_ - tudents arch for equality y Katie Wang ai StaffReporter ey came with banners and signs. hey came with friends. They came undled up, and most importantly they ame ready to march. About 200 students braved the cold eather and gathered at the intersection f South University and South Forest venues for the annual Unity March ponsored by the Black Student Union. "I feel people before me marched so that can have an opportunity to be at a school 4ahis," said Engineering sophomore ic hael Terry. "I can show my thanks and upport for things such as diversity and eace as they did years ago." Many of the students carried signs in upport of unity as they marched down outh University. A number of marchers said they were oncerned about the struggles that lay head for students of color. "I'm here today for unity - to re- 116 us that the struggle isn't over," aid Ann Pham, an RC junior. "We still ave a long way to go. This isn't just bout affirming changes that have been lade." "Racism is still alive and kicking on ampus," said LSA senior Monique arshall. "Ifnecessary we should keep iarching every week." Marshall also emphasized that the arch was not only about the African rican community, but about all races. 'We'reall standingup foreach other; MLKDay'A9960 The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, January 16, 1996 - 5A Hundreds choose to hon-orKing through conununity service By Anita Chik Daily Staff Reporter In an effort to continue Martin Luther King Jr.'s mission of equality, the Uni- versity held a one-day community ser- vice project that gave students the op- portunity to act out his dreams. In honor of King's life and achieve- ments, the Office of Academic and Multicultural Affairs and the Division of Student Affairs jointly organized the program to help needy people around Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Detroit. The program offered 30 sites for stu- dents and staff members to volunteer working for different organizations, according to their areas of interests. The program will also hold a reflection session on Jan. 22 for participants to discuss their volunteering experiences. This year 300 participants served agencies such as the YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, Bortz Health Care, SAFE House, Ann Arbor Shelter and Huron Youth Service. LSA sophomore Duke Napp, who helped organize the project, said its main goal was to involve students in the community and to increase awareness of the many community service oppor- tunities. Barbara Maclin, a staff member in the Office of Student Activities and Leader- ship, said, "The program allows interac- tion with people to learn to adapt (to others' lifestyles) in a couple of hours." Maclin said the community service program on MLK Day allowed people from different backgrounds and races to come together for equality, helping those who are less fortunate. Tim Zisman, an LSA junior who helped lead the Bortz Health Care site, said the community service project was an "eye-opening" experience to intro- duce social injustice to people. The goal of the project was "to give a little happiness to someone else, putting a smile on people's faces," Zisman said. Napp said the program is one way to expose students to various social con- cerns that are discussed in classes, such as caring for the elderly and feeding the hungry, and to act on them. Cutting grass and cleaning windows for community centers seem insignifi- cant in nature, but the service helps combat various social problems, Napp said. RC senior Julie Lubec, who works with Napp in the organizing committee, said, "The MLK Day is symbolic. It gives an opportunity to students - a day off to do something for the communities." KRISTEN SCHAEF LSA first-year student Choua Yang helps 4-year-old Grace Chu, as part of Project SERVE's community service program. that's the way it should be," she said. Betty Greggs, a University employee, described the march as "beautiful." "It was love - you could feel it. It's all about being together," she said. Thirty-five students from MacKenzie High School in Detroit also partici- pated in the march. Theirteacher, Tonya Champion, graduated from the Univer- sity in 1993. "All the students said they wanted to march so they can actually do some- thing with this day off," Champion said. LSA sophomore Marlon Wardlow said the march marked an opportunity to appreciate the activism of the civil rights movement. "This constantly reminds me of what my forefathers did to get me here," he said. The marchers gathered at the steps