APRIL 1988 News Features
U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER 5
APRIL 1988 * News Features U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER 5
Lesbians
go Greek
at UCLA
By Michael Ashcraft
* Daily Bruin
U. of California, Los Angeles
The gang met in Lu Valle Com-
mons at least three times a week to
sip coffee, smoke cigarettes, gossip
and occasionally joke that they had
become something of a sorority.
So when the women took steps
this quarter toward forming a new
sorority, nothing seemed unique or
'unusual--except that all nine are
lesbians.
Lambda Delta Lambda, now
polishing its constitution before re-
ceiving official recognition from the
university, is in many ways a
maverick in the Greek system at U.
of California, Los Angeles and
around the nation.
"We all grew up in a straight soci-
ety ... and we understand how it
works," said member Julie Lever-
ance. "But we also understand how
different the gay society is. All
we're doing is creating a positive
alternative for ourselves within the
system."
Along with other Greeks, Lamb-
da Delta Lambda will hold rush
and pledge functions, social dances
and participate in major Greek
events. They will also require
pledges to complete social work for
women or gay concerns before in-
itiation, hold fundraisers for AIDS
research and co-sponsor awareness
presentations.
"We want to make the point that
being lesbian is more than just the
sex thing," said member Debi
Knight. "We have community in-
terests."
With few precedents in the U.S.,
the new lesbian sorority may be-
come a political statement. "Since
we are lesbians and we're trying to
make a point by going in where it's
been straight for years and years,
they (society members) are going to
make it political whether we want
it to be or not," said member Lauren
Susman.
The start-up sorority's freshly-
penned constitution bars discri-
mination. "This group is a reaction
to discrimination," Leverance said.
"It would be pretty hypocritical for
us to discriminate against any
heterosexual who would want to
join this group."
Even the Greek letters have
meaning for lesbians. The lambda,
president Allison Adler explained,
was associated with homosexuality
in ancient Greece. The delta was
worn by gays under the Nazi
regime.
In the March issue, the story on page 5
Admission testing nixed incorrectly
stated that Brown U. (RI) has waived
} admission testing scores. We apologize
for the error.
Biology prof
By Tina Burnside
The Minnesota Daily
U. of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Genetics and cell biology professor
Val Woodward has an offer most Uni-
versity students can't refuse. If you take
his heredity class, he'll guarantee you
won't get a D or an F. This quarter, more
than 600 students are enrolled in Biolo-
gy 1101: Heredity and Human Society.
"I had heard from other students that
it was an easy class, so I took it," said
junior Lisa Smith. "I barely went to
class except on the quiz days, but I pas-
sed. It was great."
But Woodward has a reason for his
grading policy. "This is not a class de-
signed to weed people out,"he said. "It is
guarantees C or better
designed to help students gain an in-
sight about themselves and give them a
general understanding of genetics.
Woodward awards 25 percent of his
class As, 50 percent Bs, and 25 percent
Cs. Students who don't pass are given
an incomplete. He admits that most stu-
dents, but not all, take the course be-
cause it is considered easy.
Professors are free to determine their
own grading policies, said Kathie Peter-
son, director of student services in the
Genetics and Cell Biology Department.
"I'm taking the class because I have
an interest in genetics and the class
seems interesting," sophomore Tony
Giombetti said.
"I like the idea of the teacher not
wanting to hold students back, and that
he is more concerned with students
learning concepts rather than just
memorizing facts."
Woodward said many introductory
courses are in danger of being elimin-
ated under the University's Commit-
ment to Focus improvement plan.
"They would like to get rid of these
courses. They want students to enter
the University ... and start working
directly on their majors, and not fool
around with these so-called 'Mickey
Mouse' courses," he said.
"I flatly disagree. This class is de-
signed to give everyone an equal oppor-
tunity to an education, not to eliminate
a few."
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