Page 14-Thursday, May 22, 1 980-The Michigan Daily
Unique learning form
-Freshman seminars

By KEVIN TOTTIS
It's hard to find anyone with some-
thing bad to say about the Freshman
Seminar Program. Administrators,
faculty members, and students alike
have nothing but praise for the two-
year-old program.
Since its inception in the fall of 1978,
"special things have happened," ac-
cording to Acting LSA Dean and
program coordinator John Knott.
Students have taken their professors
out to dinner, attended classes in their
instructor's homes, and gotten to know
faculty members well.
KNOTT STARTED the program,
along with Associate Dean Judith Bar-
dwick, to provide "a better educational
experience to at least one group of
freshmen," he said. In the program,
faculty members-about one-fourth of
whom are professors emeriti-teach
classes of-no more than 15 freshper-
sons. "We wanted to find a way to in-
volve emeritus faculty," Knott said..
"We felt that there were people who'
still were able to offer a lot to studen-
ts."
The professors design the courses,
which usually deal with their interests
and specializations. Therefore, the
courses vary from term to term depen-
ding on the instructor.
Much of the emphasis in a Freshman
Seminar is on discussion and writing,
which differentiates it from many other
courses and makes it similar to upper-
level seminars, Knott said.
THE PROGRAM'S size has
remained fairly constant since its in-
ception, Knott said. He continued that
he would like to see it increase, but that
could be difficult because only
faculty members-who are in shorter
supply than teaching assistants or lec-
turers-teach the courses.
To separate two glasses that have
sfuck together, place the bottom glass
in hot water and fill-the top one with
cold water.

The courses, which are not open until
freshperson orientation, usually fill up
quickly, Knott said. "One of the things
that surprised us the first year was the
number of students in the seminars in
the winter who had been in one in the
fall," Knott said. One of the courses,
Methods of Thinking, was so popular
the first year that it was made into a
University course.
Knott, who taught a seminar, said
student reaction to the courses is
usually quite good. "Frequently one
gets the response that 'This is the best
course I've taken from the Univer-
sity,"' Knott said.
STUDENTS CONCURRED with
Knott. "Out of all the classes I had at
the University, I really got to know the
people the best in my seminar," LSA
sophomore Ann Marie Hebeler said.
"The professor didn't lecture to us,"
she continued, "he tried to initiate
discussion. Sometimes in a class he
would say only ten words. I learned a
lot more that way."
"We had good discussion for two
hours per week," LSA sophomore Jim
Harris said. "In a lecture, how many
times could a professor know your
name?"
Professors were equally enthusiatic
about the program. "The students were
very eager," Prof. Emeritus Frank
Huntley said. "We had tremendous
discussions."

Maestro Big Bird APPhoto
Sesame Street's Big Bird conducts the Portland Symphony Orchestra. The
Bird has conducted 20 orchestras in recent years, even though his only musical
training is "a little twittering in the trees."

FBI invest igates ERA bribes

WE o RMIG FOR A FEW llO ODPEE
WodeTimi& RA1odotedi IC.
25185 Goddard Road
Taylor, Michigan 48180
313 - 291-5400
Ecmlond Enneet1AC .InC.
1501 W. Thomas
Bay City, Michigan 48706
517-686-3100
Gangje EngkneweNr , Inc.
314 Haynes St., Cadillac, MI 49601
616 - 775-9754
knpad
Improved Planning Action
25185 Goddard Road
Taylor, Michigan 48180
313 - 291-5400
CIVIL ENGINEERS, LAND SURVEYORS,
MUNICIPAL AND PLANNING
CONSULTANTS
EQUA OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERS

From UPIand AP
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The FBI con-
firmed yesterday it has joined state in-
vestigators in checking out charges
several Illinois legislators were offered
bribes in exchange for "yes" votes on
the Equal Rights Amendment.
Joseph Ondrula, an FBI special
agent, said the agency joined the U.S.
attorney's office, the Illinois Depar-
tment of. Law Enforcement and the
Sangamon County slate's attorney in
investigating the reports.
BE ALSO confirmedthe FBI initially
would focus its investigation on several
lawmakers.
Sources close to the investigationsaid
yesterday the state Law Enforcement
Department had turned over some in-
formation to the state's attorney. The
information, the source said, directly
involved state Rep. Nord Swanstrom
(R-Pecatonica) .
It was reported Swanstrom was of-
fered, on the back of a National
Organization for Women business card,
a $1,000 campaign contribution for a
favorable ERA vote. The card, which
he turned over to state investigators,
was handed to him on the eve of last

Wednesday's scheduled vote.
ELEANOR SMEEAL, NOW president,
has said that to her knowledge
representatives of the organization did
nothing illegal to try to obtain votes.
NOW is coordinating the effort to get
the amendment banning sex
discrimination passed in Illinois.
ERA supporters had intended to call
the amendment for a vote in the House
last Wednesday but abandoned their

plans when, after a day of feverish lob-
bying, they fell two votes short of the
107 needed for passage.
Under Illinois' bribery law it is illegal
to offer anything of value to a state
lawmaker inan attempt to influence his
vote.
Swanstrom refused to say what he
was offered but said that: "I would say
that an improper offer would probably
be a bribe."

Milken appoints 'U'
alumnus to the MSU
Board of Trustees

4

4

(continued from Page 13)
FLETCHER REPLACES Michael
Smydra, an East Lansing Democrat
who resigned earlier this year because
of increasing public outcry over his ex-
pense account. He will serve out the
remainder of Smydra's term, which
ends Dec. 31, 1984, and must then stand
for re-election if he wishes to retain the

position.
"It was long overdue," Fletcher said
of the resignation. "As one taxpayer, I
was thoroughly vexed that there could
be such an outrageous pecuniary pec-
cadillo on the public purse."
Fletcher said he will refrain from
using his expense account, as he said he
did during his six-year tenure on the
State Highway Commission, which en-
ded in 1978.
He indicated that he didn't think
there was anything wrong with making
proper use of an expense account, but
said that he was in the financial position
not to need theextra aid.

STEVE'S LUNCH
* We Serve Breakfast All Day *
Try Our Famous 3 Egg Omelet *
with your choice of fresh bean sprouts, mushrooms,
green peppers, onion, ham, bacon, and cheese.
See Us Also For Our Lunch & Dinner Menus *
1313 S. University Open Tues.-Fri. 8-7, Sat., Sun. 9-7

a

I