LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 25, 1999 - 3A
" " AMPUS
3 'U' faculty to
receive Henry
Russel award
University faculty members Thomas
Wales, Alexander Ninfa and Ann Marie
Sastry have been named recipients of
the Henry Russel Award. The honor is
given to faculty members for scholarly
achievement.
Hales found a solution in August to the
oldest unsolved problem in mathematics
about the densest possible packing of
equal solid spheres in three-dimensional
space. Hales affirmed the theory of math-
ematician Johannas Kepler that states the
densest packing is achieved if the centers
*f the spheres are in the form of a face-
centered cubic lattice.
Ninfa's work in the regulation of
nitrogen metabolism in Escherichia
coli has uncovered important details of
gene regulation in bacteria and is
applicable to more complex organisms.
Sastry's received the award for her
research in fibrous materials, which has
allowed further investigation into behav-
opr using a theoretical framework.
The faculty members are scheduled
to receive their awards March 9. The
Henry Russel Award was established in
1925 to honor Detroit resident Henry
Russel, who received three degrees
from the University.
Griffiths named in
top 25 on Web list
University Chief Information
fficer Jose-Marie Griffiths was
amed one of the top 25 women on the
Web by San Francisco Women on the
Wcb, an organization that promotes
professional development for women
working with the Internet and other
related fields.
The honor recognizes outstanding
women in the nation who are exam-
ples of successful business women
working with the Internet and in new
media industries.
Griffiths is responsible for the
University's information technology
division which includes telecommuni-
cations, networking, computing and
infrastructure.
The Web organization considered
more than 200 nominations.
A list of the Top 25 Women on the
Web can be viewed at
http://wwwtop25.org.
t.ecturer to speak
on news credibility
The department of communication
studies and the Howard R. Marsh
Center for the Study of Journalistic
Performance are sponsoring a public
lecture by Anthony Collings, a Howard
R. Marsh Center visiting professor.
Collings is scheduled to give the free
cture, titled "Restoring Credibility to
e News Media" today at 4 p.m. in the
Koessler Room of the Michigan League.
Collings began his career in journal-
ism with the Associated Press, later
joining Newsweek and CNN.
Slusser to show
multimedia art
Play Mode, an exhibition incorporat-
ing video works, photographs, interac-
e sculpture, painting and other forms
6f media from American, Mexican,
Brazilian, Canadian and Cuban artists,
is on display in the John Paul Slusser
Gallery until Thursday.
The gallery is located in the Art and
Architecture Building on North Campus.
Regents grant 5
emeritus titles
* The University Board of Regents
granted five University retiring faculty
members emeritus titles last week.
English Language Institute assistant
;Librarian Patricia Aldridge; statistics
Prof. Bruce Hill; Barbara Murray, a
bearborn campus associate professor
of business economics and finance;
Ronald Olsen, a microbiology and
immunology professor; and Edward
-Schwartz, an associate professor of
sychology in the department of pedi-
rics and communicable diseases
received the retirement honors.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Michael Grass.
'U' AIESEC:
By Michael Grass
Daily Staff Reporter
After being named the most outstanding local committee in
the nation one year ago, University members of AIESEC were
triply honored this month when they were named not only most
outstanding local committee again, but also most respected and
most improved.
AIESEC is the largest non-profit, student-run organization in
the world, promoting global awareness through business and
economics.
Started in 1948 to promote cultural understanding between
European nations, it now has branches in 87 countries at 750 univer-
sities worldwide. AIESEC arrived at the University in 1963.
Committee members said being named the most improved local
committee in the nation gave them a sense of pride.
"It was nice to have our efforts recognized," said LSA sophomore
Kate Denton, AIESEC Michigan vice president of corporate rela-
tions.
"That one (most improved honor) is what we are most proud of,"
said Engineering senior Jon Opdyke, president of AIESEC
Michigan.
Opdyke said the local committee accomplished many things dur-
ing the past year on its way to being named the most improved local
committee in the nation.
"We sent the most students abroad than any other local commit-
honored for improvements
"It makes the world a smaller place and shows that we actually
have a lot of similarities."
- Kate Denton
AIESEC Michigan vice president of corporate relations
tee," Opdyke said.
AIESEC Michigan sent 19 students to Brazil, Finland, Germany,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and
Venezuela.
One of the largest accomplishments of the year by the local com-
mittee was the assembly of an AIESEC resource Website available
for everyone to use, Opdyke said.
The honors were announced Jan. 2 at an AIESEC national confer-
ence in Indianapolis. AIESEC Michigan was among 40 committees
from colleges and universities across the nation at the conference.
AIESEC Michigan is the most selective local committee in the
nation, Opdyke said.
"We run it like a business," Opdyke said.
As a result of the selection process, the chapter has only 60
members.
"People look up to you when you are from AIESEC Michigan,"
said Business junior Dan Preston, vice president of alumni and pub-
lic relations.
With a new year starting, AIESEC Michigan is beginning
many projects including working with the University's Russian
department to help bring students to an AIESEC program in
Russia.
AIESEC Michigan is also working with the University's linguis-
tics department to bring students to various language teaching cen-
ters around the world.
In addition to working with DaimlerChrysler A6, AIESEC
Michigan is helping to expand a company into Brazil.
AIESEC Michigan will continue work with Metro Detroit public
schools in business and global educational experiences.
Working with people from all over the world, AIESEC breaks
down barriers that often separate people from different cultures,
Denton said.
"It makes the world a smaller place and shows that we actually
have a lot of similarities," Denton said.
