'U' teleco
highlights
HistoryIM
byRuthLittmann
The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 2, 1990 - Page 3
nference
Black
Ionth
Daily Staff Writer
Thousands of people at colleges,
universities, military installations,
secondary schools, and government
agencies tuned into yesterday's na-
tionwide teleconference titled
"Beyond the Dream II- A Celebra-
tion of Black History."
The two-hour long conference;
commemorating the beginning of
Black History Month, combined
documentaries on Blacks in art, liter-
ature, and entertainment with panel
discussions about challenges facing
Black Americans in education, eco-
nomics, and politics.
University Vice Provost for Mi-
nority Affairs Charles Moody partic-
ipated in the conference, which was
aired via satellite from Fairfax, Va.
Addressing the issue of Blacks in
education, Moody said, "There are
more Blacks incarcerated today than
in college."
Moody said a remedy for this
problem lies "not in cosmetic
changes of society... You have to
change the institutions."
Teleconference panelists also
called for parent involvement in
schools. They said, however, that it
is in the best interest of all citizens
to get involved with education.
"People have to remember one
thing," said Moody, pointing out the
need students have for role models.
"We're all in this together. We
should all be mentors and sponsors
of students. We are all one."
Unity among Blacks was a pre-
vailing theme of the conference as
panelists proposed that the freedom
of Blacks is "indivisible.
"If any one of us is impover-
ished, all of us are," the panelists
agreed.
Bernice King, daughter of the late
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dis-
cussed the Civil Rights Movement,
saying, "As long as we remain con-
nected, the dream of the 1960s and
our dream today won't slip away."
Democratic National Committee
Chair Ronald Browne, who also par-
ticipated in the conference as a pan-
elist, urged the Black community to
take an active part in politics.
"Politics is not a spectator
sport," Browne said. "It takes in-
volvement. You don't change insti-
tutions just because you change
leadership, but it can help."
So that explains it ...
Getting an edge on the finals competition, graduate student Xiaoying Wei cracks open a book on the third
floor of the Undergraduate Library.
* '
Symposium addresses economic,
political issues to face world in 190s
Transfer students attempt to
adjust to life at a big school
by Gwen Shaffer
by Eric Phillips
A University professor told a
200-member audience last night that
"communists are still leading figures
Win Eastern European countries," de-
spite the recent reforms.
During a Rackham Amphitheater
symposium, Assistant Sociology
Professor Michael Kennedy added,
"Communists are not the major
threat. Indeed, the communists have
played a major role in democratic
transitions in those countries."
Kennedy was one of eight profes-
sors predicting world political and
*economic prospects for the '90s yes-
terday at a symposium entitled "An
Agenda for the 1990's: Political and
Economic Issues.".
The symposium, sponsored by
several University study centers, ad-
dressed issues ranging from "Islamic
Fundamentalism in the Middle East"
tQ "The Dilemma of Democracy in
China" through brief presentations
from scholars. All the presentations
utilized rich historical traditions to
explain recent changes in world poli-
tics.
Kennedy said economic transi-
tions and national animosities will
serve as two dilemmas for Eastern
European democracy in the 1990s.
"In particular, national animosities
are more likely to be fueled than ex-
tinguished by democracy," he said.
Professor of Sociology Martin
Whyte optimistically assessed
democracy's chances for evolution in
communist China. "I do not come
out pessimistic, despite the brutal
events of last summer, because you
can see the robust seeds of democ-
racy being sown," he said.
'One of the
motivations behind
the change in Japan is
their international
image as science and
technology vacuum
cleaners.'
- Eleanor Westney
'U' Visiting Professor
"What's happened since the
events of last summer is an effort to
put the genie back in the bottle. But
there are lots of reasons for opti-
mism," he said. "I would anticipate
that we will find democratic trends
again surfacing in China in the
1990s," added Whyte.
Visiting Professor Eleanor West-
ney, from the Massachusetts Insti-
tute of Technology, discussed the
Far East at the symposium, concen-
trating on the technological rivalry
between the U.S. and Japan. "It's
undeniable that in many areas Japan
is a major contributor to technology
and increasingly to science," she
said.
"One of the motivations behind
the change in Japan is their interna-
tional image as science and technol-
ogy vacuum cleaners," she added.
Due to this perception, Japan has
become more of an innovator than a
copier, Westney said. "Some in the
U.S. say that the Japanese are cul-
turally incapable of invention," she
added.
The last speaker at the sympo-
sium, History Prof. Geoff Eley,
commented on the current integra-
tion of the European community.
"The European state system is in the
process of being remade," he said. "I
think we will be able to call the
years of 1989 to 1992 one of the
great constitution-making periods in
European history."
L. .
(--- -
Entering a large four-year
University can be a difficult
adjustment for anyone, but the
transition can be especially tough for
transfer students, who comprise
about 10 percent of the University's
population.
Although community colleges -
where most transfer students are
drawn from - and the University are
working to ease that adjustment,
"there is always room for
improvement," said LSA counselor
Mark Steinberg.
Currently, transfer students attend
"the standard two-day orientation, get
the general introduction to the
campus, and then are set free,"
Steinberg said.
For the first time last fall,
transfer students received additional
"follow-up calls to make sure
everything was going smoothly."
Associate Director of Admissions
Don Swain said he would like to see
more guidance for new transfer
students, since "they have an awful
lot to learn in a short time."
Some minor things, such as a
transfer student lounge or intramural
sports teams specifically for transfer
students would be helpful in
providing a more supportive
environment, he added.
Among the adjustments found
most difficult for transfer students is
"dealing with a depersonalized
institution," Steinberg said.
rA:.Nw A.,i bO:
Third-year LSA student Gerri
Mason, who transferred from St.
