The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, January 17, 1989 - Page 3
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Regent addresses
University workers
BY ANNA BONDOC
"It is the best of times. It is the
worst of times."
Quoting Charles Dickens, Uni-
versity Regent Nellie Varner (D-
Southfield) spoke yesterday to
University staff members about the
University's struggle against what
she called an atmosphere "plagued by
racism and bigotry."
The half-hour convocation at
Crisler Arena was the only event
planned for workers on Martin
Luther King Jr.'s Birthday. Though
students had the day off, staff mem-
bers reported to work as usual.
About 2,000 University workers
attended the convocation, and were
paid time-and-a-half overtime - or
two hours of pay amounting to*
about $8.20 - for their attendance,
said Judy Levy, bargaining chair for
the American Federation of State,
Municipal and County Employees
(AFSCME).
It was "a large turnout - bigger
than I had expected," said Operations
staff member Jonathan Graham.
Workers who are part of continu-
ous operations, such as transporta-
tion and Public Safety, were unable
to attend.
Levy said many supervisors re-
quired their workers to attend.
"Workers weren't being given a lot
of choice," said Levy. "It was the
only event open to them."
In her 20-minute speech, Varner
called upon the workers to help
University President James Duder-
stadt implement his Michigan Man-
date by first acknowledging the
problems of racism and then
"confronting them head on."
J. Pitner, a Building Services
worker, said the convocation was ar-
ranged to "get people together" and
that he was "eager to learn more"
about the problems of the Univer-
sity.
But another worker,who asked to
remain unidentified, said he attended
the convocation because he was
"sold out," and only came to receive
the pay.
One of the "worst" aspects which
Varner addressed was the Univer-
sity's "tarnished image" in recent
years - an image she called "an
unworthy stain" of racism.
Varner told the audience that one
of the "best" aspects of the Univer-
sity is that its affirmative action
programs have tried to remain
"faithful in spirit and implementa-
tion"to Martin Luther King Jr.'s
dream.
Some students and workers,
however, have called the Univer-
sity's failure to give workers the day
off unfaithful to that dream.
"We have to be aware of the in-
herent contradictions of Diversity
Day. Workers, most of whom are
people of color, are working to-
day...and they're going to have to
come in and clean up when the
events are over. That's the against
the dream of MLK," said United
Coalition Against Racism member
RUIN LOZNAK/DOIIy
University President James Duderstadt is interviewed by reporters from WJBK-TV Channel
2 in Detroit yesterday. Many members of the press came to the University to cover
Diversity Day events.
iversty Day draws
n om i t t
natona isRIlel a tenlo 1n1
A sign shows support for
workers at yesterday's rally in
the Crisler Center.
Kimberly Smith at yesterday's Unity
March Rally.
Paul Green, a member of AF-
SCME and the Revolutionary
Workers' League said during the
Unity March at noon yesterday that
his hope was to "shut down, the
campus by students and work4s
united to fight institutionaliied
racism".
Levy said that winning a paid
holiday next year for workers would
be "dependent on students and work-
ers fighting together."
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BY LISA FR OMM
AND KEVIN WOODSTON
The University's "Diversity
Day" was an opportunity for both
celebration and public relations,
luring local and national media to
campus yesterday.
The University mailed and
phoned reports, a calender of
events and letters to local TV
stations, radio stations and news-
papers, said Director of Universi-
ty News and Information Services
Joseph Owsley.
"We're a pace-setter nationally
in terms of working to promote
diversity," Owsley said.
It wasn't the first time the
campus was filled with cameras
and microphones. Both national
and local news crews have been
focusing on racial tensions here
since winter of 1987, when racial
incidents sparked student protest.
Detroit television and news-
papers covered yesterday's rally.
Both WJBK TV-2 and WDIV
TV-4, the Detroit Free Press and
the Detroit News had reporters on
the scene.
In addition, University Direc-
tor of Communications Keith
Molin had 19 reporters covering
the events for the University.
Yesterday's activities may also
hit on the national level. The
camera crew of "CBS This
Morning" and producer Lisa San-
ders taped yesterday's events,
possibly to be used in a live
broadcast from the University
Feb. 3.
The CBS special will focus on
campus issues, Sanders said. One
issue officials expect to focus on
is racism.
"The administration pulled it
off. (Diversity Day) sends out the
message that they (the adminis-
tration) are at least trying," said
Sanders.
But United Coalition Against
Racism steering committee
member David Fletcher, a Public
Health graduate student, said the
University was taking too much
credit for the Diversity Day cele-
brations. In fact, he said, the ad-
ministration was using the stu-
dents' efforts to made the day a
University holiday as a PR plug.
"It's rooted in a real concerted
effort to quiet the student strug-
gle. It is a PR campaign (and
these types of campaigns) rarely
come to fruition," Fletcher said.
"People watch the University
of Michigan to see what's hap-
pening and today is important -
but it's the long range efforts that
will make a difference," said De-
troit News reporter Jim Tobin.
The University Undergraduate
admissions office is using foot-
age from Diversity Day as ma-
terial for recruiting films.
'U', Morehouse College
found
BY MELISSA KARPF
University officials ann
plans yesterday to establish a
exchange with Morehouse
of Atlanta, Ga., the alma n
the Reverend Martin Luth
Jr., and the nation's only a
predominantly Black, libera
stitution.
