LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 23, 2004 - 3
CAMPUS
Free concert to
be performed at
Hill Auditorium
The Collage Concert will be
today at 8:15 p.m. at Hill Auditori-
um. This concert is set to feature
excerpts from two choral works,
Maurice Ravel's "Daphnis et Chloe:
Suite No. 2" and Georg Handel's
"Israel in Egypt: He gave them hail-
stones for rain", along with other
musical performances put on by
students in the School of Music.
Admission to the concert is free
but will require a general admission
ticket. These tickets will be available
between the hours of 8 a.m. and 1
p.m. today at the Power Center box
office.
Remaining tickets will be avail-
able for public distribution between
4 and 6 p.m. at the Hill Auditorium
box office. There are a limit of four
tickets per family.
This event is to be sponsored by
both the School of Music and the
Midwestern Conference on School
Vocal and Instrumental Music.
Hip-hop collective
reunites, holds
MLK workshop
Today there will be a workshop
called "Lather, Rinse, Repeat: Long
Hairz Collective Workshop on the
Integration of Art, Activism and
Culture" at 3 p.m. in room 126 of
East Quad.
The Long Hairz Collective is a
spoken word/hip-hop group reunit-
ing as part of the University's Rev.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sympo-
sium.
The program is being sponsored by
the United Asian American Organiza-
tions, Native American Student Orga-
nization, Office of Multi-Ethnic
Student Affairs, East Quad Multicul-
tural Awareness Committee and the
Office of Academic Multicultural Ini-
tiatives.
Symposium focuses
j on 19th century
black classicists
Today a symposium on African
American artists will take place at 1
p.m. in 5670 Haven Hall. The sympo-
sium is titled "African American Clas-
sicists in the 19th Century: A
Symposium."
Wilson Moses is the keynote
speaker for the event. Moses holds
the Feree Professorship of American
History at Pennsylvania State Uni-
versity.
He has lectured in England,
Malawi, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Aus-
tria, Hungary and Germany. He has
also held senior Fulbright professor-
ships at the University of Vienna and
the Free University of Berlin. He is
an author, most recently, of "Afro-
topia: Roots of African-American
Popular History."
The goal of the symposium is to
show the special exhibit in the Uni-
versity graduate library entitled
"Twelve Black Classicists" which is
currently touring the country.
Music faculty to
perform at the
School of Music
Tomorrow Aaron Berofsky, first
violinist of the Chester String Quartet
and faculty member will play the vio-
lin with Phillip Bush, a graduate of
the Peabody Conservatory of Music
and faculty member.
The event will occur at 8 p.m. at
the School of Music's, Briton
Recital Hall. The concert is being
sponsored by the School of Music.
Conference looks
at minorities in
academic world
A conference on diversity will
take place Sunday as an opportunity
for students to become educated on
minority issues.
The conference will include topics
such as minorities in academia, issues
of identity, and the question "what is
diversity?"
The conference will be at 1 p.m.
at the Michigan League.
It will include an icebreaker,
intergroup workshops and dialogues,
and will be followed by an ethnic
buffet at the Trotter House at the
conclusion of the conference. Trans-
portation will be provided.
MLK week draws
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Students can be fined for sledding in Arb
By Ashley Dinges
Daily Staff Reporter
University students prove that sledding isn't
just for elementary-schoolers. For many years, a
favorite pastime of students has been sledding in
locations throughout campus, including the
Nichols Arboretum.
But many students do not realize that under a
1995 ordinance, they are subject to fines if they
damage foliage in the Arb. It is also considered
trespassing if a person is found in the Arb
between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
"There have been people in at different times,
during the day and night," said Bob Grese, direc-
tor of the Arb.
Grese also said because of the large amounts of
snow in the past two weeks, many more students
have attempted sledding.
The "violation is a civil infraction punishable
by a fine of $50," DPS spokeswoman Diane
Brown said.
Although sledding itself is not cited, the ordi-
nance states that Arb visitors may not violate
rules posted in the Arb, which do include sled-
ding, said Brown.
The ordinance is not only in place to protect Arb
property, but also to protect sledders, she said.
