Planting a seed

'U' should give back to the community

Once again, student organizations are proving that the spirit of community service is alive and well in Ann Arbor. For three years running, one of these organizations, Students Establishing Educational Dreams, has been hosting campus days for elementary school students in Detroit. Classroom Partnerships, another branch of the SEED program, helps various campus groups travel to the elementary schools themselves and teach lessons to students.

When the students visit the University, they are paired up with a University student and spend the day in mock classes and touring the campus. Yesterday, a group of faculty and students traveled to a Detroit elementary school to work on holiday crafts under the Classroom Partnerships program. Tomorrow, the Indian American Student Association will go to a fifth-grade class to teach the students about Indian culture and traditional dances.

SEED also works in collaboration with Project SERVE, the organization that sponsors Alternative Spring Break and SERVE week. Both programs are coordinated through the Office of Community Service and Learning, which also houses the America Reads and AmeriCorps programs.

Time and again, whether through countless research partnerships with other institutions, or continuing its lawsuit to maintain affirmative action admissions policies, the University has fulfilled its obligation to the improvement of higher education. Community outreach programs such as those associated with the OCSL, however, are vital to attaining the University's more modest obligation to give back to the community. Not only is community involvement the right thing to do for an institution with a budget as robust as the University's, but as a practical matter, the University is a public institution that relies heavily on public funds and whose regents are elected by the residents of Michigan. For the sake of its own financial well being, it is imperative that the University remains visible and active in the communities of Michigan voters.

Although everyone agrees that University-sponsored community service programs such as SEED and America Reads are good, some fail to see the vital role such programs play in the fulfillment of the University's ultimate mission. Community service initiatives are all too often looked upon as nice but ultimately superfluous and disposable perks. While the effort to terminate funding for the University's community service efforts is currently relatively insignificant, SEED and other similarly minded efforts could likely be the first to see their budgets slashed should the University receive fewer funds from either the state or some other important benefactor in the future.

The results of community service programs such as SEED ought to be compelling enough for the University to make a strong commitment to continue funding of the OCSL. Due to its size and resources, the University has obligations that extend beyond academic spheres. The surrounding community stands to reap significant benefits from the experience of students and faculty. Additionally, as a practical matter, it is simply good policy for the University to give back to the voters who elect its regents. It should not be forgotten that selflessness is often reciprocal.

12-03-98