v lw 772 V V V 2 V V V V V U LSA Journal November, 1986 LSA Journal November. 1986 GRADUATION REQUIRE- MENTS by Stephanie Farber As graduation approaches, we as the LSA Student Government council, want to make sure that you are aware of the procedure you must undergo. Graduation is not automatic. Students must file a diploma application and a concentration release form signed by you concentration advisor. Further, if you happen to be concentrating in more than one field of study, you must file a release form for each concentration. If you are seeking a BGS, you should submit a BGS Senior check form in place of a concentration release form. You can pick up both these forms in 1221 Angell Hall and should be returned there or to the Senior Auditor's Office, 1401 Mason Hall. Further, if you are an Honors Student, you should pick up your concentration release form in 1210 Angell Hall. These forms must be signed by an authorized Honor Concentration advisor for your program and returned to the Honors office. After the Senior Auditor's Office has received your forms they will officially audit your record to determine what is needed, if anything, to complete your degree requirements. You will be mailed a copy of the audit within four weeks of the time you handed in your forms., Although it is not urgent to file for graduation this term, we do recommend that you do so if you plan on graduating in May. You do not have to have completed all your requirements to file. The advantage to filing early is that you wil know before your final term what you must take to graduate. Finally, we recommend that you make an appointment as soon as possible, to see a general advisor at the LSA Counseling office, in order to confirm that you have completed all your distribution requirements for the LSA college. Furthermore, we recommend you make an appointment with your concentration advisor. You should bring your concentration Release form and have your advisor review your file to see what is needed to complete your concentration. Then you should return the release form to its appropriate location to start the senior audit process. This is an extremely important process and it should not be taken lightly. If you have any questions about this procedure or graduation in general, you can call or stop by either LSA Counseling office in 1213 Angell Hall, the Senors Auditor's office, or LSA Student Government office at 4003 Michigan Union. EXTERNAL COMMITTEES by Michael Rolnick Besides the Executive Council of LSA-SG which is elected every November, LSA-SG is made up of six external committees. They are: Judiciary, Admissions, Curriculum, Joint Student-Faculty Policy, Library and Comprehensive Studies Program. Each committe is crucial to the livelihood of LSA. Students are appointed to these committees every September. Academic Judiciary, which is, composed of seven students and an equal number of faculty members, decides on cases of alleged student academic misconduct such as plagiarism and cheating and alleged inappropriate practices on the part of the faculty The student membership of Academic Judiciary also makes up the LSA Judiciary, whose sole purpos° is to enforce the rules established by LSA- SG, in addition to certifying LSA-SG election returns. Five faculty members and four students make up the Admissions Committee. This committee serves as an executive committee to the Director of Admissions. Recent issues discussed in this committee have been rolling admissions, Affirmative Action and acceptance of ACT scores. The Curriculum Committee approves allncourses taught in the college. Five faculty members and three students comprise this group. In addition this committee formulates and recommends policies on issues such as distribution, and foreign language requirements. The Joint Student-Faculty Policy Committee, which is composed of six students and six faculty members, has direct access to the. LSA faculty meeting each 'month. They diocuss issues regarding tenure, TA training, cheating, and college governance. This group can basically deal with any and everything. It is the only LSA committee with direct access to the LSA faculty. The relationship between the college and the University Library System is handled by the Library Committee. Past and current issues include library hours, study space, and lounges. One LSA student sits on this committee which recently approved the new lounge in the Undergraduate Library. LSA-SG appoints one student to sit on the executive committee of the comprehensive studies program which offers LSA students an extraordinary educational experience through personalized counseling, intensive sect6ns for introductory courses and tutorials, which gives students unparalleled guidance throughout their education. The CSP executive committee overlooks the operations of the CSP. These six committees are vital to the functioning of the college of LSA. Anyone interested in these committees should contact LSA-SG (4003 Michigan Union). THE VALUE OF A LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION by Mary Leddy University evolved as a. system available for those members of society with the largesse to discover the thinking process of the world before. The impetus for this discovery was to continue a tradition of civilization. Education is and was a vehicle for molding the intellect of an individual such that he could interact progressively in society, as mankind seeks to find modes and ways of living together harmoniously and constructively. Here seems to be a trend of the last couple decades which unfortunately had led us to ask the question "what is the value of a liberal arts education?" This pattern is the de-contextuli'ation of education itself, in which it is currently seen simply as a means of 'e A scenerio has developed in recent years which concentrates on specializations and pre-determined vocations. This notion strays from the initial intention of educational institutions: that of a broad education. As participants in the university system, it is imperative that we are cognizant of the worth of education for education's sake. Students of the liberal arts are not simply directionless non enterprizers. Rather, we are opting to open ourselves to a slew of disciplines which will form not only academics but also better politicians, businessmen, communicators and social human beings in general. This is because the skills one can acquire as a liberal arts student are inherently valuable t" any endeavor. The ability to think in modes outside of one's limited culture and upbring places one in a position to effect constructive change. However, it is true that economic concerns are present. Now that we have decided upon a course of becoming thinking individuals let's keep ourselves in good. This need not force us into a position of anxiety. For there has been a grasswots reaction to the stratified skills of people who are to highly specified. There is an increasing amount of literature about the need for flexible well rounded individuals in the work place. Furthermore' it is not uncommon to see employers recognizing these talents in their hiring practices. Another aspect of the situation is the evidence of many recent graduates who have found that the training for the daily tasks was acquired on the job rather than in their