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.