MichiganReview THE
The Journal of Campus Affairs at the University of Michigan www.michiganreview.com
VOLUME XXVII
October 14 , 2008
ISSUE 4
University Health Service Effective or Excessive?
PHOTO JOSEPH XU / MR STAFF
BY ANNA DICKEY ‘12
IT IS A common joke among the U-M student body that pregnancy or mono, regardless of symptoms or circumstance, is what is most frequently “diagnosed” at the University of Michigan Student Health Service, located on Fletcher street on Central Campus. U-M Student Health Service (UHS) is available to enrolled undergraduates, graduates, and staff to receive medical attention for non-life threatening ailments. Many claim that UHS tosses out diagnoses of mono and warnings of a possible pregnancy like condoms and candy at orientation. This is a puzzling defamation due to the fact that U-M is home to one of the top hospitals in the country. Contrary to popular belief, UHS is unrelated to U-M Hospital; it is actually a division of Student Af-
fairs. Student criticisms span from the lengthy waits for walk-in patients, inconvenient hours, and abrupt doctors. “I found the process burdensome,” one Michigan medical student stated in reference to her search for psychiatric help within UHS. “I feel the school was not forthcoming about my options. It took two and a half years [to receive the help I needed].” It seems to be particularly women who complain of inefficient treatment. One female junior says, “I’ve had friends who have had gynecology appointments where the doctors were overly stern and condescending, [depending on the doctor]. It was very win or lose.” In the “University Heath Service Patient Satisfaction Survey” from Winter 2008, overall satisfaction was
Go Green or Go Home
The Environment May Be Lost in Green Programming BY ANNA DICKEY ‘12
mail to
high. Within the 332 undergrads surveyed, 76% were “satisfied/very satisfied,” as were 85% of the graduate students. Satisfaction differences between the sexes, sexual orientation, and races were extremely small. The 666 individuals surveyed, however, may or may not accurately represent the feelings of the 60,000 student visits that take place each year at their facility. Robert Winfield, MD, Director of UHS, says Health Services provide exceptional and reliable health care for students. He pointed out the 20,000 staff visits per year, encompassing people who certainly have the option to go elsewhere yet choose Heath Services. “[The staff who visit UHS] use what they perceive to be quality, friendly, and efficient service. UHS Continued on PAGE 5
Zatkoff Loses Position, Steals Literature BY JANE COASTON ‘09
THE LAND OF maize and blue is welcoming the color green onto its campus, and it is not on those popular Spartan emblazed rolls of toilet paper that stock Michigan frat bathrooms. It is not a revolutionary notion that the “green” movement within the United States has taken a strong hold on the minds of Michigan students. Green has never been so popular here. Hybrid cars, cups made
JUSTIN ZATKOFF, CHAIR of the Michigan Federation of College Republicans, has been fired from his position within the Republican National Committee’s “Victory ‘08” Campaign as of October 3rd. Zatkoff was fired after John McCain pulled his campaign out of Michigan, and then attempted to steal 300,000 pieces of campaign literature from Michigan campaign headquarters. In
GREEN Continued on PAGE 5
ZATKOFF Continued on PAGE 5
www.michiganreview.com
PAGE 2
THE MICHIGAN REVIEW www.michiganreview.com
Editorial Board Lindsey Dodge Editor-in-Chief Jane Coaston Executive Editor Adam Pascarella Managing Editor Eun Lee Graphic Design Editor Jonathan Slemrod Editor-at-Large Nathan Stano Cherri Buijk Assistant Editors Business Staff Karen Boore Publisher Jonathan Slemrod Anna Malecke Associate Publishers Michael O’Brien Editor Emeritus Staff Writers & Photographers
(in alphabetical order)
Anna Dickey, Zack Divozzo, Brittani Kagan, Megan Lytle, Cody Neil, Alyssa Ng, Julianne Nowicki, Kathryn Lynn Singer, Eden Stiffman, Nathan Torreano, Sreya Vempatti, Joseph Xu
Letters & Viewpoints The Michigan Review accepts and encourages letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters to the editor should be under 300 words. Viewpoints can be arranged by contacting the editorial board. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send all correspondence to mrev@umich.edu.
About Us The Michigan Review provides a broad range of in-depth coverage of campus affairs and serves as the literary voice of conservatism and libertarianism at the University of Michigan. The Review is published bi-weekly September thru April.
Donate/Subscribe The Michigan Review accepts no financial support from the University. Therefore, your support is critical and greatly appreciated. Donations above $40 are eligible for a 1-year (12 issues) subscription. Donations can be made on our website at www.michiganreview.com, or mailed to:
911 N. University, Suite One Ann Arbor, MI 48109 The Michigan Review is the independent, student-run journal of conservative and libertarian opinion at the University of Michigan. We neither solicit nor accept monetary donations from the University. Contributions to The Michigan Review are tax-deductible under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. The Michigan Review is not affiliated with any political party or any university political group. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board. Ergo, they are unequivocally correct and just. Signed articles, letters, and cartoons represent the opinions of the author, and not necessarily those of The Review. The Serpent’s Tooth shall represent the opinion of individual, anonymous contributors to The Review, and should not necessarily be taken as representative of The Review’s editorial stance. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the advertisers or the University of Michigan. Copyright © 2007, The Michigan Review, Inc. All rights reserved. The Michigan Review is a member of the Collegiate Network.
Thoughts of Economics
10.14.2008 4.1.08
Due to the financial turmoil plaguing the market right now, we thought to forgo our accustomed Serpent’s Tooth and feature some of the most humorous or true thoughts penned and said on the economy. “ONLY WHEN THE tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” Warren Buffet “RECESSION IS WHEN your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.” Ronald Reagan “ECONOMISTS ARE PESSIMISTS: they’ve predicted 8 of the last 3 depressions.” Barry Asmus “THE FIRST LESSON of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” Thomas Sewell “I, HOWEVER, PLACE economy among the first and most important republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared.” Thomas Jefferson ‘’FINANCIAL MARKET DEVELOPMENTS are having an acute impact on advanced economies, and we can expect the crisis to have major ramifications for emerging markets and the poorest countries as well. Isolationism and protectionism will not offer a way out.’’ Henry Paulson, Secretary of the Treasury “WE’RE IN THIS together, we’ll come through this together.” President George W. Bush “THE COLLAPSE OF the capitalist system based on usury and paper and not on goods traded on the market is proof that it is in crisis and shows that Islamic economic philosophy is holding up.” Sunni Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi REPORTER: “WHAT DO you think will happen to the market?” J.P. Morgan: “It will fluctuate.”
