Regardless of tradition, Bollinger has only been here since February and therefore, as stated in the article, we are not his first graduating class. With thousands of students graduating, many with family coming from far-away places within this sta te, the country, and all over the world, the least the University could do is get a memorable speaker.
If it is a question of money, this University, while being one of the most expensive public schools in the country, is the stingiest place on Earth. It's bad enough that students are made to pay for bluebooks and scantrons, but to cut back on gradua tion is lower than we ever thought the University could go.
Close to $100,000 spent and four years later, we look back on the University and think about how little students' wishes are taken into account.
Anouk Bonnewit
LSA senior
Megan Maddocks
School of Education senior
No provost can please all of the people all of the time. The provost is the chief budget officer of the University, and it often falls upon the provost to remind the rest of the University that not everything worth doing is affordable. That's a regr ettable fact about the world, one that makes being a provost a difficult line of work.
Whitaker's proposed reforms of the University's budgeting systems remain controversial, and continue to be revised (appropriately, in our view) as their implications are better understood. But it should be remembered that his institution of changes in budgeting procedures was motivated by his wish to increase the resources available to pursue the university's academic missions, missions that are part of the provost's portfolio as chief academic officer. It is precisely because of his awarenes s of the "rest of the University" that Whitaker's tenure as provost was so much focused on budgeting.
As Whitaker leaves Michigan, we hope that he will be remembered as a leader who worked tirelessly and effectively for academic quality and for academic freedom. Under his leadership, the School of Business Administration was transformed into a first -rate school, with dramatic improvement in the quality of faculty, students and curriculum. As provost, he was a consistent supporter of the University's strongest faculty and programs and of countless initiatives aimed at improving the quality of t he undergraduate experience.
Rice is lucky to have him, and so was Michigan.
Paul Courant
Professor of Economics and Public Policy
John Chamberlin
Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
The question I have for East Coasters like Gnatt is: Why do you stay around and pay a ridiculous amount of tuition, just to leave with an experience like the one described in Gnatt's column? Being from a suburb of Washington D.C., I'm sure that you could've picked a less "backwoods" place to fulfill your higher education needs.
As for the classroom-educated Michiganders preaching diversity, some people are not fortunate enough to live in a cosmopolitan setting and experience diversity. I commend the people that are trying to apply their new knowledge in real life situation s.
As for the person in one of Gnatt's classes that has never visited any other state besides Ohio, do you suppose that was by choice? Wouldn't any person like to visit places other than where they live? Not everyone is privileged.
Another question: Why do you keep mentioning the fact that you have Latino, Asian, and black friends? Good for you - you have made your point that you are truly a multiculturally influenced person. Clap clap.
As for the parking issue, I doubt that being a dumbass driver is something regionally learned. I have never actually examined the plates of these drivers, but I guess I have better things to do with my time.
Gnatt could've done a lot more with his last column as the arts editor of the Daily. What a poor reflection on the paper and on himself. The sad thing is, he enjoys being called a snob. He should be proud of the fact that his parents happened to set tle down in a place where he has learned to judge people based on such small issues as their word choice for a soft drink, and their financial situations leading to isolation from a suburb like his, where they too could've made Asian, black, Latino and Indian friends.
Lisa Pang
LSA junior
The article itself was supposed to show that fraternity life is not synonymous with major alcohol consumption, that fraternities can change things to improve risk management. It focuses on the effects of the change in the fraternities, but only the ones involving safety.
The change in alcohol policies is significant and represents not only a change in the Greek system but a change in values of students. To become alcohol-free, people must be willing to embrace the change, otherwise the effort is futile. By going th rough the stages of implementing the alcohol-free policy, the members of the two fraternities will become closer, and that is the point of Greek life. Those two houses may not have alcohol in their houses, but their brotherhood will definitely be pr esent. The Daily seems to forget that, and though some negative events may occur, the members in each Greek house stick together, which is what's important.
Together, the members in each house perform philanthropic events that never get even a one-liner in the Daily. Together, they work to achieve major goals, and together they stand when wrongdoings do occur. That is much of what Greek life is about a nd I recommend that the Daily look into what positive things Greeks do before being so quick to stereotype them. Call the Office of Greek Life, ask them for information about the system, get names of the fraternities and sororities on campus, and ge t in touch with them about their chapters. Or, at the very least, upon writing the name of a specific Greek chapter on campus, spell their name correctly.
