Thcs MrA~hioin Daily -- W cnecsdav.Februarv 3. 1999 - 3 MMEFW INV*F, *HIGHER EDUCATION Governor asked to intervene at u of Arizona Attorneys for Arizona Gov. Jane Dee Hull reviewed a letter last week from four University of Arizona faculty members pleading that "something desperately needs .to be done" to end the University's hostile environment for black women and other minorities. Th letter asked for outside help remove the acting director of the African sidies department at the ,rniv ersity. The faculty said that staff in other departments are not forced to work with their department head if they don't meet faculty approval. One of the faculty members who signed the letter was removed from the department head position in :-1996 and filed a lawsuit alleging that she was discriminated against because of her race and gender. * The claim was validated by The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, but the university has asked the commission to reconsider. Ohio State may delay start of .classes for Y2K Continuing to examine The Ohio State University's options for com- puter failure due to the Y2K bug, a task force is discussing a university shutdown that would postpone the first day of the winter 2000 term. The task force, which has dis- cussed a shutdown for more than four months, is considering the option in order to prevent the possi- bility of students returning to build- ings that may not have heat or elec- tricity. University representatives for student and urban/community affairs said if such a measure were to be implemented, the decision would need to be made by the end of this winter term in order to adjust university calendars appro- priately. While the task force is in charge * of considering the possible solu- tions, the group will defer to univer- sity administrators for the final decision. UW set to place hazardous waste site near housing S A proposal to put a hazardous waste processing site near a . University of Wisconsin residence hall was approved last week by the Madison Plan Commission. The site, considered an "Environmental Management Center," will replace two older sta- tions and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2000. UW-Madison safety department representatives said shops and offices have already been con- structed and the processing site will complete the final phase of the pro- Tet. The safety department reassured students that the site will be regu- larly inspected by both federal and state government officials. Duke students set fire following basketball game Following last week's basketball victory over arch-rival University of North Carolina, Duke University students started a blaze that con- sumed 11 campus benches and filled a residence hall with smoke and flaming embers. The blaze came only one year after students retaliated against a police enforced ban on bonfires. Although students stood in the middle of the flames, the Duke Police Department reported only one injury of a student who fell from one of the benches. - Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Nika Schulte. LOCAL/STATE A mayor addresses MSA, urges involvement By Jewel Gopwani Daily Staff Reporter Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon held her annual visit with the Michigan Student Assembly at its weekly meeting last night. During her visit, Sheldon encouraged MSA to work with the Ann Arbor city government on issues such as housing, student safety and parking. Sheldon shed light on the problem of parking near campus. "We will be rebuilding the Fourth Street parking structure," Sheldon said. "It will be a larger structure." After opening the floor for questions, LSA Rep. Sumeet Karnik asked for Sheldon's opinion on the Ann Arbor Police Department's relation- ship with students at the University in light of the recent raids of campus parties by police. "We have some real concerns in our communi- ty about underage drinking" Sheldon said. Sheldon spoke on behalf of the AAPD with regards to its recent actions. "Sometimes harsher enforcement is required," Sheldon said. Also at last night's meeting, Engineering senior Dave Burden confirmed that he will be resigning Senior representative resigns, Sheldon encourages city work from his position as Student General Counsel, an executive office position in the assembly. But Burden said he will remain in the assembly as an Engineering representative. Burden said his decision was prompted by the assembly's decision to take a stance against the U. S. sanctions on Iraq at its meeting last week. Before approving the agendaat last Tuesday's meeting, Burden moved for the resolution "con- doning the lifting of the UN sanctions on Iraq" to be removed from the agenda. Burden's resolutionawas not approved, and the resolution passed by a small margin. "I decided before I heard from other con- stituents," Burden said about his resignation. But Burden said his decision makes a differ- ence in regards to his relationship with the stu- dent body. "As an executive officer I feel a responsibility to defend the assembly's actions,"Burden said. "I don't want to be in the position to defend its actions." Business Rep. Will Youmans, who presented the resolution to condone the lifting of sanctions on Iraq,nsaid MSA should address any topic that students feel is important. "If there is a concert- ed effort by students to bring an issue to their representatives' attention, then it is this kind of activism that should be embraced and consid- ered," Youmans said. MSA President Trent Thompson said he disap- proves of Burden's resignation. "As SGC, it was unprofessional to decide to step down once he already committed to this position," Thompson said. "But he disagreed on what the assembly wants." RachamE Rep. Josh Trapani was