The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 5, 992 - Page 3
ECB peer tutors help
- I
.students with
by Shelley Morrison
When LSA senior Zaifi Shanavas
had a few questions about a recent
English paper, he sought out peer
tutoring and found free help from
the University's English
Composition Board (ECB).
The ECB's peer tutoring pro-
gram, which students like Shanavas
have used for the past two years, be-
gan its fourth semester last week.
The program, consisting of about
13 junior and senior peer tutors, is
designed to give all students the op-
portunity for free writing evalua-
tions six days a week.
Helen Isaacson, one of the three
coordinators of the ECB-sponsored
program, said the program has
proven successful because "students
like to have a non-threatening figure
to rely on. The peer tutors aren't
there to judge; they're there to
help."
The peer tutors are specially se-
lected and trained to help students
in a variety of ways.
Each tutor, in addition to being
an upper-class undergraduate stu-
dent, must be a skilled writer and a
*"people person" as judged by the
ECB.
After receiving recommenda-
tions from faculty members, the
ECB selects the prospective tutors
based upon a writing sample and an
interview.
Those that are chosen from writ-
ing samples and interviews are then
required to register for ECB 300, a
course designed to train the tutors
by teaching critiquing methods for
all kinds of papers, from English to
biology.
Tutors from all disciplines par-
ticipate in the program; LSA senior
Matt Elliott, an economics/English
major, and LSA junior Matt
Colonnese, an anthroplogy/zoology
major, both work as peer tutors for
ECB.
Both tutors seemed enthusiastic
about the program.
"Things can get a little hectic,
but I feel satisfied if I've helped
only one student over the course of
an evening," Elliott said. "The best
thing is when we get repeat busi-
ness."
"Sometimes the same student
will come back two or three times
the same night," Colonnese said.
"You know if you've helped them
by then, that it was worth it."
vriting
Both tutors said they feel that
the best preparation for their posi-
tions came from hands-on training,
which is the theme behind the fol-
low-up training course, ECB 301.
Based on student and ECB evalu-
ation of the tutors' performance, a
few tutors are selected at the end of
the second course to become paid tu-
tors, at the rate of $9 to $10 an hour.
The majority of tutors, however, are
unpaid.
Student reactions have been posi-
tive.
After a tutorial sesssion
Monday, Shanavas said, "The tutors
really seemed qualified and objec-
tive."
"I liked the way they were en-
couraging while critical. I left there
feeling like I had really been
helped," he said.
Shanavas also said he "would
definitely recommend the program
to his friends."
Students interested can find the
peer tutoring program in the Angell
Hall Computing Center Monday
through Friday, 7 p.m.-11 p.m., and
in the Undergraduate Library on
Sunday afternoons.
Federal Reserve says it has done
ai it can to help ailing economy
WASHINGTON (AP) - generally believe they have done The Dow Jones industrial ave
Federal Reserve Chair Alan enough to spark an economic age closed up 38.69 at 3,272.81, pas
Greenspan told Congress yesterday rebound. in the old record of 3.272.14 se
Students
plan to
adopt'
school
by Nicole Malenfant
Members of the Students
Educating Peers Program (StEPP)
hope to become mentors, motivators
and friends for a high school with a
low percentage of students graduat-
ing to post-secondary education, said
StEPP founder and president Helen
Bellanca.
Bellanca decided to develop the
program after working for three
years with Students Working
Against Today's Hunger. "It al-
ways bothered me that we are doing
all this 'band-aid' work that doesn't
solve the problem," she said.
Many U.S. schools have less than
50 percent of their students going
on to some form of higher educa-
tion. Realizing that a lack of educa-
tion was one root of the poverty
problem, Bellanca designed StEPP
as a support program encouraging
students to stay in school.
"Our group is different because
we are purely student-run. This peer
aspect of it will make a difference
that other social service agencies
can't," said Michelle Pressma, an
RC senior.
"We are a lot more social-
change-oriented," said Neg
Mahoodzadegan, an LSA first-year
student. "We want to stop the cycle
that causes poverty, not bandage it."
Some members of the group will
visit the chosen high school on a
weekly basis to facilitate group dis-
cussions, tutor students, be guest
speakers or to run interactive the-
ater workshops, Mahoodzadegan
said.
"I think one of the program's
major weaknesses is that Murray-
Wright (the Detroit school it hopes
to target), is approximately 98 per-
cent African-American, and we only
have a few African Americans in
StEPP so far," Bellanca said. "We
need more African-American
mentors."
The group is currently waiting
for a grant to fund the program and
the two-day conference that they
hope to hold at the chosen high
school this spring. At the confer-
ence, StEPP plans to work with the
teachers, administrators, parents and
students to plan the program which
will go into effect this fall.
"We want to tailor the program
to their needs, not ours," Bellanca
said.