Lydia Yeung
Engineering sophomore
First of all, what Holzhacker observed was a rubber rifle. More importantly, I think it is time that Holzhacker and others who share his view take a moment and think about what these young men and women are doing. It is because of these students and people like them that he and others are able to act freely and safely in this country. Half an hour spent watching CNN instead of the nature channel could illustrate a few places where people wish they could jog through a park. While football and b asketball players have million dollar complexes to train in, the ROTC does not.
If the price of freedom comes at the cost of a double take while jogging through the woods, Holzhacker should consider himself a lucky man. Many others would.
Brian Broderick
LSA junior, USMC sergeant
This fact alone is enough to disappoint me, bringing me to the realization that I live on a campus that is not only ignorant to minority issues, but insensitive to them as well. Those people who know anything about affirmative action know it's advan tages and possible disadvantages. The purpose of this letter is, rather, to say that I see affirmative action dying soon all over the country because of the misunderstanding and ignorance surrounding its purpose.
I don't know what process Chris Metinko used to choose who he would interview for his article ("Proposal would 'hide' college applicants names," 4/10/97), but I would have appreciated more educated responses from students on such a serious issue, no t the comments of ill-informed first-year students who are obviously clueless when it comes to minority issues. I would really like to know what school accepts students solely on the basis of race without regard to academics.
Even more important, I would like to know what school will give me "a free ride for just being a minority," because if such a place exists, then I need to be there so that I can save myself the thousands of dollars I had to borrow in order to attend this university. I am offended that people actually believe or even think that I am here simply because of the color of my skin. I am just as capable of success as anyone else at the University, if not even more so, and the fact that I am bl ack has nothing to do with that. The fact that I work my butt off, sometimes even twice as hard, has everything to do with it.
What Ms. Shaw, Mr. Freidman, and a lot of other people seem not to understand is that academics is always a factor in admissions policies. Universities may accept a certain amount of students from a certain minority group, but those students still h ave to meet the same requirements that every other student must meet.
Minority students are accepted into universities because they have high GPAs, high test scores, past co-curricular involvement in high school. Ask any minority student on campus what his/her high school GPA was. Inquire about his/her test scores. I guarantee you that most of the minorities here came from the very top of their classes. They are here because they deserve to be here, because of their academic excellence, not because of their skin color. Affirmative action just makes sure that uni versities seek out and recognize these outstanding students and give them the opportunity they rightly deserve. I have yet to encounter someone who was rejected from a university because of an affirmative action policy. I can't even understand how o ne would determine that as the cause of rejection. From what I understand, if a student is not accepted, then it is due to their failure to meet the requirements. Oftentimes, students just want to use affirmative action as an excuse for their own misfortune.
The Daily really upset me with their coverage of such an important topic. I don't want to call it racist, because I don't believe that racism is the problem. Its coverage on this topic just makes it seem that way. This article just showcases the ign orance and insensitivity on this campus when it comes to minority issues, as well as the unwillingness to expand knowledge on important topics such as affirmative action.
It is my sincere hope that in the future, the Daily will find more qualified reporters to cover important issues, especially if the article is going to be on the front page of the newspaper. I hope the Daily seeks out accurate information on minorit y issues and seeks the opinions of informed students. It is also my hope that this letter serves as an example of the strong need for the University to devote more time and effort into educating itself on minority issues, because if the only reason I am here is to help diversify the University community, then maybe I need to go to another university.
Ozell Hayes
LSA first-year student
President Bollinger is a fine, upstanding "community" leader who will surely give a great speech, but he, as president, traditionally speaks in addition to our guest speaker. President Bollinger, since his inauguration, is a member of our community, not an outside guest. He should speak at our commencement with a special guest ... this is also tradition (not just a newly inaugurated president speaking solo in his/her first year of office).
The class of 1997 has funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars (at least) into the University for tuition - we can certainly afford a pivotal, influential and entertaining guest speaker. I am disappointed that our University does not respect its students enough to treat us to a speech from an honorable, non-university affiliated, guest speaker. After all, we are leaving the University to try and make an influence on society outside the University, we should be spoken to from someone outside the University in addition to the president.
