Let them eat, er,
take cake
By PAMELA KRAMER
Imagine a class that meets from 11 a.m. to noon
on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, requires
minimal attendance and few study hours, and
guarantees four credits along with an "A."
That sort of class is the quintessential "blow-
off" course, according to many students passing
through the peer academic counseling office. And,
costing several hundred dollars, it is one of the
most expensive pieces of cake they'll ever have
the pleasure of tasting.
WHILE SOME people spend their entire college
careers and a great deal of energy seeking out
cake courses, others take an easier approach.
"We have one guy who comes in every semester
for us to plan his schedule," said Dave Friedman,
a peer academic counselor. "He wants (easy)
four-credit classes, with nothing on Friday, and a
4.0 grade point at the end of the semester."
But, Friedman added, "I don't want people to
think this office is the center for cake courses."
He said that although the office provides course
evaluations, peer counseling, copies of old exams,
and school catalogues as aids to students
registering for classes, "We have no such thing as
cake courses."
BUT, FRIEDMAN and other counselors point
out, what one person considers a blow-off could be
"harder than hell" for someone else. The
seemingly simple definition of cake course is ac-
tually elusive.
"I'd say a cake course is one that allows you to
devote most of your time to other classes," said
LSA sophomore Jill Schultz.
Social Behavior of Human Primates (Biological
Anthropology 368) is a good example, according to
Schultz. The course requires two objective exams,
more than 500 pages of reading, and for some
students, a paper.
"IT'S PROBABLY one of the easiest courses
I've ever had, but I've learned from it," Schultz
said, adding that Prof. Hugh Gilmore, who
teaches the class, makes the material easy to
learn.
"He's not like a professor, he's more like a per-
son. . . he's approachable, you can relate to him,"
she said.
The importance of a professor's availability and
straightforwardness is often underestimated, ac-
cording to counselor Mike Rochmar. And, he says,
when a student says a course is easy, that does not
necessarily mean it's worthless.
GILMORE, WHO HAS built up his class "from
nothing to 500 students," said he doesn't mind at
all that someone might call it a piece of cake.
"The way academia is, I'm supposed to be
ashamed that someone would call my class a cake
course," he said. "I'm supposed to say, 'I'm so.
smart . . . carrying the banner for Western
Civilization . . . and I failed 90 percent of my
class.'
"But it's meant to edify and enlighten people, to
get them interested in it, and I know I've done
that."
MANY OF THE classes students say are easy
attempt to attract their interest through uncon-
ventional teaching methods.
"In a setting where students have more
freedom, it's sometimes the first chance they
have to really get interested in material that's
covered," said Prof. Robert Hefner, who teaches
Psychology of International Relations
(Psychology 481).
One of Hefner's students, an LSA senior, said
the class is "just about the cakest course you can
get" because it's "basically an independent study,
but with about 300 people."
"I DON'T REGARD that as a tragedy," Hefner
laughed. "I'm more interested that students get
excited in what they're doing."
On the basis of surveys, he said, fewer than 10
percent of his students think the course is
noticeably easier than others. But, depending on
"motivation and previous knowledge," they can
See LET, Page 2
Ninety-One Y '
°Ql'S
orf
Editorial Freedom
L tE i+wu
t1
Mostly;
the upp
Vol. XCI, No. 148 Copyright 1981, The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor, Michigan-Thursday, April 2, 1981 Ten Cents
Mayoral
hopefuls
clash in
last debate
By DEBI DAVIS
*An air of tension prevailed at
Tuesday night's final mayoral debate
as Republican Mayor Louis Belcher
and Democratic challenger Robert
Faber launched into sometimes bitter
attacks on each other.
Both Belcher and Faber, in their last
scheduled clash before Monday's elec-
tion, stuck to their previous debate
strategies. Belcher, playing up his in-
cumbency, stressed his achievements
during his three-year term as mayor
and chided Faber for "not doing his
homework" before making ac-
cusations.
AS IN THEIR two previous debates,
Faber was on the offensive again,
deriding what Belcher himself calls his
"lean city hall organization," with its
emphasis on basic city services like
police and fire protection and refuse
pickup.