For the birds
atino/a activists focus on
1dentity, strong community
Latino/a professors,
alumni speak about their
experiences during panel
By Yael Kohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Focusing on a strong community,
education and identity, students
gathered for a panel discussion on
Latino/a leadership Saturday in the
Cezar Chavez lounge of Mosher-
Jordan Residence Hall.
Social rights activist Mario
Vasquez, a panel member, empha-
sized the importance for Latino/as to
understand and identify with their
heritage.
Vasquez, a University alumnus,
worked to organize a stronger
Latino/a cultural presence at the
University when he was a student in
the early 1970s.
Vasquez said he attended the
University at a time when it lacked
academic and non-academic pro-
grams for Latino/a students on cam-
pus.
To change that, Vasquez said he
worked to increase his culture's repre-
sentation at the University by distribut-
ing applications to Latino/as through-
out the state of Michigan.
In the years since Vasquez attended
the University, Latino/a organizations,
including the Lambda Theta Phi frater-
nity, have been active in the University
community.
"We put on numerous community
service programs, cultural and edu-
cational programs," said LSA
sophomore Juan Calzonzi, a Lambda
Theta Phi member.
"Our main focus is to help the
Latino community in any way we
can."
Other
stressed
Latino/as
speakers on the panel
the importance for
to have a strong voice in
the community.
Social Work associate Prof.
Lorraine Guitterrez said empower-
ment can get people to act "on their
own personal behalf and on the
behalf of the communities."
Guitterrez explained what she
described as the three aspects of
empowerment: The importance of con-
sciousness by knowing one's self and
one's history; the importance of com-
petence - recognizing that there are
still problems in the world to be fixed;
and the importance of connection -
working within a community to make
it better.
Other panel speakers agreed that
having a strong community is imper-
ative to empowerment.
Social Work associate Prof.
Robert Ortega agreed with
Guitterrez and added three more
words that he said were important to
remember as a Latino/a: Discipline,
focus and responsibility - which he
termed "DFR."
"DFR ... you have to differ,"
Ortega said, adding, "if you did
everything the way everyone else
did, nothing changes."
Another panelist, University
alum Nora Salas, has been working
in Detroit to aid the Latino/a com-
munity in the Xicano Development
Center.
Salas agreed with Guitterrez and
Ortega but added one more criteria
for leadership - desire.
"You have to know what you
want to do or it won't work out,"
Salas said, emphasizing that a sense
of obligation is not enough; desire is
equally important.
Many students who attended the
panel agreed with Salas.
Leadership "has to come from
your heart," Calzonzi said.
But Salas was slow to refer to
herself as a leader.
"I think of myself as an organiz-
er," she said, explaining that an
organizer is someone who can go
into a community and gather people
for community action. "The organiz-
er's ultimate goal is to put them-
selves out of a job."
Visitors to Belle Isle, Mich. feed the island's fowl yesterday. The 30-degree
temperatures were more comfortable for the birds than for humans.
Lawmaes tlaunch
sesina ai
esoState of the Sate
C J
A
LANSING (AP) - Michigan law-
makers kick off the new session in
earnest this week, gathering for the
annual State of the State address and
beginning debate on pay raises for top
elected officials and a cut in the state
income tax.
House Speaker Chuck Perri (R-
Kalamazoo Township) said the House
will deal with the State Officers
Compensation Commission report that
recommends raises for elected officials.
Under the commission's proposal,
Gov. John Engler would get a 9 percent
raise this year and next, while Supreme
Court justices would get an 8 percent
increase this year and 4.5 percent more
in 2000. Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus and
all lawmakers would get 3.5 percent
increases this year and next.
The increases automatically take
effect unless the Legislature rejects
them by a two-thirds vote in each cham-
ber by Feb. 1.
Senate leaders say they have no
intention of taking up the matter in that
chamber, making it all but certain that
the raises will take effect.
But some Democratic and
Republican newcomers in the House
have criticized the propriety of taking
raises in their first week on the job.
Perricone voted against the commis-
sion's recommended pay hikes in 1995
and 1997. But he has changed his mind
this time around.
"There should be a different pay
scale for department directors and the
governor. Because the governor is com-
mitted to recruiting the best talent for
Michigan, that salary range for director
has bumped up against what he makes
as governor," the House speaker said.
Perricone called the 3.5 percent hike
for lawmakers fair and reasonable.
"They have to step away from what they
are doing for six years, take a pay cut in
some cases and face media scrutiny," he
said.
Despite Perricone's preference to
accept the pay increases, he said he
won't stop other members who feel a
need to protest the hike.
"Oh, there will be a vote. I have not
counted noses. I don't know where the
members are," he said.
A handful of representatives have
noisily opposed the hikes, including Rep.
Andrew Neuman (D-Alpena) and Rep.
Scott Shackleton (R-Sault Ste. Marie).
AS it
ME
NOBODY lives by BREAD alone.
So we throw in SOUP & SALAD, too.
UNLIMITED SOUP, SALAD & BREADSTICKS LUNCH: $4.95!
-When we say unlimited soup, salad and
breadsticks, we're not kidding. So even
though it's only $4.95, you still get as much as you want of all
three - fresh garden salad, warm garlic breadsticks and great
soups like our Zuppa Toscana.
Correction:
N The University has not received an offer to endow a professorship from the government of Turkey. This was incorrectly
reported in Friday's Daily.
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
EVENTS 0 "Fellowship Information for SERVICES
International Graduate Students."