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Page 4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 4, 1986
RC education stresses
language and pajamas
By MARTIN FRANK
At 9 am, Bob Garnsey rolls out of
bedi. He has ten minutes to get to
class. Most University students would
jist fall back asleep, but Bob, and 1 650
others like him, still have plenty of
time.
Bob walks over to the closet, puts on
his bathrobe, grabs a pop-tart, and
ambles down the stairs to his class -
with five minutes to spare. Bob is a
LSA, I don't feel I can improve
because I don't get the personal atten-
tion that I do in the RC. I find that with
an RC evaluation, I can pinpoint my
weaknesses and work them out. You
just don't get that kind of personalized
attention at a big school like this."
Personalized attention is a big fac-
tor in the RC because class sizes are
much smaller than those of other
schools at the University.
'I find that with an RC evaluation, I can
pinpoint my weaknesses and work them
,out.'
-RC junior Bob Garnsey
"artsy," and stresses such
humanities courses as language and
the visual arts.
RC students undergo a "intensive"
language program, taking eight
credits a semester for three terms.
Regular language courses consist of
four credits a term for four terms.
After reaching proficiency, studen-
ts must take an additional language
course to meet their requirements.
Courses such as Arts and Ideas in
the 20th Century, as well as the In-
tellectual Currents of the Renaisance
provide students with rigorous
education in literature, drama, and
the visual arts.
Outside of school, RC students have
traditionally excelled in the arts,
especially in writing. RC students are
often among the top in the annual
Hopwood Awards for creative writing
and poetry.
Despite these difference from
regular LSA courses, RC students
receive LSA degrees, and must meet
LSA requirements.
"The RC has given me the liberal
arts education that I have sought
without the hassle of being one of
10,000 LSA students," Garnsey says.
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jpnior in the Residential College.
Students in the RC, a small liberal
arts college within the College of
Iterature, Science, and Arts, are
required to live in East Quad for at
least two years.
The live-in requirements suits
students fine because most RC cour-
ses are taught in the building. The
glasses, however, aren't taught there
so that RC students can sleep late.
Living and Learning
The classes contribute to a "unique
living and learning experience," said
Nancy Kushigian, director of coun-
seling in the RC.
The RC, established in 1967 to
provide, "A good LSA education in a
small atmosphere," is different in
,many ways from regular LSA,
, ~ushigian says.
Students do not receive a letter
grade for their efforts. Instead, they
,re graded with either a passing or a
failing mark, which is followed with
,an evaluation from the teacher. The
.evaluation, which gives students a
,,etter sense of how they're doing,
Kushigian says.
M Garnsey, who takes both RC and
.LSA courses, prefers the evaluation,
.aying, "When I get a grade in the
For example, freshman English in
the RC averages 15 students per class,
whereas the same course in the LSA
averages about 23 students per class,
said Kushigian.
The smaller class sizes enable
students to feel more comfortable, to
speak up in class and voice their
opinions.
Artsy
The RC has a reputation as being
Doily Photo by MATT PETRIE
Visitors
Students wait in line last November to visit University President Hrold Shapiro and his wife Vivan, a professor
of social work. The Shapiros traditionally hold an open house in their home on South University once a year.
Guaranteed grad. admission fights specialization
By PHILIP LEVY
For most students, it's difficult enough to be
accepted to the University as an un-
dergraduate. But a few freshmen this year
were admitted to a University graduate
program as well.
The "preferred admissions" program,
beginning this fall, is intended to allow talented
students to get a broad liberal arts education
without worrying about impressing graduate
school admissions officers.
36 students have been admitted to the
University's business, natural resources,
pharmacy, and dental schools this year. But at
press time, it was unknown how many of the
students would enroll. The School of Social
Work will join the program next fall.
Peter Steiner, dean of the College of
Literature, Science, and Arts, and a creator of
the plan, said he hopes to ultimately have 200
students in the program.
Response to the program was low this year,
said a spokesman for the School of Natural
Resources, because "It's relatively new and I
don't think people are aware of it yet."
Fighting over-specialization
"The problem is an awful lot of good studen-
ts, who know from their junior year (in high
school) what they want to do, get so
vocationally oriented that they spend their
whole undergraduate career trying to get into
the professional school of their choice," Steiner
said.
Steiner's attention was drawn to the issue, he
said, when a student he was talking to decided
not to take a course out of fear of getting a B +.
"That was insane," Steiner said.
"We're trying to say, if you're good enough,
you'll be admitted. In the meantime, take
something sensible," he said.
Some requirements
Requirements for admissions vary from
school to school. After enrollment, students
must still meet minimum academic standar-
ds-decided by each school-although Michael
Donahue, the University's assistant director of
admissions, said standards will be lower for
students in the program.
Students will still be required to take some
relevant courses-such as economics for the
business school.
Jane Lieberthal, assistant director of the
business school's admissions office, said while
the school would gain students with a
broader background, the program is aimed
mainly to help students.
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Work at the Union-
We'll teach YOU a lesson or two.
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than just employ. Sure, you can have your work schedule built door host, a v
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public conta
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The Union - the center of campus life - has job opportunities For wrmatic
available both in University of Michigan Union departments and
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You'll learn a lot by working here. Michigan Union has been train- staff. Contact
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like managing people, organizing events and promotions, account- your portfolio
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to higher levels of responsibility so that you can continue to learn. 5493.
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latest best se
Here are just a few of the places, either part of or located in the tion, or work
bookstores. A
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995-8877.
lIhid
UNON
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At the SCHEDULING OFFICE, learn about facilities manage-
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work in marketing and promotions, be a student manager, or
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