"There are two groups of problems. One is the
damage done to plants with people sledding and
going through areas we have recently planted.
The other problem has been making sure people
don't injure themselves by sledding into some-
thing," Grese said.
Engineering sophomore Lisa Gossman said
she believes most students overlook the risks
involved and sled regardless of consequences.
"Well, on a lot of levels, students just don't
care about getting caught doing various things
DPS can ticket you for. I guess it depends who
the people are, but most students probably just
won't care," Gossman said.
Engineering sophomore Derek Schilling has
never been sledding in the Arb, but claims the
risks - both physical and monetary - don't
deter him from wanting to try it.
"I'd imagine if you've got the dexterity to make
it down the hill on a cafeteria tray, you could
probably outrun whatever law enforcement was
chasing you," Schilling said.
Schilling, like other students, considered using
a tray as a means of conquering the slope.
"I even stole a tray from the cafeteria during
orientation in hopes of getting there sometime,"
Schilling said.
In fact, Markley Residence Hall Dining Ser-
vice Manager Dan Schleh said other students had
similar ideas. "There have been some students
who have taken some trays from the dining serv-
ice to do that," Schleh said.
But he warns that dining hall trays are not the
safest option for students who desire to tackle one
of the hills in the Arb.
"A lot of (trays) are made of a fiberglass com-
posite. They're brittle - they can crack and shat-
ter when used for something like that. They're not
intended for that," Schleh said.
Schleh also said students have tried to return
trays after using them as sleds.
"There is a cost factor in there. Even if the fin-
ish is scraped off, we have to throw them away.
They're no longer cleanable," Schleh said.
Teach for America vets
speak about experiences
By Koustubh Patwardhan
For the Daily
Dyan Rucks recalled her two years
teaching in Atlanta as an even more
challenging experience than taking
organic chemistry when she was a stu-
dent at the University.
Rucks and seven other Teach For
America alumni participated in a
panel discussion last night at the
Michigan Union, answering questions
about their teaching experiences in
impoverished areas.
One of the first questions asked to
the panel was what was their impetus
in wanting to teach. The members
unanimously said that they wanted to
make an impact and help urban chil-
dren.
Some added that, as children, they
enjoyed school while others were tutor-
ing in college and felt that this would be
a great avenue in pursuing their passion.
But the panelists also noted the
obstacles they faced. "Experiencing
young kids was not all fun and play, it
was a job," said panelist Beth Vaccaro,
who taught first grade in Washington
from 1998 to 2000.
The panelists also discussed their
classroom experiences. Many recalled
their first day in the classroom and dis-
cussed the fear that both they and the
students faced. Almost all of them said
that discipline and time management
were big concerns for them.
There was typically one student in
each class who never listened to the
teachers and intimidated them, the
panelists said.
Rucks suggested that at first it was
difficult to control all the students, but
then after interacting with other faculty
members she was able to better handle
these situations.
Another aspect discussed was how
white teachers felt teaching mostly
minorities. Rucks said some children
have trouble relating with people of
different races.
Panelist Diana Blazar, who worked in
Phoenix where her students were most-
ly Hispanic, said all her students
thought she was Mexican because she
spoke Spanish.
"They were devastated when they
found out I was not Mexican," she said.
But all of the panelists said they felt
that even though they were not of the
same race, they were welcomed into
their community.
The panelists also touched on the
issue of teaching certification. They
commented on how the new No Child
Left Behind Act has made certification
regulations more stringent.
However, the Teach For America pro-
gram has affiliated universities through
which members, or 'corps,' can get cer-
"Experiencing young
kids was not all fun
and play, it was a job.
- Beth Vaccaro
Teach for America volunteer in
Washington D.C. from 1998 to 2000
tification. If people are interested in
becoming full time teachers, they can
attain a masters degree.
Students at the lecture were excited
by this program and felt that this was
an excellent opportunity for them to
develop their skills.
"The things I want to dedicate my
life to, and all the campus involvement
I have, are similar to this program,"
said LSA senior Shyla Kinhal.
Teach For America was founded in
1990 as a way to recruit college
graduates to serve as teachers in
urban or rural areas, and to improve
social justice.