of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library, which was renamed yesterday by the Alliance for Justice as the "Helen Chavez Graduate Library." BSU Speaker Sherise Steele ad- dressed the crowd and urged them to "Keep King's dream alive and to keep expanding it." Other speakers for the Alliance also addressed the crowd, including Johnny Su, former chair of the United Asian American Organizations. "A person is measured not in terms of what he or she says - but by what he or she does," Su said. Although Steele said she waspleased with this year's march and the unity it reflected, she said that she sometimes thinks about not having a march. "A lot of people can march, chant and then go home and feel real proud," Q# - - n A ' - n . . n --4.".1 r t Steele said. But sometimes we think that we need to challenge students to come up with something different." IInterfraternity Council .. Panel y Stephanie Jo aily Staff Reporter Academic iea nembers of the U o fend their rig h .ducational lace. debates need for affnnative action at universities Klein Patricia Mendoza, of the Mexi There is a false belief that every job American Legal Defense Fund, ders yesterday urged .oCarol Hollenshead, director of Jniversity community in eAmericabeongsto a awhite male." University's Center for the Continu hts toopportunities in -Trevor Chandler Education of Women, both focuse arena and the work- the government's failure to provide University of California director of affirmative action disadvantaged minorities. can and the uing d on for cn w, (3o) IFC Open House January 11 am-5pm at Michigan League Ballroom 16 IFC Mass Meeting 7pm-1 Opm at Michigan League Ballroom More than 200 students and faculty embers gathered in the Modern Lan- uages Building to listen to panelists escribe the problems the University of ,alifornia system has faced in its truggle with affirmative action. Sarida L. Scott, a UC-Berkeley law tudent, spoke on inequality in the edu- ation system. Last year's repeal of all ffirmative action programs hurts tudents, she said, asserting that it was iotivatedby Gov. Pete Wilson's presi- ential aims. Scott said there have been only slow mprovernents from civil rights cases ince 1954's Brown vs. Board of Edu- ation. Scott recalled Martin Luther King r.'s dream of being judged on charac- er rather than on skin color. "Most people wish for that, but the reality is that that day is not today," she said. Scott, a graduate of the University and a former Black Student Union mem- ber, urged students to be active and make their feelings known. She proudly displayed her shirt that read, "I am a Boalt Hall law student and support af- firmative action." The back of the shirt said, "Qualified. Here to stay." Panelist Ana Cardonasaidpoliticians have led the public to associate affirma- tive action programs with unfairprefer- ence. Jobs are not awarded to unqualified minorities through affirmative action, Cardona said. "That's bad judgment and had business." School of Education Prof. Michael Nettles led the panel and provided a briefhistory of affirmative action cases, including the Bakke case, in which a white student won a discrimination suit when he was not admitted to a Califor- nia medical school. With similar legislation proposed in Michigan, the panelists said they were concerned that students be aware of the facts. Trevor Chandler, executive director of academic affirmative action and di- versity for the UC system, displayed employment figures from 1979 and 1994, illustrating the numbers of whites in the workplace. "There is a false be- lief that every job in America belongs to a white male," he said. Mendoza noted that only 9 percent of Latinos graduate from college. "Are we less capable? I don't think so. The education gap is because of unequal distribution of resources." Janay21 Winter Rush Beins 4pm-1Opm 4 nuary 22-25 Winter Rush Continues 6pm-lOpm January 28 Winter Rush 2nd Week 4pm-1Opm A1 iJmuary 29-30 Winter Rush Continues 6pm-1 Opm For more information call Offiefn Greek Life: 663-4505 %ogwg%.q-- %of 1%05 -%Ww% 8-59%.* I - - Cordially Invites Students of All Concentrations to the 1996 Corporate Internship Presentation and Office Hours DES GNBR If you are majoring in GRAPHIC DESIGN Tuesday, January 16, 1996 Office Hours 1:00pm -4:00pm in the Crofoot Room - Michigan Student Union Presentation 6:00pm-8:00pm in the Anderson Room A, B, C- Michigan Student Union Refreshments will be served. Learn first-hand from U of M grads about exciting internship opportunities in the U.S.! Representatives from: Purchasing I II I - - U