board (FRB) Chair
Alan Greenspan continues to stonewall on lower-
ing interest rates. Greenspan points to inflation as
the primary reason for keeping the prime lending
rate at its present level. Lower interest rates, ac-
cording to Greenspan, would cause extraordinary
growth in the money supply and spark new rounds
of inflation.
Although higher inflation is a legitimate fiscal
concern, the FRB should be more concerned with
stifled economic growth. The current recession is
hurting all segments of the population. Construc-
tion and industrial production are sliding, retail
sales are down, and business investments are
slowing down. High interest rates are making new
investments too costly; even large corporations are
hesitant to borrow money at the current rates.
More importantly, the reduction of new invest-
ments by corporations is devastating the nation's
smaller businesses which depend on contracts with
companies like General Motors, Ford and I.B.M.
for needed industrial goods. The end result is
massive unemployment because businesses cannot
afford to pay their workers.
Recent economic indicators demonstrate the
nation's economic course now
spreading impact of the recession. Figures for
March show both the largest increase in applica-
tions for jobless benefits since 1986 and huge leaps
in the number of Americans unemployed.
Michigan's unemployment, for example, jumped
from 9.8 percent to 10.7 percent between February
and March. Furthermore, consumer incomes, ad-
justed for inflation, have actually declined by 1.4
percent in the past year. These devastating economic
conditions will persist until the federal government
lowers interest rates.
Greenspan and the FRB have kept interest rates
artificially high to attract foreign investment and
finance the national deficit. The benefits of lower
interest rates to the American economy, however,
more than outweigh the possible loss of foreign
investment.
Inliation has disastrous consequences for ev-
eryone. For investors, inflation depreciates the
value of their stocks and bonds. For the poor, it
increases food prices and bills. High interest rates
cause even greater damage. Corporations cannot
afford new investments and Americans keep los-
ing their jobs. Greenspan and the rest of the Fed
should take heed of the current situation and lower
interest rates, for the benefit of all Americans.
Cut the fat
Bloated administration budget continues to hurt University
A University report released last Monday has
confirmed a suspicion held by many members
of the University community: the administrative
bureaucracy at this University is spiraling out of
control. According to the report, the student popu-
lation has grown 1.8 percent, and instructional
staff is up 17.3 percent. Meanwhile, administrative
and professional staff growth are up a whopping
47.7 percent.
These figures are even more disturbing in light
of the budget crisis that is devouring the Univer-
sity. Governor Engler has indicated that there will
be few budget increases for higher education.
Future funding cuts seem inevitable.
The University administration has announced a
campaign to cut costs across the board. Popular
classes have been scrapped, computing centers are
cutting back their hours, and residence hall room
and board costs are skyrocketing. These sacrifices
to help alleviate the budget crisis come at the
expense of the students. In their efforts to cut costs,
the University has neglected to attack the fastest
growing expense: administration.
Increases in student services have led to some
new administrat ve expenses. The new Office of
Minority Affairs is one example of a much needed
administrative expense. But it would be mislead-
ing to attribute a drastic increase in administrative
hiring to such minimal service increases. Bad
management, irresponsible hiring practices and
misplaced budget priorities are the primary causes
behind the University's mushrooming adminis-
tration.
The nearly $3 million budget increase for the
Office of the President is one example of such
irresponsible spending. The Office of the Vice
Provost for Information Technology has seen a $10
million budget increase since 1986. And the "special
program" funds for the Vice President forAcademic
Affairs has increased almost $11 million since
1987. These bloated administrative budgets are
only a few examples of a University that cannot
control its spending.
As the nationwide recession continues to worsen
and State budget allotments to pay the University's
bills begin to fall off, it is imperative that the
University find new ways to save money. Admin-
istrators must realize that the answer is not to raise
tuition and put more burdens on the students, but to
invest in undergraduate education while tightening
the belts in the Fleming Building.
Why was Engir
To the Daily:
For nine years, the Engineer-
ing Graduation Committee, a part
of the College of Engineering
student government, has planned.
every aspect of our separate
college ceremony.
As in past years, this term's
ceremony was to be held in
Crisler Arena. But we were
suddenly told April 9 that we
cannot use Crisler. There is now
supposedly a private reception for
President Bush being held there.
