LOCAL/S TATE The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 28, 2000 - c -_, i , _ 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. COLUMBIA UofM Students: Attend Columbia University's Biosphere 2 Spring Semester 2001 for the SAME TUITION you pay at UofM! UN I VfRSITY'S PI4ERE2 EARTH SEMESTER " Earth Systems Science and Policy - Field research in places such as the Sea of Cortez and the Sonoran Desert 4Jtk '6g 4 ,- - - Interdisciplinary teamwork UNIVERSE SEMESTER * Astronomy and Astrophysics . Night sky observation with a variety of telescopes including our 24" telescope - Access to professional telescopes at Kitt Peak Observatory 4e A I. .$9.#' 1, r' . VOLVO SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE! : A I -. I Students may cross-register I i;