LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 8, 1996 - 7
Alumni group
creates family ties
By Katie Plona
For the Daily
At a University of nearly 35,000 stu-
dents, feeling lost in the crowd can be
very easy and feeling disconnected
fter graduation can be even easier.
But organizations like the Alumni
Association and the Student Alumni
Council have emerged to come to the
aid of lost students and confused
alums.
The Alumni Association offers stu-
dents and alums several ways to stay
connected to the University. With the
largest alum base in the country and a
membership of roughly 90,000, the
ssoiation works to keep graduates
ivolved.
LSA senior Courtney Davis said she
wants to be connected to the
University after graduation, but that
until this year, she never really paid
attention on how to keep in touch.
"I've never received any literature
about the organization," Davis said.
"I am aware that there is an alumni
group," said senior Karl Granskog,
fho didn't know of any association
ervices.
SAC President Patrick McGinnis
said his group is focusing on recently
graduates.
"We want a big effort to involve
younger graduates," McGinnis said.
"There is usually a 10-year span where
graduates become unattached to the
University."
Steve Grafton, executive director for
the Alumni Association, said the orga-
*iization wants to help recent graduates
adjust to new experiences.
Steve Pert, who received his mas-
ter's degree in business administration
in May 1996, said, "I really don't know
ivhat resources there are."
Grafton said that even if he can't
help alums find jobs, he can help them
relocate and make friends.
"You can count on other alumni to
help you out," Grafton said. "We're
really trying to develop more pro-
grams for young alumni and alumni
with young families."
Grafton said the No. 1 reason for
alums to join the association is to have
"the opportunity to network with other
alumni."
The association also offers a variety
of career-based programs for alums.
The University, along with 16 other
sehools, including Yale and Stanford,
owns a resume database called Pronet.
Grafton said it is "typically for six-fig-
ure jobs," adding that major compa-
nies can buy searches to look for pos-
sible job applicants.
The association and SAC are trying
to let younger members know about
services, like resume counseling, that
can help in a job hunt.
"We offer a free year of membership
to recent graduates for a year after
graduation," Grafton said.
Pert, who received a free one-year
membership but said he doesn't know
much about the association, said he
"would have to see what the benefits
are to see if they are of any value."
Lifetime memberships are also
available, and even non-alums can
join.
"We have a lot of members who are
not graduates," Grafton said. "It really
is a sense of family"
The association publishes Michigan
Alumnus magazine, which is sent to
members five times each year.
Students can get involved in the
Alumni Association through SAC,
which organizes services including
Parents' Weekend, tours for prospec-
tive students and AluMnet, a network
that pairs students with alums.
For Homecoming, SAC and the
University Activities Center are co-
sponsoring a George Clinton concert
Oct. 18.
SAC is also participating in a com-
munity service project for local chil-
dren with the Black Volunteer
Network. McGinnis said the project is
still in the planning stages and will
take place "near the end of October
with a Halloween slant."
Alums aren't the only ones who get
perks from the organization. Student
members of the Alumni Association
receive an "M Go Blue" baseball cap,
free dinners at the Alumni Center dur-
ing finals for the first three days of
each semester's exams and coupons
for various local businesses. Also, dis-
counts on Kaplan Test Prep courses for
graduate school exams and a chance to
win a trip to a football bowl game are
offered to students.
Students can join the Alumni
Association for a yearly $10 member-
ship fee.
Interested students should call 764-
3154 for an application.
ASSAULT
Continued from Page 1
especially at 8 a.m., she said. "I'm just
less cautious when I'm out alone during
the day."
LSA first-year student Rebecca
Bliven said after she heard about the
assault she decided not to go jogging at
7 a.m. yesterday.
"I look at it a different way now,"
Bliven said. "Before (North Campus)
was a safe haven away from Central
Campus."
Wright urged students to be aware of
their surroundings to avoid a possible
sexual assault.
"No matter where you are, no matter
what time of day, we should be aware
of our surroundings," Wright said.
"The more aware we are, the less we
let down our guard."
Hall said DPS is planning on continu-
ing their current security measures.
"We have regular patrols and a vari-
ety of security measures in place and
we certainly don't want this to happen
again," she said.
She said DPS does "extra patrols" in
parking lots for added security.
LSA first-year student Allison Adler
said sexual assaults are a threat for any
female college student.
"I think that wherever you are, you.
are bound to be subject to assault by
being a college female," she said. "(The
assault) doesn't make me more fearfu
of being here."
