The Michigan Daily- Thursday, March 5,1992 - Page 3
I I
Honors Program gives
students opportunities
Ozone
4
by Sarah McCarthy
Students may criticize the University's
Honors Program for being too constrictive,
inflating students' grades, and creating an
elitist structure within LSA, but Director
Ruth Scodel says the program serves an im-
portant function.
Scodel, appointed in September 1991, de-
scribed her long-term agenda for the pro-
, gram. She said she hopes to build a network
of alumni that would provide opportunities
for internships, make the program more ac-
cessible, and establish it as the center of aca-
demic life for honors students.
"Students come into the Honors Program
because they are bright and want to work,"
Scodel said. "There is an element of expecta-
tion and self-selection that makes our stu-
dents successful."
Out of the 463 students enrolled in the
program in September 1990, 100 students
have exited the program or have been de-
clared inactive.
"I've had students leave for very diverse
and cogent reasons," said Honors Academic
Counselor Elleanor Crown. "Either it isn't
what their program required or they aren't
interested in continuing in the Honors
Program and writing a thesis."
But students currently enrolled in the
Honors Program and those who have left it
said they were not always clear about the
benefits the program provided.
Within the first two years, students must
elect eight honors courses spread out over
four semesters, in addition to participating in
a seminar or research project. The program
offers specially-designed introductory
courses for first- and sdcond-year students
and small-group seminars for sophomores.
Among a number of problems, students
* said they often found the program's structure
too restrictive.
"A lot of people don't like the Honors
Program because it restricts class selection,"
said LSA sophomore Matt Levine.
But other students said they did not find
the program to be excessively limiting.
"I understand why students would be un-
happy," said LSA senior Jennie Rochon.
"But you just have to make the extra effort
to make classes fit.
"In light of the quality of classes offered
and the instructors, the benefits far outweigh
the problems."
Although the program tries to enhance
the quality of undergraduate education by
stressing the skills associated with critical
thinking, students have also accused the
program of inflating students' grades.
"The big issue here is that we do not want
honors students to be penalized. It should
work that honors students receive the same
grade as they would in LSA," said Nancy
Kushigan, associate director of the program.
Scodel noted that differences in grades
between honors students and other LSA stu-
dents could be attributed to the fact that the
program has a high concentration of the
"best students" at Michigan.
"We want students who will take full ad-
vantage of the program," Kushigan said.
"We look for ability, motivation and past
performance.
Although the program provides a sense of
intimacy within a large university, the pro-
gram has also been criticized as being elitist.
"The fact that we have an honors pro-
gram denotes a certain degree of elitism,"
Crown said. "But we don't have pep rallies."
RC sophomore Andrea Grager said,
"There is a benefit to having a smaller coun-
seling office. It made me feel like less of a
number."
"It is a kind of structured program that
provides the lack of coherence many LSA
students complain about," Bazel Allen, a
professor of English and Comprehensive
Studies, said. "Other things must be taken
into account before judging the quality of the
program."
But LSA junior Yurij Slyz said, "I don't
think it provided much of an advantage. It
was just a bunch of pretentious people."
'Students come into the Honors Program
because they are bright and want to work.'
AIDS prevention hits the streets
Anthony Davison and Pattrice Maurer, members of ACT UP enjoy yesterday's weather as
they offer free condoms and information at Liberty Plaza. They have been distributing the
items as part of ACT UP's "street based AIDS prevention program" three times a week since
December.
hole may
open over
Europer
BERLIN (AP) - With a sky-is-
falling urgency, European nations
are rushing to ban ozone-eating
chemicals after a study said a vast
hole may open over their continent
this winter.
In recent weeks, startling new
data have prompted governments to
shave years off their timetables for
banning chemicals that weaken the
earth's natural sunscreen.
"It's time to understand that sen-
sible people don't utter dire warn-
ings unless they are really very
scared," said British scientist Joe
Farman who in 1985 discovered the
only known ozone hole, over the
Antarctic.
