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%