Letter from the Editor MAY YOU ALWAYS live in interesting times. The world is changing, and everybody is sensing it. This consciousness bears the burden of anxiety, as people worry about the economy, the election, and of course their everyday lives. This general sense of worry tends to make people fractious, which is evident from the number of various debates occurring nationwide and on-campus. In an amazingly high viewer turn-out, the Vice Presidential Debate drew in even more viewers than the Presidential debate. Nathan Torreano ’12 covers the content of Biden versus Palin. In our featured Face-off on the back-page, two staff writers go head to head in the currently contentious debate among Republicans: John McCain pulling out of Michigan in his presidential campaign. Nate Stano ’11 and Eden Stiffman ’12 argue that McCain is justified and right in withdrawing from the Michigan stage, and that McCain is making a potentially devastating error, respectively. Either way, it is certainly a defining decision for swing voters. The noxiously repetitive anthem of “Change” is being used from the opposite political riverbank in Great Britain. There, conservatives, or rather Tories, are the ones calling for immediate change. Adam Pascarella ’10 explores the similar ways that politicians across the pond are using rhetorical strategies. They all circulate around the idea that what we have is bad, and what we need is something, or anything, different. Then there is football. To hopefully enlighten
readers on the strategy of the new team, Cody Neil ’12 explores the status under “Rich Rod.” As to the efficacy, well, we’ll just have to hope and pray. Change, change, change. For college students, it may not be as frightening a concept, as our lives are defined by limitless possibilities for how we will shape our own worlds. Yet so much of what is occurring – the financial markets, our latest football fiasco – are rather foreboding. I can’t help but ask myself: Where is all this change going to lead? Whether it’s the environment or fraternity recruitment, two topics we delve into this issue, things are not always as they appear. It’s easy to quickly phrase and repackage ideas, but it’s quite another to thoroughly consider an issue. Change for the sake of changefulness is folly, but so is sticking with any program or manner of action that consistently fails to meet expectations. So cheer up. As opposed to our normal Serpent’s Tooth, we have a series of quotes from minds far superior to ours. The nature of Wall Street is fluctuation, and it’s easy to forget that when we’re caught on the wrong side of it. The times they are a-changin’. Let’s hope that we’re the ones taking action and making the changes. MR Best, Lindsey Dodge Editor-in-Chief
Editor’s Notes 10.14.2008 4.1.08
PAGE 3
An Editorial Page for Those Interested in How the Other Side Thinks
America: Land of the Free Home of the Ambivalent wants to lead the country; however, his pride in our country seems to lie purely in what he will do for it. This may seem an elementary idea, but to overlook and therefore demean the positive things our country has done insults our forefathers and even our country today, despite its faults. This isn’t meant to bash Obama, but rather to call attention to the disappointing mindset of Americans, especially those on the Michigan campus. As people will soon venture to all parts of the country and the globe with an esteemed degree, it isn’t right that they should hate the country that supplied their education. As students coddle their daily Starbucks and strut down the street in their Uggs, it is sadly ironic that many of them disdain their country and culture that provide them with these luxuries. Of course, not everyone on campus has this feeling, and not everyone in our country has access to all these luxuries. But, to focus on the negative is to simplify the complexities of our American identity and to take an opinion that is not appropriately nuanced. Patriotism, though, still does exist in America, even though that may be hard to believe when living in the Ann Arbor bubble. There are plenty of people who recognize our country’s mistakes and still find much to admire. In short, it’s naïve to hate America. MR
THE PAST FEW years have brought negative conditions on the American economy, affecting major strongholds such as the Big Three, and of course the banks affected by the recent financial crisis. But, there is one industry that stands strong: prostitution. Perhaps this is an indication of times to come, as well as a revelation of our society and values. On Sunday, October 12, 2008, the New York Daily News featured an article this phenomenon. The writers Barbara Boss and Larry McShane deem the “world’s oldest profession” as “still brisk”. This article then launches into a series of descriptions of specific instances where woman have turned to prostitution because they had lost their previous job and desperately needed the money to cover expenses, such as a college education and even the personal satisfaction they derive in providing their services to lonely men. This recent trend actually parallels a historical event. During the Great Depression, prostitution was on the rise because many women turned to it for economic relief during these hard times. Novelguide.com features a commentary of these times,
pointing out that in this situation the men (the pimps) were collecting the profits from the work of the women actually forced the men to become dependent on women, a notion that contradicted the social norms of the times. To combat this, the White House Conference on the Emergency Needs of Women formed and convened in November 1933 and “focused disproportionately on the plight of the sexually vulnerable ‘woman alone’”. By addressing the situation foremost, they “promoted masculine providership while reinforcing women’s subordinate domestic roles”. However, the recent article does not seem to hold these views on their assessment of the situation. The writers seem to cast the women in a sympathetic light as they describe their struggle in the economic crisis to hold a steady job. They attempt to point out that these women are not merely loose women seeking sexual pleasure to excite their otherwise mundane lives, but instead, women trying to make it through tough times. In addition, they mention these sexual acts actually provide a therapy for the men. During these bleak times, men suffer much stress and these brief sexual pleasures assist in allowing these men to temporarily escape the
MR STAFF
Oldest Professor Makes Comeback
XU / PHOTOS JOSEPH
IF ONE WERE to imagine each country in the world as a person with characteristics representative of that nation’s cultural or political traits, many imagine America as the fat, gun-wielding, and arrogant cowboy. More and more of those who support this notion are Americans themselves. More Americans are finding the current state of our foreign policy and economy a worthy reason to adopt a dour opinion of America. The new patriotism doesn’t proclaim “God bless America.” It’s more like, “Sorry, America Sucks.” College students learn about the American government putting innocent Japanese families into internment camps during WWII. They also learn how the CIA tried to “solve” the cocaine problem in Columbia by pouring poisonous pesticides over the country—including over civilians and their sustenance crops. We need to be privy to those sections of history, regardless of their appalling nature. But new patriotism has transformed into downright shame and resentment, especially on the U-M campus. Barack Obama takes advantage of this general sense of shame of our country. His main slogan proclaims “Change” for America. While every President hopes to impact and reshape the nation, Obama does not embrace this notion the same way. His occasional nods to our past victories suggest a patriotism that is obligatory for one who
pressures they feel to perform well at their job and keep their job to provide for their families. The differences in the way the government and people handled the prostitution situation them and how we view our own prostitution situation reveals many aspects of our own culture. First, let me state the obvious. Clearly, we have become much more comfortable with sexuality that we are able to justify it in ways that those who lived through the Great Depression could not. In addition, this seems to indicate an advancement of women’s rights. I feel that modern feminists complain so much about specific instances where they have been wronged that they fail to look at the bigger picture at how we have made so much progress in this field. During the Great Depression, the men feared women adopting a position of financial independence, which is why their first policies formed were designed to reverse increasing instances of prostitution. This recent article portrays it as natural for women to want to provide for themselves and their families. Maybe modern feminists should take a step back and examine this dynamic change in society. MR
PAGE 4 P.
10.14.2008 4.1.08
Opinion
Free to Choose
Death Before Dishonour!
Change or Lose
Thoughts Before the Coronation
BY JONATHAN SLEMROD ‘10
BY NATHAN STANO ‘11
IF ANYTHING GOOD has come out of the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, it is that it is now universally agreed upon that it is laughable to refer to President Bush as any sort of “fiscal conservative.” As late as last year, President Bush said “We believe the American people ¬¬¬can spend their money better than the government can spend it.” His record shows otherwise. The Bush Administration has made no serious effort to reform out-of-control government spending in its eight years. The national debt has jonathan nearly doubled. Bush goes down in history as the slemrod first president to preside over not only the first $2 trillion budget, but also the first $3 trillion budget. An obvious target would have been the Farm Bill, which divvies out massive subsidies to mostly wealthy farmers. Bush gladly signed the bill in 2002, but made a last gasp at saving his conservative credentials last summer by vetoing the bill, a futile effort that was easily overridden by the election-year Congress. Bush’s Johnny-come-lately attitude on the Farm Bill is telling of his legacy as a whole. The Bush Administration sat by idly as Republican majorities in Congress allowed an explosion of wasteful pork projects, which increased by more than 7,000 from 2000 until today. When public scrutiny over earmarks and their relationship to Congressional scandals intensified, Bush did what any President would do that has no intention of addressing the problem: he issued an Executive Order telling Federal agencies to ignore pork stuffed in the end of bills, free from oversight, which he promptly ignored the first time a bill ignoring the order came to his desk. The list goes on: burdensome regulation of accounting through Sarbanes-Oxley, a massive prescription-drug benefit aimed at solidifying Bush’s support among the elderly, the nationalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Who could possibly claim to be surprised when the Administration rolled out its anti-taxpayer $700 billion bailout of Wall Street investors that made bad loans? Assuming that President Bush would endorse a responsible solution to the financial crisis would be naïve, if not simply ignorant. His fiscal legacy, if not clear to the American public before the last few months, is now crystal clear, and will only help show the difference between those who preach the mantle of free-market conservatism and those who also practice it. Perhaps Bush Republicans that have remained complicit with growing the size of government will change their perspective when Democrats crush them at the polls and pick up a plethora of Congressional seats this November. Democrats will come dangerously close to a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. There will be plenty of opportunities to refocus. For example, Republicans can turn to killing cap-and-trade legislation that will inevitably arise in the next Congress, which seeks to slow climate change by giving the government the right to auction off allowances which dictate how much carbon an entity can emit. Politicians know that cap-and-trade is a massive, job-killing tax on all Americans, but prefer to endorse a backdoor cap-and-trade tax that they call “market-based” instead of a straightforward tax on carbon. Opposition to cap-and-trade should be an easy one for any fiscal conservative to swallow, and will emerge as a landmark political battle in upcoming years. A blue Congress also means that the largest tax increase in American history is looming, and that a push for more regulation on everything from credit cards to cars is just around the corner. Republicans need to sharply contrast themselves with the Bush Administration of the last eight years not only with the goal of enacting pro-growth policies, but to avoid getting absolutely decimated at the ballot box in the upcoming election and many more to come. America still relishes its revolutionary “don’t tread on me” spirit deep down inside, a perspective that quickly becomes obsolete and alienated when both major parties push for the same big government. MR
