LOCAL/S TATE

The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 3, 2000 - 3A

CAMPUS
Journalist to
discuss Iranian
* transformation
Journalist Robin Wright is sched-
-uled to deliver a lecture this afternoon
focusing on her book titled "The Last
Great Revolution: Transformation and
Turmoil," about her time in Iran.
"'Wright, a University alum and an
international correspondent with the
Los Angeles Times has reported from
miore than 120 countries.
'The event, which will is sched-
uled to take place at 4 p.m. in room
91636 at the School of Social Work
Building, is sponsored by the Cen-
ter for Middle Eastern and North
African Studies, Department of
Communication Studies and the
Department of Near Eastern Stud-
ies. Following the lecture, Wright
will sign copies of her most recent
book "The Last Great Revolution:
Turmoil and Transformation."
'U' students
puace 4th in test
-A team of University undergraduate
students placed fourth out of 346
teams from the United States and
Canada in what is known as the most
prestigious math competition in North
America - the Lowell Putnam Math-
ematical Competition.
-The examination consisted of two
,three hour sessions where students had
to solve six problems.
They were not permitted to commu-
nicate among themselves and were
sfipposed to write essay solutions to
the problems.
The problems are intended to test
ingenuity and technical competence.
The students who won are LSA
senior Dapeng Zhu, LSA junior Rishi
Raj and LSA sophomore Chetan Balwe.
Math workshop
offered to high
school students
Michigan high school students inter-
ested in mathematics can enroll in an
intensive summer math program at the
University.
Math Scholars Summer Program
participants can choose one or both
two week sessions.
The camp is sponsored by the Uni-
versity's Department of Mathematics.
Students may commute or stay in
the East Quad Residence Hall.
4t is an intensive, research oriented
summer workshop with academic year
follow up, and mentoring.
'Participants will take small classes
yeading mathematicians, and have
full access to the department's comput-
ing environment.
The camp costs $650 for two weeks
of $t,300 for four weeks as a com-
mniter. Financial aid is available. For
those residency on campus, the camp
costs $1,150 for two weeks and $2,300
for four weeks.
Rock n' Roll party
to benefit Mott
Children's Hospital
Tickets are now tn sale for the
annual Mott Rock n' Roll party to
:benefit the University's Mott Chil-

;dres hospital.
T!Te event will be held April 14 at
the Holiday Inn North Campus on Ply-
mouth Road from 6 to 11Ip.m.
Tickets are $20 per person and
*nclude food, door prizes, contests
and live music from the 1950s per-
formed by Steve King and the
litilies and a special appearance by
Joey D and the Dipsticks and
Dipchicks. A silent auction and cash
bar are also planned.
The proceeds will provide toys,
books and games to comfort children
who are evaluated by the Child Protec-
tion Team for potential placement
under protective care, as well as sup-
orting camps for kids with kidney
disease and hemophilia and assisting
the-Marshall Becker Clinic, a free clin-
ic for uninsured children.
Call (734) 936-9134 for ticket infor-
mation.
-Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Jodie Kaufman.

31 Flavors heir promotes healthy lifestyle

By Jennifer Sterling
Daily Staff Reporter
John Robbins, formerly the heir to the
Baskin-Robbins fortune, could be sitting on a
pile of money. But now the celebrated author
- who gave up his fortune in the ice cream
business - professes a plant-based diet.
More than 200 people listened as Robbins
gave a spiritual yet educational address yester-
day in the Michigan Union called "The Power
of Your Fork."
Robbins' lecture, which ultimately evoked a
standing ovation from the audience, included
his experiences visiting slaughter houses, his
views on world hunger and the media, treat-
ment of animals and peoples' health.
He spoke about ways to end world hunger
encouraging people to adapt a plant-based
diet.
"I look forward to the day that meat is taxed
in accordance with environmental destruc-
tion," he said.
Robbins has traveled to farms and slaughter

houses to learn how animals are treated. Of
those travels, he shared one story that he said,
"changed my life."
When visiting a pig farm - which he called
a "pig Auschwitz" - Robbins recalled meet-
ing the owner of the facility who was 6 feet 4
inches tall and one of the stiffest men he had
ever seen.
After a brief confrontation between the
owner and Robbins during dinner at the
owner's house, the owner began to cry. When
Robbins asked why he was crying, the owner
said he had a pet pig as a child and his father
forced him to kill it.
After that experience, Robbins said he left
the farm.
"I went on with my life. I wrote "Diet for a
New America" and when it was published I
sent (the owner) a copy." As a result of the
owner reading Robbins' book, he sold his
herd, bought a small farm and initiated the
Pet-A-Pig program that shows how farms can
be more ecologically conscious.
"He's one of my heroes," Robbins said.

"I look forward to the day that meat is taxed in
accordance with environmental destruction."
- John Robbins
author

In another story, Robbins shared his experi-
ence on National Public Radio where he said
a member of the cattle association accused
him of just trying to make money off his
books. Robbins said he "never would have'
left Baskin-Robbins" if his interest was in'
making money.
Along with telling stories, Robbins read an
invocation promoting the celebration of
water, food, air, sun and the earth. "How do
we live in keeping with this vision?" he
asked afterwards.
Michigan Animal Rights Society Chair
Rodolfo Palma-Lulion said after reading Rob-
bins' books, "I got the idea of bringing John

Robbins to Ann Arbor ... I wanted to make
sure it wasn't just for vegetarians or vegans.
Palma-Lulion said he wanted Robbins "to
reach out to everybody."
Sponsors of the event included the MARS,
People's Food Co-op, University Activities
Center, Michigan Student Assembly and LSA
Student Government.
Robbins has written two books titled "Diet
for a New American" and "May All Be Fed:
Diet for a New World."
Aggie Monfette, who came from Royal Oak
to see Robbins speak, said he is "very well-
known," adding that people flock to hear him
speak.