The suspect is described as a 20- to
25-year-old male, with a trim build and
between 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-10 tall. He
was last seen wearing a black-hooded
sweatshirt or jacket, black pants and
with a blue cloth covering his face.
Anyone with information regarding
the case can contact DPS at 763-1131.
Duck, duck, goose
Katy Krieg, a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, sews a
replica of a 14th century game called 'Goose' in the EECS Building yester-
day. The group reinacts medieval society during its weekend meetings.
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ISSUE
Continued from Page 1
constitutionality.
Fitzsimmons supported DOMA,
which defines marriage as a legal union
between a man and a woman and gives
states jurisdiction in recognizing same-
sex unions.
"The legislation she voted against is
an important means of protecting the
institution of marriage between a man
and a woman," Fitzsimmons said in a
written statement shortly after
Congress voted on the bill. "if our fed-
eral government legally sanctions
same-sex marriages, where do we draw
the line?"
Locally, Ann Arbor has a reputation
for supporting equal rights and nondis-
crimination, said Democratic City
Council member and mayoral candi-
date Kris Kolb.
Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon, a
Republican, said she is impressed with
the diversity and tolerance of the city.
The "extreme" groups in Ann Arbor
who oppose gay rights have learned to
separate themselves from the issue, she
said.
Kolb, who is openly gay, said that
while the federal government must
ensure protection and nondiscrimina-
tion, federal legislation such as DOMA
only hurts the gay cause. Forcing politi-
cians to vote on that kind of bill breaks
coalitions and endangers incumbents'
relationships with their entire con-
stituencies, he asserted.
Nationally, LaLonde said gay-rights
activists are looking for "the lesser of
two evils" this November. LaLonde
said that although activists praise
President Clinton for his support of
nondiscrimination measures, "when it
comes right down to the issue, he'll
back away."
Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" mili-
tary policy hurt his image in the gay
community, LaLonde said.
Sanlo said the Republican party,
however, excludes the gay community.
"It clearly says in their platform
that there is a group of Americans
who don't deserve civil rights," Sanlo
said.
College Republicans President
Nicholas Kirk said his party "does not
hate homosexuals," but is "against spe-
cial treatment for anyone."
Sheldon said the national Republican
party's conservative attitude toward the
issue is "disappointing."
"It's a disappointment to me, since
we put so much emphasis on private
(rights and choice), that this is not con-
veyed down to the issue of sexual ori-
entation," Sheldon said.
ENDA would have made discrimina-
tion on the basis of sexual orientation
illegal. The 'bill was defeated in
Congress earlier this year.
"It's nothing special, it's nothing
exciting. All we're saying is we don't
want to get fired from our jobs,"
LaLonde said.
Republican opposition to ENDA
stems from the party's stance on same-
sex unions, Kirk said.
"It's all about traditional values - a
majority of the American people are
against same-sex unions" Kirk said.
"That extends to the nondiscrimination
act."
- Daily Staf/Reporter Jennifer
Harvey contributed to this report.
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NEAL
Continued from Page 1
Except for this.
"It's remarkable how fast certain
incidents can mushroom into fairly sig-
nificant problems in just a few days,"
Neal said. "Clearly the executive com-
pensation matter is something that one
'ishes not to have to deal with."
When Neal sent a letter to faculty last
week explaining the incident, the
response was cautiously favorable.
Chemistry Prof. Thomas Dunn, who
chairs the faculty-based Senate
Advisory Committee on University
Affairs, said Neal's communication
skills have helped him as a leader.
Dunn said Neal seems to value the
opinions of faculty and ask for their
nput.
"He wants to consult faculty and find
out what faculty feel about initiatives,
actions, choices," Dunn said. "That's
what's valuable."
Dr. Frederick Neidhardt, interim vice
president for research, has worked with
Neal on a daily basis for three years.
Neal spent three years as vice president
for research, with Neidhardt acting as
associate vice president.
e Neidhardt says Neal has "a very sin-
cere desire to help you with whatever
problem you have." He described Neal
as someone who cares strongly about
people and his work, and has an abili-
ty to tackle large and complicated
issues.
"The man can step up to problems of
great dimension," Neidhardt said.
Neidhardt said he wished Neal's time
as president was longer.
) "He is president of the University
and he is doing the job," Neidhardt said.
"It's just a shame it's temporary."
Since before he stepped into the pres-
idency, Neal has acknowledged certain
limitations the interim period puts on
his job. He will not have time to imple-
ment any large-scale initiatives or over-
see any widespread change.
