"THE CODE"
By
Kenneth Bassey
The code of non-academic conduct has been
passed. It appears that the representatives of
our student body who most vocally opposed the
implementation of this code have lost the battle
for better or for worse. What will life be for Joe
LSA Student with the "code" hanging over his
head? Will it violate students' civil and con-
stitutional rights, or will it be the solution to
racial and sexual incidents that the University
has been looking for?
In order for the LSA-SG to form an unbiased
opinion on the code, they attempted to analyze
all sides of the issue before jumping to a pre-
conceived conclusion, about the code. There-
fore, the LSA-SG invited speakers holding op-
posing points of view to come to our weekly
meetings and present their position, for or
against a non-academic code.
Speaking in opposition to the code was
Michael Phillips, a member of MSA. Phillips
bases his position on the feeling that the present
justice system is adequate and violators should
be dealt with by the local authorities-not the
University. He says that Fleming's presenta-
tion of his draft, and ultimate implementation,
was just another "public relations" game to
give the illusion of the University as an ivory
tower." Phillips further declared that Fleming
is in the perfect position to pass this draft
because he has "nothing to lose" due to his
interim presidency status.
We then invited the History Department's
Professor Livermore to speak in favor of
regulating non-academic behavior. Since as
students, the LSA-SG members had not been
accustomed to hearing, pro-code.reasoning,
Professor Livermore's speech was quite in-
formative. He spoke more toward the general
principle of having a code of non-academic
conduct on campus rather than dealing with
Fleming's draft. Although Livermore recog-
nizes the importance of the freedom of speech
and press, he claims that when the intent behind
such expressions is deliberately malicious or
harmful, it interferes with the learning process
and can go without punishment by law. He
therefore told the LSA-SG of his feelings that
the University must make every effort to punish
those who deliberately harm others by abusing
their freedom of expression.
Creating such a code, Livermore continued,
is necessary to ensure that the University of
Michigan be accessible to all groups and to
guarantee that no particular group feels
threatened. The Professor also added that
education is an integral part of preventing fu-,
ture incidents. With further education, the dif-
ference between making one's opinion clear
and intentionally offending another party will
become clear. The University must show that it
is willing to put its foot down and let people
know that the occurrences of the past will not be
tolerated in the future.
While there are still many differences of op-
inion on the LSA Exectutive Council as to how
the code will affect University students, we
wish to encourage the student body to be open-
minded and to form opinions based on an edu-
cated consideration of all points of view.
"THE LSA CURRICULUM
COMMITTEE
By
Jennifer Clough
The LSA Curriculum Committee has been a
part of my life at Michigan for over a semester.
This committee has influence over the aca-
demic segment of the college, and as a student
representative I get a chance to voice my op-
inions, concerns, and ideas every Tuesday
afternoon from 3:00 to 5:00. This forum of
direct contact with faculty has been quite an
experience and a great way to receive hands-on
training in understanding how and why what
'happens at this university, happens! Since
October, when I joined the committee, we have
entertained a number of issues. However,
throughout most of the issues which have been
addressed are two recurring themes: a concern
about the students' quality of writing and the
presence of critical thinking in the LSA
courses.
These two aspects of education are highly
related as it is often through writing that we are
forced to critically think about an issue and put
our thoughts into words. Both concerns have
come into play through a variety of different
channels. As a curriculum committee, we have
the task of approving new and revised courses.
One of the most important factors that de-
termines this approval is the amount of writing
and critical thinking the course requires of the
student. This concern has been focused espe-
cially on 100 level classes. Because of size,
many professors of these courses find it diffi-
cult to assign extensive writing. One can easily
see the problem of executing such assignments,
but it is a problem that needs resolution. Dif-
ficulty in mechanics cannot be an excuse for
neglecting the college's responsibility to the
improvement of student writing.
Writing can be done in introductory level
courses. I participated in three large in-
troductory lecture courses during the Fall term
and all required essay exams and papers. The
teaching assistants assumed the grading
responsibility. However, many departments
contend that they do not have the resources to
pay the teaching assistants for the extra work.
The committee is struggling with such constant
conflicts between the ideal curriculum and the
practical reality of the University setting. It is a
vital concern that freshpersons and sophomores
learn to write well enough in preparation for
upper level courses and future endeavors.
The Curriculum Committee also places great
emphasis on the need for critical thinking in the
courses offered in LSA. Recently, the possibil-
ity of inserting a quantitative reasoning course
into the curriculum has been discussed. The
Harvard course has served as a model. Many on
the committee believe that a course in quantita-
tive reasoning would aid students in receiving
the intellectual liberal arts education that a uni-
versity as respected as Michigan should offer.
Discussion on the feasibility of implementing
such a course is sure to be on the agenda of
many future meetings.