Claire Community College, agreed.
"It was tough learning how to get
access to things, especially after
coming from a small school."
Another hard transition for
transfer students is learning how to
deal with the high degree of
competition at the University.
Students used to receiving A's and
B's at their community colleges are
suddenly no longer getting those
kind of grades, and find it
disappointing, Steinberg said.
"It's not unusual to find first
semester grades a half-letter grade
lower than at the time of
admittance," according to Swain.
However, the grades usually moves
back up in time, he added.
Mason said he was frustrated
about having to work harder than he
did at his community college, but it
has been a positive experience for
him. "I really felt challenged. To get
a decent grade at Michigan is quite a
thrill," he said.
A primary concern for both staff
and transfer students is the question
of whether community colleges
adequately prepare students for the
substantially more intense course-
work at the University.
"There is no blanket answer to
this," said Steinberg. "It depends on
the program and the community
college."
At Wayne County Community
College, as at most others, support
services are available for students
who plan to go on and obtain a four-
year diploma, according to Vice
Provost of Student Affairs Caroline
Williams. "We provide program
guides, listings of equivalent
courses, and financial aid assistance."
Typically, "sequential" programs
such as foreign languages, math, and
the sciences cause more problems
for transfer students, Swain said.
"Our introductory classes tend to
be more intensive in (those) areas,"
said Steinberg.
However, Washtenaw Com-
munity College Director of Student
Support Services Don Simms
disagreed. "The coursework atea large
school only seems harder because
you don't get the individual attention
and help that you do at a community
college," he said.
Religious
Services
AVAVAVAVrA
CANTERBURY HOUSE
(Episcopal Church Chaplaincy)
218 N. Division (at Catherine)
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
Holy Eucharist-5 p.m.
in St. Andrews
Preacher: The Rev. Dr. Virginia Peacock
Celebrant: The Rev. Susan McGarry
Supper-6:00 p.m.
WEEKDAYS
Morning Prayer, 7:30 a.m., M-F
Evening Prayer, 5:15 p.m., M-F
Call 665-0606
ST. MARY'S STUDENT PARISH
331 Thompson St.
Weekend liturgies: Sat. 5 p.m.,
Sun. 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 noon & 5 p.m.
Confessions, Fri. 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Catholic Update Class,
Mon. nights, 7 to 8:30p.m.
Topic for Feb. 5: "Catholicism's
Understanding of God"
Series on Second Vatican Council, Feb. 7,
7:30 - 9 p.m. Topic: Religious Freedom
Bible Study Group, Tues. at 7p.m.
CALL 663-0557
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
THEATERS 1 & 2 . 5TH AVE. AT LIBERTY - 761.9700
$2.75 SHOWS BEFORE 6 PM & ALL DAY TUESDAY*
( SOME EXCEPTIONS MAY APPLY)
FETRNGATROONDEIGT UFIN "REL.UTERD OPOR
Friday
Northwalk - the north-campus
night-time walking service runs
from 8p.m.-1:30 a.m. n 2333
Bursley or call 763-WALK
Safewalk - the night-time safety
walking service runs from 8-11:30
p.m. in UGLi Rm. 102 or call
936-1000
UM Taekwondo Club--
beginners welcome 6-8 p.m. 1200
CCRB
Teaching Seminar --- tips from a
time management consulant 3
p.m. 4051 LSA; social hour 4
p.m. 4051 LSA
International Folkdancing ---
UM folkdance club teaching 8-9
p.m., 9-11 p.m. open requests at
Angell Elem. School, 1608 S.
University
American and Chinese Mass
Media --- second day of the
symposium on the Beijing
incident 9-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4
p.m. in Lane Hall Commons
Room
Perceptions and Expressions
1990 --- reception opening exhibit
on UM black artists 4-6 p.m.
{ Michigan Union Art Lounge
"Allegory and Irony in
Dante's De V u 1 gari
Eloquentia" --- Gary Cestaro
speaks 4:30 p.m. 4th Floor
Commons MLB
"Las Corrientes Parodicas en
la Nueva Novela
Latinoamericana" --- Elzbieta
RFD Boys' Benefit for
Women's Crisis Center --- show
begins 8 p.m. at the Ark
Saturday
Voice of the Turtle --- folk
music performed 8 p.m. Hillel,
1429 Hill St.
St. Olaf Choir --- performs 8
p.m. Hill Auditorium
Teach In for Peace --- Common
Ground Theatre Ensemble
workshop 12 noon-5 p.m.
Michigan League
Students of Color in Struggle:
Linking with our Communities -
-- UCAR teach-in 1-5 p.m. Alice
Lloyd
"Pulmonary Rehabilitation" --
- Denise Frick speaks for AA
Breather's Club 10 a.m.
Cranbrook Tower, 2901
Northbrook
Antigone -- performed 8 p.m. at
Community High Craft Theatre,
401 N. Division (Sun. also)
Sunday
Iranian Student Cultural Club
- coffee hour and movie; 204
p.m. in 3050 Frieze; Persian
language classes from 4-6 in
3050 Frieze
Safewalk and Northwalk - the
nighttime walking services begin
operation Sunday at 8 p.m. for
Safewalk in Rm. 102 UGLi or
call 763-1000; Northwalk is in
2333 Bursley or call 763-WALK
Javanese Gamelan --- music and
Bring in this ad for one free
12 oz drink. Expires 2/8/90.
~
B ET TE
'I M I D L E R
PG-.13 ©Touchstone Picturs and
The Samuel Goldwyni Company
"THRLLING!"
-Michael Wilmington, LOS ANGELESTIMES
"TWO THUMBS UPI"
-SISKEL & EBERT
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