On March 23, the 12-member
European Community (EC) is ex-
pected to ban production and con-
sumption of ozone-eating chemicals
by 1995 and reduce their use by 85
percent by the end of next year.
The EC's environment ministers
endorsed the proposals during a
meeting in Portugal on Feb. 22. The
community said it will seek to get
the rest of the world to follow suit.
The action followed President
Bush's Feb. 11 order for a U.S. ban
on chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, by
1995.
The bans are a full five years
ahead of the international Montreal
Protocol signed by the United States
in 1987, and two years earlier than
the EC's previous ban.
But some European nations are
moving even more quickly.
Germany and the Netherlands are
considering comprehensive bans by
1993.
CFCs are commonly used in re-
frigerators, air conditioning and
aerosol sprays.
The ozone layer is a form of oxy-
gen in the Earth's upper atmosphere
It provides a shield from the sun's
ultraviolet rays, which can increase
risks of skin cancer, cataracts and
reduced immunity to disease.
The EC's environment chief,
Carlo Ripa di Meana, said yesterday
that the additional radiation caused
by the unexpectedly high ozone de-
pletion will lead to an estimated 1.6
million new cases of cataracts.
"If this continues it will have
major effects on the Earth's sea and
food chain and could have an impact
on human health," he said.
The issue gained urgency last
month after NASA said a new hole
in the ozone layer could develop
above Europe and North America
this winter.
A European study begun in
October, involving 300 scientists
from 17 nations, also showed ozone
depletion much greater than earlier
believed.
I
Authorities try to prevent violence between Serbs, Muslims
SARAJEVO, Yugoslavia (AP)
- In an effort to prevent more
ethnic violence, police teamed up
with the Serb-led army yesterday to
patrol streets that separate Serb and
Muslim neighborhoods in Sarajevo.
U.N. envoy Cyrus Vance,
arriving in the Serbian} and federal
capital Belgrade, said the scattered
violence in Bosnia-Hercegovina
would not affect the scheduled
deployment of thousands of U.N.
peacekeepers this month.
And Bosnia's Muslim president,
Alija Izetbegovic, expressed confi-
dence a tense peace among Muslims,
Serbs and Croats could hold.
"We are midway between war
and peace, in a sort of cold war
which will last for some time,"
Izetbegovic was quoted as telling the
* French daily Le Figaro. 'There is a
balance of fear, and I believe that for
the moment, fear is conducive to
peace." animosities ensure any conflict
At least eight people have been
killed since a weekend referendum
in which Muslims and Croats, who
together make up a majority of the
population, voted for independence.
would be much bloodier than the
civil war in Croatia that has claimed
up to 10,000 lives. Of the six
Yugoslav republics, only Serbia and
Montenegro want to remain part of
'We are midway between war and peace, in a
sort of cold war which will last for some
time. There is a balance of fear, and I believe
that for the moment, fear is conducive to
peace.'
- Alija Izetbegovic
Bosnia president
Tuesday night because of reports
that Serbs were marching from the
countryside to protest an attack on a
nearby village.
Six people were injured in
overnight fighting in Bosanski Brod,
a town of 33,000 on Bosnia's
northern border with Croatia. Dr.
Mohamed Mutajic said it was a
"miracle" that there were no reports
of deaths.
AP reporter Slobodan Lekic, in
Bosanski Brod, said grenades had
damaged a department store and
other buildings. Dozens of refugees
crossed into Croatia over a heavily
mined bridge open only for
Sarajevo, where two army reservists
were hurt in an ambush.
In Sarajevo, the city where World
War I began with the assassination
in 1914 of Austrian Archduke Franz
Ferdinand, police and army units pa-
trolled seven potential trouble spots
where factions were, likely to clash.
The joint patrols brought the
Serb-dominated army, which fought
alongside Serb irregulars in the
Croatian civil war, more directly
into the conflict in Bosnia.
Meanwhile, 200 people attended
the funeral of Nikola Gardovic, a
64-year-old Serb allegedly shot by
Muslim gunmen Sunday.