Ensuring that the curriculum in the college of
LSA will produce graduates from the Univer-
sity of Michigan who are prepared for the world
is always an underlying concern of the Curricu-
lum Committee. Recently, attempts at improv-
ing the quality of writing and integrating criti-
cal thinking into the curriculum have been the
primary routes taken to achieve this goal. I am
glad to have played a role in working toward
this purpose.
"THE LSA
STUDENT
GOVERNMENT:
WE'RE HERE
FOR YOU!"
"WHAT IS Tf BE DONE?"4'9
"'AND NOW FOR THE SENIORS...
''
Illise Schulman
Remember your high school graduation?
Think hard. Remember how you walked across
the stage and shook hands with the principal as
your name was announced over a loudspeaker
and your friends and family cheered?
Well, the school of LSA is a bit larger than
your high school. It's not always so easy to feel
that you're important. But, once you've earned
your 120 credits, your student government
thinks you deserve some personal recognition.
After all, completing a degree at the U of M is
no minor accomplishment.
The LSA Student Government annually
sponsors commencement festi-vities held by in-
dividual departments within the college. These
small ceremonies and receptions (complete
with invitations and hors d'oevres!) provide an
opportunity for students' individual successes
to be recognized, and for parents of graduating
seniors to meet with faculty members. LSA-SG
gladly provides funding for these events, and
assists the departments with invitations and
preparations. Hope to see you there . . . and
congratulations graduates!
by
Barb Eisenberger, President
Just in case you haven't noticed, we attend a
large University. Just in case you haven't
noticed, the communication channel between
the administration and the student body is weak
at best. And moreover, you probably have not
noticed the fact that you have a student govern-
ment. A student government that is always
ready and willing to listen to your comments
and complaints. A student government that is
here to act as your liaison to the administration.
The LSA Student Government.
Your student government consists of 15
elected executive council members, a president
and vice-president, a treasurer, a secretary, and
a fund allocator. Elections for presidential and
council positions are held each November. The
secretary, treasurer, and fund allocator are
appointed by the council through interviews
that are open to all LSA Students.
One of the primary duties of your student
government is fund allocating. Our financial
resources come from you, the student body.
Each student is assessed a 75 cent fee each term
in his/her tuition. Student organizations with
LSA Memberships and/or with interests affect-
ing LSA Students go through a fund allocating
process before receiving funds not to exceed
$200 per term. Many of these groups use this
money to bring speakers to campus or to spon-
sor various other events.
Another important function of your student
government is acting as a liason between the
student body and the administration. Issues that
have been noted as concerns by you are in turn
voiced through appropriate channels to the ad-
ministration. It is our hope that with some hard
work on our part and support on yours, im-
provements will be made.
I urge you to come see what we're all about.
Our meetings are every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in
the MSA Chambers (3909 Michigan Union).
Come bring your concerns to us. Just in case
you haven't noticed, we are here for you!
"KEEPING IN
TOUCH... "
By
Virginia Chang
LSA-SG, MSA, UMASC, UCAR, ...
what do all of these acronyms mean and how do
their functions overlap? The University of
Michigan currently has well over 450 student
organizations registered on campus, the major-
ity of which are autonomous bodies acting in-
dependently of each other.
While many of these groups may indeed be
striving towards similar ends, little effort has
been put forth to organize and explore the
possibilities for collaboration. The political y-
oriented groups in particular shoud -. t be pro-
ceeding by mutually exclusive meain.
Scott Aikens
It is a travesty. The University of Michigan is
proclaimed to be the finest public institution in
this country. Yet its writing program is highly I
suspect at best. That one of its finest Univer-
sities pays so little attention to teaching the 1
fundamentals of writing is a poor reflection on
the United States. After all, the pen is the tool
of the intellectual. If America's top in-
tellectuals are not adequately taught how to use
this pen, this is obviously a travesty. What can c
be done? The University must first decide
where the problem lies within the writing pro- 1
gram. What might be considered the three areas
of greatest concern are resource distribution to
the program, the administration of the pro-
gram, and the quality of the program. After
reviewing these problem areas, an outline for a
new program needs to be developed.
The University does not devote enough ma-
terial resources to its writing program. Without
money, the Teaching Assistants. cannot be
trained properly. Even more importantly, with-
out funding, the program cannot attract high
quality TAs. A major reason why we as stu-
dents continually complain about TAs is be-
cause the University does not devote enough
money to its instructors. Another problem is
that there are only two required courses in writ-
ing, and these are not necessarily intensive.
More money needs to be spent on training TAs,
hiring high quality instructors, and increasing
the quantity and the quality of the classes
taught. Upon receiving more money, time can
be spent trying to solve the problems of the
administration of the writing, program and the
content of the program.