We will most likely use Yost Ice
Arena, a decidedly inferior
location for a commencement
ceremony.
I do not mind that we are
going to a backup arena. How-
ever, I am angry because the
committee was never told to plan
for this contingency.
We did not need to be told
who specifically was coming, or
even why we might need another
arena. The failure to notify us of
Crisler's availability shows a
serious lack of consideration.
How does this move change
the nature of Engineering gradua-
tion? Yost's seating capacity is
much less than Crisler's. We
wrote all the graduates and their
families, telling them they could
bring any number of guests -
like every previous year. Now, we
will either barely hold or perhaps
not be able to hold all the atten-
dants. How many plane and hotel
reservations must be cancelled or
changed, and at what monetary
cost? How many relatives and
friends will be disappointed?
The Graduation Committee
has been planning and working
hard on the ceremony for eight
months. We have chosen and
invited a speaker, Jack Lousma,
former Space Shuttle Columbia
pilot and University '59 aerospace
graduate. I am distressed that
Bush's private reception is
pushing aside the most important
student event we hold.
Why can't the presidential
reception be help at Yost or
elsewhere? Why disregard the
students and ruin our commence-
ment? We should have fond
n. graduation bum
memories of Michigan, and not
graduate with a second-rate;
ceremony. Move Engineering
graduation back to Crisler Arena.
Edmond Chang
Engineering senior
Engineering Graduation
Committee Chair
What about
my grandmother?
To the Daily:
I am excited that George Bush
is coming to the University to
speak at our commencement.
However,; I am looking forward to
the College of Engineering
Graduation even more, where my
name will be called as I walk
across the stage. I understand that
due to a reception, the college has
been "asked" to move their
ceremony from Crisler Arena to
Yost Arena.
I am concerned as to how this
will affect my grandmother. How
is she going to be able to see her
first grandchild graduate from
college? She cannot sit on those
benches in Yost. Do I need to call
her in Florida and have her sell
her plane ticket?
I have seen the Engineering
graduation before, and I know
that there are a group of people
that have put in a tremendous
amount of time to make it
enjoyable for me. I would hate to
disappoint my family.
Jeffrey M. Abramson
Rackham Engineering
student
Stadium will
be too crowded
To the Daily:
So President Bush is coming.
And? I think it is very unfair to
graduating students not to be able
to attend their own graduation
with their own school or college.
I have had many friends who
have graduated in the mass
ceremony in the stadium, and they
sped for Bush?
all complained about not being
able to get enough tickets for their
family members. The College of
Engineering is the second largest
college at the University, so try
adding another thousand gradu-
ates, along with another two to
three thousand family members.
Then add the graduates and
family members from the 15 other
schools and colleges. Michigan
Stadium is big, but not that big.
Why should we fill the stadium
just to hear the president?
And what happens to LSA's
confirmed speaker, Carole
Simpson? I think that's rather
unprofessional to pre-empt her,
even if we are talking about the
president.
Above that, what happens to
all of the planning that went into
each school or colleges gradua-
tion? Just throw that work out of
the window?
I'm not sure about other
schools or colleges, but the
Graduation Committee for the
College of Engineering has been
working very hard this past year
to make sure our graduation is a
success. Now, there's the possi-
bility that Crisler Arena will be
unavailable the entire day for any
sort of ceremony other than a
reception for the president and
governor.
I think it is unfair to us, unfair
to the students from other schools
and colleges who have planned
their own graduation, and
especially unfair to the parents
and family members who might
be travelling long distances to see
their family member recognized.
Two weeks is unfair notice to
each school or college to cancel
their own planned graduation just
to hear the president. I think we
all saw enough of him during the
Gulf War. I do not want to see
every separate school or colleges
graduation canceled because of
the president.
If I want to see the president, I
will wait for his next televised
speech.
01
Teaching assistance
TAs, students should stand together to resolve GEO impasse
L ast Thursday's one-day work stoppage by the
Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) was
a significant success. University administration
negotiators seem to have begun to soften their
hard-line stance, and an end to the current labor
impasse is in sight. To keep the pressure on, teach-
ing assistants from all departments - as well as
theirundergraduate students- should rally behind
the TA union, so that the University community
can put these contract disputes behind us and get
back to academics.
