IOC - New Student Edition - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 6, 2000
'Night' addresses
sexual violence
Letter grades to be
added to RC policy
By Sana Danish
Daily Staff Reporter
Despite the more than 300 unfamil-
iar faces staring back at her from the
piag on the evening of April 8, Social
Work graduate student Beth Harrison-
Prado stood on the steps of the Harlan
Hatcher Graduate Library and spoke
openly about surviving sexual assault.
Harrison-Prado, who identified
herself as a transgender individual,
described in frank detail
the experience of being '
raped by a group of men
after initially being mistak-
en for a gay man.
The rally started the 21st
annual Take Back the Night T
march against sexualized
violence in any form, which included
male and transgender participants for
the first time.
"I know that having an inclusive
march was challenging for some
people in this community, but I
think it is a crucial step toward truly
challenging sexualized violence,"
Harrison-Prado said.
Organized by the Ann Arbor Coali-
--tion Against Rape, the event included
speeches by survivors of sexualized
violence as well as poetry readings
and a musical performance.
"Being.given the chance to speak
at the rally was a real honor and it
also gave me a chance to speak for
transgender friends who couldn't be
here to speak for themselves," Har-
rison-Prado said.
LSA freshman Seema Bhat said the
survivors' stories at the rally deeply
affected her.
"It was very upsetting, there were
tears in my eyes," Bhat said. Partici-
pants left the Diag after the rally and
proceeded throughout down-
' ° town Ann Arbor shouting
several chants such as, "Yes
means yes, no means no,
however we look, wherever
we go."
" On South State Street par-
ticipants marched silently in
memory of those who died as a result
of sexualized violence.
The march concluded on the Diag,
where participants lit candles for the
survivors. RC sophomore Kristi
McGuire, who carried a sign through-
out the march, said this was the sec-
ond time she attended a Take Back the
Night march. "It was fantastic," she
said when the march ended. "The only
way I can think to improve it is if
more people participated."
During the march, a group of
almost 20 men participated in a work-
KRISTINGOBLE/Daily
Take Back the Night is an annual march against sexualized violence in any form.
shop and dialogue organized by the versity students and community mem-
White Ribbon Campaign as an alter- bers have marched to protest violence
native "for men who don't want to against women. But this year, men
participate out of respect for the sur- were invited for the first time to par-
vivors' space," Rackham student Gary ticipate in the Take Back The Night
Brouhard said. rally and march.
The White Ribbon Campaign, a "In the year 2000, we cannot
group of men working to end vio- ignore the one in four women and
lence against women, formed in the one in six men who are sur-
Canada in 1991. vivors of sexualized violence,"
LSA junior Benjamin Osborne Cathryn Antkowiak-Howard, who
attended the workshop after the rally has participated in past Take Back
instead of marching. "It was really the Night marches, said in a written
interesting to see the open display of statement. "We must take a stand
emotion that you don't get in typical against violence against anyone."
all-male settings,"Osborne said. -- Additional reporting by Staff
For the past 21 years, female Uni- Reporter Marta Brill
By Jeannie Bauman
Daily Staff Reporter
Discussion regard
the Residential Coll
tem has ended wit
implement an all-
grading system inst
committee proposals
The previous pro
by an RC commit
would have allow
attach their cumulati
transcripts and writte
Instead, RC stud
letter-grades for all c
outside the program
Dean Robert Owen
have a letter-grading
by the Fall 2000 acac
"We are not,.in at
eliminate the narra
course evaluations it
said. "We support th
RC Director Tom
he could not comme
the RC's grading sy:
details of the prograr
finalized.
"It's possible to
introduce letter
grades and (grade
point averages) for
RC students with-
out damaging the
specific, educa-
tional philosophy
of the RC. It is
also possible to do
so in a way that
could seriously
undermine that
philosophy," he
said.
RC students cur-
rently receive writte
place of letter-grade
no cumulative GPAi
classes. But studen
can opt for a lette
upper-level RC cla
receive letter grade
taken outside of the1
Owen said the ad
creates a more fair a
ment for all LSA
rationale is to prom
students. The RC is
it was felt that the s
apply to all students.
In the current
explained, RC prof
the evaluations into
n graduate schools or other organiza-
tions request a quantitative assess-
ment of the student's perfortnan e.
ling the future of He said such a system is unfai
ege grading sys- LSA students who are not enrolled in
h a decision to the college. "The RC is using a third
inclusive letter party, and that's clearly unaccept-
tead of previous able," Owen said.
Owen said the grade certification
posal, presented system still creates a bias. "Beyond
tee in January, the 30 credits, we don't think stu-
ed students to dents should be in position to pick
ve GPAs to their and choose their grades," he said.
n evaluations. All LSA students can take up to 30
ents will receive credits pass-fail - one-fourth of e
lasses inside and credits needed for graduation.
. Associate LSA The new system includes the
said he hopes to grandfathering policy, so any. new
system in place practices in the evaluation process
demic term. will not affect any currently enrolled
ny way, trying to RC students. "The old rules will still
itive element of apply to them, Owen said.
n the RC," Owen RC sophomore Rachel Razgunas
em." said she was upset about the imple-
Weisskopf said mentation of any quantitative grading
nt on changes to system.
stem because the "Without the grades and witlh eva -
m still need to be uations, we are able to form a more
personal relationship without compe-
tition and fotusing
on the leafning,
"My basic positionanfouign
$$ 090$ $00 and focusing on
sthat the the information
is t RC that's being taught
to us," she said.
Weisskopf said
he would do
philosophy is a eveyhn n
everything in&
very good one." capacity to uphold
the principles of
--Tom Weisskopt the RC, which
Residential College Director stresses collabora-
.____ _tion and deflect8
competition. "My
basic position is
en evaluations in that the RC educational philosophy is
s, thus they have a very good one, he said.
for all University Razgunas said the current sys
ts in the college does not take away opportuni s
r-grade in their from other LSA students because
asses. They also every student has the opportunity to
s for all classes become an RC student in the firs)
RC. place. "Even if that is the case, it's
idition of grades something that is given to every LSA
cademic environ- student,' she said.
students. "The Razgunas and other RC students
ote equity for all have organized a mass meeting fot
part of LSA, and students who wish to protest th
ame rules should grade system.
" he said. LSA Student Government Pr4
system, Owen dent B.J. Orandi said the group has
fessors interpret not had a chance to address the
a letter grade if issue.
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