Page Two THE MICHIGAN DAILY Thursday, September 4, 1975"' s I I I I Int'l. Center offers wide services By GEORGE LOBSENZ Nestled in the southwestern- most corner of the Michigan Un- ion, adjoining West Quad on the ground level is the International Center, one of the more obscure resource centers at the Univer- sity. Despite the wide variety of services offered by the Center, many students still regard it as a facility solely concerned with the welafre of foreign students at the University. In reality however, the Center provides for several valuable( if not unique services that can direct- ly affect the average Univer- sity student: it holds a wealth of information for the American student planning to work, study or travel abroad. ACCORDING to Information Director Dennis Tafoya, the Center maintains a library of resource material "that is said to be one of the very few of its kind in the country." He termed it "a model for other, similar University bureaus,"and said that information contained with- in the Center is unavailable at any other local source. In addition to the comprehen- sive library, the Center has formed a Human Resources Network. The Network is a list- ing of over 1,000 persons who have traveled abroad and are willing to discuss their experi- Tafoya I Those among the grade point elite get the honor of Honors ences and share their knowl- edge of specific countries. The International Center also provides numerous opportuni- ties for the incipient student voyageur to cut red tape in ob- taining an assortment of per- mits and aids commonly needed by students going over-seas. Passport applications, rail-pass- es, I. D. cards and American Youth Hostel Association Mem- bership cards can all be pro- cured with a minimum of has- sle. F I N A L L Y, and perhaps most importantly, there is sound advice available from John Booth and Ellen Kolovos, both experienced counselors and travelers. As Tafoya put it, "You can come and say 'I want to go to Spain and study art for a month,' and they can lit- erally plan out a complete inin- erary." Testimony to the ex- pertise of these two are the 34,- 000 students they have helped and who are presently over- seas, Tafoya acknowledges that the Center is primarily involved in dealing with programs and problems that concern foreign students at the University. Foremost in this area is orien- tation to the many different U.S. customs and idiosyncracies, along with legal information,, academic counseling and occa- sional psychological counseling. The Center also acts as a liai- son with other Americans, often helping students solve financial and medical snafus. Also prominent among . the Center's activities are a number of social events that attempt to promote cultural interaction. It coordinates the visits of a mul- titude of foreign dignitaries, frequently setting up seminars that are open to all and cover- ing a range of subjects from in- ternational affairs to music ap- preciation. T THROUGHOUT the regular school year, a weekly Tuesday luncheon is held at the Center, sometimes featuring a speaker. At 50c for all-you-can- eat, these luncheons are an ex- cellent opportunity to broaden horizons, not to mention one's waist-line. Like many other organizations within the University, the Cen- ter has been hard hit by recent budget cuts that have necessi- tated cutbacks in several of the services offered. Tafoya noted that"ofreign students already are given low priority by the University now," and he ex- pressed hope that further bud- get cuts could be avoided. He cited lack of funds for the all-important orientation coun- selors as one major problem caused by the cut-backs, along with not being able to keep the: Center open at night. Nevertheless, Tafoya remains conifdent that the Center will remain effective. "The cut is really going to hurt us, but still, if you look across the country, you won't find a college organ- ization that serves as many stu- dents as us." By CATHERINE REUTTER The Honors Council, formed some 18 years ago at the Uni- versity, serves those literary college (LSA) students who are exceptionally w e 11 qualified (either by overall grade point average or high scores on en- trance examinations) and who desire to take courses not of- fered to the bulk of University students. Pioneering in innovative pro- grams such as the LSA Inde- pendent Study Programs, about 450 of this fall's incoming LSA freshpeople will be participat- ing in the program. Between 1,800 and 2,000 students are in the Honors program college- wide. TO QUALIFY for an invita- tion to Honors, a number of criteria is taken into account. For example, high school stu- dents admitted must have re- ceived a score of 1350 or better on their SAT (Scholastic Apti- tude Test), while students al- ready enrolled in the University must have an average of 3.50 for two continuous semesters. Non-honors students that de- sire to take Honors courses or join the program should make arrangements through Bill Sch- rock in the Honors Council of- fices, 1210 Angell Hall. Further- more, a written letter of interest for Director Otto Graf often helps if you decide to join. After one term, the applicant should try to have a his or her grade point average at least a 3.5. Exact statistics are not kept, but turnover rate in the program, between drop-outs and people joining late, appears to be small. The Honors Council was in- itially set up to give freshpeople and sophomores an interesting, challenging cor e curriculum. The program now includes a senior honors thesis in many departments. Underclasspersons. are strongly encouraged to take honors courses and sections, like Great Books. Honors students are equally divided along sexual lines, with a slight majority of males, as is the case in LSA as a whole. About half of the students are from out of state. Outside of the LSA, few other schools have an honors pro- gram, the Music School being one exception. The Honors Council originated a number of programs, like Women's Studies and Individual Concentrations. They establish- ed the Summer Reading Pro- gram some 15 years ago. Summer reading was designed to serve students away from an established University campus for at least one term, but want to pick-up some cheap credits during the summer. A course outline must be established be- fore leaving, and a number of steps must be followed to make your course official. First, pick up a Summer Reading Election Form and an instruction sheet in the Honors Counci loffice. Next, find a pro- fessor (Teaching Fellows and Lecturers don't count) to spon- sor you. Any