Letters to the Editor

Secret societies waste University resources

To the Daily:

OK ... Doesn't anyone get the point? The fact that Michigamua and Adara are co-ed doesn't matter for squat! They still represent the petty, self-congratulatory views of traditional elitism, which have traditionally drawn lines between groups based on the "high quality" of their "leadership and character."

'Gama, Adara and Vulcan are a net cost to the campus. Based on some arcane contract with the University during the construction of the Union, these organizations get to control the fifth, sixth and seventh floors of the Union - the Tower! How many other organizations could use that space for some good other than shouting and playing drums Monday nights before heading off to Rick's? The rationale for their control of the Tower (based on the words of a Michigamua alum who will remain nameless, of course) is that the members of the organization represent the cream of the campus crop - that they are a better class of people, in whom the University should invest more resources - after all, they're the campus "leaders."

I have no gripe with the secret societies' members - they are good people, and individually have done a lot for campus. I have considered a number of their members friends over my six years at the University. But during that same time, I've seen their little rituals and rites of indoctrination, heard the drums and shouting echoing from the Tower and gotten generally annoyed by the overly defensive stance taken by members when confronted with a contrary view of the organizations. Even my friends have a hard time remaining calm about it.

Sure, the members are truly "campus leaders." However, often they didn't have to spend their time covering the basics of life, as other students have. Many of them didn't have to work to cover their rent checks throughout college. Many of the people in the Tower are members only because of dynasties - one member of a campus organization "taps" another member of the same organization and passes down the history and love of Michigamua and Adara onto the next generation.

In the call for social justice, activists should aim their shouts against structures which fundamentally represent a split between "the people" and "the leaders." All three levels of the Tower are great places to start.

Chad Bailey

School of Public Health

Running the Naked Mile has many dangers

To the Daily:

While recent statements by the University and concerned campus groups have been focused on dissuading students from participating in this year's celebrations, very little focus has been put on the other dangers of the Mile.

With increasing mainstream media coverage of the Mile (CNN Headline News, Channel 7, Channel 4), the number of non-local spectators will continue to swell. What this means to prospective runners has been dealt with extensively, so I'll skip that. My concern is that the attitude that many of the additional "spectators" may bring with them is that our campus is an open house for a party. Don't get me wrong, it's one heck of a party, but those not from our community may not have the same definition of "celebration" that we do. My warning is this: It is our responsibility to protect our campus and community. That doesn't mean stopping the Mile. That means preventing situations that could easily get out of hand and leave our campus in the same state as Michigan State University's.

Don't let things get out of hand. Everyone else can go home, but we'll be the ones to walk down South University Avenue in the light of the next day.

Jeff Balcerski

University staff

04-19-99