Page 14 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, May 9, 1986
Bill1 would require
test for foreign TAs
(continuedfrom Page 1), of people who were A students in
Administrators also said the bill high school who can't pass som e
would not address what many con- of these elementary courses in
sider the root of the problem - the college." Conroy is presently con-
cultural differences between ducting a survey of the perfor-
foreign faculty and University un- mance of foreign TAs at one
dergraduates. Michigan public university, but
College of Engineering Dean the results will not be available
Charles Vest said most foreign until next week.
teaching assistants are deemed The University has been heavily
qualified as instructors because dependent on TAs since the 1960s
they have earned high scores on when enrollment soared and the
the Test of English as a Foreign faculty-student ratio suffered as a
Language (TOEFL), but they are rewuit. Last fall there were about
sometimes not prepared to teach 1800 graduate teaching assistants
in American classrooms. "Many at the University, mostly concen-
TAs get here and are surprised by trated in engineering, science, and
the informality of our classes," math courses. Just over one quar-
Vest said. ter of these are foreign-born.
Conroy's bill would require all Only the College of LSA and
public universities in Michigan to some engineering college depar-
ensure that all classroom instruc- tments require teaching assistants
tors, including professors, can ef- to be tested in oral communication
fectively communicate with skills by the University's English
students. As proposed, it gives no Language Institute. ELI has a
specific standard for language four-part examination which
competency and leaves im- requires potential TAs to demon-
plementation of the testing com- strate that they can deal with
pletely up to each university. various types of classroom
CONROY SAID foreign TAs of- situations, including responding to
ten hamper a student's ability to questions from students.
learn. "We have some indication "WE'RE FURTHER ahead
'U' reactor differs
from Soviet plant
ODferstadt
. raises objections
than most universities in the coun-
try, in terms of testing," said ELI
Director John Swales.
ELI and the Center for Research
on Learning and Teaching offer a
three-week intensive course each
summer for TAs to improve their
language competency. Last year
30 graduate students took the
course, and this year 45 are
enrolled.
Swales said those who do not
come out of the course with suf-
ficient proficiency to teach are of-
ten given positions as graders or
laboratory researchers.
Conroy said he expects bipar-
tisan support for the bill, which
will be formally introduced to the
senate on Tuesday.
(Contnuedfrom rage1)
designed to w hstand an explosion
of the chie.
western experts have
speculated that an explosion
caused the Soviet accident.
The Chernobyl plant uses a
combination of water (coolant)
and graphite (moderator), which
in combination could actually
speed up the reaction process.
Chernobyl also used an on-line
type of refueling system, which
refueled while it was still working.
Phoenix, in contrast, has con-
tainment facilities and a smaller
core than Chernobyl. The core is
immersed in a large amount of
water, called a swimming pool
system, which is designed to keep
the core cool.
This would prevent a meltdown,
officials said. When a meltdown
occurs, all chain reactions stop,
and heat is produced by the
radioactive decay of the materials
produced by the chain reaction.
The pool method, Lee said, is the
main source of insurance against
a nuclear melt-down occurring at
the Phoenix plant. "I can't see
how one could drain the pool of
water. We have two or three
separate water lines from the city
water supply," said Lee. These
lines could quickly refill the pool
with water before any fuel
reheated.
Phoenix also has control
mechanisms to end a nuclear
reaction once it began. These
mechanisms, such as rods which
contain "neutron poisons", which
capture loose neutrons, are
required in any nuclear reactor in
the United States, whether it is a
research or a power plant. Loose
neutrons cause nuclear reactions
to continue on an unlimited basis.
William Kerr, director of the
Phoenix Memorial Project, said
security measures have not been
increased since the Chernobyl ac-
cident, because "we have been
taking care over the years, and we
will continue to do so." Like Lee,
Kerr sees a meltdown at Phoenix
as being unlikely. "We have tried
to think of things and we have been
unable to think of any sequences
(for a meltdown)," Kerr said.
