The ABCs of the G.P.A.
Gradeflation hits humanities,
'bu seene may be iiine
By PAMELA KRAMER of the lower grade point averages, but that "in
and LINDA RUECKERT some of these big science courses, the students are
Are science courses tougher than the social taking several at once." The Biology Division's
sciences and humanities courses? Or are liberal total GPA is 2.961.
arts professors grading easier to draw more in- "A STUDENT MAY BE taking Biology with
terest to an area increasingly threatened by Organic Chemistry, and sometimes even Physics
today's society? on top of that," he explained. "Having done that
Whatever the answers, data from the Univer- myself, I know it's a heavy load, and that might
sity's Office of the Registrar (see tables on pages have some effect (on the grades)."
5-9) show that grade-point averages of "hard Also, many professors say, students often take
science courses" were often lower than those of introductory level courses only to fulfill
social sciences and humanities courses. prerequisites, and although passing the class is
THERE ARE A NUMBER of speculations about important, the grade is not.
why this difference exists. Another possible reason for the discrepancy
"It's not too surprising in a chemistry course or between natural sciences and many other
a physics course to have a lower grade point disciplines is that "often what is learned per se (in
average than, say, a Psych course," said Prof. the humanities) is not easily quantifiable," accor-
Charles Rulfs, who teaches Chem 123. The ding to one English professor.
Chemistry divison's total grade point was 2.677, "IN A DISCIPLINE like English one learns not
while the Psychology Department's was 3.271. so much a testable body of material, but rather,
Sme make the
o the wor
By JULIE HINDS
Although many students may find the greatest commori
denominator of the University is studying, the importance
students attach to it ranges from just squeezing by to over-
whelming obsession levels.
"It's funny how you can study your life away and not know
what's going on in the world," said Moe Curran, an LSA
sophomore. "Sometimes it seems like Reagan gets shot, but
who cares, you have a test tomorrow."
MANY STUDENTS FIND studying the surest way to calr
GPA woes. However, instead of finding a direct link between
increased studying and rising grades, Prof. Howard
Schuman's Sociology 310 class conducted a study which
found little or no correlation between the hours students
reported studying and the size of their total GPA.
The most recent data stated the small correlation found
See MORE, Page 10
Prof. David Shappio of the Department of
Biological Sciences said he was surprised by some
See GRADEFLATION, Page 5
Ninety-One Years
of
Editorial Freedom
P
girl
1 IaiI
COMFY
Increasingly cloudy today,
breezy and warmer with a
high around 70. Chance of
showers toward evening.
Vol. XCI, No. 149 Copyright 1981, The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor, Michigan-Friday, April 3, 1981 Ten Cents Eighteen Pages
Growth in
anti-Semitism
efeared by
organizaction
By NANCY BILYEAU
A newly-formed student group is holding meetings and has
purchased a full-page newspaper advertisement to stem
what they fear may be a growing anti-Semitic movement
row aimed at Ann Arbor.
Students Concerned About a Reoccurance was formed
recently by a handful of students outraged over a blitz of "an-
ti-Semitic hate mail" sent to University dorm residents two
weeks ago, SCAR co-founder Dan Levy said yesterday.
APPROXIMATELY 800 STUDENTS received, literature
from the California-based Institute for Historical Review
that said the Holocaust was a "Zionist myth" perpetuated to
"prop up U.S. support for Israel."
SCAR members and supporters responded to Historical'
Review mail with an "open letter to the University Com-
munity" signed by more than 200 students and faculty mem-
bers stating, "We are outraged that they claim the Nazi fur-
naces are part of an ancient Jewish fantasy."
In a meeting last night, attorney Martin Doctoroff, former
chairman of the Michigan Anti-Defamation League of B'nai
B'rith, warned students about the dangers presented by anti-
Semitic groups both nation-wide and in Michigan.
"WITH THE COUNTRY turning to the right," groups such
as the neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan may grow in strength
and influence in the 80s, Doctoroff said.
"The country is turning back to the blind apathy of the
1950s," Doctoroff said, suggesting that the small turn-out at
Bursley Hall's West Cafeteria meeting last night indicated
lack of student interest.
Levy also wishes to alert students to the existence of a
group called the National Democratic Policy Committee that
Levy said has recruited on the Diag recently.
See STUDENTS, Page 14
Soviet troops
move closer
to
Poland
Daily Photo by DEBORAH LEWIS
MARTIN DOCTOROFF, an attorney and former chairman of the state Anti-
Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, warns students in a meeting last night
that anti-Semitism is on the rise. He said racist groups which refute
historical accounts of the Nazi Holocaust are gaining dangerous popularity
in the United States.
From AP and UPI
WASHINGTON-Defense Secretary Caspa r
Weinberger said the Soviet Union had in the
previous 48 hours increased its capability to in-
vade Poland and the United States is "taking.. .
steps" as a result.
In Warsaw, Solidarity announced that it called
off a threatened nationwide strike because the
government said it could bring "total confron-
tation." The independent union's new official
spokesman, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, added that
Solidarity will risk a confrontation if "we are
pushed to the corner."
"THE SITUATION has worsened from my point
of view." Weinberger told the Senate Budget
Committee. "They (the Soviets) have taken a
number of actions which I think would cause me to
characterize the situation as worse than it was last
week and as very serious," he said.
And in Belgium, Supreme Allied Commander
for Europe Gen. Bernard Rogers said Warsaw
Pact troops were continuing their exercises in a
clear case of political intimidation and in a
demonstration of permanent readiness to move in-
to Poland.
State Department spokesman William Dyess,
referring to extended Warsaw Pact troop exer-
cises, said, "I think that as days go by without a
return of the troops to their stations, each passing
day is in itself a matter of concern."