"I think it is propitious
ex changeprogram
this day devoted to celebrating the gan, University officials hope to in-
nounced ideals of the Rev. Martin Luther crease minority representation in tile
a student King Jr., we have the privilege to field.
College announce this unique program be- The plan is reportedly part of
mater of tween Morehouse and our College of University President James Dudrr-
er King Architecture and Urban Planning, stadt's Michigan Mandate, intended
ill-male, said Charles Vest, University "to guide the University to a lea r-
. arts in- provost and vice president for aca- ship position in developing a
demic affairs. pluralistic community."
that on By having Morehouse students "Our architecture program's edi-
complete their senior year at the cational policy committee has been
University's College of Architecture working through the details of it,"
e and Urban Planning and earn one said Linda Groat, associate dean of
year of credit toward a professional the University's College 'of
will dis- degree in architecture from Michi- Architecture and Urban Planning.'
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Josh arrives preaching truth of Bibl
BY GIL RENBERG
For several weeks the curiosity of
students has been aroused by
anonymous announcements
throughout the school that "Josh is
coming" and that students should
"Hear Josh."
Josh is finally here, and last
night the Power Center auditorium
was packed by people who heeded
those words.
Josh McDowell, who prefers to
be called by his first name, is a
* travelling lecturer for the Campus
Crusade for Christ, an international
organization whose local Ann Arbor
chapter invited him to speak. He has
given 19,000 talks to 7 million
people in 72 countries.
His talk, entitled "A Skeptic's
Quest," is Josh's story of how he
started as a skeptic but eventually
accepted Jesus Christ into his heart.
At college, he was challenged to
disprove some of the basic beliefs of
Christianity. However, he came to
realize that he "couldn't do it."
Instead of reinforcing his skepti-
cism, he became convinced of the
Bible's truth. This was difficult for
him to accept.
"I didn't want to believe it... .I
was being intellectually dishonest
with myself," he said.
At last, though, he said he asked
Jesus to come into his life, and he
has been much more happy since
then.
Now, he tries to share his
convictions with others through a
number of media. In addition to
public speaking, he has written 37
books and appeared in 22 films.
Speaking in an interview with the
Daily before his talk, Josh outlined
his hopes for the evening.
"The goal is to cause people to
reevaluate their lives....If you can
just cause a person to say, 'Hey, I
need to look into this further,'
you've accomplished something," he
said.
At the end of the speech he asked
that everyone think about letting Je-
sus into his or her heart, if he is not
already there.
"Jesus Christ not only forgives,
he removes guilt....He changes
lives," Josh explained.
In his second speech tonight, en-
titled "Maximum Sex," heN
rethe m rl i nn~yn f;
cuss te moral questions of intimacy
and relationships.
"It's going to be a very thought-
provoking talk," he said. "I'm not
going to beat around the bush."
The talk begins at 7:30 p.m. at
Hill Auditorium. Admission is free.
Eli Lilly and Company
(A Research Based Pharmaceutical Manufacturer)
Invites University of Michigan Students Interested in
Careers as System Analysts and Summer Internships
to a Reception and Presentation
Thursday, January 19, 1988
Room 1311, EECS Building
5:15 - 7:15 P.M.
A strong computer background is desired with CS,
Engineering, Natural Sciences or Business degrees.
Resumes are requested. Refreshments will be provided.
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CORNER OF STATE AND HILL
994-4040
ALL YOU CAN EAT PIZZA
Every TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY
$375 6:00 p.m.to 9:00 p.m.
THE
LIST
703 1107
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AUDITIONS
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
All Talent Welcome
Comedy, Drama, Musical, Dance
January 22 and 23
Speakers
"Petrological, Isotopic and
Fluid Dynamical Constraints
on Fluid and Melt Transport in
Orogenic Belts" - Stephen M.
Wickham, University of Chicago,
4001 C.C. Little, 4 pm. Coffee and
cookies at 3:30 pm.
"Nonlinear Dynamics: Funda-
mentals and Open Problems" -
Prof. Jerrold Marsden, U.C. Berkeley,
1200 EECS, 4-5:30 pm. Tutorial
Seminar-EECS 760.
Poetry Reading - Derek Walcott,
Rackham Aud., 3:30 pm. Open to the
public. Hopwood Underclassmen
Awards.
"Surface Motions and Relax-
ations of Polymer Layers" -
Prof. Steve Granick, University of
Illinois, 1017 Dow, 4 pm. Refresh-
ments: 3:45 pm.
"The Bolsheviks are Coming!
1919 in the U.S." -
Revolutionary History Series, MLB
118, 7 pm.
Aud., 7:30 pm. Free admission.
Furthermore
Indian Movie: Gharonda (The
Nest) - Video Viewing Room,
MLB, Second Floor, 7 pm. Free ad-
mission. Subtitled in English.
MS-DOS & Macintosh Basic
Skills - 3001 SEB, 9 am-12 noon.
Registration required.
Basic Concepts of Database
Management - 4212 SEB, 10 am-
12 noon. Registration required.
Basic Concepts of Word Pro-
cessing - 4003 SEB, 1-3 pm.
Registration required.
Introduction to Career Plan-
ning and Placement - CP&P,
Library, 4:30-5 pm.
Employer Presentation: United
Way of America - Career Plan-
ning and Placement Center, Confer-
ence Rm., 5-6 pm.
Pre-Conference Workshop -
Career Planning and Placement Center,
o 0
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THE CAMPUS WIDE TALENT CONTEST
Times to be scheduled on sign up sheet
outside the office.
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