Wednesday, August 27, 1969 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Seven Wednesday, August 27, 1969 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Seven' Sorority life: The rat race 0sterheld and the studentless By JUDY SARASOIIN (NOTE: The author Is a inember of Si±,,xna Dela 'Fai Living in a sorority is an al- ternative. But whether or not it is "viable" depends on the indi- vidual girl and the house she pledges. No one has to feel that it is imperative to join a sorority-it is just not necessary. Although it is true that Panhellenic As- sociation and Interfraternity Council sponsor concerts and other events, these organizations are not the life force of the University, and no one has to feel "out-of-it" if she is not a sorority girl. With growing difficulties fac- ing sorority life the number of girls suited to sororities appears to be dropping. Less and less girls go through formal r u s h every year and some houses are having trouble filling their quotas. Upperclass members tend to depledge and float away into independence. Some girls join sororities be- cause that is the way they want to live here. They enjoy the pro- per social rat races and sisterly rituals. Some members of the class of '71 and preceding classes pled- ged sororities because that was their way out then of required dorm living- Some sororities are nice places to live in-compared to the dorms. A few houses are warm, plush, and large. Girls also had relatively more freedom in the sorority house than in the dorm. But, the house seems smaller when all 60 girls are around with their boyfriends or when some loner tries to find an em- pty room to practice her guitar or just get away from sisterly chats. The house also becomes small- er when your sisters vote against allowing male visitors in the house after in i d n i g h t or when they vote to maintain dress regulations. Suddenly the walls get closer and the easy living soror feels the restrictions of having 60 sisters deciding how she must live in her "home". It is at this time--when she must tell her boyfriend he can- not come in for a while, or when she has to rush after her 4 o- clock class to change into a dress for dinner-that the soror best understands the benefits of apartment living or the soli- tude she gave up for the' soft life of the sorority. The sorority is not an alto- gether bad experience for any- one. But, it is very hard to break housing contracts-yes, sorori- ties have damage deposits simi- lar to the Ann Arbor landlords, only house damage deposits cov- er two to three years. Depledging also leaves bitter feelings in the house which are simply not nice and unneces- sary. Friends made in sororities can be real ones, but often it is hard to maintain friendships between sororities or between sorority and the outside University com- munity. This is common because the activities one must take part in to be a good soror can take up a lot of time, besides creating social circles. Also, outsiders more than not belittle the sorority girls. Once the sorority girl is exposed in Radical Caucus, the tutorial project, or-yes, even The Daily -she is likely to lose several would-be friends who just dis- dain those "sorority girls". But many girls are now extending their lives beyond house projects and are permeating most of University life, so the image may yet change. Sororities need not stifle any- one's imagination or radicalism but it is necessary to keep in mind that when one belongs to a group-any group-one must accept that group's corporate image. Before rushing, the pledgee better know just how much she is willing to let the house re- present her. When she disagrees with house policy but is unable to change her sorors' opinions, as a member of that house she miust go along with its decisions. By SHARON WEINER and NADINE COHODAS On most college campuses the student union is the place where the proverbial action is at any time of the day. The University, like its fel- low campuses, also has its union -but the action most definitely is not there. In fact, beyond the daily rush for lunch and the seasonal alumni football rush, the Union is relatively lifeless. In addition to its moribund at- mosphere, the Union has been steadily losing money over the years. Last year, only two oth- er Big Ten unions lost more money. But President Robben Flem- ing and Vice President and Chief Financial officer Wilbur K. Pier- pont were not content to let matters rest as they were. So they commissioned Douglas Os- terheld, assistant vice president for business and /finance at the University of Wisconsin, to make a study of the Union's fi- nancial and institutional prob- lems. However, Osterheld, who pre- sented his report in March, went beyond mere financial and institutional review, making re- commendations for re-orienting the Union from a service or- ganization for alumni to a cen- ter for student affairs and acti- vities. Currently, the Union is an autonomous institution within the University, governed by a board of directors, who are res- ponsible only to the Regents. It is funded by a $6 allocation per year from each male student. (The Union originally was an all male club, and the Michigan League was built for women). Osterheld has recommended that the Union be brought more extensively under University control, coordinating its finan- cial and organizational affairs under the chief financial offi- cer and the vice president for student affairs, respectively. Os- terheld also says the Union should be granted more money each year for management costs. 