LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 29, 1998 - 3A
*RESEARCH
Unemployment
linked to welfare
A new University study found that an
overwhelming majority of single mothers
receiving welfare face hurdles getting
employment.
1 The 14 factors considered employ-
ment barriers included no high school
education, little work experience, few job
skills, little knowledge of workplace
norms, perceived discrimination, lack of
transportation, abuse from partners, a
child with health problem and a host of
mental illnesses and addictions.
The research was conducted by Social
Work Prof. Sheldon Danziger and col-
leagues at the University's School of
Social Work's Poverty Research and
Training Center.
The study found that 85 percent of the
mothers had at least one of the employ-
ment barriers, approximately two thirds
had two or more, nearly half had three
and more than 25 percent had four.
Almost a thirdof the women had not
completed high school compared with
the national average of 18 percent. In
addition, more than 25 percent suffered
from major depression within the last
year as opposed to only 13 percent of
women nationally.
Ice Age felt El
Nino weather too
University researchers reported evi-
dence that weather with similar charac-
teristics to El Niio occurred 12,000 years
ago near the end of the last Ice Age.
Geological sciences Professors David
Rea and Ted Moore presented evidence
from their study of sediment layers in
Lake Huron on Tuesday, in Toronto,
Canada at a meeting of the Geological
Society of America.
The warm weather, which took place
for 10 to 20 years, heated glaciers and
caused water run to off to the Atlantic
Ocean.
The study is funded, by the National
Science Foundation and the Geological
Survey of Canada.
Study examines
e-mail effects
A new University study funded by
Intel Corp. will seek to evaluate the
effects that e-mail communication
between patients and doctors will have on
patient satisfaction and care.
The grant was announced past
Tuesday in San Francisco by Intel.
Medical Prof. David Stern will direct
the study. Stem and his colleagues will
attempt to assess the effect of e-mail on
patient and physician satisfaction, vol-
ume of telephone calls and patient vis-
its and the type of communication car-
ried out by e-mail.
Internal medicine physicians will par-
ticipate in the study. The doctors will be
divided into two groups, each of which
will have their e-mail interactions ana-
lyzed.
Some physicians will continue to use
their present modes of e-mail commu-
nication at home and work.
Other doctors will have their e-mail
rerouted to a central e-mail collection
center, where prescription requests and
other medical transactions will be han-
dled by nurses.
Geology research
finds new fault
University geologists reported having
found a way to date near-surface fault
activity and fault strength.
At a meeting of the Geological
Society of America last Monday in
- Toronto, geological sciences Prof. Ben
' Van der Pluijm presented his analysis of
w gouge - the chalk-like material
between fault block - in the Canadian
t Rockies.
Van der Pluijm announced he could
pinpoint the last occurrence of fault
activity in the region at 51 million years
ago, much more precise than the 60 to 70
million age previously estimated.
Van der Pluijm and his colleagues
used X-ray analysis to determine the
properties of the gouge and hence of
the fault itself.
The researchers plan to examine San
Andreas' fault in California in the sum-
mer of 1999 by looking at its gouge. The
research is funded by the National
Science Foundation and the American
Chemical Society.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Geard Cohen-Vrignaud.
Campuses debate semester system switch
By Susan T, Pot
Daily Staff Reporter
Imagine trying to cram 15 credit hours worth of
work into 10 weeks four times in one school year.
Students at institutions on the quarterly system
often have to face this situation, but many universi-
ties opt for the semester system instead.
Martha Garland, Ohio State University's vice
provost for undergraduate studies, said debate is
increasing on campus about changing to a semester
school year.
The quarterly system divides the school year into
four 10-week periods, and most courses meet every
day.
"We've had this system forever' Garland said.
"We don't know any other way"
Many faculty members, Garland said, complain
that 10 weeks does not allow students to gain a thor-
ough knowledge on the class material.
"If I could snap my fingers and be on a semester
system, I would," Garland said. The current system
"does not give students time to think."
"You can't ask a student to read a book in a day,"
she said.
But Garland said quarters allow students the abil-
ity to help pay for their own education or take a
quarter off to work without many consequences.
"Students paying their own way can drop in and
out of school without disrupting their schedules,"
Garland said. "It's a much more flexible system,
more responsive to their needs"
Michigan State University switched from quar-
ters to semesters six years ago.
MSU's Director of the Semester Transition Team
Bruce Miller said the university spent more than
one-million dollars to fund the change.
Miller added that the total does not take into
account the number of hours and effort spent on
changing the curriculum.
"Undergraduates were against it because they
didn't want it to change while they were here,"
Miller said. "They thought it would screw up their
graduation plans."
A report first outlined the idea for the transition
in 1987. Michigan State University made the
change from a quarterly system to semesters in
1992, Miller said.
"Seems to me, most of the people seem to be rel-
atively happy since I don't hear many complaints,"
Miller said.
Miller said the transition to a semester calendar
entailed rewriting courses, changing the credit hour
system, converting the grading system and altering
graduation requirements.