Many students and faculty were very support-
ive of the one-day strike, and urged others to learn
about the issues and stand behind the teaching
assistants and their push for higher wages and
better working conditions. And it seems that the
work stoppage had an effect on the University
administration negotiators as well. After weeks of
refusing to compromise on any of the issues on the
table, the negotiators have slowly begun to move.
However, many TAs - some harassed and
intimidated by their departments - did not take
part in the show of strength and continued on with
"business as usual" in the classrooms. While these
TAs are under no obligation to honor the one-day
work stoppage, they should make theirunion speak
for them as well; last Thursday's work stoppage
was subject to a GEO-wide vote, but only half the
union members voted.
GEO members are voting this week on a pro-
posed three-day work stoppage scheduled forApril
19-21, the week before final exams. All TAs should
take the time to vote, and all TAs should honor the
results of the balloting. If this labor dispute is to be
resolved, the TAs must stick together.
It is especially important that undergraduate
students stand behind theirTAs and honor the work
stoppages as well. Two of the issues on the bar-
gaining table directly affect undergraduates and
their education: GEO's demands include a 25-
student limit on class size and increased overtime
pay for TA class preparation time. It is in the best
interests of all undergraduates if this conflict is
resolved soon, so TAs can get off the picket line
and back in the classroom.
Gardiner Leverett
Engineering senior
Unecessary NCAA rules hamper amateur athletes':
by Mike Barrowman
Swimming for the NCAA is
like swimming for an immature
child tyrant. Each day, it seems,
there is some new rule that really
makes no sense.
The latest rule disallows
cameras of any kind into the
competition. This includes any
spectators that were allowed into
the competition. This includes
spectators who may have wanted
to take pictures of their sons
competing. I know that if my
parents had flown 1,500 miles and
were not allowed to take pictures,
they would be quite upset.
The reason for this rule: the
NCAA wanted to make more
money selling a video.
We can all see the lunacy in
this, for what if these parents
wanted a picture, or a video of
their son, who was perhaps
finishing in 98th place, and not
likely to be the subject'of an
NCAA film? This idiotic rule is
not what angers me; I am angry
because this is only an example of
hundreds of such rules.
The NCAA is committed to
putting Olympic athletes in debt
as far as possible. There is no
Major Swimming League where I
nn _ m - ir hn m -. -r cr .n t n
serious debt. There are only a few
contracts out there for Olympic
athletes, and those are only given
to the very biggest stars. It is hard
enough to survive in the sport
without the NCAA stopping any
president does not care about
college athletics, why should he
or she take over for the person
who has been hired by the athletic
department to do one thing only:
control athletics?
The rules tell us the NCAA is happy as long
as we do not spend those extra 15 hours per
week in the pool; it would be better to
spend those 15 hours playing video games.
The Daily encourages responses from its readers. Letters should be 150
words or less and include the author's name, year in school, and phone
number. They can be mailed to The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard, Ann
Arbor, 48109, or they can be sent via MTS to "The Michigan Daily. " The
Daily reserves the right to edit letters for style and space.
progress we try and make.
Then the latest screwup: the
now famous NCAA legislation on
practice hours. Obviously, it has
its advantages if you look at it
from the point of view of a brick
wall.
With the new rules, the
football and basketball players
will spend more time on campus.
But more time on campus doesn't
necessarily mean more time
studying. The rules tell us the
NCAA is happy as long as we do
not spend those extra 15 hours per
week in the pool; it would be
better to spend those 15 hours
playing video games.
However., if time svent away
In addition, how can President
Duderstadt justify saying "no" to
all commercial profits that could
end all of Michigan's athletic
financial problems, when the
University does not give one
pennyto support the athletic
department?
I don't advocate the athletic
department receiving any money
from the University, but at least
let it make its own money
somehow besides football
revenues. This would get swim-
ming out of the "non-profit sport"
arena for sure, no longer making
it a burden to the athletic depart-
ment, but rather a supporter.
I agree with most Deople that
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