While it may be said that it is traditional for the president to give the keynote to commencement speech during his first year in office, since s/he would speak anyhow, this tradition sounds like a disappointing effort at a cop-out for getting a nat ionally or internationally respected speaker. Let's not forget about the tradition that says that our top-quality University gives the best of everything to its students. Aren't we supposed to be the "leaders and best?" This tradition, which our e steemed University touts, would lead me to think that we could and should attract special leaders as guest speakers to deliver our keynote addresses. What do you think?
What about Hillary Rodham Clinton, President Clinton, Vice President Gore, Donna Shalala, Lloyd Bentsen, Richard Gephardt, Phil Gramm, Colin Powell, or former President Bush? What about all of our other current and former top government officials an d leaders? How about international leaders? What about alumni such as Arthur Miller and James Earl Jones? Of course, I could list thousands more. On May 3, the entire commencement audience at Michigan Stadium will be wondering where the above peopl e are and why they aren't complementing the fine speaking of President Bollinger.
I, and most other graduates, are as disappointed as we've ever been in the University's decision to have President Bollinger speak alone. Most, if not all of the students in the class of 1997 wanted and still want a universally (not University) reco gnized leader to deliver our keynote address. Once again, the University bureaucracy automatically wins over students' opinions. Hmm, isn't this bureaucracy that Bollinger said he opposed when he spoke about listening to student opinions more and mo ving the administration closer to the students the other week? Or was that just another bureaucratic ploy by the administration to associate with students?
I guess some things about our University never change. When the class of '97 leaves this May 3, one thing that we'll remember most about our college experience is the University's dominant, overpowering bureaucracy that remains insensitive to its st udents' wishes and concerns. What a shame to end a mostly enjoyable college career on such an amazingly sour note.
Joshua Ehrenfried
LSA senior
In my public comments to the University Board of Regents on April 17, I stated that the Director of the Arboretum, Prof. Harry Morton, has raised additional management problems with the Arb. I hope that all concerned will agree that there should be a single set of rules which all individuals and groups respect to protect the Arb. This is the position that MSA took last week in their resolutions related to the Arb. Arb staff, as well as biologists and botanists, are concerned about adverse use of the Arb. I understand Professor Morton's belief that controlling the behaviors of individuals in the Arb is a daunting task. Establishing and enforcing rules for University groups who use the Arb on an on-going basis should be easier.
I am grateful for ROTC concerns for other users of the Arb and their concerns for the preservation of the plant specimens and natural features of the Arb.
Ron Holzhacker
Rackham
Hello? Do you not think to check these things out before you print thousands of copies? For a newspaper that is supposed to know about what is happening on campus, you are pretty damn clueless.
But the cluelessness only begins with the misnaming - the real issue here is much more serious. Since this mythical illusion of a sorority "Alpha Zeta Delta" does not exist, how the hell can you say that they have "tight shirts and bare midriffs?" A s a member of what I believe to be the intended sorority, Alpha Xi Delta, I found this absolutely unnecessary, offensive and appalling.
It's ironic that a campus who votes SAPAC as the best organization can also hold this stereotype for a large group of women in the Greek system. You obviously know absolutely nothing about the Greek system, so you have no right to assert these opini ons.
And by the way, why does the campus have to vote on best house "to party with?" Why can't it be something like "most charitable" or even just "best house?" There is a lot more to Greek life than partying, not that you would know or care.
I would just like to say, that if you cannot properly represent the Greek system in the Daily, I and many others would prefer you leave us out completely. Like other groups on this campus, we are constantly battling against negative stereotypes. But unlike those other groups, the Daily has decided on joining in with that belittling and slandering, rather than promoting open-mindedness toward Greek organizations.
By the way, Phi Gamma Delta goes by FIJI, not FIGI. Either get your facts straight, or do not publicize the Greek system. We have a hard enough time breaking stereotypes, we don't need the student newspaper against us.
Leah Lockhart
LSA junior,
chair, Alpha Xi Delta philanthropy
The members of LUCha deserve to do better than that. If they truly have a complaint with this University, than they have every right to express that gripe. Unfortunately, however, they decided that what they had to say was more important than what o ther students on this campus had to say.
