LOCAL/S TATE
The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 28, 2000 -
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SACUA discusses Internet education on fathom.com
* Bollinger speaks to
committee on University's role
in online coalition
By Lisa Hoffman
Daily Staff Reporter
At yesterday's Senate Advisory Committee
on University Affairs meeting, University
President Lee Bollinger discussed the effects
of the University joining fathon.corn, a glob-
al online education community.
"It is important to know whether or not
many people are going to find this an opti-
mum way to learn," Bollinger said.
Reasons for joining the online education
alliance, he said, include increasing rev-
enues, bringing the University to a global
stage and creating better partnerships
between students and faculty members and
between the University and corporations.
Bollinger said raising funds through the
alliance is not the primary aim of
fathoin. coin.
"It is naive to say that making money is
the central part," Bollinger said. "Clearly
there are other purposes than a revenue
stream."
In their ongoing discussion of intellectual
property, SACUA members questioned
Bollinger on some specific details about
joining the online community, particularly
the quality of online education and the ease
of severing ties tofathom. com if necessary.
"Individuals are going to look for some-
thing in return," said SACUA member Don
Deskins, a sociology professor. "Eventually,
it's like the diploma machines we have now,"
referring to his concern that the University
could become preoccupied with the financial
benefits of the venture.
Bollinger said as of now the University
will follow its current policy of not granting
credit for online courses through
fithom.com, adding that the real benefit of
the alliance is the educational "richness and
resources" of the global partnership.
Online learning, Bollinger said, is a signif-
icant educational venue. It is something
"more interactive, more visual and more
packaged," Bollinger said, but the actual suc-
cess of this type of learning is rather unpre-
dictable.
"We know very little about how people
learn," he said.
In other discussion items, SACUA members
said they were concerned about the faculty's
lack of information about the two admissions
lawsuits filed against the University.
U.S. District Judge Patrick Duggan, who is
presiding over the case challenging College of
Literature, Science and the Arts admissions, is
considering whether to grant a mottion for
summary judgement, where he would then rule
on the case solely on evidence already present-
ed, circumventing a trial.
Duggan's decision is expected in the next
few weeks.
The case challenging the University's Law
School is set to begin in January. 4,
"It is entirely possible that the judge will
say that the facts aren't in dispute, and there
is no need for trial," Bollinger said.
If the LSA case does go to-trial, Bollinger
said he expects the case to be in court for
three to four weeks and spoke of the possi-
bility of a limited trial, which would limit the
trial to a specific end of the case, rather th
the entire suit.
"Every selective public University in'.t
country would be affected adversely by the
ruling" if the plaintiffs win, Bollinger said.
"This is the University's policy with roots
that go back 150 years," Bollinger said.
"There is a deep value of the place."
I
-Students decorate to
celebrate holdays
Heading south
4 w4e,
By Rachel Green
Daily Staff Reporter
After LSA senior Chris Zann's landlord told him
he couldn't hang Christmas lights outside of his
house on McKinley Street, Zann decided to deco-
rate his front yard for the holidays instead.
Zann said he worked hard Sunday night when he
came back from Thanksgiving break.
"Last night I put up my nativity scene and some-
body stole our baby Jesus," Zann said.
Despite vandalism, Zann said he will still deco-
rate the interior of his house. "I'm not going to get
home until late because of exams so I decided to
bring the lights up here."
With the winter holiday season in swing, many
students are bringing the seasonal festivities to
campus.
In West Quad Residence Hall, many students
have begun taking down their Halloween decora-
tions and replacing them with winter holiday lights.
LSA freshman Nicole Roberts said she brought
her mini-Christmas tree from home over break.
"This is my first Christmas away" Roberts said.
"I'd miss the Christmas spirit if I didn't have a tree
in my room."
While students on and off campus decorate their
rooms and houses, many Ann Arbor business join
in the festivities as well.
Gary Clark, manager of Van Boven, a men's
clothing store in Nickel's Arcade, said his staff dec-
orated the store's front window with red hanging
bells on Thanksgiving day.
"It's a long-standing tradition and we don't like
to break with tradition," Clark said. Van Boven has
been in business for 80 years.
"We have a lot of respect for the holiday and for
our customers," Clark said.
Also in Ann Arbor, the 2000 St. Nicholas Light
"Last night I put up my
nativity scene and
somebody stole my baby
Jesus.M"
- Chris Zann
LSA senior
Display at Domino's Farms opened Nov. 17 and
will run through the end of the year.
More than 2 million lights decorate the
indoor/outdoor display which includes a ginger-
bread village, a Victorian sleigh and a Celebration
of Trees, as well as a walk-through replica of the
town of Bethlehem.
Christy Dorer, director of events for Domino's
Farms said this is 10th anniversary of the St.
Nicholas Light Display, which benefits local chari-
ties.
"There are two major focuses of the show,"
Dorer said. "The first is putting the true meaning
back into the holiday, that is the birth of Jesus. The
second is giving back to charities and the commu-
nity."
Dorer said donations made to the display go to
the Make-a-Wish Foundation and 30 other local
charities in southeast Michigan.
"All of the charities are children or family-ori-
ented," Dorer said.
In addition to money donations patrons of the
display are asked to donate canned food to benefit
Ann Arbor and Detroit food banks.
The St. Nicholas Light Display runs nightly
from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and until 10:30 p.m.
on Fridays and Saturdays.
.
-
RAMADAN
Continued from Page 1
different schedules, Ramadan is a time when families and.
friends get together more frequently.
In addition to their daily dinners, students have informal-
ly organized an additional meal before sunrise.
"On Fridays we have an Ann Arbor tradition where we °<
to Denny's at 4:30 a.m.," Asghar said.
Asghar said it isn't difficult to get up early since they 1=,
religiously obligated to rise early every morning to pray t
'I
sunnise.
For the students, Ramadan is a time of food, fellowswh,
and most importantly, prayer.LSA sophomore Ima".,
Youssef said the Taraweeh, or nightly prayers which follow,
the prayer at sunset, are memorized verses from the Koran.
"It's a big deal to have the whole Koran memorized, butWl
lot of Muslims have done it. It's important to upkeep the.
oral tradition," Youssef said.
Nagla Fetouh said during the prayer they say Godi§M
great' three times while bending down.
"Everyone says the same thing and you look toward
Ka'bha in Mecca while praying" she said. °"
Asghar said the Muslim Students Association plann .
dinners for every night of the first three weeks of Ramadap,.
Students campus-wide are invited to a Ramadan dineife
prepared by members of the Muslim Student Associati A.
on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in Stockwell's Blue Lounge.
For the Ramadan dinners, the men and women hold din-
ners at different venues. Separation of the genders, which is
prevalent throughout the Islamic religion and services, isa
result of the idea of restraint. During Muslims worshipl
the mosque, the Islamic place of worship, the men stand;-
the front and the women remain the back.
"In Islam men and women are supposed to be separat6. A
man's prayer isn't acceptable if he's behind a won'iatf-
because he may not be focused on prayer. It's just like why"
women wear the headdress," Fetouh said.
Interaction between unmarried men and women is mii.
mized if women stand at the back and cover their heds'
Fetouh said. 0
"Women have more self-control, which is why they stand
at the back of the mosque, Asghar said.
Although the women appear to have more restraint, th e
men are certainly not off the hook.
"Everyone is supposed to dress modestly," Fetouh said.,
"The guys aren't supposed to wear tight clothing, like tiht
jeans."
AP PHOTO
Dozens of mallards fly over the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge near Puxico,
Mo. yesterday. Migratory waterfowl stop at the refuge every year on their
way south.
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