'The report also makes several suggestions for making the costly food service more effici- ent. Since April, committees to study the financial recommenda- tions and space allocation in the Union have been researching Osterheld's recommendations. As this supplement goes to press, no major changes have been an- nounced, but they are expected soon, Osterheld's most significant recommendation suggests mov- ing the entire Office of Student Affairs and the offices of stu- dent organizations to the Union from their present location in the Student Activities Bldg. Through the conversion of some older hotel rooms and Un- ion offices, Osterheld says more floor space than is presently in the SAB would be available for the offices. Dubious management of food service staff and facilities was cited as a cause of present fi- nancial difficulties.In the main dining room, for example, Os- terheld found "gross overstaff- ing"-there have been from 11- 14 people on hand to serve only 10-32 guests. Osterheld has offered both immediate and long range re- commendations to correct this mismanagement. An immediate alternative would be centralizing all authority for the Union food service in one person. Longer range suggestions call Union for consolidation of all Univer- sity food services to reduce com- petition between the existing in- dependent food services-espec- ially the Union, League and North Campus Commons. Although college campuses are changing to less centralized in- stitutions, Osterheld maintains a union can remain a vital or- ganization if it "reflects with sensitivity the changes being ex- periences in its community." The report lists five "manda- tory" steps to make the Union a vital University center: -The existing board of direc- tors and the corporate structure must be dissolved. Osterheld re- commends restructuring t h e board into a combined League and Union board responsible for the operation of both. -A two-board system of in- ternal Union control should be established. One board would make Union policy and would be composed of students, faculty members, alumni and members of the Union staff. The other would set up programs and would include chairmen of all the various "interest groups." Students from this board wopld be the representatives of the policy board. -Student activities program- ming should be transferred to the Union. This includes the of- fices of the vice president for student affairs. --The Union director should report to the vice president for student affairs on educational programs and to the vice presi- dent and chief financial officer on business matters. -The Union should become a University department with its own revolving fund but with a University allocation to hire a staff of resource people to aid programming development. Osterheld warned however, that any real changes "can be affected only by leadership from the top University officers and very likely will require consider- able effort on the part of Pre- sident Fleming. The Union: Centetr for alumni Ombudsman for foreign students By ERIKA HOFF If you're a foreign student and you have a problem, the International Center can help you- or tell you who can. The center, located in the Union, serves approximately 1700. foreign students. It pro- vides them with virtually all services that do not come under academic departments, and it serves as a counseling center on opportunities abroad for Amer- ican students. Director Robert Klinger de- scribes the center's functions as falling into three categories- counseling, student-community relations, and program opportu- nities. "Personal counseling is by far our largest item," Klinger says, "as far as the amount of time we spend on it is con- cerned." The center offers its services in areas from marital counseling to what Klinger terms "cocktail-hour anthropol- ogy." During its orientation pro- gram the center tries to give new foreign students a feeling of the American culture. Social manners often differ widely be- tween countries, Klinger says, and this can present very real problems to new students. Because almost 80 per cent of the foreign students are at the graduate level, the Internation- al Center-primarily in the area of housing-becomes a mediator between foreign students and the community. The center has no housing fa- cilities of its own and the Uni- versity has only one graduate student dormitory. So most for- eign students look for off-ca- pus housing. The center acts as their real estate agent. Through its immigration serv- ices the venter also becomes caught in the struggle of a foreign student who, after com- pleting his program, decides he would rather stay in the Unit- ed States than return to his country. The center tries to keep for- eign students in touch with their native countries in several ways. Newspapers