AS THE ECONOMY continues to flounder, as chaos spreads across the world, the people of this country seem to be turning to Senator Obama to lead them. With a lead that grows with each drop of the Dow, and news media all but past objectivity in its support of Obama, we must ask ourselves if this man is the one we want to lead us for the next four years. First off, let’s do ourselves a favor and forget the last four years. Senator Obama talks about the last few years so much; you’d think he was running against President Bush. He’s not. The Bush Presidency belongs to historians now, nathan and if the Senator were really for “change” or “hope”, you’d stano think he would advocate just moving on. A thought to pause on. Let’s look at what’s in store for Americans at home. Obama has proposed a tax increase, one of the largest in history, on the investing class. I hate to break it to you Senator, but the top 5% of wage earners are really important in putting money into the system. Oh, and the 30% of people that pay no income tax, they get a tax break. That’s socialism folks. The kind of socialism that traps people in a cycle of poverty, where people who work hard make less than their less successful, but subsidized, brethren. We have to ask ourselves also if it is right to bleed the rich for the sake of the poor. While the image of Robin Hood is a romantic one, we must remember that the days of feudalism are over. Men are free to amass and deplete vast fortunes in a single lifetime. The ambitious rise while the apathetic sink. Do we wish to penalize success? I certainly hope not. As for our national health care plan, one needs only to look to the north to see its failings. The Canadian system is the single payer solution that many on the Left are calling for, yet it is seen by its creators as a dramatic favor. In fact, the man who created the single payer system has called for it to be dismantled. The head of the Canadian Medical Association runs an illegal, private clinic. Canadians with life threatening conditions are told to wait for care because of government rationing, and some never live to see the end of that wait. In the UK, the National Health Service’s budget doubled under Tony Blair, yet by the end of his term as Prime Minister, cutting wait times below 6 weeks was still an unrealized goal. Chancellor Merkel has had to make cuts in the German heath system, like her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder, because Germany doesn’t have the money to pay for it. As Europe’s baby boom turns into a baby bust, the praised systems of Scandinavia will teeter and fall, as more people use care than pay for it. What makes the Left think we can do any better? In the end, it comes down to what people “deserve”, as entitlement spending makes up an ever increasing percentage of our budget. We have forgotten that America was a test case for the end of entitlement. Our forefathers fought and died because they believed that all men were equal under God, and that no man because of his birth or condition deserved any more or less than anyone else. Yet they are portrayed by professor and textbook alike as defenders of a wealth class, rich white hypocritical slave owners. This view is childlike in its simplicity and inanity. These men agonized over the issue of slavery. In his letters and writings, Jefferson and Washington both expressed personal hatreds of slavery. For a bunch of white “aristocrats”, they managed to create a system which most protects the average person. Yet we see the influence of money in this system. Why? The government’s actions in business are the answer. As government regulates businesses, some skit the capitalist system and used bought politicians to regulate competitors out of business, or set up contracts for themselves. If our government listened to the words of the Founding Fathers and stayed away from business, the widespread corruption we see today might not exist. It is time we use this crisis to see that it was socialism, not capitalism, that brought down the markets, and that electing a Democrat during these times will only bring ruin to this nation. MR
THE MICHIGAN REVIEW is now in your ear. Check out our podcasts online with guests and commentary! WWW.MICHIGANREVIEW.COM
10.14.2008 4.1.08
PAGE 5
PHOTO JOSEPH XU / MR STAFF
UHS Continued from FRONT PAGE
We hire [clinicians] who can be versatile, who can help people from age 14-90, and are a well rounded group of health care providers,” Winfield stated. Many students on campus are greatly appreciative of the assistance they have received. The convenience of its campus location, the low to non-existent cost (approximately $165 per semester taken from tuition is the student fee to cover most needs), potentially quick service, and friendly staff are all aspects that have received praise. “I was examined, got my lab results, and received my prescription all in thirty minutes,” freshman Kim Martin said of her experience at UHS earlier in the semester. The medical student mentioned previously claimed that the confidentiality of information was why she chose to use UHS in the first place. UHS has very strict confidentiality, an attractive option for those wary of GREEN Continued from FRONT PAGE
ZATKOFF Continued from FRONT PAGE
an email sent to supporters, Zatkoff alleged that he intended to “distribute” the literature himself: “I know that I told you I would get your county’s allotment of the 300,000 pieces of the John McCain literature over to your HQ last night and this morning, but a funny thing happened. Sad actually. As you know, that literature has been sitting in Farmington since last week and hasn’t gone out to anyone! This literature does us no good sitting in the office collecting dust when it could be out in the hands of our grassroots activists! In accordance with our arrangements with the County and McCain grassroots leaders, like you, we were going to get it out all over the state as mentioned and had a plan to get it everywhere in the state in 48 hours - most places by this morning (or last night!), and
and concerns, such as the over-diagnoses of mono. Most of them are very receptive to what we have to say.” The same medical student who suffered through a “horrendous and cumbersome” process finally did get prescriptions and assistance that aided her medical concerns. “The process was punitive and disappointing, but I did find what I needed,” she said. Out of the approximately 41,000 students that are currently enrolled at U-M, a conclusion as to the overall student opinion of UHS is an unsure reality. Undoubtedly, there are far more cases of pregnancy and mono than one might think. MR
The lower grades included a “C” in student involvement, where it stated that the student government has an environmental issues commission that “identifies” campus environmental projects. These individuals supplement U-M’s yearly environmental assessment report. However within the website research report, there was no mention of the ten student groups that exist at U-M dedicated to aspects of environmental improvement who certainly go to great lengths to contribute to sustainability. The various administration implemented programs, such as the Fresh Michigan program to purchase foods from local producers, and the dorm recycling programs, received moderate praise from the website. It mentioned that U-M has donated 138 tons of material charities from the student move-out donation program since 1991. Other assessments of U-M’s environmental friendliness have risen from Energy Star, a government-backed program that advises businesses and other groups in advanced energy conservation. In 2004, U-M received the “Energy Star Partner of the Year for Leadership in Energy Management” for the university’s superior acknowledgement of energy use. U-M has allegedly been directly contributing to the environmental work force through the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, a partner of the Ross School of Business and the School of Natural Resources
and Environment, to cultivate environmentally learned and conscious employees for any type of business. According to its administrators, enrollment has risen 30% in the 2007-08 academic year from the previous year and is said to continue to rise. Through academia and other programs, U-M seems to make environmental consciousness a definite priority and an accessible habit for students. However, despite the high-powered and loud administrative actions, it is a possibility that individual students could find ways to improve. The ten student environmental groups that exist at U-M could encompass many people, yet in a school with approximately 41,000, that is a small fraction of the population. The “C” that student involvement earned within the above study, though possibly not giving enough credit to the smaller independent university environmental groups, was indeed the average, normal grade of the hundreds of other schools they researched. But as a large university that boasts exceptional environmental standards and a passion for future generations, we as students should aim far higher than merely a passing grade. MR
even had direction from Jennifer Hallowell, the Regional Campaign Manager of the McCain Campaign, to do so.” In the email, Zatkoff alleged that he received a phone call from the executive chair of the Michigan GOP, ordering him to stop taking campaign literature or risk criminal charges. Larry Ward, Political Director of the Michigan GOP, took the lead in denouncing Zatkoff’s actions in an email sent Tuesday afternoon: “ Today, you may have received an email from a disgruntled former employee, Justin Zatkoff that is an example of game-playing that is distracting from our efforts this fall. It has been leaked to the press and being circulated by the same old group of troublemakers that are more
interested in intra-party political silliness than helping Republicans win general elections...We will prosecute anyone who attempts to take valuable collateral or equipment that belongs to the Republican party or the victory program and inhibits our effort to achieve victory in November.” According to an anonymous source within Victory ‘08, the campaign materials have been returned. Michigan Republican Party spokesman Bill Nowling said no further comment would be made past Ward’s email. Justin Zatkoff could not be reached for comment. MR
Continuations
from corn instead of plastic, and organic foods are becoming increasingly frequent sights on the U-M campus. It has become a point of pride for Michigan students to work actively for better environmental habits. However, the questions of how valid, effective, and extensive these efforts are inevitably rise. There is evidence that hybrid car batteries are worse for the environment than exhaust, cups from corn are said to be simply a government ploy to help farm crop sales with no real environmental benefit, and there is uncertainty as to which organic foods are legitimately organic. This inevitably leads to efforts concerning U-M efforts. A national online research group greenreportcard. org, created a “College Sustainability Report Card,” which examined and graded U-M on its environmental resourcefulness within nine categories: administration, climate change and energy, food and recycling, green building, student involvement, transportation, endowment transparency, investment priorities, and shareholder engagement. The overall grade U-M received was a “B.” The “A” grade categories included transportation, endowment transparency, and investment priorities. The university operated bus system, carpool and vanpool programs, and the five electric hybrid busses on campus earned the high grade in transportation, and according to the website, approximately 87% of campus vehicles operate on “alternative fuels.”
