The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 5, 1999 - 3A
LOCAL/STATE
Lecture to
address genetic
imprinting
Suzanne Cassidy, clinical director of
he Center for Human Genetics at Case
estem Reserve University, is sched-
uled to deliver one of a series of genet-
ics lectures today.
The lecture, titled "Clinical Impact
of Human Genetics Imprinting," is
sponsored by the University's depart-
ment of human genetics seminar and
the 1998-99 Distinguished
Faculty/Graduate Student Seminar
Series.
Cassidy is expected to speak about
er area of expertise - genetic
printing and human diseases - dur-
ing her address. Cassidy will give her
lecture at 4 p.m. in room 5330 of the
Medical Science I Building.
Labor analyst
dies at 72
Former University Prof. Louis
Ferman died March 25 of stomach can-
*er. The 72-year-old Ferman had a long
history with the University, having
taught classes on campus for more than
25 years.
Ferman became a Social Work pro-
fessor in 1964, but joined the
University's Institute of Labor and
Industrial Relations as a scientist in
1963. He soon became the institute's
director.
Throughout academia and else-
where, Ferman was well-known for his
Wsearch of the economy. He wrote
more than 50 publications on the sub-
jeet. His areas of focus included human
problems in industrial societies,
employment training for harder-to-
employ people and several other sub-
jects.
"Lou was an insightful and highly
productive scholar; said Social Work
Prof Larry Root, who currently directs
*he labor institute. "He had the ability
to get to the heart of an issue , address-
ing the human side of employment
issues without losing objectivity
Contributions can be made to the
American Heart Association or to the
charity of the donator's choosing. A
campus memorial is scheduled to take
place April 16 in the Rackham
Graduate School Building.
cholarship
onors Free
Press columnist
The University's Council for
Disability Concerns is offering a schol-
arship to anyone associated with the
University -- a student, a faculty or
staff member or an alum. The financial
,,ift, named The James Neubacher
Award, is a tribute to former Detroit
Free Press columnist James Neubacher.
Neubacher, who graduated from the
University, had multiple Sclerosis and
died in 1990. The University's council
initiated the award in Neubacher's
name that same year.
According to an entry form, criteria
for the award includes: Removing bar-
riers that bar disabled people from "full
participation" in programs and ser-
vices, increasing general acceptance
d awareness of people with disabili-
ties and advocating for the communal
civil rights of people with disabilities.
Those interested - disabled and
non-disabled - in applying for the
award or receiving more information
about it can contact the Office of
Equity and Diversity Services, which is
located at 4005 Wolverine Tower.
Jlealth system
hosts clinic
The Turner Geriatric Clinic at
University Hospitals is collaborating
with the healthy system's Department
of Otolaryngology to offer free hearing
screening to all interested persons.
The free clinic plans to open its
doors Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the
Turner center, located at 1500 East
Medical Center Drive.
The health system will provide test-
ing to anyone at least 50 years old.
Spots are limited though, so call for
764-2556 to make a reservation. j
-Compiled from staff and wire
reports.
Workshop looks
at cultural issues
By Ray Kania
For the Daily
About 40 students attended a
Diversity Workshop sponsored by the
Michigan Student Assembly on Friday
evening to discuss racial and cultural
issues.
The purpose of the workshop,
held in the Michigan Union
Pendelton Room, was to encourage
students to take advantage of the
diversity the University offers by
speaking with and listening to stu-
dents of different backgrounds in an
open forum setting.
MSA Rep. Kym Stewart, who
organized the event, said the
University should be "not just a
place of diversity, but a community
of diversity."
To encourage open dialogue, stu-
dents participated in activities designed
to help them recognize social cate-
gories, such as race and gender, and to
illustrate the differences present among
those people who fell into the same cat-
egory.
Participants also watched a movie
about hate crimes and racism. Students
also discussed how racial and cultural
stereotypes affect their interactions with
others who come from various back-
grounds.
Event facilitators encouraged partici-
pants to concentrate on ways to coun-
teract intolerance and racism on cam-
pus.
Many participants said they enjoyed
the workshop.
LSA first-year student Matt
Huang said he was "pleased about
how it went. It was a good forum
for people to learn about each
other"
LSA senior Michelle Williams said
the diversity of the participants added
to the value of the workshop.
"I was impressed that a lot of differ-
ent people crossed these racial barri-
ers," Williams said.
Williams added that the University
needs more events like the workshop.
"U of M is not stressing enough inte-
gration;"she said.
GABE EICKHOFF/Oahy
During the Michigan Student Assembly Diversity Workshop in the Michigan Union yesterday, participants wrote cultural
stereotypes on posters as part of an exercise about the differences among various cultures.
Stewart said the workshop was ethnicities," which was one of the pro- said.
"extremely successful" She said it cre- ject's main goals lStewart said she plans to make tbe
ated meaningful discourse between Event Facilitator Daniel Scallet, an Diversity Workshop an annual event
students about diversity and cultural LSA first-year student, explained the and to publicize other events that
differences. She said the participants philosophy behind the workshop. "We offer opportunities for students to
were able to 'feel competcly comfort- need to make sure there is integration, discuss and appreciate their differ-
able talking wti people of different or (diversity) is all wasted," Scallet ences.
I
State senators to battle for
l
open seat in Michigan Hous
SARA SCHENCK/Daily
Michael OndaatJe, author of the "English Patient" reads his poetry and
prose last night in Rackham Auditorium,
'English Paient'
author presents
his poetry, pros
pros
LANSING (AP) - With her
announcement that she'll seek a US.