For this reason, it was their decision to come off like a group of students who did nothing but whine until they were pandered to. But they are better than that.
As much as anyone else, LUCha has a right to take part in the formation of policy on this campus. They know how that can be done without having to crash a meeting. This is a truly unfortunate fiasco for a group which represents a significant part of this University.
One of the things I truly love about the University is its level of diversity. I never had the opportunity to know so many different kinds of people until I came here. If there is any place, in all my life, where I have seen an obligation of respec t for each individual, it has been at this University. I believe that President Bollinger was chosen recently to lead this institution in part because he also believes in this respect for the individual. He is genuinely interested in what the studen ts want, and he is willing to listen and help.
My greatest concern is that a legitimate group has given itself a bad name. I hope that they can think clearer the next time they decide to take action on an issue.
This University does care about the needs of the students, and there is no reason to believe that one group would be singled out by the administration to be ignored, unless that group held a bad reputation with the administration, which LUCha most c ertainly could now.
Hopefully, they will be able to use their meeting with Bollinger to mend some fences, which have no doubt been torn apart. They have a legitimate cause and they have every right to express it. But no one will listen to someone who won't stop shoutin g.
Luke Klipp
School of Music
first-year student
I would say, "Hey, if you dislike Michigan so much, then please feel free to get the fuck out of our state."
I've visited Maryland. I've visited New York City (city tourist motto: "Look at that guy pissing on you."). I've visited Boston. I guess I don't really understand the attraction to the East Coast. I guess it's because I don't wear the mandatory dirt y white cap and flannel shirt, and I don't drive the requisite Jeep Grand Cherokee. Because we all need four-wheel drive to get around on the harsh Delaware pavement. All I know is that we here in the Midwest mind our own business, and every year a new crop of arrogant East Coast assholes invade our campus and tell us "how the real world is." I guess it's because we waste our time growing the food the country eats while they spend long, hard hours shooting the people we just don't get a chance to shoot, and flipping the bird to the drivers we don't get a chance to finger. And for this, I'm grateful. I mean sure, one large nuke on the East Coast would eliminate most of the problems we Midwesterners face with the incoming arrogant bastards . But then again, where would this country be without Marion Barry and Ted Kennedy?
In the end, Brian Gnatt, since we're just hicks, we were probably too busy fucking our sisters to force you to come to this state. Therefore, you probably came here out of your own free will. Now why don't you use some of your free will and drag you r pansy ass, Volvo-driving, whining, soda-drinking self out of our land.
And don't forget to give your friend a pop.
Christopher Parish
LSA senior
Yawar Murad
Rackham
The term "College Bowl" is a trademark of the College Bowl Company, Inc., and strictly speaking the phrase "The University's College Bowl team" only applies to the team (of 5 players) that we pick for CBI-sanctioned events. The tournament we attende d on the weekend of April 12 wasn't sanctioned by CBI. Our group as a whole is called Michigan Academic Competitions, and we are part of the University Activities Center.
Also, we weren't defending any title at the Academic Competition Foundation (ACF) tournament as (alas!) we didn't win the 1996 event. Thanks for having such faith in us, though! At this year's tournament, Michigan placed 5th in the nation, our best showing in ACF events.
Rory Molinari
Rackham
The difficulty for the two guys involved to regain their lives is far more pertinent than furthering the stereotype of football players. In talking with Aaron, he too is extremely angry - and rightfully so - with the article printed yesterday.
I live two rooms down from the site of the fire and have seen the damage to both the room and the two guys first-hand. In case the Daily forgot, there are two young men living with their friends who now essentially wear all they own.
Somehow though, the Daily preferred to focus the brunt of the article on the alleged party the night before and an ominous keg, both of which were completely unrelated to the fire last night. But isn't that what more people wanted to read? That two University of Michigan football players drank and partied all night and set their room on fire?
Why is the fact that a "football players' room burns" so vital for readers to know? Would the same headline have been printed had the room been one of an athlete involved in a less publicized sport? It's unlikely. It seemed more important to point out our University student-athlete policy on drinking than to realize that a bad thing happened to two good people.
Home owners' insurance may provide some help to the two guys, but insurance can't protect the most important things that were lost: Irreplaceables like pictures of family at homes far away and all the little things so many of us take for granted.