potential embarrassment. At U-M hospital, records are less confidential, being available to all medical staff. Winfield also stressed that UHS takes great care in improving their services and listening to student needs. This will be accomplished through an impending online survey of non-users, inquiring how many students refrain from visiting UHS and their reasons. Within UHS are two student organizations: Student Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and Peers Utilizing Leadership Skills for Education (PULSE). Both groups work to both improve UHS and inform students of the UHS services available. According to senior Manessa Shaw, student leader of SHAC, they provide the student voice for UHS and express the concerns of students to Winfield and the other 150 employees who are under UHS employ. “We’ve talked directly to the doctors,” Shaw stated, “and we’ve informed them of student misconceptions
10.14.2008 4.1.08
PAGE 6
Student Investors
News
How Wall Street Meets State Street BY NATHAN STANO ‘11
IN THE LAST few weeks, the US financial markets have fallen dramatically, in what is being called the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression. From September 10th to October 9th, the Dow dropped 2651.54 points, or 23.61%. Those students who put money into the markets are feeling the pain as badly as anyone on Wall Street. Michigan Interactive Investments President Eric Medina, Ross ’09, says “Everyone is feeling the pain.” Indeed, he feels that this time the traditional systems of valuing stocks and assets have gone out the window. In his words, “fear is driving the market.” He remarked that even traditionally “safe” investments like Treasury and corporate bonds have become a gamble. “I’m all cash,” he states simply. Students interested in investing, unless they have money to gamble and can check their investments daily, had better hold onto their money. “The times of making easy money are gone,” Medina said while reiterating that this is not an investors’ market. In his view, even just buying and holding carries with it too great a risk. Michigan Interactive Investments, or MII, is a group of fifty students who invest a portfolio of real funds while learning about the workings of the market. They recently cut their membership from 300 to 50 to find “[the] most passionate and engaged people.” Over the summer, MII decided to be very conservative with their investments, and were able to avoid the dramatic losses that have plagued the market. Their strategy is to play it safe until the market reaches a bottom. “Lots of people and cash are on the sidelines,” Medina says, including himself in that number, waiting for calm to return. Gordon Chaffin, LSA ’10, when asked about his investments, said that he had started a Roth IRA. A Roth IRA is a special, untaxed retirement account which can invest in securities or common stocks, although there is a maximum contribution of $5,000 per annum. Chaffin says that he tries to invest for the long term, and doesn’t pay that much attention to the everyday markets. He plans to let his money sit and watch it grow. An LSA sophomore, who wished to remain anonymous, was optimistic about the future. He commented, “Now would be a great time to buy.” When asked if he was concerned about further financial chaos, he responded, “It’s possible, but not having that much invested relative to my probable lifetime income, I think the possibilities of reward outweigh the risks.” Graham Kozak, Engineering ’11, was also optimistic about the markets. Despite the massive losses on Wall Street, he believes that once we shake off the effects of the market intervention by the government, Wall Street will see its losses return to gains. He has a few investments, and says that if he had the money, he would invest in companies he knew to be solid. For those students interested in getting into the markets now, Medina advised extreme caution, but emphasized, “You need to be invested in the market….you need to have some return on your cash to fight inflation.” The big caveat here, according to Medina, is being able to watch your investments, as in this market, you could lose everything in the span of a few hours. If you could keep track of your investments on a daily basis or more, he recommended getting your feet wet. If not, he said, leave it to a professional or go for mutual funds. In short, the consensus among students is that confidence determines all. Until confidence returns to the market, we’ll all be in for a bumpy ride. MR
Michigan Money Management U-M Endowment Likely to Feel Market Stress BY KAREN BOORE ‘09
RANKED AMONG THE top ten endowments in the country as recently as May, the University of Michigan’s return on endowment-related investments is projected to be significantly lower in 2008 and for the years ahead. As Chief Investment Officer Erik Lundberg predicted a slowdown in endowment returns in early September, returns for this year are likely to be in the single digits. Amidst recent economic turmoil and steep stock market declines, the stage is set for the announcement of investment returns for the fiscal year at a Regents meeting October 23 at U-M Flint. “U-M invests for the long-term. It is a very effective strategy,” said U-M spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham, responding to what sort of investment strategies the University utilizes to protect against market volatility. Cunningham stressed the University’s highly diversified portfolio and a long-term strategy that has resulted in an annualized return of 17 percent in the past five years. Commenting on the impact of the financial crisis on endowments across the nation, Director of Research Ken Red of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) responded that returns on investment will be much lower, even negative. He said that the impact will be greater on smaller schools and smaller endowments of about $25 Million because these endowments tend to be less diversified and more heavily invest in traditional equity and stock. The University of Michigan, however, whose endowment reached $7.8 Billion this past May, has a broad range of asset classes which will mitigate the stock market’s decline. “While the endowment is not impervious to volatility in the financial markets, the University’s longterm strategy has produced extraordinary returns in
the good years,” Cunningham said. “Even before the crisis in the financial sector, we expected to enter a period when investment returns would be lower than in recent years, which have been high by historical standards.” In 2007, the U-M endowment posted a return of 25.6 percent. Endowment principle, the initial investment also known as a corpus, must remain intact, and it is invested so that the earnings on the investment will create a source of income. The earnings are used both for the donor’s intended purpose, or “critical mission priorities,” and as reinvested principal. Reinvesting a portion of the earnings preserves the fund’s corpus in times of lower returns. It also maintains purchasing power so that inflation does not diminish the real value of the endowment. An endowed professorship established in 1987 worth $2 million would need $3.64 million today to be equivalent, Cunningham explained. She said that reinvesting a portion of earnings each year helps ensure growth and meets ongoing needs. The University spent just over $300 million from the endowment in fiscal year 2007, publicly available numbers say. U-M uses a multi-year moving average market value to determine the level of spending from the endowment. According to the U-M Public Affairs website, the spending rule provides for yearly distributions of five percent of the average seven-year market value of endowment shares. An upper limit is placed so that a maximum of 5.3 percent of the current value of endowment shares can be distributed. Rather than basing spending on a single year, this provides that the operating budget receives dependable support over time. Cunningham indicated, however, that the impact ENDOWMENTS Continued on PAGE 10
Joe Dumars: Overcoming Fear, Achieving Success BY JULIANNE NOWICKI ‘11
LYDIA MENDELSSOHN THEATER was packed as students and alumni of the Ross School of Business quickly filled in seats to hear Joe Dumars’ presentation on “Fear and Success” during Alumni Weekend. Robert Dolan, Dean of the Ross School of Business, introduced Joe Dumars as someone who consistently exercises “good judgment and leadership,” after a list of credentials that included the Pistons’ President of Basketball Operations and a place in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Mr. Dumars spoke about everything from les-
IMAGE HTTP://I.CDN.TURNER.COM/
sons learned from his father and playing for the Pistons, to business character values and a recent conversation with Chauncy Billups. Mr. Dumars began his presentation speaking about the leadership and values he witnessed in his own family growing up. He spoke about ways his father influenced his character. “I think when you are in a situation like that the only thing you can count on is a strong foundation,” Dumars said, speaking about the hard- ships his father faced in WWII and growing up in the Deep South. “My father taught us how to see people for their true character. Financial status and social status meant nothing to him,” Mr. Dumars stated. How one carried one’s self and treated other people were also important family values his father and mother emphasized to Joe Dumars and his six other siblings. Next, Joe Dumars spoke about playing for the Detroit Pistons. Dumars recounted the moment on September 15, 1985, when he first flew from Louisiana to Michigan for basketball practice at Oakland University the next morning at 10:00 A.M. He jokingly called Michigan, “The worst place I could be. It was a different culture, the weather was different…What truly got me through was what I was raised on.” Eventually, he said he found his way through Detroit. Dumars went on to talk about his experiences as a businessman in the athletic world. In regards to managing the Pistons, Dumars said this- “If I have a player that’s on my team, I need him to have some sort of ego that says ‘I’m good at what I do.’ Don’t let someone tell you all egos are bad. They’re not when used in the right way.” He further emphasized, “There are some primadonnas in the business. I have gone out of my way to not bring in those type of guys.” His key for success in managing the Pistons has been to be “brutally honest” with players, during the good and bad times. Dumars said he speaks to players in a calm voice, even after the bad games, and that his players “respect the truth.” Selflessness was also a major key Mr. DuDUMARS Continued on PAGE 10
10.14.2008
Espresso Book Machine Eric Plourde Versus Arrives on Campus the Mayor of Ann Arbor
PAGE 7
News
BY MEGAN LYTLE ‘10
THE UNIVERSITY OF Michigan recently became the first university to install the Espresso Book Machine (EBM), a device which can print and bind a factory-quality paperback book on demand in around 7 minutes. A product of On Demand Books LLC, the EBM revitalizes a printing process “essentially unchanged since Gutenberg – with radically decentralized direct-to-consumer distribution,” according to the company’s website. The University has recently invested much time and effort into digitizing its print collection, in collaboration with Google. The EBM addresses a problem often encountered in doing research involving electronic books. While a digital format is better for searching or indexing, it is often much more difficult to read for prolonged periods of time. This is where the EBM comes in, creating convenient, quality, affordable print copies where they might not have been readily available. This is particularly useful when it comes to rare, hard-to-find,
PHOTO JOSEPH XU / MR STAFF