"Throughout college everyone
gets these ideas of how they can
'change the world,' but these ideas
many times don't go anywhere. :1
want to see if they can in the real
world," said James Barton, a seniqr
who said he plans to teach after his
graduation in a school like the ones
StEPP is geared toward.
0
er-
iss-
;t a
that the central bank would con-
sider further interest rate cuts to
help the ailing economy, but re-
peated that the Fed thinks it has
probably done enough.
Greenspan said that the econ-
omy's performance "clearly has
been disappointing" and that the
depth of the "sense of despair"
among Americans is unwarranted.
While pledging to make further
rate cuts if deemed necessary,
Greenspan said again that he and
other Federal Reserve policymakers
Private economists said
Greenspan was essentially using his
appearance before the louse Budget
Committee to expand on comments
last week that had caused a big sell
off in stock and bond markets as
worried investors believed
Greenspan was slamming the door
shut to further easing moves.
In contrast to last week's reac-
tion, the stock and bond markets
rallied as traders appeared heartened
by Greenspan's clarifying remarks.
g1 lU%7VU 11V11V ,, . .7V
week ago.
The Fed's chief policymaking
group, the Federal Open Market
Committee, began two days of
closed-door discussions to set tar-
gets for monetary growth this year
and to map interest rate strategy for
the next two months.
State troopers rememberedSUZIE PALEY/Daily
The United States flag flies at half mast on the Diag yesterday in
remembrance of two Michigan state troopers killed in a collision with a
train.
Correction
The Jan. 28 Daily story on fraternity rush should have reported that
Theta Chi rushed 170 individuals last winter.
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Student assaulted
in Bursley Hall
A Bursley Hall resident was as-
saulted in his room after midnight
last Friday, the Department of
Public Safety (DPS) reported. A
suspect, who was subsequently
identified by DPS, was not con-
nected with the University. The
suspect has been released pending a
warrant for his arrest, the report
said.
Woman molested
An employee for a local shoe
store was molested by two uniden-
tified men shortly after they vis-
ited the store Saturday night, Ann
Arbor police reported. ,
Police said that while taking
the garbage out at her place of
employment, the victim was
grabbed from behind by the men,
who had been in the store several
times during the course of the
evening.
The men shouted obscenities at
the woman, threatened her with a
knife, and eventually cut her face.
They then fondled the woman, then
made their escape down the alley
behind the store, police said.
Fugitives may be
headed to Ypsi.
Five to six men wanted for a
murder in Illinois could be headed
to Ypsilanti, according to an Illi-
nois State Police warning. The men
are reported to be heavily armed
with such items as semi-automatic
weapons and sawed-off shotguns.
The men can be identified by their
green van bearing Illinois license
plates.
Vandals set off
extinguishers
Last Sunday, vandals discharged
five fire extinguishers in Rackham,
according to the DPS, causing some
damage to the building. DPS has no
suspects in the incident. The Uni-
versity has estimated that each ex-
tinguisher will cost $30 to
recharge.
Student iced
Slippery sidewalks struck again
Friday, and this time the victim
was a student leaving class. The
student fell and hit her head on the
sidewalk. DPS was notified, and it
alerted the University Hospital.
Paramedics decided that her in-
juries were sufficient to warrant
ambulance transport to the Uni-
versity Hospital.
Men tamper with
alarm in W. Quad
The casing to a fire alarm in
West Quadrangle was broken by
two men, who subsequently fled
the scene Saturday at around 2:00
p.m. The two men are still uniden-
tified, and the matter is still under
investigation.
-- by Ben Deci
Daily Crime Reporter
M eetings
Ann Arbor Coalition to Unleash
Power, Michigan Union, Crofoot Rm,
7:30 p.m.
APO, Blood Drive. Bursley, 3-9 p.m.
Canterbury House, Eucharist,
Campus Chapel, 4:10 p.m.
Hindu Students Council, weekly
mtg, Bhagavad Gita- Chapter 5, learn
Hindi, B115 MLB, 8 p.m.
Korean Students Association, weekly
mtg, Michigan Union, Anderson Rm, 5
p.m.
Latin American Solidarity
Committee, weekly mtg, Michigan
Union, Welker Rm, 8 p.m.
Michigan Economic Society, "Soviet
Economic Reform: Opportunities and
Obstacles to U.S. Investment", Angell
Aud. C, 5 p.m.
Rainforest Action Movement, weekly
mtg, 1046 Dana (School of Natural
Resources), 7 p.m.
Students Concerned About Animal
Rights, weekly mtg, Dominick's, 7 p.m.
U of M Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club,
weekly meeting, CCRB Martial Arts
rm, 8-9 p.m.
Speakers
"Early Jewish Mysticism: Heavenly
Ascent and Transformation",
Christopher Morray-Jones. 3050
Frieze Bldg, 4 p.m.
