R
Thursday, September 5, 1974
THE MIC:HIUAN UA«Y
rage i n ree
Thursdoy, September 5, 1974 VHEMIGHWiAN L.IALLT rage iriree
Regents:
Wielding ultimate
power over the University
By REBECCA WARNER ceremonies for party faithfuls. lunches, treated to chummy
Few students know what the While several Regents are Uni- conferences with deans of the
Board of Regents is, and even versity alumni, only one, Re- various schools and cofleges,I
fewer care. publican Dean Baker, lives in and briefed by the executive
e the 1973-74 school year Ann Arbor. The board includes officers on the issues up for
made excrutiatingly clear that only one w o m a n, Gertrude voting. All but a ew stay atj
the Regents, the University's ul- Huebner (R - Bloomfield Hills) Inglis House, the University's
timate governing body, have and one black, James Waters special hideaway for visiting
both the student body and the (D-Muskegon). dignitaries.
administration on a very short Culled from the upper crust;
leash. of the business and legal com- AND OF COURSE, )ne of the
munities, the Regents are the major job benefits accompany-!
kind of alumni that would make ing a seat on the board is a freeE
LAST FALL, the board raised
tuition an average 24 per cent,
,then cut it back when excess,
revenue was discovered, despite
protest from administrators who
hoped to pack away a few mil-
lion ~dollars for the inflation-
ridden years ahead.
In April, the Regents, offend-
ed by a campus showing of
Deep Throat,. threatened stu-
dent film groups with ouster
from University faciilties unless
a policy was established to out-
law hard - core pornographic
films from their showings.
The Regents, who have a
stranglehold on the cost and
quality of student life, appear
on campus once a month for a
slew of meetings-two public,
the majority closed. Although
their contact with academic
realities may seem nominal,
they constitute the University's
major link to the outside world,
financially, politically and cul-
turally.
THE EIGHT Regents are
elected to eight year terms in
obscure state-wide elections gen-
erally regarded as a w a r d s
. . ... .., .....,. ... _ t ,
When the Regents come to town they are
plied with expensive liquor and catered-
lunches, treated to chummy conferencesj
with deans of the various schools and col-
leges, and briefed by the executive officers
on ,the issues of voting. All but a few stay
at the Inglis House, the University's special
hideaway for visiting dignitaries.
a fundraiser's mouth water. 50 yard-line season ticket to
They bring the University a Michigan football.
unique perspective - the hard- Not surprisingly, the Regents
headed business philosopny of seldom display any conscious-
their corporate workplace, the I ness of the student's view of the
prudishness and conservatism of University. They depend on the
upperstate Michigan or the Ise- executive o f f i c e r s for back-
troit suburbs, and occasionally ! ground and prompting on near-
a freak civil libertarian stance|ly every problem except how to
born perhaps of legal training cutback the budget and they
or a basic belief in American $ yield to senior faculty pressure
individualism. on most academic issues.
When the board comes to. However, the board has the
town, they are plied with ex-: final say on a huge range of
pensive I i q u o r and catered University a f f a i r s, including
housing policies, residency re-
quirements, tuition rates, stu-
dent organization charters, fac-
ulty appointments, building con-
tracts, and the annual budget
request submitted to the state
legislature.
LAST YEAR'S tuition hike
controversy offered a Iramatic
representation of the Regents
in action - making corporate
business out of academic affairs
and student concerns whenever
possible.
The tuition hike came as a
result of court decisions forcing
the University to change its
residency, requirement - and
classify more students as in-
state.
Dispute raged a r o u n d the
University's new r e s i d e n c y
rules, which stipulated, among
other requirements, that tenant
status in Michigan would not
establish residency, while house
ownership would.
AT JULY'S meeting, Regent
Gerald Dunn (D-Lansing), the
board's most outspoken civil
liberties advocate, argued, "I
don't believe in my own mind
that ownership of a home is a
different category from renting
Gmove to
i
i
unionize
improve conditions
or leasing."
But as conservative Lawrence By GORDON ATCHESON
Lindemer (R-Stockbridge) point- University teaching fellows-
ed out, the rules were designed graduate students who teach
to keep out "those who whimsi- many introductory courses while
cally want to attend here at ay working towards their own mas-
lower rate and then the day ters and doctoral degrees-have
after graduation hie back to long chafed under what they
wherever they came from." regard as an unequitable and
The Regents fooled their ob- exploitive syltem imposed by
servers in November, however, an unsympathetic administra-
when the University discovered in s
excess revenue had been gen-Ition.
'rated by the 24 per cent fee . The 1,600 teaching fellows ex-
hike. Ot of the blue, Regent ist in the limbo world of part
P a u l B r o w n (D-Petoskev) s t u d e n t and part educator.
stated, "It's my belief that that Somehow though they fail to
myshold be returned t receive all the benefits of either
w aid it." Over admin- role but most of the problems of
strntion oDnosition, the board both.
nunroved the $3.75 million re- -
bate. LAST FALL, however, TFs
help from the regular faculty cause they must pay tuition for;
members. the graduate classes they take.
