THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Eleven
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Eleven
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Studying in a
phone booth.
By BARBARA ZAHS
The dorm is too noisy. The UGLI is too
crowded. The Grad Library gets to be a bore
after a while.
But wait - there's still hope.
IF YOU INSIST upon being studious, or if
a final exam less than 24 hours away makes
the prospect seem inevitable, there are alter-
native sfudy spots available. And while it's
doubtful that they'll make the task any more
enjoyable, they'll at least provide a much-
needed change of scenery.
ror example, a laundry room can furnish
a quiet setting for serious study. Curl up with
a copy of Thomas' Calc. while you wait for
the rinse cycle to begin.
If you want a more intellectual atmosphere,
try the steps outside Angell Hall. The impos-
ing white pillars have been known to inspire
many a budding scholar.
TRY RlEADING THE last few pages of Mo-
liere over a cup of tea at Drake's. Or do that
lastminute cramming at any other eatery-
until the management kicks you out.
Culture lovers might want to do some of
their §tudying during intermission at a con-
cert or play. You don't even have to wait un-
til intermission. You can always crack the
books for a fe wminutes during the second
movement of that Beethoven piano concerto
that you've always hated anyway.
Or you can study during a lecture while
still managing to take notes. Just try to sit
in the back of theclassroom or lecture hall
and remain inconspicuous.
BETWEEN CLASSES, you can study in the
lobby ofthe Michigan Union or Michigan Lea-
gue. Both places are usually pretty quiet, and
the comfortable couches and chairs are per-
fect to curl up in.
For something a little more out of the ordi-
nary, you could try to do some of your read-
ing in a phone booth, although the seating
isn't likely to be as comfortable.
Or study in the bathroom-where some of
the world's greatest thinking has reputedly
been done. Dormitory residents seeking so-
Quelling the classroom crazies
By RON DeKETT
Rumor, has it that students were seen running
from CRISP screeching horrid noises while white
foam dripped from their gaping mouths. Their
faces, distorted beyond belief, reflected the agony
of finding out they had botched another obscure
registration procedure-again.
To relieve the frustrations of academic decision-
making, many students consume large amounts of
Canadian beer, snort coke or light a candle in a
nearby campus chapel and offer a silent prayer.
But these actions are only a temporary solution.
For constructive aid, a visit to the academic coun-
seling offices located in Angell Hall often helps-
it may not be divine, but it should do the trick.
STUDENTS CAN choose from two knowledgable
sources of counseling information: the LSA aca-
demic counseling service in room 1213 or the Stu-
dent Counseling Office (SCO) in room 1018.
The SCO is probably the least known of the
University's academic counseling services. It does,
however, exist, and its staff is eager to assist stu-
dents on a walk-in basis. SCO is a student-run or-
ganization with trained, fully-qualified student aca-
demic counselors.
"We are an honest-to-goodness student counseling
service," counselor Sandra Feldman said. "We offer
a different perspectvie than the regular LSA coun-
selors."
SCO OFFERS a variety of traditional services in-
cluding advice about which courses to take to fill
specific requirements for concentrations and de-
grees.
But SCO goes one step further, than most counsel-
ing services. It provides student evaluations of
classes and professors-frozn which prof stirs the
students' interest to ecstatic heights and which prof
bores students to the depths of despair.
In addition, SCO counselors act as student advo-
vates--a job many other-counselors simply don't
have time to fulfill. SCO counselors can tell a stu-
dent how to file a grievance petition or direct them
to the appropriate dean who can explain transfer
credits. If the SCO counselor can't resolve a prob-
lem, chances are they know someone else who cans
IF THE PUZZLED freshperson or sophomore de-
cides to visit the LSA academic counselors they
must first make an appointment with Isabelle
Reade, the receptionist at 1213 Angell Hall. She sets
up appointment times and can guide a baffled stu-
dent to the counselor best suited to meet his or her
needs.
Juniors and seniors who have selected their major
must still show up at 1213 Angell Hall, but they need
to speak with Ruth Creger, who makes appointments
with the concentration counselors who practice their
craft in Angell Hall. Many departments, however,
have their own concentration counselors-actually
professors stuck with the job-it's a good idea to
check with the department first.
SOMETIMES STUDENTS have queries concerning
new class offerings or minor questions, but they
don't want toytake the time to see a counselor. This-
is the time to use the LSA Checkpoint Newsletter.