out-of-print older books. Whereas it was much more difficult to get a hard copy of such a book before, it is now possible to print one should the library not have one on hand. As of October 1, a small selection of books is available for ondemand printing for demonstration purposes from 10 AM – 12 PM Monday-Friday in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. In order to print on the EBM, books must be between 90 and 440 pages and must conform to size restrictions. The EBM cannot print color interiors, and the University must have the right to distribute the book, limiting options to mostly to public domain texts and to texts from the Open Content Alliance for the present. Books between 90 and 160 pages cost $6, while longer ones cost $10. The book texts and covers are stored as separate PDF files. According to the library website, the library intends to expand the service to include access to the majority of the library’s public domain texts, the creation of anthologies, printing and binding theses, ESPRESSO Continued on PAGE 10
Pickens Lays Out Energy Plan BY SREYA VEMPATTI ‘12
THE WEEK OF September 29th marked Homecoming Week on the campus of the University of Michigan, and this year’s theme was ‘Go Blue Live Green’, focusing on increasing “green” energy study and usage. T. Boone Pickens, head of BP Capital Management and creator of The Pickens Plan, was invited to be the Special Guest of Honor and delivered a talk outlining his plan in front of a full auditorium at the Power Center on Wednesday, October 1. The Michigan Student Assembly sponsored the event. In 1956, Pickens founded Mesa Petroleum and later led their first takeover, of the Hugoton Production Company. Pickens further expanded his business through a series of acquisitions in the 1980s. Today, he is ranked by Forbes as the 117th richest man in America. In July 2008, he announced the Pickens Plan, which contains his proposals for an alternative energy policy. “Dependency on oil is our main problem”, he said, going on to say that oil prices will only keep rising and will eventually top $300 per barrel in ten years. He stated that America is currently importing 70% of its oil but in ten years will be importing 75%. He said that 85 million barrels of
oil are produced everyday around the world and the US consumes 21 million of those, or 25%, despite having only 4% of the world’s population and 3% of oil reserves. According to Pickens, America spends $700 billion on oil per year. “We operate like we have oil”, he criticized. Pickens then proceeded to explain his proposal, drawing a pie chart on a whiteboard to show the break-up of energy sources. “ We currently get 50% of our energy from coal, 20% from nuclear plants and 22% from natural gas”, he said. He proposes replacing the 22% natural gas figure with wind energy and using natural gas for transportation instead, along with bio-fuels. “In this way, we can reduce the $700 billion spending by 38% within 10 years”, he said. He said that states like Texas, which have large areas of land, are excellent for producing wind energy and that the Great Plains states have the highest wind energy potential in the world. In a discussion of natural gas, Pickens said that America has the cheapest natural gas in the world and that it is significantly cleaner and less costly than gasoline. He mentioned natural gas vehicles, ENERGY Continued on PAGE 10
BY ZACK DIVOZZO ‘12
While many students on campus are aware that University of Michigan student Eric Plourde is attempting to become the mayor of Ann Arbor, details have been scarce for those not in his direct circle. Plourde admits that most students “think it’s a joke when they first hear about it, but once they realize I actually am a candidate, they’re very curious as to why I’m running and what my viewpoint on government is.” This curiosity is what Plourde is banking on for exposure in the upcoming election, which is to be held on Tuesday, November 4th. He has been greatly appreciative of the support that he has already received throughout Ann Arbor. “It’s great, because an important goal in this campaign is to spread ideals, and when students are receptive to that, it’s gratifying,” he said. The U-M junior will be opposing John Hieftje, the current mayor of Ann Arbor. Both candidates’ first meeting will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at CTN Studio in Ann Arbor, where there will be a debate broadcasted on an undetermined public access channel. “He has been cordial and professional in the media,” said Plourde, speaking about the current mayor. “He is in an interesting position with a student as his opponent...but he has been respectful in my view and I appreciate that.” Plourde is running on a platform of limited government (which has been officially endorsed by Ron Paul), naturally making some of his plans for the city seem controversial. One of his newer goals is to decriminalize alcohol possession in the city for those who are
PHOTO JOSEPH XU / MR STAFF
eighteen. The initiative, however, would still require fines to be given since prohibition for minors is a state law. Hiefjte “seems to oppose” the idea, according to Plourde. “He has said that he’d like to see alcohol laws left to the state legislature”. The main drive behind Plourde’s push for decriminalizing alcohol possession, although he is a twenty year old student, is not so that he can have access to alcohol. Plourde has made it clear that students can already easily obtain alcohol without his initiative. He is hoping to stop MIPs being issued to hardworking students. “You can go to war, get married, have kids, vote, etc., but you can’t drink a beer. Unbelievable,” he said. Plourde also stated that one of the Ann Arbor city council members has expressed interest in the proposal, agreeing to further discuss the idea. Ultimately, Plourde believes that the council will wait to hear public opinion before a firm stance is taken. The idea has garnered a significant amount of support amongst students via a Facebook group, but the larger challenge is bringing acceptance of the proposal to the average Ann Arbor citizen. The proposal to lower the drinking age is a part of Plourde’s general support of “personal freedoms”. His campaign website states that he will “be an opponent of any attempt by the city government to further regulate the personal behavior of citizens of Ann Arbor, so long as they do not violate the rights of others.” The other main issue that Plourde plans to focus on is the city’s economy, which has PLOURDE Continued on PAGE 10
PAGE 8
VP Debate Captivates the Nation
10.14.2008
BY NATHAN TORREANO ‘12
News
On the evening of October 2, 2008, Washington University in St. Louis hosted the most anticipated vice presidential debate in U.S. history. It featured Republican Governor Sarah Palin and Democratic Senator Joe Biden; PBS’ Gwen Ifell monitored the event. Nielsen Media Research reported that 69.9 million Americans tuned in to watch, versus only 52.4 million voters for the first presidential debate between Democratic Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator John McCain. How did a vice presidential debate garner so much attention? The anticipation could largely be attributed to the choice of Palin as McCain’s running mate. Her status as a woman, along with previous blunders she committed during an interview with CBS’ Katie Couric, captivated the interest of the American population. Many wondered if Palin had the competence to hold her own in a debate with Biden, Obama’s tenured running mate. In general, both candidates avoided major mistakes and utilized their strengths. Biden stressed his foreign policy experience and emphasized the correlation between McCain’s economic policies with those of President Bush’s, which he regarded as, “the worst economic policies we’ve ever had.” He derided McCain’s policies of deregulation as the cause of Wall
Street’s woes. He also stated that Obama’s economic policies would raise taxes on large corporations and the wealthy, but not on the middle class. Biden referred to this as “fairness”, while Palin described such a policy as “redistribution of wealth.” Palin focused on connecting with the average American citizen, playing up her role as a Washington outsider. She oftentimes utilized phrases such as “darn right” and “heck of a lot” and referenced “Joe Six Pack” and “hockey moms.” She also expressed clear and strong opinions regarding energy policy and the importance of off-shore drilling, especially in her home state of Alaska, “We’re circulating about $700 billion a year into foreign countries, some who do not like America…instead of those dollars circulating here, creating tens of thousands of jobs…” The two candidates disagreed on various issues, ranging from Iraq’s role in the war on terror to the desired size of government to healthcare to the role of the vice president to even McCain’s status as a maverick. Biden and Palin agreed on certain issues, however, including Israel, the importance of the role on terror, and, surprisingly, gay marriage. So who won the debate? The editors at the Dallas Morning News expressed one popular opinion, “On substance, the edge goes to Mr. Biden. On style, Ms. Palin eked out a close win, enormously magnified by the plain fact that she wasn’t chased off the stage.” According to a CNN/Opinion Research Cor-
New Master’s Program in Philanthropy
The Era of “Change”
Cameron, Obama in Commanding Positions
BY EDEN STIFFMAN ‘12
Next fall, U-M’s School of Education will begin to offer a Master’s concentration program in philanthropy, advancement and development. The 30-credit hour program will offer classes concentrating on areas such as marketing and communications, governmental relations, alumni relations, and development roles focusing on individuals as well as institutional, corporate and foundation relations. It hopes to attract those who are interested in or already have professional roles in higher education institutions, as well as those who are a part of or work with private foundations that operate in connection with higher education institutions. As a University with an endowment of over $7 billion, with development officers for every school, college, and campus, as well as the major museums, libraries, botanical gardens, and many other university programs, and service units, U-M’s development program is very successful. The new Master’s program will work in connection with U-M development staff, requiring an administrative practicum and a two-semester-long internship. Examples of other course options include Public Policy in Postsecondary Education, Development & Advancement in Higher Education, State Government & Higher Education, and Grant-getting, Contracting, and Fundraising. Because governmental support of higher education has progressively decreased, philanthropy has become increasingly important for the development of campus programs, financial aid, building expansions, and many other facets of university
poration poll, 84% of those surveyed agreed that Palin’s performance exceeded their expectations. Additionally, those having a favorable opinion of Palin jumped from 48% before the debate to 56% afterward. However, only 46% deemed Palin prepared for the presidency if necessary, up from 42% before the debate. In Ann Arbor, members of the University of Michigan expressed a myriad of opinions. Dominick Hessa, ’12, stated, “Both of the candidates did a good job dodging questions. I think Palin won because she exceeded expectations and came across as more likeable. However, Biden seemed to possess more knowledge and presidential capabilities.” Gabby Martin, ’12, took issue with Palin’s straightforward style of speech, “It really bothers me that Americans like her because she speaks normally. I don’t understand how that is a desirable characteristic for a potential leader or our nation.” Michigan alumnus Rob Nosse, ’92, disagreed, “Governor Palin connected to the American people with both her words and eye contact. She was straightforward and consistent, pointing out the contradictions within Biden’s arguments.” An example of Nosse’s claim occurred when Palin accused Biden of, “Here you voted for the war [in Iraq] and now you oppose the war…Americans are craving that straight talk and just want to know, hey, if you voted for it, tell us why you voted for it and it was a war resolution.” MR