FOR EXAMPLE, in the for-
eign language and math depart-
ments, they teach every intro-
ductory course and all the work
that entails: designing the day
to day curriculum, writing and
MOREOVER, t h e stipends
hare not kept pace with the!
rapid cost of living increasesI
that have occurred ifi the past
several years because of the
run-away infl ttion rate.
The teaching fellows have been forced to
work without formal contracts and such
guarantees as job security, sick leave, and
standard grievance procedures. The 'Uni-
versity administration never extended those
items because it never regarded the TFs
as true employees.
:..' '. N,
-the teaching fellows are de-
manding those considerations
and others be included in a
written contract between the
University and the graduate'
students.
What the University's reaction
to the specific demands will be
remains to be seen, although in
the past the administrators have
generally cried poverty when
asked to fork over more money
for teaching fellows and other
graduate employes including re-
search and staff assistants who4'
are also represented by.GEO.
IN ADDITION, when formal
negotiations over the contract
began in mid-summer, the GEO,
organized by admitted neo-
phytes in the fi'eld of labor
talks, was faced by a Univer-
sity well versed and pratticed
on the subject.
Consequently, how long the
negotiations will take, how much
each side is prepared to com-
promise, and even ifs the par-
ticipants are willing to bargain
in good faith remain unanswer-
ed questions.
Of 'course if the negotiations'
turn sour as one side or the
other may be completely un-
yielding, in the back of every-
one's mind rest the unspoken
See GRADUATE, Page 6
PERHAPS THE Regents' most
ironic move last year was their
decision to order an investiga-
tion of the Student Government
Council's status, to determine.
2ccording to President Robben
Fleming, "whether the Regents
can in good conscience continue
to fund SGC when there's so
little interest shown in it."
To many observers, the
board's concern with SGC's
voter backing struck a strange
note. Because the only g vern-
ing body around the University
that gets a smaller election
turnout than SGC is the Board
of Regents.
took the first, unsteady steps
toward improving their lot. And
after six months of toil, they :
have b e c o m e a full-fledged
union ready to enter into col-
lective bargaining with the Uni-
versity.
With a united posture result-
ing from unionization, the grad-
uate assistants wield power
they have never had before-a
power the administration mustj
take seriously lest a vital cog'
in the education machine cease
to function.
In many departments, teach-j
ing fellows are responsible for
all lower - level undergraduate
courses with ,virtually no direct
correcting exams, and determin-
ing final grades.
Other departments use teach-
ing fellows to lead recitation
sections of enormous, imper-
sonal lectures taught by pro-
fessors who often spend as
much time engaged in research
as in the classroom.
Presently the teaching fellows
earn a stipend of several thou-
sand dollars-the actual amountj
varies from department to de-!
partment-for their work. But
the money fast evaporates be-
The teaching fellows also have
bean forced to work without;
formal contracts and such
guarantees as job security, sick;
lecve, and standard grievance'
procedures. The University ad-
milistration n e v e r extendedr
those item's because it never;
regarded the TFs, as true em-
plocs.
Now backed by a formal
union-known as the Graduater
Employes Organization (GEO){
Beating the
course
selection
blues
By DILL HEENAN
"How the hell can this be
'closed already? Registration's
only been open ten minutes."
"Help! I'm being bent, folded,
spindled, and mutilated."
"$50 for information leading
to location of an open course."
"So this is what life is like
at the big 'U'-one helluva long
line?"
(Expletive-deleted).
Like the distraught students
above, you will be faced with
the course selection dilemma.
Selecting classes at the Uni-
versity monolith ranges from
challenging to nail-biting, "Why
didn't I go to a small college?"
agony.
BUT, AFTER the first few
days of registration and drop-
add, you will have acquired in-
valuable skills in line-standing,
IBM dot shading, and closed
course crashing. With patience,
persistence, and some good ad-
vice, you can come up with at
least a moderately satisfactory
schedule.
Before even l e a v i n g your
room, skim the catalog to g'et
a rough idea of your interests,
prerequisites, and degree re-
quirements. Then take advant-
age of telephoning Checkpoint
at 764-7682, an excellent re-
source that provides reams of
information for the upcoming
term.
The different telephone num-
bers provide news on closed
courses advance classification,
ac a d e m i c events and mini
courses.
AFTER, THE telephone has
given you the basics, collect
', your stacks of forms and cata-
logs and seek out advice from
the veterans in the Student
Counseling Office, 1018 Angetl
Hall. The student volunteers
there offer you frank opinions
1213 Angell Hall who will speed
you through in 15 minutes, the
student counselors spend more
time on your individual needs.
MAKE SURE to consult the
bulletin boards outside 1213 An-
gell Hall before advance classi-
fication. Course offerings not
mentioned in the catalogs and
updated t i m e schedules are
posted 'there.