"I have to make sure that in the inter-
im, the University keeps moving for-
(-ward," Neal said.
Michigan Student Assembly
President Fiona Rose said she considers
Neal a role model and a friend. She said
he is focused on the welfare of students
as well as faculty.
"I know that Dr. Neal is very much
interested in preserving the educational
quality of our institution," Rose said. "I
know that he works hard to make sure
that undergraduates specifically have
research opportunities, and wishes to
shrink the University down to a man-
agable size, so that students think of
themselves as individuals."
Neal's superiors also give him favor-
able reviews.
Regent Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann
Arbor) said Neal's outlook has
allowed him to come into the presi-
dent's office without problems. She
said the regents have worked with
him effectively.
"There was a good strong relation-
ship going into this period," McGowan
said. "That relationship has grown
since he took the presidency, but we
were fortunate to have a good floor on
which to start."
Vice President for Student Affairs
Maureen Hartford said Neal goes
about his job with modesty, but has
not been tentative during the interim
period between permanent presi-
dents.
"I am continually impressed with
Homer's intelligence and the breadth of
his knowledge," Hartford said.
"Homer's style is to be consultative,
but he is willing to make hard deci-
sions."
The question still remains what
Neal's next step will be after the
University Board of Regents chooses a
permanent president. Neal says it
depends on when the new leader takes
over and who it will be.
He said his options at the University
will most likely include going back to
the physics department, taking a leave
of absence or returning to the vice pres-
ident for research position.
Neal said he is not pursuing the per-
manent position of University president
now, but would like to be a university
president one day. A dedicated scientist,
Neal said he already spends too little
time in his physics lab.
He contents himself by spending a
few hours a week researching indepen-
dently, talking with his research group
in the Fermi Lab outside Chicago and
spending a couple hours a week
researching with an undergraduate stu-
dent.
- Daily Staff Reporter Jodi S. Cohen
contributed to this report.
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CHALK(
Continued from Page 1
sages with pro-GOP connotations. By
morning, a message that started out as,
"Shh ... Nobody knows I'm bisexual
... " had the words, "Keep it that way.
Vote Dole" tacked on.
The College Republicans conceded
that they chalked over some pro-gay
messages, but said they may not have
been the only ones defacing the slo-
gans. "We had 57 members come out
last night to chalk," Kirk said. "Some of
our members got a little rambunctious,"
and started chalking over QUP's chalk.
"There are a lot of student (groups)
on campus that have problems with the
agenda of the LGBPO," Kirk said,
referring to the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual
Programming Office. "Sure, some
College Republicans might have done
it, ... (or) maybe it was just a student
coming by."
Other QUP etchings were changed to
negative sayings. "Don't go 2" was
added to a chalking advertising a
National Coming Out Week rally on
Oct. 11.
LSA senior Doug Barns, one of the
QUP members who went chalking, said
the group went to review its work on
the Diag late Sunday night, and was
surprised to see students trying to wipe
away the chalkings.
"We were kind of standing there in
disbelief," he said. "I asked them,
'What are you doing?' and this guy
said, 'It's freedom of speech."'
QUP members said they were hurt by
the actions taken Sunday night. "It's the
fact that they altered what was ours -
something that we created," said Ryan
LaLonde, chair of the Michigan Student
Assembly's Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/
Transgendered task force and a member
of QUP. "They turned ours into anti-gay
rhetoric," he said. w
One student who went chalking with
the College Republicans said she did
not witness any defacement. "I person-
ally didn't see anybody from the
College Republicans covering" QUP's
messages, said LSA first-year student
Annemarie Sarmiento.
Sarmiento said that while walking
around campus yesterday, "I just saw
pro-Republican messages attached to
QUP messages."
The College Republicans had
planned to do the chalking Sunday
night so that The New York Times, in
town to do research for a story on stu-
dent activism, could take photographs.
Kirk said his group has also had its
chalkings changed and fliers ripped
down in the past. "There's been a cou-
ple of occasions - our chalkings have
been damaged," he said.
Kirk said the College Republicans go
chalking about every 10 days, as a way
of campaigning.
By yesterday afternoon, many of the
chalkings were washed away by
University officials. "There was no
blanket instruction to clean it up," said
University spokesperson Julie Peterson.
Peterson said it is usually left up to
individual groundskeepers to decide
whether to let chalkings stand.
QUP members said they would not
have been bothered by the Republican
chalkings if they would have been iso-
lated from the National Coming Out
Week messes 01 IP members said
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