elected by consent of the assembly to fill the post of SGC. During his report, Thompson introduced the new Ambassador Program to the assembly. The program will allow each MSA member to choose a few student organizations to visit and discuss the assembly's projects. Thompson said the program will also be an opportunity for members of other student groups to initiate projects with the assembly. "We will be building connections with student organizations;' Thompson said. Budget Priorities Committee Chair Sumeet Karnick announced that student groupsaseeking funding from the assembly must submit an appli- cation by 5 p.m. today. "At this point it looks like we're going to have around $120,000 for next semester;' Karnick said. Groups geared towards community service have until tomorrow at 5 p.m. to submit an application for funding from the Community Service Board. Mini-courses offer chance to explore creative classes By Susan t. Port Daily Staff Reporter Studentswhobwant to escape the con- fines of the library can spend a few hours each week indulging their cre- ative side by taking part in academic and non-academic mini-courses. The University Activities Center is offering i I non-academic mini-cours- es, including bartending, swing dancing and sign language. LSA junior Teja Shah, the coordina- tor of the courses, said he expects swing dancing and bartending to be popular this semester. "I think there is a swing craze going on in the nation right now," Shah said, "The traditional classes: bartending, ballroom dancing, yoga have been around for awhile and will sell out." The courses are popular because stu- dents are able to select an area they have are interested in but do not have to worry about homework or grades in the course, Shah said. "The aim is to expand students' inter- est and to explore the non-academic side of students," Shah said. Shah said many of the courses run for six weeks. Registration will continue through Feb. 12 and classes begin Feb. "They offer things not offered - Abby Wald LSA junior 15. He added that the classes "represent courses that students like." LSA junior Abby Wald said she is considering enrolling in one of the courses, adding that a class like swing dancing would be a great stress reliever. "I think it's a good opportunity to meet new people;' Wald said. "They offer things not offered normally." But students interested in taking a one credit course in an academic area can also select from several mini-courses. Robert Wallin, director of academic information for the College of Literature, Science and the Arts Robert Wallin said there are a number of cours- es available in academic disciplines such as physics and astronomy. "The courses are pretty regularized and are taught mostly by regular profes- sors " Wallin said. Wallin said he is amazed at how many students choose to take a one credit class. Mini-courses "have grown in the sci- ence department; a large number of stu- dents are looking for a one credit topic," Wallin said. "A large number of stu- dents do not want to take any more than seven credits for their science distribu- tion." Wallin said students sometimes choose to elect a one credit course because after they drop other classes that cause them to fall below 12 credits. In these cases, the mini-courses can compensate for the lost credits and raise the student to full-time status. Wallin said the courses focus on top- ics that may become a part of a larger class and often surprise students with the amount of work they demand. "It gives professors the opportunity to get together with students and work on a self-contained topic," Wallin said. DANA ULNNANE/Daily LSA junior Mara Lunareads yesterday in the Michigan Union Art Lounge where a Chicano/a art exhibit is on display through Feb. 13. Week celbrats Chicano/ahitr By Yael Kohen Daily-Staff Reporter La Voz Mexicana and Alianza, two campus Latino/a groups, will celebrate Chicano History Week by hosting cultural events that aim to have students experi- ence and learn about Chicano/a culture. The collage of events that began Jan. 30 will continue through Feb. 13. "A week wasn't really enough," said LSA senior Veronica Sanchez, an Alianza member. A Chicano/a is a person of Mexican descent who is born in the United States, said LSA senior Diego Branal, co-chair of La Voz Mexicana. He added that the name Chicano/a has "serious political connotations" because it "infers a belief of political activism." But this week will focus main- ly on cultural aspects of Chicano/a history - including art exhibits, storytelling, dances, performances and other social gatherings. An art exhibit featuring work by Chicano artists began Jan. 30 in the Michigan Union Art Lounge and will continue through Feb. 13. A cultural din- ner featuring traditional Mexican food has also been held. The events are aimed to be more cultural than to promote student activism, said Nursing junior Raquel Casarez, secretary of La Voz Mexicana. Alianza and La Voz Mexicana sent out e-mails, made banners and fliers, advertised in the Diag and held fundraisers to support the events. "For some, it's bringing home life to the University, and others it's learning about their identity," Branal said. Starting in mid-March, the Latino/a community will be cel- ebrating Latino History Month. The month-long series of events is different from Chicano History Week because it will include all Latino/a peoples and not just people of Mexican descent. La Voz Mexicana is working hard this year to incorporate other Latino/a campus groups during Latino History Month, Branal said. Branal added that the groups are "Christening our place with- in the greater Latino communi- ty." , y IL{ CALENDAR What's happening in Ann Arbor today -'+ .. 1Y ,+..... "r .. . - r . .r,.,. .,.