The writing program at University of Michi-
gan is in great need of centralization. Three
groups, (English 125, the English Department,
and the English Composition Board), control
the writing program. As of now, they do not
coordinate their efforts or resources in a suf-
ficient manner. They each oversee different
aspects of the program. This has created confu-
sion and inefficiency. Decentralization further
exists within the ECB between different de-
partments. The History. Department provides
one example of having an excellent writing
program. Accordingly, the History program at
the University of Michigan is highly regarded.
There are about 14 history colliquims
(396,367)'which meet in small groups, most of
which are ECB courses.
Once funds have been allocated and a
supervising sturcture has been set in place, the
University can set about improving the quality
of writing instruction. Some of the major prob-
lems that need to be dealt with are the lack of
structure in these courses. It seems that the TA
is supposed to teach in the style in which they
feel they are capable. A more regimental sys-
tem is required here. More emphasis is espe-
cially needed on technique including grammar,
sentence structure, and style. Of course, it will
be necessary to create a system which will
allow for the varying levels of profficiency of
entering students. Perhaps, the individual stu-
dent should be allowed to place himself as is
done in Mathematics. The program must be
intensified as it must be a course that is taken
seriously by the students.
In contrast, the Economics Department has
only one ECB course. There is a great need for
uniformity between departments. The situation
would be improved if the University created
one department to oversee all aspects of the
writing program. This would ensure continuity
throughout an individual's four years at the
University. The department would coordinate
all of the current means of supervising writing
(ECB, English Dept., English 125, and the
various other departments). They could, for
example, lobby for more ECB courses in the
Economics department and would give the
writing program a singular voice. This group
would also provide directing and support at
every level of the program.
Following is a proposed writing program
consisting of three courses. Although it is
sketchy, the University must begin somewhere
in creating an improved mechanism to teach
students how to write. First, there should be a
two course sequence in each student's fresh-
man year. The first should be a class on social
consciousness. It will be a class in which stu-
dents write on various topics such as racism,
sexism, homophobia, class antagonisms, and
the like. Teaching Assistants will have the dual
role of working on the students' writing as well
as mediating discussions raised by the papers.
The class content will come from the socia
issues raised by the students own experiences.
This way, the TA can concentrateon writing
technique. The second part of the sequence will
be a writing course set up in individual de-
partments. (Political Science, History, Biol-
ogy, etc.) This way, the student can learn the
writing technique in a subject of their own
choosing. These courses will be created by
individual departments and will place equal
emphasis on content as well as on writing in-
struction. The third course of the writing pro-
gram will be a Junior/Senior ECB course in the
department of the student's major. To do this,
there is going t haveto be an equal number of
ECB classes in each department.
The roots of my vehement position pertain-
ing to the writing program stem from the
following comments made by an upper-level
administrator: "If the public knew the quality
of the University writing program, it would be a
national scandal." I am making a plea that
money be sought, centralization take place. and
the quality of the writing program be improved.
This University is too worthy an institution to
be so hindered by'a weak writing program.
"4Ri
REG
Let's fac
University
acronym,
down. Conr
one of the
country, th
or "CRISP
run and hid
Governmer
on by maki
through its
believe tha
technology
able in orde
process.
We have
with possib]
main goals
Conduct
check off
overcrow
upthe th
speciala
partment
classes w
Overcrov
quality o
tions, wo
Explorin
drop/add
drop you
Sexuality
ing CRIS
Chicago
All you w
ter operat
I.D. num
Expandin
available
come inc
has gaine
ficulty in
The lines
ply are n
telephone
such vital
problem I'
Many ot
pre-registrat
come from
stitutions th
have alread
including th
versity of N
University
gathered fro
tration will N
system at th
We are lo
coupe of n
prQvements
If you have
like to lend
chairperso
Group. Viri
the LSA offi
gan Union.,o
i i
I T'5N OT YN FrcR, MAL.L ,
?A~trf5 V OULD Q IC F T 4.Y
KNEY T-'NAg cATMN& A
4.169AL ARTS MAJOR.
SA Student Government
e University of Michigan
4003 Michigan Union
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
NON-PROFIT,
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Permit No. 144
At the minimal level of cooperation, a reso-
lution can often be passed as a demonstration of
support by one group for another on important
issues. The strength of any endeavor will be
bolstered by a network of support. At a more
active level of interaction, organizations could
combine their respectiveresources towards
joint projects. The LSA Student Government
wishes to foster such collaboration and will
examine its potential by hosting a student
leadership conference in early April at the
Michigan Union. Although an agenda will be
followed, the gathering is informal, and the
participants will be representatives from the
political/issue oriented organizations on cam-
pus. Interested students can. ontact the
Communications/Correspondence Action
Group at the LSA Student Government Office
on the' fourth floor of the' Michigan Union,
763-4799.
r
i
- I -