68 - The Michigan Daily Graduation Edition - Thursday, April 15, 1999 GRADUATION '99 A beloved city FILE PHOTO/Daily An aerial view of Ann Arbor provides a glimpse of the campus senior students have called home for several years. After May 1, many will be leaving behind the familiar sight of Angell Hall and Central Campus. Alear Class of 1999 T he Class of 1999 has observed and participated in tremendous growth at the University. As the world moved into the information age, so did the Class of 1999. As the world struggled with social issues such as racism, domestic violence and alcohol abuse, so did the Class of 1999. As the world wondered what is ahead for them in the coming millennium, so did the Class of 1999. But the Class of 1999 is dis- tinct from the rest of the world in countless ways. Each one of the thousands of people who will stand on Michigan Stadium's field next Saturday has had a unique experience during their four or more years in Ann Arbor. Those experiences have shaped who they are as they enter the "real" world. The students experienced a shift in the University's long- term objectives. When they began attending, the University's administration was focused on physical develop- ment - construction rendered many parts of the University useless for many years. Current students are reaping the bene- fits of past construction, with a greatly expanded North. Campus and a new home for the School of Social Work. When then-President James Duderstadt's relations with the University Board of Regents became rocky, he resigned in June, 1996. After a transition period, the University chose for- mer Law School Dean Lee Bollinger as its 12th president in November 1996. In a move that should have occurred in the pre- vious administration, Bollinger changed the University's focus from construction to academics. He spearheaded the Year of the Humanities and Arts, which highlighted the University's strengths in non-scientific fields and ended with an outstanding speech from Hillary Rodham Clinton. Behind the scenes, Bollinger has worked to maintain good relations with students, adminis- trators and the regents, unlike many of his predecessors. This has greatly improved the cam- pus's learning environment. The Class of 1999 has seen the University in the national spot- light many times. In 1995, then- University student Jake Baker sparked a nationwide First- Amendment debate when he was expelled for posting a sexually violent story about one of his classmates on the Internet. One year later, the University was bombarded with reporters nationwide when former mathe- matics graduate student Ted Kaczynski was accused and later convicted of being the Unabomber. Not since Madonna has a University alumnus received so much media atten- tion. The Class of 1999 has wit- nessed and experienced many tragedies. Students banded together as the campus came face to face with death, overdoses, murders, suicides and accidents. In September 1997, LSA senior Tamara Williams was stabbed to death by her on-and- off boyfriend, who was shot by a Department of Public Safety offi- cer in an effort to prevent the stabbing. This forced many stu- dents to confront the issue of domestic violence and realize that it could happen to anyone. This was made clearer last month when LSA senior Natasha Qureshi fatally shot her boyfriend, University alumnus Chris Groesbeck and subsequent- ly killed herself. These incidents proved that nobody is safe from violence, as it could occur any- where. But the Class of 1999 has also seen its share of triumphs - most notably in the field of inter- collegiate athletics. Most notably, thousands of University students flocked to Pasadena on Jan. 1, 1998 to witness the Wolverines win the Rose Bowl and share the 1997 college football national championship. Fans at Yost Ice Arena saw their share of national championships as well, as the Wolverines won the NCAA I tournament in 1996 and 1998. The University's academics also have evolved - keeping it among the top universities in the world. With the recent creation of two new schools - the Schools of Public Policy and Information - the University realized the demand for new curricula. Throughout hardships and victories, the thousands of graduates have gained experi- ence only the University could provide. Their years in Ann Arbor can be described as fun, sad, adventurous, tearful, intel- lectual - the list is endless. But every graduate hopefully will leave Ann Arbor with a tremendous knowledge of life and the love of learning. ,AILY: A' TAFF DITORIAL ning experience saw eventful years in Ann Arbor lRAD THE DAILY. RECYCLE THE DAILY. A UTABO VE THE REST E. LIBERTY OFF STATE P45(0LA'S (Hong Kong Stylel caFeterin 8 510 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor, M 48104 GRADUATING? KEEP TN TOUCH WITH ANN ARBOR THROUGH THE MICHIGAN DAILY ONLINE! http //w.mi chigandaily. corn BUSINESS HOURS Mon. - Sat. 11a.m. - 10p.m. Sunday 12 Noon - 9p.m. Tel: 747-6662 Fax: 747-6620 -do "Mmma"Na roo 0 Anti it click navnff_