career-oriented educations. .In fact many have expressed remorse for not having taken advantage of the opportunity to be exposed to a wider range of ideals in college. Thus, these new trends are certainly encouraging to the liberal arts student. And those of us who have not capitulated to the vocational educational dogma will be well rewarded not only on a personal level but also on an economic one. Still, it is quite disturbing that we need to justify our desire for education and defend ourselves against those who claim to be "practical". As is the nature of history it seems we have come a full circle: today, as during any Renaissance, the value of the well- rounded is once agai. recognized. A FRESHMAN'S FIRST STEPS By Jason Feingold An incoming freshman is faced with many decisions when CRISing for the first time at U. of M. To an upperclassman, many of these decisions might seem simple or unimportant, but they are very serious to a beginning student. There is a pervasive feeling that one is choosing the path that his education will follow. At one point in time, the educational path of a student in the College of L, S, & A was obvious. It led to a well-rounded liberal arts education. Now freshmen must choose between pursuing knowledge and pursuing money. The choice is usually money. Judging from my =everyday interactions with my classmates, I'd say the typical LSA freshman is either pre-med, pre-law, pre-business, or simply "pre-wealth". The pre-professional course load for these students is almost always one- dimensional, with emphasis on the demands of the particular trade. The L, S, & A distribution requirements that do not pertain to or affect the student's intended major are grudgingly fulfilled in the most painless and effortless manner possible. Since the content of these courses is rarely of interest to the pre-professional student, and having to take them is often considered a burden, the opportunities for a thorough liberal arts education are wasted. The LSA pursue know professional social, and fi often force L general edu increase thei values, no professional In any case, reflection on educational i today's young rewards of rewards of kr Where do I am trying explore the v here at U. c myself startin ask, "What I major get?" answer. Th after colleg training is m age. It's en Maybe some I OPPORTUNI- TIES FOR FRESHMEN by Debbie Feiwell Are you tired of sitting in your dorm room with nothing to do? Well don't! There are a number of opportunities to fill those empty hours of loneliness The University of Michigan is a place full of opportunities. How about joining an extracurricular club? There is the Undergraduate Law Club, The University of Michigan Economic Society, The Public Relations Club, and many others. If you are athletic, there are intramural sports. You can play football, basketball, tennis, hockey, swim, and basically play any sport you can think of. The IM Building, CCRB, and NCRB all provide environments suitable for your sport. If you don't feel like playing a sport, watch one. Being a spectator is often as much fun as being a player. If you are into dance, Impace Jazz is a great opportunity to meet other dancers and utilize your dancing skills. The CCRB offers dance, karate, yoga, aerobics and much more. If you like to act, there are auditions every semester for various broadway plays. If you like to sing there are numerous large and small groups that perform on campus._ For example there are the Friars, Strangers on a Train, Madrigals, Women's Glee Club, Chantideer Quartet, and many others. UAC is an organization run by students for the students and offers many opportunities to take on "real world" responsibilities Some of UAC's activities include Michigras, Homecoming weekend, laughtracks at the U- Club and many others. The Michigan yearbook, Michigan video yearbook, and the Daily also offer experience that will benefit you after graduation. Now is the time to get involved because your next four years will fly by before you know it. There are more clubs and extracurricular activities than you would ever imagine, so get out there and take advantage of everything the University of Michigan has to-offer - - YOU ARE ONLY A FRESHMAN ONCE! CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT: WHAT IS IT? by Martha Sampliner Are you concerned about your future? Do you wonder what you can do with a liberal arts degree after you graduate? Do you want to further your education and go to graduate or professional school? Or have you had enough studying and want to take a shot at the working world?. Career Planning and Placement (C.P. and P to those who are familiar with it ) has many services to offer the liberal arts student: there is an extensive multi-media career resource library, a credentials service for collecting and sending letters of recommendation to prospective employers or graduate schools, as well as counseling by appointment and advising on a w4lk-in basis. The service that many upperclassmen seem to find the most valuable is a recruiting service for graduating seniors. This service allows you to interview with a variety of firms and graduate schools that recruit on campus. This service does not guarantee a job offer, but it will help you gain invaluable experience in the interviewing process. There are programs at C.P. and P which take place continuously throughout the academic year to assist in choosing a major, selecting a career, or conducting a job search. Many of these programs involve workshops where you get "hands-on" experience with such things as writing and interviewing. There is no fee involved; all one has to do is utilize C.P. and P and take advantage of its many services. So drop by the third floor of the Student Activities Building or give them a call .at 764-2460 and find out how C.P. and P can help you. If you are having trouble answering these questions, you are not alone. But there is help available. Career Planning and -Placement can be a valuable asset in your search for future directions. ESCAPE THE WINTER BLUES tT' NOT YO'U rFRAOIALL 4 AL4PF-r2.. ITrr 5 ur --MAT '14I f4A5 AOUI.-I pie f -Mey KNEET tNA QAT-h4GA 4.169AL AKA5 MAJOR.- 4) by Amy Nick As the cold weather slowly creeps up and exams begin to dominate thoughts, you may begin to wonder about the ways you can relieve stress and enjoy exercise during what may sum like endless days of snow and tension. The university has answers for you. The Central Campus Recreation Building (CCRB), The Intramural Sports Building (IM), and the North Campus Recreation Building (NCRB) are all, available at no charge to registered students. They are open a wide variety of hours, have a wide array of facilities and are all conveniently located to wherever you may live on or off campus. The drop- in program is designed so each user- regardless of age, sex, or skill level- can take part in any of the varied recreational sports offered. The IM B East Hoover buildings. racquetball c weight roon gymnasium a number of sti of classes fro The CCR: located for halls, as it si foot bridge o CCRB is a s an olympic si complete weil paddleball co and various aerobics, jazz Finally, tl the three, loc 2375 Hubba facilities in rooms, exerc racquetball c variety of dai All three locker rooms and rental e So, grab yc I.D., and a one of Michig blues. The c not to stay