"On Bayesian Sequential Reliability
Demonstration Testing", Dongchu
Sun. 451 Mason Hall, 4 p.m.
"Paradise Revisited: Jewish
Mysticism and St. Paul",
Christopher Morray-Jones. 3050
Frieze Bldg, 7 p.m.
"The Role of Children's Literature
in Making of Homo Sovieticus",
Marina Boroditskaya. 3rd floor
conference Rm; 4 p.m.
"The Moscow Literary Scene --
1992," Marina Boroditskaya. Lane
Hall Commons Rm, noon.
Furthermore
Safewalk, night-time safety walking
service. Sun-Thurs 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.,
Fri-Sat, 8 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Stop by 102
Northwalk, North Campus nighttime
team walking service. Sun-Thur 8
p.m.-11:30 p.m. Stop by 2333 Bursley
or call 763-WALK.
Ann Arbor Department of Parks
and Recreation, registration for Over
30 Hockey Leagues, Spring Science
Day Camp, and Spring Pioneer Living
Day Camp.
Registration for "Uncommon
Campus Courses", North Campus
Commons.
ECB Writing Tutors, Angell/Mason
Hall Computing Center, 7-11 p.m.
Life at the yoU, Residence Hall
Repertory Theatre Troupe, Bursley
Hall, 10 p.m.
U-M Taekwondo Club, Monday
workout. CCRB Martial Arts Rm
2275, 6:30-8 p.m. Beginners welcome.
UM Students of Objectivism,
discussion on objectivism: The
Philosophy of Ayn Rand, Chapter two
2212 MLB, 8 p.m.
Grief Recovery Workshop, five-part
series, Hospice of Washtenaw.
Guild House Campus Ministry,
Beans and Rice with a Poet, David
Sosnowski, 802 Monroe St., 6-7 p.m.
Max Kade Haus, German movie,
Tonio Kroger, Oxford Housing, 8 p.m.
East Quad/RC Social Group for
Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals,
weekly mtg, 9 p.m.
Grant Proposal Writing Workshop,
International Center, Rm 9, 4 p.m.
U of M Ninjitsu Club, practice, I-M
Bldg, wrestling rm, 7-8:30 p.m
Benefit for Tom Harkin, Campaign
local Ann Arbor talent Frank Allison
and The Odd Sox and Elise Bryant and
Common Ground, The Blind Pig, 8
p.m.
Stress and Time Management,
Consultations with peer counselors
available, 3100 Michigan Union, 1-3
p.m.
Arts Chorale Concert, American
bluegrass music, Hill Aud, 8 p.m.
Career Planning and Placement.,
On-Campus Recruitment Program
Information Session, Angell Aud. B,
4:10-5 p.m.; Deciding Your Career,
CP&P Conference Rm, 4:10-6 p.m.;
Career Pathways in Psychology,
t
r
7
_- t
ES ESPRITS JUSTES,
ET QUI AIMENT A FAIRE DES
IMAGES QUI SOIENT PRECISES,
DONNENT NATURELLEMENT
DANS LA COMPARAISON ET
LA MlTAPHORE.
Just minds who like to make precise images have a natural
- - - VJ inclination for comparison and metaphor.
. Jean de La Bruyere (1645-1696)
SEMESTER OR YEAR ABROAD
Lying virtually in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower in the 7th arrondissement, The
American University of Paris combines the abundant resources of a four-year
college with Paris' riches as cultural and intellectual capital of the new Europe.
Majors in: Art History, Comparative Literature, Computer Science, European
Studies, French Studies, International Affairs, International Business Administra,
tion, International Economics, and Fine Arts at Parsons School of Design.
Two programs have been especially designed for visiting students:
The Institute for French Studies in Paris (IFSP) offers students with strong French
language proficiency the chance to combine their studies at AUP with courses at the
Institut d'Etudes Sociales, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales,
Universit6 de Paris IV-Sorbonne, and Institut d'Etudes Politiques ('Sciences-Po').
The Program in European Affairs allows students to select Europe-focused
courses from three of our majors and to integrate them through an on-going
seminar. Year-long students may qualify for international affairs internships in their
second semester.
* 1000 students from 70 different countries. THE
x 49% U.S. citizens, 17% French. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
a In 90-91, 11% of students were visitors. OF PARIS
s Housing is guaranteed.
Full college credit summer courses: tabfissement d'enseignement supirieur prive
" Three-week French immersion. 32. avenue Bosquet 75007 Paris, France t
Accredited by the Middle States Association of '
" Six-week regular summer session.s
SchoosOand Co leres
Please send me more information on Study Abroad Opportunities at The American University of Paris
KARAOAKE
sing-a-long
every WEDNESDAY
9pm-2am
&10 JOIIff%