finance projects and initiatives. The current economic slowdown has been affecting the level of charitable giving at the University. Judy Malcolm, Senior Director of Executive Communications in the Office of Development Communications and Donor Relations says that she knows “that some of our donors who were considering making additional gifts have said they are going to delay their decisions for awhile.” Development officers must be able to make compelling cases to prospective donors, as well as be able to match them with departmental priorities, in order to continue the influx of donations. In light of the economy and the number of jobs surrounding higher-education philanthropy, Malcom thinks that “fundraising will become more important than ever for non-profits and higher-ed institutions. They will continue to need private funding to succeed. I don’t think there will be a decrease in jobs; possibly an increase.” Trained scholars who can incorporate research and empirical study into professional practice are the most in demand in the field of philanthropy and the Master’s students are expected to take applied courses on research practice and understand various approaches to research. The University’s Office of Development is considered a leader because of its role as the first public educational institution to have established a permanent fund-raising unit and to secure over $1 billion. The new Master’s concentration program will be the first to concentrate on philanthropy in the higher-education setting. MR
BY ADAM PASCARELLA ‘10
On July 26, 2008, two leaders meeting in central London were being swarmed by a deluge of photographers and reporters, as the so-called American “celebrity” and Great Britain’s up-and-coming politician discussed world affairs and their attempts to balance politics and personal life. “You should be on the beach. You need a break,” the Brit said to the American. The way it is looking, none of those men will be at the beach anytime soon. Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama and Conservative Party leader David Cameron are in commanding positions to lead their respective countries. With less than 30 days until the American election, Real Clear Politics averages show Obama almost seven points in front of Senator John McCain. InTrade, a prominent prediction market, also approximates that the Illinois Senator has a 79 percent chance of winning the Presidency. Across the pond, the picture is similar for the Conservative party. Although Prime Minister Gordon Brown has not called for new elections yet (and will most likely wait until mandatory elections in 2010), Labour appears to be headed towards defeat. The News of the World, one British newspaper, released a poll on Tuesday showing Cameron receiving a 78 seat majority in the House of Commons, and other polls across the country have projected similar results. While both candidates are offering some different solutions in dealing with two wars abroad and the pending financial crisis, there is one thing they do have in common: their constant calls for change. Obama has chastised John McCain for “voting with President Bush 90 percent of the time,” while the Tories have officially adopted “Plan for Change” as their motto going into the U.K. elections. Dr. Kenneth Kollman, Director of the Center for European Studies at U-M, stated that because of the credit crunch, incumbents are being attacked with arguments for change, even if they did not contribute to the financial crisis. “Surely anybody who wants to defeat the incumbent will try to blame the incumbent government for this financial mess. While it’s difficult to determine who is to blame for this,
incumbents are going to take it on the chin,” he said. Both candidates have certainly been targeting the opposing party for being responsible for the current economic troubles. In return, they have seen their numbers rise in the polls. David Cameron, who has been a Member of Parliament for eight years, declared on September 29 that Brown’s reputation was “bust” since he presided over the financial crisis. Although this was one of his most vicious attacks on Brown, he has recently toned down his rhetoric, stating on October 1 that both parties needed to develop a bipartisan solution to the financial crisis. Regardless of his de facto truce with Brown, Cameron has taken a firm stance against the war in Iraq and he has campaigned for more discretion in government surveillance efforts in order to protect civil liberties in Britain. In order to win a majority of seats in the House of Commons, Kollman emphasized that both parties will have to deal with a British middle class that has dramatically changed in the past number of years. “The British working class has moderated. It used to be a portion of the population that pushes for strong redistributive policies and major ownership in the economy back in the 1960s and 1970s. You don’t see this anymore, especially because of Prime Minister Tony Blair’s ‘Third Way,’ policies, but regardless, conflicts between how the government is going to provide particular benefits to people is occurring throughout the world,” he said. Kollman’s sentiment also appears to be true in America. Because of the current economic situation, both Obama and McCain will have to win the support of middle class voters in swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania. Like in the U.K., Kollman speculates that the candidates will have to win the white collar, suburban vote in order to win the Presidency. Both Cameron and Obama are in commanding leads in their respective elections and appear to be headed to victory. Kollman warns, however, that while Obama is leading with less than thirty days until the election, CHANGE Continued on PAGE 10
PAGE 9
10.14.2008
BY ALYSSA NG ‘12
In America, if you are “coming out” as a gay or lesbian individual, the worst reaction you can receive is awkward silence. In Iran or Egypt, two of the most orthodox countries in the Muslim world, you can be thrown into prison and beaten for your sexuality. The intolerance of homosexuality by Islamic culture was the premise for filmmaker Parvez Sharma, whose debut documentary “A Jihad For Love” was screened at the Michigan League Ballroom on October 7. This event, run by the Spectrum Center as part of the National Coming Out Month, was also co-sponsored, among others, by the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies and TBLG Matters Initiative of the School of Social Work. Director-producer Sharma, who is both gay and Muslim, was on-hand to answer audiences’ questions and facilitate discussion after the documentary was screened. “A Jihad For Love” follows the journey of various gay and lesbian individuals living in different Muslim countries as they struggle for acceptance from the Islamic community by trying to reconcile their sexuality with their religion. As the world’s first feature documentary exploring the Islamic-homosexuality link, it has been screened in more than 20 countries since its release last year. Interestingly, it was banned from the 2008 Singapore International Film Festival for its sensitive content. Sharma made the documentary from a Muslim’s, rather than from an outsider’s point of view in an attempt to humanize Muslims in the post-September 11
The Greek Gossip Girl BY BRITTANI KAGAN ‘12
PHOTO JOSEPH XU / MR STAFF
period. He includes close-up shots and emotional interviews with these individuals recounting their persecution by the police because of their sexual orientation. Sharma emphasized that the main theme in the documentary is the struggle for love. He explained that he wanted to show the contrast between the contested term ‘jihad’ and ‘love’ by putting them in the same phrase, and to change Western perception of equating jihad with holy war. ‘Jihad’ translates to “struggle” or “to strive in the path of God” in Arabic. This struggle inevitably means that Muslim homosexuals have to lead a lonely and difficult life marked with discrimination from their religious communities and separation from their family and country, which was the focus of Sharma’s message. The screening, while not attracting a full house, drew a sizeable crowd with the outspoken members of the audience being Muslims. An informal discussion was held after the screening in which Sharma fielded questions from the audience about the documentary’s title, theological debates and homosexuality discourses, among others. Particular Muslim audience members voiced their both their praises and criticisms of the documentary, such as difficulty in conceptualizing JIHAD Continued on PAGE 10
Welcome to the Frattio The Ins and Outs of the Spread The Informal and Formal of Fraternity Recruitment
BY CODY NEIL ‘12
The bulk of the Fraternity Rush events on campus have begun to wrap up, and some students that did not participate might be wondering what exactly is involved in the recruitment process. Though classic comedies like “Animal House” show Rush as a month of debauchery and togas, the truth is a little different. According to Ryan Spotts, VP of Public Relations for the Interfraternity Council, fraternity recruitment begins with Diag Day during which the IFC and many of the 27 registered fraternities on campus set up a table in the Diag and post signs, flyers, and banners all around campus to promote their organizations. Then, in early September, they hold a mass meeting which he says is like a “meat market,” designed to help freshman and sophomores meet with members from multiple fraternities to see what they are all about. The next step of the process is for potential recruits to go to different formal events hosted by the fraternities themselves. These mixers come in a wide variety of events ranging from barbeques and bowling trips to house movie nights. Fraternities compete to have the best events and attract the best possible new members. These activities are held to help students decide which fraternity is the best fit for them and to persuade them to pledge. Finally, formal bids are given out and students are “in” the fraternity as associate pledges. Around the beginning of winter semester students are sworn in as full members. But what about hazing and other degrading activities that often taint the image of college fraternities? In the state of Michigan, hazing is defined as “any action or situation, with or without consent of the participants, which recklessly, intentionally, or unintentionally endangers the mental, physical, or academic health of a student.” Under state law, physical injury from hazing may result in three months of prison time and a hefty
IF YOU’RE LIKE many of the students on campus, understanding the spread offense seems about as daunting a task as getting into the B School. No worries though, this is a simplified explanation of it. For the sake of this article, I’m going to assume you know at least the basics about football. Coach Rod’s spread option isn’t a total overhaul of the old pro style offense. In fact it’s an addition to it. The spread allows the offense to run plays very similar to last year, while also allowing it new options. “There’s no finesse anywhere in our offense,” Offensive Coordinator Calvin Magee said. “That is probably the most common misconception, that it is a finesse offense. It’s not. It’s still based off the power running game. It’s still based off physical, physical football.” The spread option does exactly what it sounds like: It spreads the defense out. By causing the defense to cover the entire 53-yard width of the field the offense gains several advantages. One, it puts pressure on the defense to make open field tackles. Two, it has many different formations that pull the cornerbacks and safeties out of the box, and opens up the middle of the field. Another bonus to the Wolverines offense is the no huddle approach. By lining up and calling the play at the line of scrimmage, the defense doesn’t have time to rest up and substitute in fresh players to match the offensive personnel. By speeding up the game and not giving the defense a chance to rest, it causes more fatigue in the second half increasing the chances of big plays. The roles of the different positions have changed slightly too. The offensive line’s role has not changed dramatically, however, they do need to be faster and able to pull more to get into the open space and block for the runner. With the loss of 4 starters from last year’s team, this group is struggling and is one of the reasons why the offense has been so stagnant. The quarterback position is one of the larger changes as we’ve moved away from the pro style pocket passer, to a more dual threat running and passing