NONE OF THE officials said they thought
military intervention was imminent, however.
While calm prevailed in Poland itself, the Soviet
press also served notice that the crisis was not
over as far as the Kremlin was concerned.
An article in the official Soviet newspaper
Pravda faulted the Polish Communist Party for
not putting up enough "ideological resistance" to
dissident voices in Poland. A Western diplomat
said it was the first time the Kremlin had sharply
criticized the Polish government in public and he
called it "very significant."
AT THE SAME time, the nation took another
step toward liberalization with the publication and
sale of the first legally independent magazine in
the East Bloc.
Poles lined up at newspaper stands by the
thousands to buy the first issue of the new weekly
magazine "Solidarity."
Like its publisher, the Solidarity labor coalition,
the magazine was unprecedented-the first
publication legally independent of the Communist
Party.
The first issue, with a press run of 500,000 copies,
carried Solidarity's version of the Bydogoszcz in-
cident March 19, when police beat a group of union
leaders.
The incident triggered the most serious labor
crisis since Polish workers won the right to
unionize last summer and led to a four-hour
nationwide warning strike by Solidarity's 10
million members last Friday.
Also in Washington, Vice President George
Bush announced yesterday that the United States
will send new food aid to Poland.
After a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister
Mieczyslaw Jagielski, Bush said the ad-
ministration plans to sell to Poland dairy produc-
ts, including dried milk and butter, at con-
cessionary prices.
Other officials said later Poland was given per-
mission to buy $73 million worth of dairy products
payable in Polish zlotys. They said the offer
represents a discount of about $20 million.
Bush also said more forms of assistance are un-
der urgent consideration by the administration.
He did not elaborate but other sources had said
Wednesday the administration may agree to allow
Poland to defer repayment on its $2.5 billion to the
U.S. government.
Women 's
0 0
Crisis
Center im
limbo
By JANE E. NEIDHARDT
The future of the Ann Arbor Women's Crisis
Center - a non-profit organization founded to
help women cope with crises such as rape,
sexual harrassment, and. economic hardship
- is now in limbo because of cutbacks in
federal assistance under the Reagan ad-
ministration.
The center's only full-time managerial staff
position will lose its federal funding under the
Comprehensive Employment and Training
Act, in the wak e of President Reagan's wave
of cutbacks in the federal budget. Volunteers
and staff members at the center will meet in
an emergency session tomorrow to determine
whether the center will be able to survive the
loss of funds.
STAFF MEMBERS, including the center's
coordinator Jennifer Brown, whose CETA
position is being eliminated, hope to disperse
Brown's current responsibilities among other
non-paid staff members. But, Brown has
warned that if this plan does not work - and a
full-time volunteer cannot be found to replace
her - the center may close.
"We're going to try to keep things operating
as smoothly as possible," Brown said. But,
she added, "We're going to have to readjust
things down at the center."
"Everything (federal funding) is being
channeled into the private sector because
that's what Reagan believes in," Brown said.
"Private businesses are not going to be affec-
ted by the cuts. It's the little people that are
going to get hurt."
BROWN SAID THAT the center had been
going stronger than ever until it received
news of the CETA cut late last week. Since its
origin as the first Rape Crisis Center in the
country in 1972, the WCC has grown and
evolved, keeping pace with the increasing
demand for the services it offers to the com-
munity.
"We have 500 to 600 logs (of callers) a mon-
th. That shows that there are a lot of people
that know about us, and a lot that need u:s,"
Brown said.
Aside from Brown's (formerly) funded
position, thecenter has always worked finan-
See WOMEN'S, Page 18
MSA elections
Baffled about the University's presidential and vice presidential
student government? Confused about candidates and their parties. Also
who to vote for? Tomorrow's Daily look for presidential endorsements on
will include articles about the the Opinion Page.
Michigan Student Assembly
Lunatics at large
S TUDENTS STUDYING AT the grad Wednesday
night may have been startled to see some of their
fellow students driven stark raving bananas by
their academic pressures. But the students wearing
red and blue bandanas running around screaming were
only the Crazed Youth of America. At least that's what they
call themselves. According to the group's leader, who
.i:enr to--r .-m--,n annvn cte t-- nsnmamh.,. rc w.
his group is recruiting fellow crazies at Angel Hall to join in
his group is recruiting fellow crazies at Angel Hall to join in ,
on the fun. Q
Strauss-nappers
Somebody broke into the Strauss Library at West Quad
Wednesday night and kidnapped the patron portrait of
Louis Strauss from the Library's wall. Poor "Louie" is
being held hostage until the library complies with kidnap-
per's demands, an anonymous caller told the Daily yester-
day. At about 11 p.m., the abductors reportedly tricked the
librarian on duty into leaving her post by the door, then
__ F 2 ., _ - - 1. PP i._ ,!.. 1 . n.... n ___ _ L ..3
abused." Krupp said he thinks students will put the
pressure on the_"terrorists" to return the portrait because
"students rely on his picture for inspiration during
studying." Q
Who are we?
'The Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, a
faculty advisory board, seems to be a little unsure of exac-
tly who they are. At Monday's meeting, there was some
nn ..--n - - r t n m ar-ri of a . - r'1 a-,,t, "
Riding rickshaw
For people in Detroit who are bored with buses, tired of
taxies, and can't cope with the cost of cars, Bernie Falahee
has an alternative for getting around town: rickshaw.
Falahee, a laid-off school teacher from Romulus, operates
the city's first and only rickshaw taxi service. Weary
walkers can find Falahee in front of the riverfront
Renaissance Center downtown next to his homemade
rickshaw which he fashioned from an oak harness racing
sulky and a wicker love seat with the legs cut off. For $1 per
ride and 40Q per block per person, Falahee will whisk you
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