Faber chastized Belcher for his neglect
of human services and lack of planning
to deal with the city's imminent loss of
federal dollars. Faber says the city
should not be limited to providing basic
services. He wants to maintain
programs for housing rent and repair
subsidies, legal aid, health and child
care, and aid for the elderly.
In his opening statement to the sparse
City Hall audience, Belcher reiterated
his list of achievements, including:
renovation of Arborland shopping cen-
ter, conversion of the Ann Arbor Tran-
sportation Authority from a dial-a-ride
system into a fixed route system which
"can survive federal cuts," a severe
weather and defense warning system,
millage reductions in each of the past
three years, and a $1.9 million surplus
in last year's budget.
BELCHER REFUTED Faber's
charge that the mayor had no com-
prehensive road maintenance
program. Visibly agitated, he waved a
list of 65 streets targeted for road repair
by his administration. He accused
Faber of "speaking only in
generalities," saying that when Faber
"gets specific, he's wrong."
But, when Belcher charged that for-
mer councilman Faber and the
Democratic majority left the city with a
$1.5 million debt in 1973, Faber coun-
tered by saying Belcher "certainly
plays funny games with statistics."
Faber said that the $1.5 million city
debt was "handed to them by ten years
of Republican administrations"before
them. He said the Democrats wanted to
reduce the debt gradually so the city
would not be adversely affected.
See MAYORAL, Page 6
Reagan
Brady
road t
(
)
recover
'N,.'-
.XX~ L4 .. . SN,
* , . . N '4'..N
V
su n wth a high in
per 50s.
Twelve Pages
as often in a joking mood
House sought to portray a
usual" picture, .cracks
r in that image.
d "l can assure you from
knowledge there hasn't
mpt to paint a rosier pic-
orts from the hospital
ccurt as we can make
w York Times reported
had trouble breathing,
ling blood pressure and
ip blood when he walked
al after being shot.
NITELY was in a life
tuation," the newspaper
lliam O'Neill as saying.
ry rapidly stabilized."
James Brady, the
ress secretary who was
in in the assassination at
aking a "truly excep-
pry and may regain more
ns that had been hoped;
ts said. He remating,
pion and his doctors sad
tiously optimistic."
IS O'LEARY, dean fors
NCKLEY, Page 2
Is
eir efforts.
as lifted yesterday mor-
versity's request by Cir-
[udge Patrick Conlin
don has been late in
t payments.
uipment will be stored by
cials until he can tran-
>n said last night. He ad-
has appealed Conlin's
ill fight to get back into
sume his $usiness in the
said he will liquidate.
nkruptcy reorganization
nan from his bees. The
bay a five-year varian-
could be revoked if the
ance or a hazard, said
vote overturned a city
desist order issued in
ghbors complained the
e urging of neighbors,
to keep children and
re a very anti-insect
ple are scared of bees,
Daily Photo by DAVID HARRIS
THE DIAG WAS NOT nearly as crowded this year as it has been on April 1 in past years. Since it started in 1972, par-
ticipation in the annual Hash Bash has been steadily declining. Next year the Baih may cease to exist, according to
police.
Hash ash atendance low
From AP and UPI
WASHINGTON - Despite pain and
fatigue, a high-spirited President
Reagan got out of bed and set to work in
his hospital suite yesterday, signing an
executive order, conferring with staff
members and planning a major trip in
just three weeks.
White House physician Daniel Ruge
declared late in the day that Reagan
"continues to make excellent progress
toward full recovery" from the gunshot
wound to his left lung suffered in Mon-
day's assassination attempt.
"HE HAS EXPERIENCED some
pain, which is normal for ... an injury
and surgery of this type. He is noW
resting comfortably," Ruge said.
Earlier, Vice President George Bush
said after a visit that "The President is
doing so well... it's really amazing."
Deputy White House press secretary
Speakes said plans were going ahead
for a Reagan meeting scheduled for
April 27 and 28 in San Diego with
Mexican President Jose Lopez-Portillo.
The trip may include a stop across the
border in Tijuana.
WHILE INITIAL reports of the
president's first 24 hours in the hospital
portrayed him
and the WhiteF
"business as
began to appea
Speakes said
my personall
been any atten
ture. The rep
have been as a
them."