University of Michigan Registrar Ton McElvain
said the number of schools on a quarterly system
has been declining nationally.
"In general most of the faculty find it most effec-
tive for delivery of instruction," McElvain said.
Semester systems vary, McElvain said. The
University follows an early semester system in which
the fall term begins at the end of August or beginning
of September and ends before winter break.
The winter term begins near the beginning of
January and ends in the beginning of May.
Spring/summer term makes up another full semes-
ter.
He said 62 percent of colleges and universities in
the country follow the early semester model.
Because other universities do not have a full
semester during the summer, the University follows
the same pattern as 2-percent of schools natiomide
because there is a full semester in the summer
months.
University students, McElvain said, have more
time to hold a summer job or internship.
McElvain said another option, the traditional
semester system, begins classes in early September
and ends in late January after winter break. The
winter semester begins in February and ends in the
middle of June.
"Only 32 universities are still on the traditional
calendar," McElvain said.
McElvain said 18 percent of institutions are on a
quarterly model.
"You can tell from the numbers that the faculty
favor semesters," McElvain said.
Stanford University is one of the schools in the
group following a quarterly system.
"Some students seem to prefer accelerated
terms," said Gloria Williams, Stanford's associate
registrar.
I
CR's plan election push
By Jason Stoffer
Daily Staff Reporter
The College Republicans met last night to energize and plan
their final campaign push before Tuesday's election.
David Brandon, a Republican candidate for the University
Board of Regents, told the 25-person crowd that although Gov.
John Engler is expected to win by a large margin, there are other
important people and issues on the ballot.
"I need your help," Brandon said. "The biggest problem
Republicans have here is complacency.
"If Republicans stay at home because they think its a done
deal, (Attorney General candidate John) Smietanka will be in
danger and our state House and Senate races candidates will be
in danger," he said.
To combat complacency, Republicans are organizing Turnout
'98, a statewide get out the vote effort aimed at Republican
neighborhoods.
"We expect 1,500 people statewide," said LSA sophomore
Matt Fogarty, campus chair of Turnout '98. "A whole bunch of
students are going to get on buses and go all over the state tq tar-
get neighborhoods."
In a year marked by political uncertainty, members of the
campus GOP group said they believe their party can capture
several elected offices in traditionally Democratic Ann Arbor.
College Republicans Chair Adam Silver said no race is out o
reach if Republicans can successfully energize their voting base.
"We are going to do a lot of phone banking this weekend,
Silver said.
Garret Carlson, who is running against Rep. Liz Brater$(D-
Ann Arbor), told College Republicans members that he has can-
vassed thousands of homes during recent weeks. He asked for
members' help passing out fliers and literature and said he; has
a legitimate chance to unseat his incumbent opponent.
"I want to reduce taxes, reduce crime and improve schools,"
Carlson said. "Brater was voted by (the newsletter) Inside
Michigan Politics as one of the most liberal Michigan represen-
tatives.:
Forum highlghts women
ANDI MAIO/Daily
State Senator Alma Wheeler Smith (D.Salem Twp.) speaks at an
environmental rally yesterday on the Diag.
Environment rally
tnies to gainvotes
By Nick Bunkley
For the Daily
Supporters of a healthy environ-
ment competed with the uncoopera-
tive surroundings of rain and carillon
music for the attention of voters on
campus yesterday afternoon.
A rally titled "Women and the
Environment;" sponsored by campus
environmental and political groups
along with several voters' organiza-
tions across the state, aimed to attract
voters to the Diag.
"We're out here targeting people
to vote for the environment," said
Josh Pashman, an SNRE junior.
"Vote green," he added, referring to
the rally's slogan.
A small crowd gathered around
the steps of the Harlan Hatcher
Graduate Library at noon, but by the
rally's end the number had grown to
an audience of more than 50.
"The turnout was good, but we
could have used a little help from
Mother Nature," SNRE senior Kris
Genovese said.
Several elected officials made
appearances at the half-hour rally, urg-
ing listeners to take advantage of their
influence in Tuesday's election.
State Senator Alma Wheeler
Smith (D-Salem Twp.), who spoke at
the rally, used the event to promote
the issues, rather than to campaign
for herself.
"It doesn't matter if you send me
back (to Congress), as long as you
send back someone sensitive to the
environment," Smith said.
The repeated message was the
importance of each person's vote.
"I think it reminded people that
they need to vote and that they have
an influence," LSA sophomore
Karen Watson said.
Although the rally primarily target-
ed female voters, the crowd was split
evenly among men and women.
Pashman, of the campus environ-
mental group EnAct, said the rally
met the organizers' expectations. He
also noted that word-of-mouth
advertisement and public exposure is
important to their goal.
"I thought (the turnout)- was
great," Pashman said. "Each one that
listened will tell their friends.
Everyone clearly understood who
represents them."
