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 1 i