FRATERNITY Continued on PAGE 11
SPREAD Continued on PAGE 11
BY KATHRYN LYNN SINGER ‘12
College OTR:
Arts & Culture
“A Jihad for Love” LGBTA Affairs in the Islamic World
College On the Record (OTR) is the “Gossip Girl” of Ann Arbor, just without the “XOXO.” The difference, if any, is that the anonymous Gossip Girl is probably more factual. College OTR proclaims itself “the country’s premiere college blog, capturing the best of everything that happens at college.” Ironically, the only thing OTR captures is bored students who spend their library breaks insulting people through anonymous posts. OTR’s claim to fame rests in its yearly rankings of fraternities and sororities, which is based on which house “has the hottest, most fun collection of members who throw (or attend) the best parties.” Paul Tassi, formerly known under the pseudonym of “Johnny Quest,” graduated this past year and admits that he is not a member of the Greek community. He declares that “Greek life is superficial” – quite a hypocritical statement considering what he bases his rankings on. Apparently, he still has “spies” that inform him what house is the coolest. Yet, it is debatable how we could have a strong grasp of an organization to which he’s never belonged. The worst result of “The List” is that it actually does influence freshmen during recruitment. The inherent flaw is that every house is different. Someone looking for a sorority like Tri Delta may not be looking for one like Kappa Alpha Theta, and vice versa. Likewise for fraternities, someone rushing Alpha Epsilon Pi may not be interested in Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Choosing a house is all about where you feel comfortable, not who Paul Tassi likes the most (or the girls he wishes he got and the guys he wishes he was friends with). After Bid Day, another writer known as “AHor,” who is allegedly in Alpha Epsilon Pi, created a list ranking all of the 2008 sorority pledge classes. Of course, the ranking was based upon votes, leaving little to say about accuracy or fairness. While the original intent of the website was to create a forum to discuss campus and Ann Arbor news, it has become synonymous with misinformed representations of fraternity and sorority life at Michigan, thus placing a dark mark on the entire Greek system. OTR has contributed little reality to the representation of Greek life. OTR has also generated some controversy and scrutiny for its comments section after every entry. After “The List” was released, hundreds of students commented on Tassi’s take on the Greek community. Between demeaning certain fraternities because they are not “chill” enough to criticizing a sorority because their pledge class is “subpar,” the readers of OTR deem it necessary to unleash harsh condemnation against anyone that does not reach their standards. The sad thing is that by generating so much buzz and controversy about one writer’s opinion only leads to his opinion being legitimized. The fact of the matter is that every student has an opinion (most likely passionate) about the Greek system at U-M. The only thing that makes Tassi’s and Ahor’s opinion different is that they have a large medium (through OTR) to express their views to the thousands of students on campus. As a member of a sorority, I can proudly and honestly say that the relationships I have formed could not be farther from superficial. In fact, my friends could not be more genuine, supportive, and rewarding. It is time to know more of the truth about Greek life from someone who knows – not someone who party-hopped at fraternities because he probably wished he were in one. We can only hope that OTR will fade into irrelevance until next fall when rankings begin again and Tassi once again shows all of us how envious he is of Greeks. MR
PAGE 10
10.14.2008
Advertisements & Continuations
ENDOWMENTS Continued from PAGE 6
of recent turmoil on students’ ability to afford tuition is indeterminate. “It is unclear what impact the current financial upheaval might have on students’ ability to fund their education and for federal investments in research,” she said. With the tightened credit market, students seeking private loans – not federally funded—for college can expect higher interest rates. As reported in The Seattle Times, Sallie Mae, the nation’s largest student-loan lender, has increased rates on new private loans to between 6 and 14 percent. Students should not expect that changes in the endowment return impact tuition rates. “A number of factors go into determining tuition,” Cunningham said, which includes non-tuition sources of revenue—state appropriation, levels of gifts and investment income, and sponsored research. A second factor is the University’s ability to reduce expenditures and reallocate resources, while the third factor is the amount U-M invests in new initiatives. “So there is not a direct correlation between endowment returns and tuition rates,” Cunningham said. Cunningham affirmed, “The University of Michigan is financially sound.” MR
able to make the transition from the athletic world into the business world. In talking to Chauncy, Dumars said, “Chauncy, if you see yourself only as an athlete, it’s going to be a hard transition. Don’t let anyone else define you of what your boundaries have to be. If you don’t define yourself, other people will.” Because he never saw himself as strictly athletic, and knew he had the intelligence to make it in the business world, Dumars said he was able to make the transition. At the conclusion of the presentation, Dumars answered questions from the audience. One U-M student approached the microphone, and recalled his decision to pass up the opportunity to play basketball at Northwood, in order to attend a more academically focused like the University of Michigan. He wondered how one, without any athletic background, is able to get involved in the athletic business. Mr. Dumars responded with a positive answer, suggesting that there are great introductory ways, and that a lot of people with a lot of backgrounds are involved. The next U-M student, A Ross Business School student actively involved in the B-School intramural basketball league, was more pointed-“Would you be willing to look at the resumes of 70 people, right here, today?” Mr. Dumars responded, saying that people who he and his staff look for have “letters with ingenuity- not just, here’s my educational background.” At the end of Mr. Dumars’ presentation, the audience responded positively, with much applause. MR ESPRESSO Continued from PAGE 7
dissertations, and course materials, and self-publication for local authors. mars emphasized as attributing to sucThe Espresso Book Machine made Time Magazine’s cess. He said that sometimes employees, “Best Inventions of the Year” list in 2007, and the New such as scouts, will make a mistake, and York Public Library was the first library in the country that’s okay. “Sometimes you have to step to get an EBM in June 2007. While not very widespread up and take the bullet and let them know yet (On Demand Books’ website only lists 7 EBMs in you’re going to protect them.” Mr. Dumars the country and 9 worldwide), the EBM has the potenalso noted that arrogance in any business is tial to radically change the distribution of books as it futile and unnecessary. “No one has to walk becomes increasingly prevalent. with arrogance. They want to do it, it’s not “I think that in the next decade, more and more of because they have to.” what libraries do will be digitized,” said Paul Courant, After this, Dumars candidly spoke about the Dean of Libraries at U-M, “but when we need to a recent conversation with Chauncy Billups. sit down and read something, we don’t want to read Billups wanted to know how Dumars was electronic forms—we want to read a book.” He went on to refer to the installation of the EBM as an “experiment” in which new ways to use electronic forms in conjunction with print forms will be explored by the University, seeing as both have different applications. Courant also said that in the future, arrangements could possibly be made with publishing companies where the EBM can print currently copyrighted books and pay royalties to publishers. John King, Vice Provost for Academic Information, and Professor at the School of Information, calls the EBM a “smart extension in an area where we’ve already seen a great www. deal of growth michiganreview at the univer.com sity: the concept of ‘print on demand.’” He continued,
“The library has always been on the receiving end of publishing. Now it will be on the producing end of publishing. This opens many new possibilities, and we are excited that Michigan is leading in this area.” MR ENERGY Continued from PAGE 7
or NGVs, and the convenience of driving one, saying that he himself owns one and refuels every night. He also stated that 1 million trucks running on natural gas could reduce diesel use by 40%. “There are 250 million vehicles in the US, 17 million are produced everyday and Obama proposes 1 million plug-in hybrids by 2015” he said. “When I asked him to consider these figures, he replied ‘Its not much, is it?’” to loud laughter from the audience. Pickens, who previously contributed huge sums of money to the Republican Party, recently renounced his political affiliation. The second half of the talk encompassed questions from the audience, such as why strategic oil reserves should not be exploited. Pickens explained that doing so would mean that there would be more oil, thereby lowering the price, which would give everyone a false sense of security, ultimately leading to increased demand. Another person asked him about the national grid. “We need a new national grid.” he said. “The current grid is old and the infrastructure is terrible.” Most of the questions posed to him were skeptical in nature, indicating that while people may be hopeful about alternative energy, there is still a long way to go in convincing people about the reality that lies ahead. MR
DUMARS Continued from PAGE 6
PLOURDE Continued from PAGE 7
been stable in recent times. Since the city has run on a surplus for the past three years, Plourde believes that it is time to lower property taxes. He also believes that the business climate in Ann Arbor isn’t as friendly as it could be. “The cost of doing business, as far as taxes, fees, ordinances, and city control, is pretty high,” Plourde said. “I’d like to see some of that bureaucracy removed to make sure that Ann Arbor can continue to avoid the economic trend of the rest of the state.” MR CHANGE Continued from PAGE 8
Labour still has time to clean up its image and possibly win the next Parliamentary elections. “The British election is still far away, so there is time for Labour to bounce back. There is a big difference between an election three weeks away and an election a year away,” he said. MR JIHAD Continued from PAGE 9