To avoid human error, the of-
ficial Soviet reason for the Cher-
nobyl accident, Kerr said Phoenix
operators undergo a training
program, which is geared to their
previous experience with nuclear
reactors.
0 0B a
of The University of Michigan
FRIDAY
May 9
Women's Golf-3-day Big 10 Championships,
U-M Course.
Microcomputer Educ Ctr-Wkshps: Lotus 1-2-
3, Pt I, 8:30 am-12:30 pm, 3001 SEB; Intro
to Microcomputers, 1-3 pm, 4003 SEB.
For info, call 764-5356.
Gay Liberattes-Coffee night, 8-11 pm, 802
Monroe.
*Inst Cont Legal Educ-2-day conf, 37th An-
nual Advocacy Inst, "The Assault Case:
Suing the Facility Open to the Public. " For
info, call 764-0533.
*Brecht & Co-Vinegar Tom, 8 pm, Res Coll
Aud, E Quad. For info, call 995-0532.
Korean Christian Fellowship-Bible study mtg,
9 pm, Campus Chapel. For info, call 663-
8800.
International Students Fellowship-Mtg, 7
pm. For ride, call 994-4669.
Tae Kwon Do Club-Practice, 6 pm. For info,
call 665-2958, 665-7399.
SATURDAY
May 10
*U-M-DBN-Wkshp, Women: Focus '86,
speakers, Letty Cottin & Rosemary Sarri,
8 am-3:30 pm. for info, call 593-5253.
*Brecht & Co-See May 9.
*AAFC- The Awfu/ Truth, 7:30 pm; Holiday,
9:15 pm, MLB4.
Mus Art-Annual mtg of Friends, 10 am-noon,
Mus Art.
The calendar combines meeting, lecture
workshop and conference announcements
with other events happening each week on
campus. The service is open to allUniversity
sponsored groups and organizations recog-
nized by the Michigan Student Assembly.
Items must be submitted in writing by 5
p.m., the Tuesday before publication. Ad-
dress all information to: Ruth Haeuss/er,
University Record, 412 Maynard St. Aster-
isk(*) denotes events to which admission is
charged.
SUNDAY
May 11
Univ Lutheran Chapel-Worship, 9:15 am,
1511 Washtenaw Ave.
WELS Campus Ministry-Worship, 10am, Re-
deemer Lutheran Church, 1360 Pauline. For
info, call 662-0663.
Lord of Light Lutheran Church-Worship,
10:30 am, 801 S Forest.
His House Christian Fellowship-Meal & Bible
study, 6-8 pm, 925 E. Ann. For info, call
665-0775, 663-0483.
MONDAY
May 12
Microcomputer Educ Ctr-Wkshps: MS-DOS
Hard Disk Skills, 8:30-10:30 am, 3001 SEB;
IBM-PC & PC-Compatible Microcomputer
System Selection, 10:30 am-12:30 pm; Using
Window with your IBM-PC or Compatible,
1-3 pm;. Choosing a Microcomputer, 1-3
pm, 4003 SEB. For info, call 764-5356.
U-M-Flint-Comedy, We Can't Pay?
We Won't Pay!, UJfM-F Theater.
*HRD-Wkshp, Retirement Seminar for Fac-
ulty, 1:30-4:30 pm For info, call 764-7410.
Faculty Women's Club-Lunch/listen, Marilyn
Mason Brown, "Michigans Klitgendes Wun-
der," Fisk-Silbermann Organ; The New
Mechanical-Action 'Bach' Organ at Sch of
Music." Lunch 11:30 am, N Campus Com-
mons, recital/lec, 12:30-2 pm, Blanche An-
derson Moore Hall, Sch Music. For info, call
B MacCallum, 662-3426, S Olson, 662-
3957, H Cowen, 971-6608.
*Cont Med Educ-5-day conf, 14th Annual
Spring Update: Advances in Internal Medi-
cine, Towsey Ctr. For info, call Betty Phil-
lips, 763-1400.