and maga- zines from abroad are available at the center's lounge. Afternoon teas, Friday night mixers, and the like are all Aan- ned by the center to help for- eign students get to know each other. Because most foreign students do live in separate apartments off-campus, Klinger says there is a special need for these gatherings, International Center func- tions, incidentally, draw an American attendance of betwen 40 and 60 per cent. The center also provides sem- inar series designed to "fill in the academic gaps," Klinger says. Because the University does not have a center for Latin American or African studies, the International center provides discussion groups on these areas. Make WAHR'S your headquarters for all your textbook and college supplies SERVING U of M STUDENTS SINCE 1883 Activism awakens religion at U' By MARCIA ABR AMSON Canterbu rn lin, Unlike so many religious organizations 1 in the "outside world," student religious into the r groups are among the most activist on format of tions med campus- -in every way. The non-sectarian Guild House, for ex- despite th ample, is the home of the Ann Arbor chap- One of ter of the Resistance. The Episcopalian af- campus m filiate--Canterbury House -provides space The minist and support for activities ranging from to mankin draft counseling to guerrilla theatre. tianity-th Both Canterbury House and the Ark As a res which is connected with several denomi- religious o nations, chiefly the Methodist Church- seling. feature some of the best entertainment on The org campus. and debate Canterbury House has been responsible holds thre for bringing Ann Arbor some of its best sions and shows-the old Kweskin jug band, Procol which brim Harum, Joni Mitkiell and Dave Van Ronk, house for for example. The Ark places more emphasis activities. on local talent, although Canterbury House The Ar also encourages young area performers. week whic -Some members of the churches which positions support the Ark are suspicious of its open House spo and casual atmosphere. And the other topic, fron religion-sponsored coffeehouses are not ings." wholly accepted by their supporting Student churches. the memb4 But there is enough religion-however tions. Ano untraditional- -to satisfy at least some of The Guild the church supporters. Canterbury House ularly sch sponsors enormously popular folk masses Canterbury which draw students despite the generally groups of increasing religious apathy. A more FOLLETTS FOIBLES mury House is an experiment in the contemporary creative arts eligious service by adapting the worship to modern communica- ia to keep religion relevant e never-changing content. the keys to the success of the inistries is their casual sincerity. ters do not just talk about service d or the precepts of true Chris- hey live them. sult, many students turn to the rganizations for personal coun- anizations also sponsor lectures es on current issues. Guild House e weekly noon luncheon discus- has a resident guest program ngs a well-known person to the r scheduled-and spontaneous k sponsors debates one night a h strive toward widely opposing and viewpoints. Canterbury nsors almost anything on any m poetry readings to "happen- s comprise an important part of ership of the religious organiza- open student steering committee, House Council, directs all reg- eduled activities. The Ark and ,y House are staffed largely by loyal student regulars. traditional student religious or- ganization, Hillel, concentrates on pro- viding Kosher food, religious services, and mixers. But, the group also provides lec- tures and speakers, although some are of limited interest. Also actively involved, but more tradi- tional is Newman Center, the Catholic af- filiate which provides lectures and discus- sions in addition to religious services. Newman Center regulars are helping to combat the high price of living in Ann Arbor by operating Poor Richard's, a res- taurant located in the center's basement, which offers good food at reasonable prices. Newman also provides space for various meetings and discussions. Other, smaller religious-oriented groups are also active, like the Baha'i group and the Seventh Day Adventist Student Or- ganization. The University provides its own non- sectarian reli ious office, which also spon- sors debates, lectures, and a yearly retreat. But the Office of Religious Affairs has become primarily known for counseling students through all kinds of personal problems, from the draft to parenthood. Many of the students who turn to the ORA are agnostics and atheists who have no- where else to go. The office also offers an extensive pro- gram of book discussions, films and con- ferences aimed at raising and discussing religious and "value" issues relevant to contemporary social and political affairs. h.1 s- Call or write for further information today to: By E. Winslow A coed customer of ours who reads, Plays chess, and dresses in tweeds Was one night caressed, And gladly confessed, "Folletts supplies almost all my needs". Thrill to one-stop shopping for all your school supplies No matter what your major is, you'l find that Follett's has all the required supplies for your courses. Quality l