Chris Roth
LSA first-year student
With that said, I am just a little confused about why the opinion of one seemingly uninfluential grad student constitutes a relatively large article in the Daily. Sure, he plans to bring his case to the University Board of Regents and he wrote a let ter to University President Bollinger, but he still seems to represent only his own, single opinion. Unless the article didn't mention it, he also doesn't seem to have the backing of many people. So, why all the attention? I, for instance, believe that Hash Bash is useless and annoying, so where's my article? We can title it: "LSA student dislikes Hash Bash."
Finally, I would like to comment on Holzhacker's most recent letter to the Daily ("Get ROTC out of the Nichols Arb," 4/17/97). His descriptions of what ROTC does in the Arb are blatantly exaggerated and give a very inaccurate idea to readers. For instance, he states that "'soldiers' simulate search and destroy missions" in the Arb. How about just saying that ROTC cadets practice field training in military gear? Which description seems a little biased and misleading? Or, Holzhacker states that groups of soldiers conduct "high-speed running marches double time in military formation." How about just saying that columns of cadets jog through the Arb? Holzhacker is being extremely petty, so he is forced to exaggerate the situation in an atte mpt to persuade others. By the way, "double time implies "high speed;" such repetition reflects this intentional exaggeration.
To conclude, contrary to Holzhacker's depictions, ROTC and the U.S. military are not made up of a bunch of crazy soldiers who like to run around and destroy the environment and nature preserves like the Arb. ROTC is not harming or disrupting the Arb anymore than joggers or school children do when they visit in groups. But then again, ROTC is the military, which obviously makes us very, very different and subject to special treatment according to Holzhacker. Lest we forget, the cadets and midsh ipmen are training to protect our nation, and that includes the Arb. How about giving them the benefit of the doubt and having a little faith that these future officers deeply care about the environment as much as, if not more than, Holzhacker?
Greg Hillson
LSA sophomore
We, therefore, deplore the recent changes that were made in order to lay off employees at the hospital cafeteria, specifically, replacing all silverware, dishes and glasses by disposable plastic and paper, reducing the number of hours the cafeteria is open, and inviting Wendy's to open a fast food hamburger franchise in the hospital to satisfy visitors and workers when the cafeteria is closed. (Of course, Wendy's also will use disposable utensils, plates and other food containers.)
Given the current and growing awareness of our need to reduce waste and improve nutrition, it is shocking that these changes are being made now, and in of all places, a university hospital. They are also a cause of embarrassment to us, as our school is affiliated with the hospital.
The overuse of disposable items is a well-known environmental problem that we do not need to explain. The over consumption of beef in America is increasingly recognized as a health problem. And to satisfy America's appetite for beef, the environmen t is being damaged in the American west as well as in the Central and South American rainforests by the overgrazing of cattle.
We understand that the Medical Center needs to reduce costs to become competitive in the period of managed health care. However, especially in view of the predicted return to a net financial gain from the Medical Center for the University, the Medic al Center can afford to demonstrate a concern for nutrition and for the environment.
Furthermore, we strongly suspect that with a little less haste, and with more careful and creative thinking, the Medical Center administration could find another way to save the same amount of money it is saving laying off cafeteria workers without incurring the substantial environmental and public health costs associated with the changes necessitated by layoffs. These costs may not show up on the accountant's balance sheet. They are nevertheless very real and are a cause for serious concern.
David Sirkin
Brian Mickey
Natalie Trepanier
Nutrition and Preventive Medicine Task Force of the American Medical Student Association,
University Chapter,
Physicians for Social Responsibility,
University Chapter
Everyone knows who the kids from the East Coast are. They are the ones that you can hear whining in the back of the classroom. They show up on campus in August with their BMWs and don't stop complaining until May 1; and they complain about anything, whether it be that there is no soda or that the credit card their parents gave them is maxed out.
If you don't like us in Michigan, Gnatt, that is OK, because we don't like you. Do you think we always drive this badly? No! We are trying to hit you so that we don't have to listen to your whiny voice complain for one more second.
If good morals, a strong work ethic and intelligence is something that you do not revere, then go back to the East Coast ... I'll pay for your ticket.
Ryan Kennel
Engineering first-year student