F6r the best rundown on the
contents of a course, consult
the instructor to learn of course
expectations, assignments, and
reading lists.
Consider which degree y o u greater flexibility and experi- 1 the University - sponsored pro-
wish to pursue. Currently, the mentation. F o r independent grams abroad that may prove
most popular one is the Bache- work, locate a willing professor appealing if Ann Arbor becomes
for of General Studies (BGS), who will work with you in plan- too familiar and stultifying after
which enables you to ignore an- ning course work and evalua- two years. To be eligible for
noying distribution, concentra- tion. foreign study you need at least
tion, and language require- With ingenuity, energy, and a 3.0 average overall and also
ments. planning, you can dispense with in your foreign language.
Running second, third, and tradition altogether and design
fourth respectively a r e the your own major. It is impor'tant A FEW reminders before you
Bachelor of Arts (BA) pro- to begin this process early, sign up for your group counsel-
grams in psychology, zoology, since your major must be ap- ing appointment in 1213 Angell
and English. proved by counselors of all in- Hall:
volved departments and 'the 0 Placement tests-The Uni-
COURSE MART courses (see Committee on Interdisciplinary versity gives tests in foreign
related story below) and inde- Studies. languages and other areas to
pendent study options allow you Keep your options open for determine your ability.
Course Mart: Adventure awaits students
plagued by academic schizophrenia
A Mini courses-They emerge
and vanish on short notice. Of-
fered for one credit, they us-
ually only run for 3-4 weeks.
{ Pass/Fail option-Avoid a
grade point plunge, and elect
your foreign language require-
ment pass/fail. Most course
mart and mini courses are of-,
fered pass/fail.
d Other schools and colleges
-You aren't confined to your
unit. BGS candidates may elect
up to 20 hours in non-LSA
schools while BA/BS students
can-take 12 hours.
AFTER YOU e l e c t. your
courses, you are ready to ven-
ture into the crowds at Water-
man Gym for early-registration.
C om pa r ed to the marathon
waits you may face later on
during drop / add registration,
lines here are at least bearable.
No matter how early you set
your alarm,thinking smugly that
you will be the first in line,
there are usually several dozen
earlybirds there ahead of you.
If you're unfortunate enough
to be faced with drop/add, re- I
member-the earlier you add,
the better your chances are for
entering a class. It is a rare#
student who doesn't drop/add
at least once per term. Some
students become obsessed with
revising their entire schedule.
ALSO, DON'T become dis-
couraged w h e n a department
tells you that a course is closed.
With some aggressive tactics,
you should be able to talk your
way into any course, you want.
To do this, attend the first
class meeting and approach the
professor overflowing with en-
thusiasm, pleading to take
his/her course. Most professors
cannot resist the ego boost of
adding another eager member
to their audience.
By BRUCE SHLAIN
If too many lifeless and grade-orient-
ed classes are giving you academic
schizophrenia and profound depres-'
sions, Course Mart could inject new
adventure into your scholarly pursuits.
Dealing, most frequently with areas
of study ignored in the regular cata-
log, Course Mart in a branch of the
Literary College (LSA) that provides
for greater selection in the harried stu-
dent's labyrinthian search for palatable
classes.
FORMED IN the winter term 1969
with only four courses, Course Mart
has expanded its offerings to several
times that number.
However, despite Course Mart's cata-
pulting popularity with students inter-
ested in taking courses, according to
Course Mart coordinator Karen Kas-
mauski, the number of people seeking
whose bureaucratic methods often
threaten to stifle creative teaching
methods.
According to 'Kasmauski, anyone, in-
cluding qualified freshpersons can
teach a course. A petition and a facul-
ty sponsor are the only requirements
for final consideration by the. Curricu-
lum Committee.
Kasmauski asserts that the major
problem in the program is the diffi-
culty students encounter in locating
sponsors.
"Most professors are leery of Course
Mart, and a few professors end up
sponsoring most classes," she says.
Most Course Mart classes seem to
break down the stultifying facade of
the teacher - student relationship, re-
sulting in real classroom discussions
instead of one-way monologues.
Bureaucratic factors like pre-requi-
sites and grades are largely absent in
been known to prompt cutthroat grade
competition are largely absent in
course mart.
Few students have time to worry
about grades while having an enrich-
ing experience learning about the his-
tory of blues, the history of the Ameri-
can comic book, the mechanics of pho-
tography, the History and Theory of
Non-Violence, Military Conscription, or
the literature of Henry Miller. The
above list is only a smattering of pre-
vious Course Mart courses.
Even science-fiction buffs can rest
assured that enrolling in the University
need not entail a perversion of their
normal reading habits. There is almost
-always a science-fiction class taught
in Course Mart.
THESE INNOVATIVE classes have
influenced the kind of courses taught
on a regular basis, notably LSA class-