Thursday, April 13, 2006
News 2A Jurors hear 9/11
tape in trial of
suspected terrorist
P1"""C) 4t
Opinion 4A
Alison Go on
going liberal
Arts 8A Michigamua film
reveals divisive past
One-hundredfifteen years ofedztorzilfreedom
www.michikandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVI, No. 112 @2006 The Michigan Daily
LSA bids
farewell
* to Spanish
0
Sminor
LSA Curriculum Committee
votes to suspend Spanish minor
on a three-year trial basis; current
students will not be affected
By Jason Y. Lin
For the Daily
In years to come, Spanish minors are likely to become
an increasingly rare breed on campus.
Soon, they may even be extinct.
The LSA Curriculum Committee unanimously approved
a three-year suspension of the Spanish minor Tuesday.
Pending final approval from the LSA Executive Commit-
tee, the change will be effective starting with next year's
freshman class.
It will not effect currently enrolled students.
The elimination aims to address the chronic enrollment
problem in upper-level Spanish classes, which consistently
has more demand for spots than the University can meet
with its resources.
Peggy McCracken, chair of the Department of Romance
Languages, said the department regularly receives more
students than it has resources to accommodate, especially
in upper-level classes.
"We are concerned about telling students that they can
minor in Spanish when all upper-level classes are full," she
said. "The suspension of the minor will free up places in
classes that are currently restricted only to Spanish majors
and minors."
There are currently 350 declared majors and 267 declared
minors in the undergraduate Spanish program.
Spanish major Ruben Adery said the minor offers many
advantages, providing students with a well-rounded educa-
tion.
"The minor gives students the chance to build Spanish
skills while pursuing other areas of study," Adery said.
The proposed three-year duration of the suspension
enables the Curriculum Committee to review the changes
two years after their implementation to assess its effects,
committee members said.
Robert Megginson, LSA associate dean for undergradu-
ate and graduate education, said the minor was too popular
for its own good.
"It was really an issue of resources," he said. "Demand
for this minor has been absolutely overwhelming to the
point where we were convinced that it was, in effect, suf-
fering from its own success."
LSA Student Government representatives argued against
* the minor's elimination.
LSA-SG members successfully lobbied for a provision
that ensures currently enrolled students will continue to
have access to the Spanish minor.
See MINOR, page 3A
. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spanish major vs. minor
Requirements for students in the Spanish
Reactions to
Michigamua
reforms
mixed
A day after the society announced
that it has retired its name and released
its member list, students are split on
whether the changes are enough
By Andrew Grossman
Daily Staff Reporter
After years of criticism for its history of appropriating
Native American imagery in its rituals, the senior honor
society Michigamua took a major step toward allaying the
concerns of its critics on Tuesday by retiring its name and
making public its membership. The initial campus reaction
to the reforms has been mixed.
Most students said they were happy that the group is
taking positive steps, but questioned whether it's going far
enough.
Among the names of members released yesterday was
newly elected Michigan Student Assembly President Nicole
Stallings.
MSA members greeted the news with caution, but said
they were willing to give Stallings a chance.
"You do not want the president of the student body to
be involved with an organization that has been so heavily
criticized," said MSA Rep. Nick Assanis, a member of the
Michigan Progressive Party. "It's fair to give her a chance
to speak about this issue and her involvement."
Some past MSA presidents have declined the tap to avoid
a scandal. They refused, though, before the reforms.
While they were campaigning against Stallings, who
ran on the rival Students 4 Michigan ticket, MPP members
knew that she had been offered membership in the group,
party leaders said. In one of the election's few demonstra-
tions of restraint, they chose not to use the information as
a campaign point.
"Personally, I am not one who will use one's affiliations
against them," Assanis said.
MSA Rep. Rese Fox, who ran against Stallings in the
presidential race with MPP, turned down last year mem-
bership in Phoenix, a group that was Michigamua's sister
society until the group began admitting women in 1999.
Fox said she didn't feel the need to join a secret society
to help make the University a better place.
"As an MSA rep, you can directly and openly improve campus,
and I didn't want to be distracted from that goal," she said.
Some activists said the society cannot divorce itself from
its history no matter what it does.
"I'd like to see them go out of existence," said RC senior
Clara Hardie, a member of the Coalition to Cut Contracts
with Coca-Cola, who helped organize an art show last
December to expose Michigamua.