"He was killed only because he
was Orthodox and Serb," Orthodox
Bishop Vasilije Kacavenda told
mourners. "The shot at Nikola is a
warning to all ... three ethnic,
groups."
Serbs, who make up a third of
Bosnia's 4.4 million people, oppose
independence and boycotted the
vote.
the federation.
Barricades manned by heavily
armed militants went up around
Sarajevo after the weekend referen-
dum. The barricades came down late
Monday but were re-established
pedestrians.
Trouble also was reported near
Visoko, a town northeast of
Sarajevo, where Serbs reportedly
hijacked a police truck carrying ex-
plosives, and near Foca, south of
All
armed,
sides
and
in Bosnia are well
say their traditional
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Meetings
Amnesty International letter writng
to Somalia. East Quad, Greene Longe,
7-8 p.m.
ACT-UP Ann Arbor, meeting, 2203
Michigan Union, 7:30 p.m.
Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 1311
EECS, weekly luncheon meeting,
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship,
weekly group mtg, 1040 Dana Bldg, 7
p.m.
Islamic Circle, weekly mtg, 3rd floor
Michigan League 5:15.
Pro-choice Action, weekly mtg,
Fishbowl, 7:30 p.m.
Pre -Med Club Meeting, Pendleton
rm, 6:30 p.m.
Homeless Project Meeting, Trained
Volunteer' Corps, Dominick's .5:00
p.m.
Students for Harkin, Steering
Committee mtg, Dominick's, 6 p.m.
Speakers
"New Strctures in Alkali Metal-
Chalcogen Systems at the Border
Between Ionics and Intermetallics,"
Dr. Irmgard Schewe-Miller, 1706
Chem Bldg, 12:00 p..m
"New Themes in vocal learning: A
tale of two species," East Lec ture
Room, Rackham Bldg., 4:00 p.m.
"Diaster Area Archaeology
Excavations at Ceren Site, El
Salavador," 2009 Nat Sci Musuem,
12:00afm -1:onm.
"When political power struggles
cause human suffering: the case of
Somalia," Abdi Kusow Greene
Lounge, East Quad, 7 p.m.
"Eroticism and Patriotism: The
Deconstruction of the State," Ileana
Roddrguez .414 Mason Hall
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
UGLi or call 936-1000. Also, extended
hours: Sun-Thurs 1-3 a.m. Stop by
Angell Hall Computing Center or call
763-4246.
Northwalk, North Campus nighttime
team walking service. Sun-Thur 8
p.m.-11:30 p.m. Stop by 2333 Bursley
or call 763-WALK.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors,
Angell/Mason Hall Computing Center,
7-11 p.m.
"Gay Jewish Socail Hour," Cafe
Fino, Galleria on Sourt U
"A Memorial of Names," 12:30 p.m.-
12:30 p.m. Diag
Scooby Dooby Doo, canine figure in
Cartoons, snacks, amd Shaggy's life.
14th annual festival, Windsor,'
Ontario, 12:00 p.m.
Stress and Time Management,
Consultations with peer counselors
available, 3100 Michigan Union, 1-3
p.m.
Undergraduate Psychology
Department, Undergraduate
,v cav. sin- ak-in or
Join our Staff
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A Pint full of everything
except Iced Tea!
It is like the Hamptons in
summer.
only $.7
Every Thursday
9:00 pm - close
21 and over
Foster's Lager Now on Tap
338 South State (at William)
Ann Arbor " 996-9191
MARCH 5 6,7 Mendelssohn
Theatre
8pml
.y
4
4d
4
uo ry
AdfHrMs
Gnar
Performance
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Dimensions in Light
Festival
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Q
s _ o
Saturday, March 7
11am-ad7pm
Mini-Readings
215 S. State St.
Ann Arbor
nans- nC r
Reiki Crystals
S - It. 'n ._ -I ._a.
Free Lectures
Pries Rrv Work
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