Senate seat, U.S. Rep. Debbie
Stabenow did more than set up a Senate
campaign face-off She opened the
door to what could be Michigan's top
House duel next year.
And two state senators already say
they're ready to walk through that door
and announce their candidacies for the
8th District congressional seat
Stabenow now holds.
Expected to soon formally announce
for the House seat - and not shy about
their intentions - are Sens. Dianne
Byrum (D-Onondaga) and Mike
Rogers (R-Brighton).
The campaign figures to hit the
national radar screen for two reasons.
First, it's a marginal district with nearly
equal numbers of Democrat and
Republican voters. Second, both parties
desperately want control of the U.S.
House in 2000.
While other candidates can't be
ruled out, the parties have rallied
around Byrum and Rogers - and little
interest has been shown so far by any-
one else.
" was not going to make any
announcement before Debbie made
hers!' Byrum said. "I'vmnot going to
step on her announcement, either."
"It has been green lights and encour-
agement without exception," she said.
And Rogers says much the same
thing.
"What we're finding is this is an
it's probj
district i
ably the most competitive
the state."
- David Rohde
Michigan State University political science professor
!7
extremely important seat to Congress,"he
said. "This is a huge undertaking...I have
to get my family on board. Washington is
overwhelming and flattering."
"I'm starting to feel a lot better about
it. I think it is a winnable seat for us.
Political observers, meanwhile, agree
the seat is a choice prize for either party.
"It's probably the most competitive
district in the state; said David Rohde,
a Michigan State University political
science professor. "We'll see an enor-
mous amount of money spent here. I
think this is going to be one of the top
15 or 20 House races in the country."
Stabenow, a Lansing Democrat,
announced last week she'll seek the
Democratic nomination to oppose
Republican U.S. Sen. Spencer
Abraham next year. While that sets
up a potentially hot Senate race, it
poses an equally pivotal fight to
replace her.
Both national parties are eyeing the
Michigan seat as crucial to their hopes
of controlling the U.S. House in next
year's election. Republicans hold a
222-211 edge in the chamber, with one
independent and one vacancy.
"We're certainly going to be keeping
our eye on that seat," said John Oel
Cicato, a Democratic Congressiopal
Campaign Committee spokesperson.
"It has a history of performing tell
Democratically.'
"It will be one of the key batle-
grounds in the entire nation;' said Andy
Anuzis, the 8th District's GOP cltair.
"We couldn't think of a better cawibi-
date" than Rogers.
And the state Republican Party
issued a statement pledging "full *p-
port" for Rogers if he runs. "It's
absolutely critical to who controls the
House," said Sage Eastman,w a
spokesperson.
The pivotal nature of the 8th Dis iet
seat was also noted by Bill Ballener,
editor of Inside Michigan Politics n
himself a former GOP state lawmar.
"It's going to be the most exciang
congressional race we've had in seer-
al years,' he said. "It's very close it
could go either way. Control nationlly
is hanging in the balance."
Both Byrum and Rogers are Wll
aware of the seat's importance natioifal-
ly. Both say they have discussed their
plans with national party leaders id
came away with their encourageme .
By Jeannie Baumann
For the Daily
As part of the Visiting Writers
Series, award-winning writer
Michael Ondaatje - author of "The
English Patient" - gave a reading
last night at Rackham Auditorium.
Ondaatje read from a variety of his
poetry and prose. He began with a
selection of poems, including "The
Cinnamon Peeler." In this piece, the
Cinnamon Peeler addresses his wife
with sensuous imagery of smells and
tastes, making it a love poem.
As a native of Sri Lanka who has
lived in Canada for more than 30
years, Ondaatje reflects in several of
his works his international back-
ground as well has his experiences
from and between these countries,
including his book "Running the
Family"
He described this piece as "a
book about growing up in Sri Lanka
and going back after a long time." It
included humorous memoirs about
his grandmother, whom he called in
the book a "lyrical socialist." He
depicted her love and theft of flow-
ers as an anecdote for her love of
nature and generous demeanor.
Ondaatje also read from "In the
Skin Of a Lion;' the predecessor to
"The English Patient," whose char-
acter Hannah also appears in both
novels.
He concluded with readings from
his new book of poetry. The works
take place in Sri Lanka, which he
called "a prism for his poems.
"The time sequence ranges from
the ancient to the contemporary,"
Ondaatje explained. The poem
"Buried," he said, "began with an
image that was haunting him, about
stealing and burying statues and
finding them 500 years later."
Robb Taylor, an LSA senior who
attended the reading, said "Ondaatje is
a brilliant writer and speaker. He has a
very vivid and strikingly clear style."
English Prof Ira Konigsberg also
admires Ondaatje's writing.
Konigsberg taught "The English
Patient" in his Contemporary
Novels class last semester. He
described Ondaatje as "one of the
finest stylists of the English lan-
guage. He is the kind of writer who
makes one anticipate with pleasure
his future novels and poems!
Konigsberg decided to use "The
English Patient" because "he man-
ages to contain the whole history of
western culture into a single narra-
tive about the years leading up to
and after the second World War. The
book has the ability to deal with
abstract notions of time and space"
Konigsberg also noted that Ondaatje
is "fun and enjoyable to read."
Ondaatje is visiting the
University through Friday. He is
scheduled to give a lecture tomor-
row at the Rackham Amphitheater
titled "From There to Here"
1'
Correction:
Donna Hansen was incorrectly identified in Friday's Daily
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