But The Ne
the president
chest pain, fa]
was spitting u
into the hospita
"HE DEFI
threatening sit
quoted Dr. Wi
"But he was ve
Meanwhile,
presidential pr
shot in the bran
tempt, was m
tional" recove
mental functio
brain specialis
critical condit
they were "cau
DR. DENN
See HI
By ANN MARIE FAZIO
Like the last glowing embers of a
joint, the Hash Bash is apparently
burning itself out. Barely 400 tokers,
many of them high school students
and out-of-town characters, showed
up on the Diag yesterday for the ten-
th annual April Fool's Day Bash.
Down from nearly 1,000 people last
year, attendance at the Hash Bash
has been declining in recent years as
University students increasingly
surrendered their campus to the
unwanted visitors.
A FEW ARRESTS for possession
of hard drugs were the most serious
infractions at yesterday's peaceful
event, contrasting with a reported
stabbing last year. Dozens of police
officers clad in riot gear were highly
evident on campus, and entrances to
many University buildings fronting
the Diag were restricted by Univer-
sity security officers.
Since 1972, the Diag has been tran-
sformed on April 1 into a haven for
pot smokers and supporters of
marijuana decriminalization. Ann
Arbor city officials adopted a $5 pot
law in response to the early Bashes,
which were predominantly student
affairs.
"Some of it is just slime off the
See HASH BASH, Page 2
Uniersity evic
By CAROL CHALTRON
Piling furniture, copying machines
and a variety of business items in the
hall outside the door, University attor-
neys yesterday evicted the owner of the
Paper Chase copying center from the
space he had been leasing in the
basement of the Michigan Union.
Bob Gordon, Paper Chase owner, was
evicted after a year of confusing legal
battles over the terms of his lease.
ACCORDING TO THE University,
Gordon has been using the Union space
without a lease since April 1979.
University lawyers initiated legal ac-
tion in March 1980 to evict Gordon, but a
stay imposed by a bankruptcy court
had blocked thi
That stay w
ning at the Uni
cuit Court J
because Gor
making his ren
Gordon's equ
University offi
sport it, Gordo
ded that he
decision and w
the Union.
If he can't re
Union, Gordon
He filed for ba
last year.
Daily Photo by DAVID HARRIS
TWO HASH BASHERS were among approximately 400 young people who
turned out for yesterday's annual Diag invasion.
TODAY
MSA candidate alert
LL CANDIDATES FOR the Michigan Student
Assembly are invited to fill out a short
questionnaire to be printed in the Daily's election
guide on Tuesday, April 7. Copies of the question-
Haire can be picked up today at the Daily office in the
Student Publications Building at 420 Maynard. Completed
questionnaires should be returned to the Daily by 7 p.m.
home computer units-sells for $29.95. He said he has had
more than 1,000 orders for it. The game, designed for two to
four players, is played along the lines of the famous Parker
Brothers board game Monopoly, but with sexual innuendo
ranging from merely s'gestive to downright blatant. The
game manual says, "Before we begin, make sure the kids
are in bed, the drapes are drawn. Pour a drink, load the
program, and begin play." a.
Politics, penalties, and parties
House Democrats in Des Moines. Iowa deided to
Avenson (D-Oelwein) called the first of two penalty
caucuses to protest Republicans' handling of legislation
designed to tighten regulations of public utilities. Qi
For the birds
Residents of this central Oklahoma town have discovered
that it's not only birds of a feather that flock together. Much
to the annoyance of residents, thousands of robins,
starlings, grackles, and cowbirds have converged on their
town as a stopover on spring migrations. Audubon Society
President Phil Henderson said Tuesday that the migrating
order that threatened to separate a n
board Tuesday granted Steven Gumi
ce to keep his beehive. The approval
board determines the bees are a nuis
Jack Simms, board secretary. The '
zoning administration's cease-and-
January after some of Gumbay's neil
bees didn't belong in the city. At th
Gumbay agreed to build a fence1
animals away from the hive. "We'
culture," Gumbay said. "A lot of peo
I
i
i