The organization is very selective in
whom it recruits and prefers students
who have not studied education. Once
accepted, the corps have to relocate to
regional sites around the US and
receive the same salary as would any
entry-level teacher.
2FA
JEFF LEHNERT/Daily
Chris Gilbert, a former Teach for America member, speaks about his experiences
leading a classroom in the Wolverine Room of the Michigan Union yesterday.
POLICY
Continued from Page 1.
positive effect because it should end
unjust grading. Her roommate last year
dealt with a professor who favored a
male student in class, she said.
"Whenever (the student) would
talk she would pay so much more
attention. She quite obviously gave
him a little bit of a higher grade ...
even though they all did the same
amount of work. Everyone in her
group noticed," she said.
Such interactions between students
and instructors are common, said
Stewart.
"I've had friends who've dated
GSIs. Male GSIs especially tend to
spend more time with female students
that they find attractive," he said.
Stewart believes that if the policy is
passed, it will be successful in elimi-
nating unfair advantages given to stu-
dents in relationships with their
instructors.
"I think it would be effective because
the professor wouldn't want to put his
job in peril," he said.
But other students question whether
the policy will be effective if approved.
LSA senior DaNitra Lindsey said she
disagrees with the policy's goals and
believes that instructors and students
would keep their relationships secret.
"I don't think they would report
it. The professors should be profes-
sional enough to know how to dis-
tinguish between a personal
relationship and a school relation-
ship," she said.
Correction:
Wednesday's Daily should have reported that the Recording Industry Association of American issued to the Universi-
ty notices of an intent to subpoena nine students. The article also should have said that Vice President for Student Affairs
E. Royster Harper sent an e-mail out to all students living in residence halls. The Daily also failed to mention that Associ-
ate Provost James Hilton also was listed as an author on the e-mail.
From the director of LEGALLY BLONDE
KateBosworth
Topher~race
loshOuhamel
love story, there's only room
for one leading man.
STUDY
Continued from Page 1
nationally. Since applicants to
white-collar jobs typically need a
college degree, some people fear
efforts to restrict affirmative action
will only exacerbate the issue of
minority representation in profes-
sional jobs.
"I think there's an unjust backlash
against racial preferences," Law
School alum David Boyle said.
But opponents of race-conscious
programs see the situation differently.
State Rep. Leon Drolet (R-Clinton
Twp.) said he believes that eliminating
traditional affirmative action programs
will actually make it easier for minori-
ties to obtain jobs.
"Does it make it easier for a minori-
ty if (employers) are not certain they're
the best qualified person? I think it
would make it harder," said Drolet, co-
chair of MCRI.
By eliminating race-conscious
policies and using what affirmative
action opponents say are meritocratic
admissions, universities will provide
employers with a justifiably quali-
fied workforce, Drolet said.
Laura Davis, co-chair of the Uni-
versity's chapter of Young Ameri-
cans for Freedom - a group
supporting MCRI - said that the
initiative to ban race-conscious gov-
ernment policies will not hurt
minority representation.
The University of California system,
which banned race-conscious policies
in 1997, has seen an increase in minor-
"Affirmative action is about grant-
ing access and that every (student)
has the same opportunity," Davis
said. "Overall (eliminating racial
preferences) will be the best for
everyone."
But MCRI's opponents said banning
the use of race will only worsen the cur-
rent condition of the professional work-
force.
Michael Rice, executive director
for Citizens for a United Michigan,
which opposes MCRI, said a ban on
the use of race and gender in public
employment will also negatively
affect private businesses across the
state.
"Many (small businesses) in the past
have had their (minority or female)
employees passed on to them from
municipalities and state government,"
Rice said, adding that those areas
would also be affected with a race
preference ban.
But according to the Free Press
report, there are various explanations
for the census statistics besides those
that blame lingering effects of racism
and sexism.
Some people contend that the
growing presence of men in tradition-
ally female-dominated fields - like
nursing and teaching - might explain
the slight decrease in female represen-
tation.
Others contend that it may be too
early to gauge the effect of affirma-
tive action on minorities and women.
Armando Ojeda, executive director of
the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, told the Detroit Free Press
that Hispanics have only been in the
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