Jordan River Forum

Oakman's comments imply bad relationship\nThe Executive Committee of the Graduate & Professional Student Organization (GPSO) would like to respond to IUSA President Jake Oakman's recent column ("A common goal" Monday, Nov. 19) in which he suggests that cooperation with the IU-Bloomington administration represents the exception rather than the norm for student governance. He also stated that the usual relationship between students and the administration is "supposed to be 'us' vs. 'them.'" We are sure that Oakman's intention was to express his desire to work primarily for the interests of students, and now that interest would be best served if all parties worked together to ensure that higher education remains a priority for the state of Indiana.\nAs stated, however, Oakman's comments seem to imply an inherently adversarial relationship between student governance and the IU administration. The GPSO also shares Oakman's commitment to working for the constituency. Nevertheless, we would like to emphasize that the GPSO, the representative body for graduate and professional students, has a long tradition of productive, mutually supportive, and encouraging interactions with the administration. \nFor example, with the administration's support, the following have been made possible: the establishment of G901, a course allowing doctoral candidates to register for dissertation hours at significantly reduced fees; an annual graduate and professional student Fall Orientation, funded in large part by the Research & University Graduate School (RUGS); the new GPSO travel grant and the continuing Research Awards, supported by RUGS, the Office of the Chancellor, and several academic deans; and graduate and professional student representation on numerous important university committees.\nThe GPSO stands firm in supporting the interests of graduate and professional students. At the same time, we believe that the administration often represents the best gateway to policy change, and that fostering a relationship of cooperation, mutual respect and clear, open communication will in the long run help us achieve the common goals toward which both IUSA and GPSO strive.\nJay Mersch\nGraduate student and GPSO Moderator\non behalf of the GPSO Executive Committee\nTransportation fee not an 'option'\nAlthough I find it interesting and informative in general, I believe the article "Bloomington Transit ridership rises" in the Nov. 19 IDS is slightly misleading. By describing the institution of the transportation fee as "allowing students to prepay to ride Bloomington Transit," and by noting that "fall 2000 was the first semester that students could prepay to ride BT buses," the article implies that the transportation fee is an option, when in fact it is not. The University requires all students to prepay to ride Bloomington transit. Whatever pros and cons there are to the bus plan -- and I can see some of each -- it is important that we are clear about what it is: a mandatory fee.\nElizabeth Rytting\nGraduate student\nMore opinion writing, less storytelling needed\nI'd like to ask the IDS opinion editors if they're actually doing their job and looking at what's going into the opinion page rather than merely fixing grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. I've been wondering for quite some time why it is that the opinion page is filled with stories about the opinion writers. Let them take a creative writing course, buy them journals, or even suggest that they read their poetry to a bunch of strangers at a random coffee house, but don't put filler into this newspaper. \nThe opinion section is for opinions, not stories and not biographies. If a writer can't seem to grasp this -- don't run their piece. After awhile, they'll understand. Make them take a stand on an issue and make them back it up with some evidence. That's why we read this section, and that's what we want to see.\nRobert L. Oprisko\nSenior\nMilitary tribunals are 'appalling'\nI am truly appalled by one of President Bush's latest actions in the "war against terrorism." His military order of Nov. 13, an order that opens the possibility of military tribunals for accused terrorists, is an insult to the principles on which this country was founded and will serve to embolden future terrorists.\nThe use of secretive military tribunals is clearly against founding American principles as laid out in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. "For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury," the founding fathers felt it necessary to declare independence from King George. Article III of the Constitution states that "the trial of all crimes...shall be by jury," and the Sixth Amendment promises "the right to speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury." Furthermore, by limiting the scope of the tribunals to noncitizens only, the President's military order goes against one of the opening statements of the Declaration, which proclaims that "all men are endowed...by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." \nThe President's military order is also inexpedient in this situation. It is precisely when discontented men and women feel that they have no other alternative that they turn to terrorism. By abrogating civil rights and removing opportunities for peaceful expression of dissent, the United States actually fosters extreme tactics by the discontented. The use of heavy-handed methods such as secret trials only serves to confirm the anti-American propaganda put out by Osama bin Laden and his compatriots. \nThe President is absolutely right to have misgivings about public trials: They would undoubtedly be vulnerable to further terror attack and subject to extreme media scrutiny. These concerns do not, however, outweigh the government's responsibility to uphold the country's founding principles and Constitution. The terrorists must be brought to justice for their reprehensible actions, but the manner in which we do so will prove the strength of our commitment to American ideals.\nDouglas Brayley\nJunior\nA call out for IU fans\nWANTED: Football fans for this Saturday against Kentucky.\nWHY: To show appreciation for the seniors who took a chance in coming to IU. More fans in the stands will help attract better recruits; better recruits equal a better team; a better team equal more victories. Need I say more? If I can drive 90 miles one way, surely students can walk a few blocks, and GO INTO THE STADIUM for a few hours Saturday afternoon. We might get to tear down the goalpost again!\nRick L. Jerrell\nIndiana resident\nDorms should be open during Thanksgiving\nI would like to express my extreme dissatisfaction with whoever made the decision to have the dorms remain closed throughout the entire Thanksgiving break, despite the fact that the biggest football game of the year, the IU-Purdue game, was held during the weekend. \nWe pay thousands of dollars a year to live in the dorms, and we pay hundreds of dollars for football tickets to the game, and we can't even be allowed to enter our dorm room after driving four hours down to campus in the morning, followed by standing for another three hours in driving rain watching the game. \nI had a room sitting right here, but I was unable to get to it because of some stupid policy preventing us from getting into our rooms. If IU wants to hold an important football game during Thanksgiving break, then they should open up the dorms to the game attendees afterward. Maybe the fact that no students could get into their dorm rooms after the game was one of the reasons why there were so many empty seats in the stadium.\nBrian Balta\nSenior