one sole jihad as the title suggests, as there are multiple points of view in “A Jihad For Love”. Wearing an Arabic keffiyeh, Sharma explained that there is a need to label people in American culture, where a person’s sexuality has to be defined as straight, bisexual, gay, or lesbian. There are a plethora of terms used, from “queer” to “transgender”, whereas in countries such as Iran or even in other religious cultures such as Buddhism, these terms would simply not be understood, according to Sharma. He also acknowledged that other religions such as Christianity condemn homosexuality as well, and that “some of our battles are going to be on the frontline of religion, [and] can only be won by believers”. “Gay pride marches are not the answer,” he remarked, noting that gay or lesbian Muslims will probably never be accepted in his lifetime, “but that doesn’t mean the discussion shouldn’t take place.” MR FRATERNITY Continued from PAGE 9
fine. Expanding on that definition, Ryan added that with regards to hazing, “there is a gray line, and we [the IFC] do our best to figure out where [that] is.” For instance, one potential recruit mentioned that he had to memorize the first, middle, and last names of all fraternity members and was then quizzed over them. It is subjective as to whether activities such as this are actually “harmful” to one’s mental, physical, or emotional well being. Ryan also added that if there was hazing going on within the fraternities on campus, people would not be joining in record numbers. This fall, they are currently looking at 458 recruits, and that number is still growing. Just last fall, they gained 449 new members. While the image of fraternities on campus is constantly changing, many Greek communities across the country are struggling to fight the stereotypes that are portrayed by Hollywood and reality-based television. Ryan mentioned that, “back in the day, fraternities were seen as structured academic organizations,” and
10.14.2008 4.1.08
SPREAD Continued from PAGE 9
quarterback. Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan are not the best players to fit the system, which has caused some problems with the offense’s productivity. The running backs have changed slightly from last year’s offense. They are now asked to be able to play multiple roles including running back and slot receiver. They must be able to not only run well, but also catch more passes then last year. The loss of Mike Hart hurts, but a stable of running backs including freshman Sam McGuffie and veteran Brandon Minor, has helped ease the transition. The traditional wide receiver position hasn’t changed much. They still run similar routes, and line up in the same position as last year, but once again both starting wide receivers were lost, and dropped passes and poor routes by starters this year has plagued the offense. The biggest position change has been the added importance in the slot receiver. There will usually be two slot receivers along with the two traditional wide outs. They are asked to both catch the ball and run the ball. Running backs Micheal Shaw and Sam McGuffie, along with freshman standout receiver Martavious Odoms. A typical play run by Coach Rod is the zone read. Set up in the standard spread offense, the QB has to make a split second decision. If the quarterback reads that the backside end squeezes down, he takes the ball himself and runs around the edge. If the defensive end plays disciplined, he hands it off to the running back. Another variation to this is if the defensive end bites on the hand off, the QB can fake handing it off, and run an option with the
second running back, allowing either him or the other running back to make a large gain. Finally the last option is the quarterback can throw a bubble screen to the wide receiver. All 4 of these plays are available, how-
ever it depends on having a fast quarterback with the ability to read and make decisions in fractions of a second. MR
Advertisements & Continuations
modern fraternities are trying to recreate that image and reestablish themselves as organizations that build brotherhood, academics, athletics, and social networking communities for students. It is pretty well known that Greeks love to party, but they also participate in many community service and charity events both on and off campus. One of their biggest events on campus is Greek Week, held in the spring. The entire week is directed towards friendly competition between the different fraternities with the goal of raising money for charity. Students have fun playing dodge ball, kickball, and competing in relay races, among other activities throughout the week. Last year, the IFC raised nearly $80,000 that they donated to various charitable organizations. In addition to Greek Week, each fraternity usually hosts their own community service projects. In fact, Sigma Alpha Mu is currently promoting the “Pink Party” that raises money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and raises awareness. Other chapters have also sponsored cross country bike rides and runs to benefit people with disabilities. MR
PAGE 11 P. 11
Face - Off
PAGE 12 P.
McCain Drops Michigan
10.14.2008 4.1.08
The soft-voiced announcement that McCain would stop campaigning in Michigan due to excessive cost took many by surprise. Here, two staff writers exchange punches on McCain’s decision.
Pro Staying in MI
Pro Pulling Out of MI
BY EDEN STIFFMAN ‘12
BY NATHAN STANO ‘11
The decision of the McCain campaign to pull his campaign staff out of Michigan was a major political blunder in his race for the presidency. Last week he chose to cut all advertising in the state and cancel a direct mailing, undoubtedly further diminishing his chances of winning the state. While Michigan has historically been a blue state since 1992, Democrats won the state only by a very narrow margin in the last election. This decision creates less wiggle room for potential errors, reducing the number of states he will likely claim. His campaign is now focusing on other battleground states in which he has more hope, such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. In Wisconsin, Obama currently has over an 8% lead. Are Wisconsin voters also to expect a similar white-flag of defeat from McCain? At the point of his decision to withdraw his campaign from Michigan, Obama was only ahead by 13%.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY the McCain campaign that they would be pulling out of Michigan was certainly both ungraceful and demoralizing to Republicans statewide. However, the odds of Michigan going red this year continues to decrease as the economy gets worse, despite an unpopular Democratic governor and an unproductive Democratic state congress. McCain hasn’t been ahead of Obama here since late June, and Obama has had leads above the margins of error on many polls since then. Rasmussen has Obama up by 16% over McCain in their latest poll, Real Clear Politics’s average of polls puts Obama up by 7.8% and neither shows any sign of McCain making up lost ground in the 20 or so days until the election. This pullout has more to do with cutting losses more than anything else. Michigan was going to be a tough battle for McCain, and it’s no secret where the support of the state’s most powerful groups, notably the UAW, lies. Michigan hasn’t gone Republican since 1988, and Michigan is evenly split between voting Republican and Democrat since 1952. Michigan was just the kind of battleground state that McCain needed to capture, but Michigan’s economy, above all else, is the likely cause of McCain’s lack of momentum. McCain has been unable to build that momentum, and, as unfortunate as it may be, Michigan had to be chocked up as a loss. There was really no point in continuing to hemorrhage money into a battle he isn’t going to win, as McCain’s money is limited, and will likely be used in other battleground states like Ohio, North Carolina, and Nevada, where Obama leads are within the margins of error, and which could possibly be wrested from Obama’s camp. At this point, when the last of the cards are being put down, when you’re down, it’s best just to keep moving, rather than miss possibilities elsewhere. During the primaries, McCain said, “I’ve got to give you some straight talk: Some of the jobs that have left the state of Michigan are not coming back. …They are not. And I am sorry to tell you that.” This might have been the truth, but it is something Michigan residents did not want to hear. Fears about the economy, and the failure of people to see who really caused the current panic have driven Michigan voters to Obama. Michigan has had its own recession, long before the rest of the nation, and Michigan voters seem to be blaming the Bush Administration, especially for allowing many jobs to move out of state or overseas. They feel that McCain has not been able to put forth an effective plan to help turn the economy, especially in Michigan, around. Most people feel that something more comprehensive than a new round of tax cuts will be necessary, especially in the wake of the last few weeks. McCain’s new tactic of trying to bypass talking about the economy and concentrate on Obama’s past associations has also proved a disastrous strategy, and has certainly alienated many undecided voters, allowing Obama to open up leads in key battleground states. The need for this pullout, in some respect, may be a self inflicted wound, and with any luck, McCain will confront the economy in a more aggressive way. Realistically, it would take more than a speech to turn around the situation here in Michigan, but such a speech might buy him more support in other, closer states. While the pullout itself was probably something McCain needed to do, the way in which it was announced was incredibly stupid. Most people don’t advertise their defeats, and the pullout did not seem to be coordinated with the state Republican party, adding to the shock and demoralization of the move. While it may have been a necessary evil, it certainly could have been executed
Do people really want a president who gives up when the going gets tough? In spite of the fact that we have a Democratic governor and the highest annual average unemployment rate in the nation, Michigan showed strong support of McCain in polls early in the campaign. However, on October 1, his campaign officials said they wanted to concentrate on states he had a better chance of winning, cutting off the $1 million a week it was spending and cancelling a visit planned for this week. Perhaps it would have been a better idea for McCain to capitalize on the fact that the Democratic governance of the state of Michigan has not been at all successful in helping to turn around the economy. Supporters of McCain will continue their backing of him, but undecided voters may see this abandonment of efforts in the state as discouraging and for that reason, vote the way their state is expected to lean. Many conservatives may choose not to vote at all, seeing it as a lost cause. As the economy slides farther and farther into a recession, Obama gains favor among Michigan voters. Do people really want a president who gives up when the going gets tough? If McCain thinks he can help the economy, shouldn’t he try to woo those blue-collar voters affected by Michigan’s dismally depressed auto industry (with whom even Obama is having trouble connecting) with some economic straight-talk? The decline in his support undeniably follows the failure of the financial markets. If McCain wants to gain support in Michigan and other battleground states, he must refine his economic message. If he can’t promote that message in Michigan, the most economically devastated state in the country, where can he? If Michigan really is considered a battleground state, it would have made more sense for him to step up his campaign efforts rather than just giving up. The absence of McCain ads will leave the only pro-Obama and anti-McCain ads, giving Obama more leverage in the media. His campaign’s public announcement of their withdrawal was another big media-related mistake. By discreetly pulling-out, he would not have drawn nearly as much attention to the ending of his efforts in Michigan. MR
Conservative? Libertarian? Just Sick of Political Correctness Already? If so, join...
THE MICHIGAN REVIEW
For 25 years, THE MICHIGAN REVIEW has been the sole voice of conservatism and rationality on campus.