Wednesday, September 6, 2000 - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - 7C
SERVICE
Continued from Page 7C
and leadership (SAL) sponsors a
yearly event, Festifall, an outdoor
festival on the Diag, which displays
over 600 student organizations on
campus. Many organizations that
offer volunteer opportunities will
'ave information for students who
sh to participate. This year's
event is scheduled f'or Thursday,
September 7 from 11 :0(am-4pm.
SAL also sponsors Winterfest,
which is another opportunity to
expose students to local organiza-
tions. More information about Win-
terfest will be available soon.
In addition to Festifall and Win-
terfest, SAL offers other programs
aimed to provide guidance and sup-
port for students' co-curricular
involvement, with a focus on stu-
dent and leadership development
theory. SAL also helps students
start their own organizations. More
information about the programs is
available on their website.
There is a web-based service, the
University of Michigan Volunteer
C o n n c t i o n
(Ittp://wi'wi.unich.cdut'-/vo/untccr/),
which matches students with avail-
able volunteer opportunities around
the community. The site allows stu-
dents to create a personal profile,
based on their specific interests and
skills. The site currently boasts over
200 opportunities from over 200
agencies. There are on-going weekly
placements, one-time projects, hands
on or behind the scenes work, group
projects, courses and student organi-
zations, Project SERVE programs, as
well as other opportunities. Volun-
tecrs also can elect to receive c-mail
notifications of volunteer opportuni-
ties that suit their profiles.
Religion major suspended.
By Jen Fish
Daily StaftfReporter
University students intending to pursue religion stud-
ies as their major needed to do so by April 14 because
the concentration is now currently suspended
for two years.
Robert Owen, associate dean for
undergraduate education, said theo
Program in Religious Studies
"cannot readily meet its obliga-
tion to offer the courses that are
required for students who are
concentrating."
A suspended concentration,
means the PIRS will not be ;
accepting any new concentra-
tors into the program until the
suspension is lifted. But the
department will offer courses to.
non-concentrators and those'
already declared Those wishing to
pursue a degree in religion after the
April 14 deadline can do so through
the Individual Concentration Program,
which allows students to build their own pro-
grams.
Faculty within the department and other outside
experts will be reviewing the department during the
course of the suspension.
LSA Dean Shirley Neuman and the LSA College
Executive Committee made the decision based in part
by recommendations made by PIRS Director Prof. Don-
aId Lopez, Owen said in a written statement.
"In recent years, PIRS has had difficulty offering a
number of important courses. especially seminars
required of all concentrators. For several years
there has been an insufficient number of
faculty permanently attached to the
program, requiring it to rely exces-
sively on part-time instructors,"
Owen said.
"Professor Lopez has recog-
nized that there are a number
(of) faculty .. located in vari-
ous LSA departments whose
scholarships and teaching
interests lie in the area of
Religious Studies, but whose
courses have not been integrat-
ed into PI RS," Owen said.
The actual decision to suspend
the concentration was handed
down on March 27, and while the
actual review of the department is not
surprising, the decision to suspend the
concentration was unexpected to some.
LSA Academic Adviser Joe Summiers said he was
surprised at the decision's apparent lack of input from
the students.
"I do not sec how you make a decision like this with-
out consulting students." Summers said.
'U'
schools receive high
.S. ew
By Robert Gold
Daily StafiReporter
Although other University gradu-
ate schools often receive more pub-
lic attention, the schools of Social
Work and Public Health are also
considered among the nation's best
in their respective fields.
In the 2001 "Best Graduate
Schools" rankings by U.S. News &
World Report released in March,
the University's School of Social
Work rates first in the nation and
the School of Public Health took
fourth.
The Department of Health Man-
agement and Policy, which is part of
the School of Public Health, was
ranked first in lcalth Services
Administratio.n.
The University's School of Informa-
tion tied for third in Library Sciences.
The University's nursing, engi-
neering, law, education and business
colleges finished in the magazine's
top ten. The Medical School tied for
I2th with the Baylor College of
Medicine.
All of the rankings are scheduled
to be published today in a special'
edition of the magazine.
rs ranking,
"The University of Michigan
School of Social Work has always
ranked among the top academic
institutions in the country and there
is always some fluctuation in the
rankings," Social Work Dean Paula
Allen-Meares said in a written
statement. "However, we are proud
and gratified that our tradition of
excellence in social work education
has been confirmed again."
Washington University in St.
Louis ranked second for social work
schools and Columbia University
and the University of California at
Berkelev tied for third. Michigan
State University was rated 39th.
Public Health Associate Provost
Mark Becker said the rankings are
"limited in scope" but "at the same
time, we are pleased to be recog-
nized as leaders in the nation."
"We feel we stand toe-to-toe with
the schools ranked ahead of us," he
said.
The magazine also rated Johns
Hopkins University first in public
health. Harvard University and the
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill took the number two
and three spots. Becker said the
school evaluates its quality by fac-
honors
tors such as the quantity of its
research monies, research produc-
tivity and the quality of its students.
"We have taken great pride in .
the leadership positions (our stu-
dents) have taken." Becker said.
Becker said the Department of
Health Management and Policy has
a favorable rating because of the
faculty and programs.
"They have done a very good job
of preparing their students and plac
ing them," Becker said.
John Griffith, co-chair of the
department's master's committee,
said the school has been ranked
first for the three years that the
magazine has evaluated the field.
"Our goal is we will always be
among the top five programs in the
U.S.." Griffith said.
Allen-Meares said in her state-
ment that the School of Social Work
contributes to a student's future suc-
cess.
"It is both our experience and our
dream for the future that our gradu-
ates will continue to utilize their
education and talents to rectify the
ills of social injustice and promote
and enhanced quality of life for all,"-
Allen-Meares said.