course in the LSA Bulletin that you can accom- plish, without supervision, is eligible. Literature courses are recommended, while courses that require lab work, such as chemistry, may not be feasible. Professor Konigsberg of the English Department and Pro- fessor Papsdorf of Psychology are good contacts. Once you've decided on a course and have talked a prof into sponsoring you, you must then get a counselor's signature. Also, contact someone in your unit if you're not an LSA stu- dent or in the Residential Col- lege. Taking courses in a dif- ferent school than the one you're enrolled in can be sticky. It could involve getting a de- tailed letter from the Dean of the College you want the class in to get a course approved. If you're a non-honors stu- dent, you must get a copy of your transcript from 555 LSA Building. This will take a week and cost you one dollar. If your grade point is below 2.5 or you have incompletes, make a stop at Director of Academic Actions Eugene Nissen's office. Take heart, though, you're close to the end. Gather your papers and take your weary body over to the Honors Council office again, some time before See THE, Page 6 Doily Photo by STEVE KAGAN VICE PRESIDENT for Academic Affairs Frank Rhodes appears to be distressed by these two students protesting during last winter's Graduate Employes Organization (GEO) strike. The campus-wide strike lasted for nearly a month, cutting class attendance by an estimated SO per cent. University lbok tounionization Student activity abounds at Union By BILL TURQUE Three groups from disparate areas of Univer- sity life, graduate student assistants, clerical workers, and nurses, have realized a common s 4eo goal in the past year-unionization for higher By DAVID BLOMQUIST w sadbte okn odtos When the University constructed the Michigan Union and Michi- wages and better working conditions. gan League in the 1920's, it envisioned the two impressive, slate- The rise of the Graduate Employes Organiza- roofed structures as lodging and banquet facilities for visitors to tion (GEO) undoubtedly had the most direct the campus. effect on student life. Formed in Fall, 1973 as But today, both buildings occupy an additional and perhaps the Organization of Teaching Fellows, GEO re- more important role: they serve as centers of specialized politi- ceived state certification the following spring as cal, educational, and social activity within the University com-bf munity. the official bargaining unit for all of the Uni- versity's graduate teaching, research, and staff WITHIN the Union, for example, students can talk over assistants (dSA's). problems with counselors from the Office of Student Services, shoot a few games of pool in the only campus billiard room, WHAT FOLLOWED was eight months of purchase a guide to yoga technique at the student-operated Uni- fruitless, and at times heated, contract nego-, versity Cellar department store, or attend a seminar on CIA tiation. GEO's original proposal called for an activities in Latin America in student organization meeting eight per cent salary increase retroactive to rooms. September, 1974, and a seven per cent hike And a the League, browsers can find almost everything from effective this fall. In addition to affirmative the headquarters of the Graduate Employees Organization to a action and non-discriminatory clauses, GEO newsstand stocked with the latest issues of Foreign Policy and asked for a $200 fee in lieu of tuition for the Yale Review. all GSA's. Each building is operated by a professional management team On February 10, GEO voted 689-193 to strike working under the supervision of an independent board of direc- -disrupting classes, particularly in the Literary tors composed of faculty, alumni, and student representatives. College (LSA), for nearly a month. When the smoke cleared, GEO's contract ELLIOT Chikofsky, president of the Union board, sees the called for a 5.6 per cent retroactive salary in- Union facility as the main activities center for all University crease, and an 8 per cent hike effective Sep- students and staff. "Many of the most important studen activi- tember, 1975. A $440 fee was set in lieu of tui- ties and recreation areas on campus are located a the Union," tion for GSA's with eight or more credit hours. he noted. In addition to the billiard room, the building contains an art THE CONTRACT'S affirmative action clause galery, a bowling alley, several pinball machines, and music calls for the University to make a good faith practice rooms. effort to recruit more minorities and women The Union also serves as the headquarters for most University for GSA positions. A non-discrimination clause student organizations. Most of the fourth floor is devoted to office prohibits discrimination in hirng on grounds of See UNION, Page 6 race, creed, sex, or sexual preference. "Class size is one of the weak parts of the contract but we'll be working on it when new negotiations begin in February," said Sandy Wilkinson, GEO secretary. According to the existing contract, the Uni- versity is only obligated to "consult" with GEO regarding class size. Wilkinson indicated that a stronger class size clause will be just one part of a new demands package that will be drawn up this fall. "WE ARE considering affiliation with a ma- jor national 1 a b o r union," added Wilkinson. "We'll know more about that when our affilia- tion committee reports in the fall," he added. The University's clerical workers-Concerned Clericals for Action (CCFA)-opted for affilia- tion with the United Auto Workers (UAW) be- cause, according to UAW spokesperson Carolyn Forrest, "Their wage structure is way out of line, and their grievance procedures are in- adequate." As this article goes to press, the clericals' contract with the University is still under nego- tiation. A vote taken last spring indicated that a strike was a possibility if the University's offer was not acceptable. According to Forrest, the union, which in- cludes all secretaries and clerks on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses, will be asking for a "substantial wage increase," more holidays, and better provisions for leaves of absence and promotions. Last January nurses at the University Medical Center voted 361-124 to align themselves with the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA). A spokesperson for the MNA s"a i d "the nurses' greatest concerns are in the area of better pay for night shifts, more input into staff decisions, patient care, and patient-nurse ratio. . ._...r. 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