State Rep. Liz Brater (D-Ann
Arbor), another speaker at the rally,
echoed Pashman's sentiments. She
also noted that the event was a
chance for voters on campus to see
their elected representatives.
"It is very important for us to be
accessible," Brater said. "The impor-
tant thing is that the message gets out,
and they're going to tell their friends"
Genovese, who is Michigan
Student Assembly's Environmental
Issues Committee chair, noted that
the intent of the rally was to inform
voters of the environmental issues in
the upcoming election.
"It's important for people to know
that it's not an extremist event. It's to
inform about the issues. People can
show their environmentalism by vot-
ing," Genovese said.
Genovese said she also believed
the weather had an impact on the size
of the crowd. Dark skies cast a drea-
ry mood on the Diag, and rain began
to fall near the end of the rally.
"I was sorry to see that the crowd
turnout was a little small" LSA junior
Molly Harris said. "The message got
across - the importance of
(Washtenaw County's) Proposal 1 and
... of not wasting your vote"
U.S. Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-Ann
Arbor), who was scheduled to be the
featured speaker at the rally, did not
attend. A message delivered to the
crowd said she had been unable to
find a parking place in time.
By Jewel Gopwani
Daily Staff Reporter
Hosting a panel of female profession-
als in the Michigan Union, three campus
groups yesterday drew more than 50
young women who are seeking careers
related to women's issues.
Titled "Careers That Matter to
Women," the program, in its third year, is
a part of Career Planning & Placement's
"Real Issues, Real Jobs" series.
"Our objective is to demonstrate that
there are careers out there with the pri-
mary focus of promoting women," said
Kerin Borland, associate director of
CP&P.
Yesterday's forum focused on careers
that give women the potential to strength-
en the role of females in society. The
sponsors, CP&P, the women's studies
program and the Undergraduate
Women's Studies Association, invited
women who work in social services, law,
unions, business and politics to speak
about their commitment to women's
issues.
University alumna Kellie Childs start-
ed the forum by describing her work at
centers in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti that
help women in threatening situations.
"When I first started at SAFEhouse,
Ann Arbor was a constant reminder of
violence against women," Childs said.
"But I learned to leave my work there."
Panel members also discussed their
work for the common goal of achieving
social justice for women in society.
"I really did have a concept of social
change" said Deborah Labelle, an attor-
ney. "Now I work with women in prisons
and with international human rights
issues"
AFL-CIO Internship Coordinator
Cindy Estrada, a graduate of the
University's Dearborn campus, fights for
equal representation, particularly for
female workers.
"There's a lot of women who are
working to make ends meet," Estrada
said. "They just want a voice."
University alumna Lyndell Kelly, co-
owner of Common Language, a book-
store geared toward women's issues and
lesbian and gay people, said even stu-
dents without extensive training in a pro-
fession can be successful in working
toward a cause.
A linguistics concentrator, Kelly said
she did not have the business training to
open a bookstore, but she still worked to
create an informational place for
women.
"There is a way you can make a differ-
ence in the lives of women," Kelly said.
When State Senator Alma Wheeler
Smith (D-Salem Twp.) took the podium,
she encouraged the group of young
women to vote in next week's election.
"Until we get minority members back
into the electoral process, you don't have
a voice to be heard," Smith said.
Students and faculty who attended the
forum said they appreciated the chance
to hear the experiences of women in the
professional world.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to hear
people who deal with women's issues.
It's pertinent to me," said Emn Rogers, an
LSA senior.
In addition to discussing the empow-
erment of women in society, the panel
also addressed how women make a dif-
ference in work environments.
"Looking at legislation, women do not
usually involve their ego;' Smith said.
"They are willing to compromise, which
can come from being a mother.
U
Ann Arbor Can't Wait..
It's time to put a Democrat in the Mayor's office-someone
who will builC on Ann Arbor's reputation, not live off it.
ANN ARBOR MAYOR PRO-TEM " 5TH WARD CITY COUNCIL MEMBER " 40-YEAR ANN ARBOR RESIDENT
Chris Kolb s community involvement includes:
" Volunteer at the HIV/Akis Resource Center
* St. Andrew's Breakfast Program
* Christmas in April
" Old West Side Homes Tour
" Advisory Board Member of the Washtenaw
Rainbow Action Project;
U-M Office of LGBT Affairs;
and Community Impact
Elect Democrat CHRIS KOLB on Tuesday, November 3:
Because Ann Arbor can't wait for leadership.'
Paid for by Kolb for Mayor - 803 Edgewood Place -Ann Arbor, Mt 48103 - 734/827-2605
TU~
L L LLL2 I.
GRouP MEETINGS
QClrcle K, Michigan Union,I
Room, 763-0811, 7 p.m.
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
SERVICES Psycho-
Kuenzel 0 Campus Information Centers, 763- 11 a.
INFO, info@umich.edu, and Q Safewa
log Academic Peer Advising,
-3711, East Hall, Room 1346,
.m.-4 p.m.
ik, 936-1000, Shapiro Library
vR n m2:30 a.m.
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