"They have nothing on their record for positive things
they've done for this University," she said. "Most of their
record consists of alienating students of color on this cam-
pus.
The society describes itself as a quiet leadership group
with the mission of improving the University.
One of its most notable accomplishments was bringing
together the money and resources to build the Michigan
Union.
The group asked RC senior Sam Woll to resign from the
coalition in January after her membership in Michigamua
became public.
"The nature of our campaign is anti-oppression and
anti-racist, so we had to stick to our values," Hardie said.
"They're all part of great student organizations; they don't
need to be part of this elitist organization at all."
Many students disagreed with Hardie, calling the group's
reforms a step in the right direction. Most urged the group
to go further.
"They were offensive to a lot of people" LSA freshman
Andrew Cascini said. "I think it was probably the best thing
they could have done."
Cascini was optimistic about the group's ability to reform.
"I don't think it will be like the Ku Klux Klan trying to
reform," he said.
See MICHIGAMUA, page 3A
Onlookers admire a new mural hanging in the lobby of the new Undergraduate Science Building at a
reception for the artwork's unveiling Tuesday night.
For new building., dass
paints vibrant mural
minor and major program:
Major
At least 30 credits A
in the Spanish program Spe
beyond Spanish 276, SpE
including Education inc
420, a class on teaching cor
world languages; 410, eith
phonetics and phonol- phc
ogy; and 411, advanced syn
* syntax.
Nine to 12 requirements be
must be at the 300 level and to
nine to 12 at the 400 level. levE
Minor
At least 20 credits in the
anish program beyond
anish 275. Those must
lude 276, a reading and
mprehension course, and
her 410, phonetics and
onology, or 411, advanced
itax
dix to nine credits must
at the 300 level and six
nine must be at the 400
el.
676-square-foot painting
cOmmemorates University
theme semester on evolution
By Caitlin Brody
For the Daily
LSA sophomore Ariel Zipkin hadn't picked up a
paint brush since fourth grade.
That was the extent of Zipkin's artistic experience
before she took "Art in Public Space" with Art Prof.
Mark Tucker.
Along with her 23 classmates, Zipkin painted a
mural on the wall of the glassed-in atrium of the new
Undergraduate Science Building. The mural was
installed Tuesday.
Tucker works with mostly non-art majors to bring
their artwork to public spaces.
"Students make better artwork when it is going to
be shown publicly," said Tucker, who created the class
three years ago.
Hundreds filled the Undergraduate Science Build-
ing yesterday for the mural's unveiling.
The focus of the mural is evolution. It will memo-
rialize the University's theme semester on the subject.
Covered with swirls of bright colors depicting scenes
ranging from fruit to monkeys to.human anatomy,
the 676-square-foot painting provides a vibrant focal
point for the lobby of the building, which will open for
classes next fall.
Each student designed and painted a panel of about
16 square feet, which was then applied to the wall like
wallpaper, Tucker said.
Tucker said his primary focus is teaching his stu-
dents to be genuine and artistically see the world
around them.
"The gift of sight is something that we take for
granted," he said.
Students who had never taken an art class said
artistic vision came easily to them during the class.
"People take the class not knowing they can do
anything ... but (the mural) shows that you can do it,"
said LSA junior Michelle Dorman, who has taken the
class every year it's been offered.
Dorman's panel was based on Leonardo Da Vinci's
"Vitruvian Man."
See MURAL, page 3A
Alternate
'U' built
on Diag
Tent State is jumping
point for new umbrella group
of student organizations
By Walter Nowinski
Fi.r nhe D~
'U' policy makes it easier
to access Mcard photos
Students concerned about
having photos accessible to
professors may remove them
By Gabe Nelson
Daily Staff Reporter
Hate your Mcard photo? Too bad.
A new University policy is making it easier for
others on camnus to access Mcard photos.
University business purposes," including class rosters
and seating charts.
Students worried about misuse of their photo may
fill out a form to remove it from the database.
"If you're concerned about having your photo
in the database and would like to take it out, you
have the right to do so'" said Linda Green, spokes-
woman for University Administrative Information
Services.
But since DPS uses Mcard photos in emergencies,
deleting one's oicture could have serious consequenc-
I
- T I77Z i
SI