The newsletter contains capsulized information on
the BA/BS and BGS degree requirements, new cour-
ses, CRISP dates and drop/add procedures. The
newsletter is thorough, yet concise, and could save
time and hassle.
The dorm Resident Advisor (RA) is another source
of academic information. Part of their job is to ans-
wer questions about the University and its complex
procedures. If they don't know an answer, they will
either find it or send you to someone who does.
Things really aren't so had. If you have an over-
whelming problem, don't resort to guzzling beer.
Just sit back, take a deep breath and practice a lit-
tle self-help with the advice of a counselor.
READING & LEARNING SKILLS CENTER:
Prescription fo racademic success
I
Daily Photo by ALAN BILINSKY
It's 'not exactly comfortable, but studying.
in a phone booth at least provides a change
of scenery from the dull surroundings of the
Grad Library.
lace have been known to plop themselves
down on the cold, tiled floors, book in hand.
A word, of warning, though-bathroom light-
ing can be harsh on the eyes after a wehile.
For relaxation and privacy, fill up the
bathtub with warm water and do your study-
ing there. Just fight off any sudden urges to
plug in your calculator and tackle those phy-
sics problems.
By DENISE FOX
A 17-dollar investment plus a
little motivation might be all it
takes to insure academic suc-
cess at the University.
"A lot of material indicates
that students enter the Univer-
ty with high grades but are
not used to the pressure of aca-
demic work and the increase in
study overwhelms them," ex-
plained Daryl Dickson 'of the
Reading and Learning Skills
Center.
I
TO HELP students prepare for
"'the rigors of college life, the
Center offers several study skill'
courses. Each course costs $17
and meets weekly for six weeks.
The Center's College Reading
and Academic Skills program of-
fers three different services to
students.
Its speed reading course is de-
signed for those who are inter-
ested in improving their reading
rate and comprehension through
s u r v e y and skimming tech-
niques.
"IT'S COMPARABLE to the
commercial courses," said Dick-
son, director of the Center's Col-
lege Program. "We've put a
great deal of effort into investi-
gating the commercial pro-
grams."
The Center also offers a com-
bined speed reading and study
skills course. .In class, instruc-
tors emphasize improving read-
ing rate and time-and task man-
agement. Outside of class, stu-
dents work through a. book for
basic skill instruction in areas
like note-taking and exam prep-
aration.
"Through social and non-aca-
demic activities, high school stu-
dents coming here lose the bal-
ance in their lives," Dickson
said. "Our management classes
teach students how to set up a
schedufe so they can work
through their requirements at a
steady pace so they don't have
to cram."
THE CENTER'S third skills
service is a self-instructional lab
designed for students 'who want
immediate assistance or prefer
to work outside a formal class-
room. Th6 lab includes training
in test-takingstrategiesas well
as reading rate exercises and
mock lectures for note-taking
drills.
Dickson said specific reasons
for coming to the Reading Cen-
ter vary. Some students com-
plain they spend hours studying
and do'not pass an exam. Others
will sit over a book for hour
but only concentrate for min-
utes. And then there are those
who simply want to improve or
sharpen skills they already have.
The Center also offers a
writer's workshop to aid stu-
dents who have difficulties in
any phase of the writing process.
In class, emphasis is placed on
pre - writing, organization and
editing skills. Students are en-
couraged to use the self-instruc-
tional lab outside of class to
work on their weak areas diag-
nosed on a test given the first
day of class.,
STUDENTS can also take ad-
vantage of two other writing
services offered by the Center-
individual counseling for imme-
diate writing programs or a per-
sonalized instruction program
based on individual needs.
For those who panic at test-
taking time, the Center offers
tdst anxiety reduction training.
MSA gaining studentr
"A key characteristic of test
anxiety is when you get the test
back you (find that you) knew
all of the answers, but because
of your anxiety you were ren-
dered inoperable," Dickson~ ex-
plained. "It's good to be anxious
to an extent, but when it inter..
feres with your productivity, you
have a problem."
BEING A student, she warned,
"is one of the most demanding
jobs-you are a student 24 hours
a day."
(Contnued from Page 3)
events. MSA took the complaints
of students caught in lengthy
and time-consuming lines for
tickets to sporting events and
organized a referendum on its
fall election ballot to seek stu-
dent opinion on }what distribution
system should be used. Students
indicated approval for a compu-
terized distribution s y s t e m.
Technical details are now being
worked out with implementation
set for some time in the next
year.