Hit me with your best shot

State bill could force

school mas
LANSING (AP) - Legislation designed to
provide parents with information about their chil-
dren's school district may hurt schools by drain-
ing funds for the proposed mailings, school
officials say.,
A number of school districts already mail
families annual performance reports, but a bill
proposed by state Rep. Charles LaSata (R-St.
Joseph) would force districts to consolidate
that information and send it to parents,
The bill duplicates efforts school districts are
making to inform parents, said Don Wotruba,
assistant director of government relations for the
Michigan Association of School Boards.
Information that would be consolidated into
report cards under the measure is already provid-
ed to parents at public hearings, on the Internet
and in school reports, Wotruba said.
While it's important to get district information
to parents, there are ways to do it that wouldn't
force education money to be spent on mailings,
said Ray Telman, Michigan Association of
School Administrators spokesman.
"The issue is whether we're spending money
on mailings by taking away from children's edu-
cation:' Telman said. "How best are we serving
the needs of children in school districts?"
The State Department of Education's Website
already contains information from school districts,
including test scores and enrollment, that would be
mailed out under the legislation.

s mailing
Some parents don't have the computer sophis-
tication to use the Internet, LaSata said. The*
measure would also resolve the fact that a major-'
ity of parents don't know that the information}
exists, he said.
Schools already are required by state law-to'
issue an annual "report card" to parents showing
student test scores, average teacher salaries,
dropout rates, per-pupil spending and other infor-
mation for each elementary, middle school,
junior high and high school in the district.
But information sent out by school districts
appears in various formats and contains convo-
luted language without any uniformity, LaSata
said.
"The idea of reporting the information is not
something I have a problem with," Wotruba
said. "Our questions include the cost of mailing
the report cards out."
The Forest Hills School District spends about
S59,000 annually to mail the parents of its 8,000
students and area residents its annual report,
which includes information such as test scores,
Superintendent Michael Washburn said. The
mailings have been going out for 15 years, he
said.
"I understand the intent - to get more infor-
mation communicated to parents," Washburn
said of the proposed legislation. "But it seems
unnecessary because it's already being done by
so many districts."

DAVID KATZ/Daily
University Hospital Physical MED and Rehabilitation Resident Jacques Whitecloud polishes his
boxing skills at the Central Campus Recreation Building yesterday.

' S ooloSocial
Work ranks first in report
SCHOOLS ment's master's committee, said the
school has been ranked first for the
Continued from Page 1A three years that the magazine has evalu-
of its research monies, research pro- ated the field.
ductivity and the quality of its stu- "Our goal is we will always be
dents. among the top five programs in the
"We have taken great pride in ... the U.S.," Griffith said.
leadership positions (our students) have Allen-Meares said in her statement
taken," Becker said. that the School of Social Work con-
Becker said the Department of tributes to a student's future success.
Health Management and Policy has a "It is both our experience and our
favorable rating because of the faculty dream for the future that our gradu-
and programs. ates will continue to utilize their
"They have done a very good job of education and talents to rectify the
preparing their students and placing ills of social injustice and promote
them," Becker said. and enhanced quality of life for all,"
John Griffith, co-chair of the depart- Allen-Meares said.


MSU
Continued from Page 1A
dent M. Peter McPherson has been
talking to students in residence halls
about what happened last year and that
basketball coach Tom Izzo addressed
an e-mail to the entire student body,
stating that "Spartans act with class."
"I think the students were embar-
rassed," Denbow said. "They did not
want to detract one iota from the bas-
ketball team's success."
Last year's riots resulted in
$238,000 in damages and 132 arrests.
Saturday's show of support for the
basketball team pleased Denbow.
"On any college campus there
would be dancing around and singing
in the streets, and there should be," he
said. "Our students, our police and
everyone on both sides of Grand River
should be commended."
He characterized last year's riots as

unconnected to Michigan State's Final
Four defeat at the hands of the Duke
Blue Devils.
"It was behaviors unrelated to any-
thing rational," Denbow said, citing
"alcohol and pent-up frustration" as
possible causes. "It was not a sports
riot."
There were 30 arrests reported on
Saturday, but only eight were students.
None of the arrests were riot-related.
But the events of last year are not
easily forgotten.
Gov. John Engler on Thursday signed
a bill inspired by the 1999 riots banning
anyone convicted of a riot-related
offense within a half-mile of a college
campus from any university or commu-
nity college for up to two years.
Also on Thursday, the Michigan
Court of Appeals upheld a lower court
ruling that local media did not have to
release footage and photos of last
year's rioting students.

THE CALENDAR
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
EVENTS Annette Gigon and Mike Guyer to 769-0500 ext. 433
speak, Art & Architecture Lecture
Hll. 6 om n m764,1300 ERV.ICFS

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