FOLLOWING THE success of
these two ventures coupled with
campus-wide support on the
Barbour-Waterman issue,- MSA
has surfaced as a respectable
student government. Executive
Vice President Chris Bachelder
says the respect gained during
these projects has had recipro-
cal effects. Success on one pro-
ject gained favorable publicity
which gave the group power to
tackle another issue.
"We also gained respect from
the Regents (during Barbour-
Waterman) from dealing with
them in their own way," Bachel-
der says. "They saw the amount
of research that went into ourI
proposal.".
MSA's future is uncertain.
Perhaps it will continue at its
current pace, making up for lost
growth by gaining maturity in
leaps and bounds. But perhaps
this is only a golden period be-
fore a regression, ultimately ob-
scurity or death. Its fate re-
mains to be seen.
SMSA FACES another fight in
the fall, this time from within:
Although the assembly's mem-
bership currently consists of 36
members--half appointed from
the school and college student
governments within the Univer-
sity, half elected at-large from
the entire student body-its com-
position has been ruled illegal.
The Central Student Judiciary
-a student - appointed campus
court which issues verdicts on
legal matters concerning student
government - has ruled that
schools and colleges which have
low enrollment are over-repre-
sented by their one assembly
member while large schoolsand
colleges such as LSA are under-
represented.
It is certain that this verdict
will soon lead to the reorganiza-
tion of MSA, but the type of
structure which lies ahead is
unknown.
MSA IS ALSO plagued with
what has become its perennial
problem - funding. Allocations
for MSA were previously man-
datory., Now, following a cam-
pus-wide mandate, MSA funding
is optional. Students are charged
for MSA support on their tuition
bill each term, but by checking
"NO" on a form enclosed with
the bill, this assessment can be
cancelled.
Assessment f o r individual
school and college governments
is still mandatory.
Voluntary funding has led to
financial difficulties for MSA. In
addition to expenses for its own
operation, MSA considers one
of its primary functions to be
granting small sums of money
to various student organizations.
This may soon end, however.
"We are quickly approaching
a time when we-need more mon-
ey," Bachelder said. Only 65
per cent of University students
chose to fund MSA, just enough
to support a somewhat bare-
bones operation.
One of MSA's pet projects ov-
~GIM TU
applying for aid must meet fed-
eral poverty income guidelines.
Housed in six rooms on the
fourth floor of the Michigan
Union, the office handles over
1000 cases each year. These in-
clude referrals as well as direct
legal action over extended ap-
peals processes.
er the past few years has been
the Housing Law Reform Pro-
ject. Two full-time lawyers re-
search ways to improve housing
conditions in Ann Arbor by im-
proving housing laws. Currently,'
the Assembly is attempting to
persuade the Regents to approve
a 25 cent per student assessment
to conti, 'e operation of the
Housing Law Reform Project. If
this measure is not approved,
the project could be discontin-
ued.
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INSTRUMINyTS1a CLASSIC
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PHONE 665- i 5806 FXCEPT SUN'
209 S. STATE, ANN ARBOR (UPSTAIRS)
I
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _--_ -~-----
.-.-
SHOP
THE
Activism lives at PIR
(Continued from Page 3)
Legal Aid also offers students
an opportunity to get involved.
But more importantly, the or-
ganization provides legal assist-
ance for students otherwise un-
able to afford attorney fees.
ITS SERVICES extend to stu-
dents who meet specific eco-
nomic guidelines. They include
assistance in filing claims in
small- claims court, legal repre-
sentation in criminal proceed-
ings, assistance in tenant-land-
CANCER
AN.D
lord hassles and even help in
getting a divorce.
The campus Legal Aid office
is a subdivision of the Washte-
naw County Legal Aid Society,
and is aimed specifically at
working w it h University stu-
dents. Because Legal Aid re-
ceives federal funding, students
I Lungs
Eig~erttes ane I(jilers
AmericanI
Cancer Society*
MICHIGAN BOOK STORE
322 S. STATE ST.
Enlarged Text Floor
More Used Books Than Ever
Easy to Locate and Browse
Texts For All Courses
MEDICAL, DENTAL, LAW, NURSING,
SOCIAL WORK, and PUBLIC HEALTH
are upstairs.
r
ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW
WHAT FAMILY PLANNING IS ALL ABOUT?
)f
If you think it means preventing
unwanted pregnancy.. you're
partly right. But it means more
than that. Like counseling young
It's important to know all about
family planning ... it means more
than you may have thought.
Fn~r infncrmatjcnr or help. contact
-- .
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