Sch Bus Admin-Lec, Bobby Inman, '"Chal-
lenges & Confrontations to the End of the
Century, "4:15 pm, Hale Aud.
World Hunger Educational Action Comm-
Org mtg for Oxfam America Tools for Peace
& Justice in Cent Amer & E Caribbean, 7
pm, Mich Union. All welcome.
Tae Kwon Do Club-Practice, 6 pm. For info,
call 665-2958, 665-7399.
TUESDAY
May 13
Med Ctr-Lunch/lec, Margaret M Burke,
"Women's Complete Health Care: The
Nurse-Midwtfe's Role,." 12:10 pm; *lunch,
11:30 am, Ann Arbor Inn, Huron & 4th
Ave. For reservation, call 764-2220.
Microcomputer Educ Ctr-Wkshps: dBASE III
PLUS, Pt 1, 8:30 am-12:30 pm; Microsoft
Word for IBM PC-Compatible Microcom-
puters, Pt 1, 1-5 pm, 3001 SEB; Macintosh
System Selection, 1-5 pm, 4003 SEB. For
info, call 764-5356.
U-M.F4int-Lec, Lin Zengping, "China's Rev-
olution of /91/,:" 10:30 am, 261 Classroom-
Ofc Bldg. *Film, Great Expectations, 7 pm,
Univ Ctr Kiva.
U-M-DBN-Concert, Fair Lane Youth Cham-
ber Music Guild, 8 pm, Ford Estate-Fair
Lane. For info, call 593-5183, 593-5087.
*AAFC-Picnic at Hanging Rock, 7:30 & 9:30
pm, MLB 4.
WEDNESDAY
May 14
Physiology-Sem, John Faulkner, "Power
Output of Fast & Slow Fibers of Human
Skeletal Muscle, "4 pm, 7745 Med Sci It.
Microcomputer Educ Ctr-Wkshps: Intro to
Microcomputers, 8:30-10:30 am, 4003 SEB;
Learning to Use the Macintosh, 9:30 am-
12:30 pm, 3001 SEB. For info, call 764-
5356.
U-M-Flint-Public Forum on the Death Pen-
alty, LB Patterson, E VandenHaag, DR
Freeman & H Schwarzschild, 8-10 pm,
U-M-F Theater.
*HRD-Wkshps: Personal Financial Planning,
5-7 pm; Planning & Managing Effective
Meetings, 8:30 am-noon. For info, call 764-
7410.
Sci Fiction Club-Mtg, Stilyagi Air Corps,
8:15 pm, League.
Dissertation Support Grp-Mtg, 8:30-10 am,
3100 Union. For info, call 764-8312.
Mich Gay Union-Mtg, 9 pm, 802 Monroe.
For info, call 763-4186.
Tae Kwon Do Club-See May 12.
THURSDAY
May 15
Ophthy, Psych, Physiology, Bioengr-Brown
bag, Lawrence Maloney, "The Slope of the
Psychometric Curve at Different Wave-
lengths, " 12:15-1:30 pm, 2032 Neurosci.
Microcomputer Educ Ctr-Wkshps: Spread-
sheeting with Excel, Pt 1, 8:30 am-12:30
pm; MS-DOS Basic Skills, Pt 11, 1-3 pm,
3001 SEB; Basic Concepts of Database
Management Systems, 10:30 am-12:30 pm,
4003 SEB. For info, call 764-5356.
Regents'-mtg, 1 pm, Dearborn. .
U-M-Flint-Lec, Lin Zengping, "China To-
day, "8 pm, 261 Classroom-Ofc Bldg.
*League-American Heritage, Alaska, 5-7:15
pm, Cafeteria.
*HRD-Wkshps: Retirement Seminar for Staff,
1:30-4:30 pm: How to Achieve Success,
8:30 am-noon; Basic Math Review, 1-3 pm.
For info, call 764-7410.
*U-M-DBN-Wkshp, Survival Skills for Wo-
men Business Owners, 8:45 am-3:45 pm,
downriver Comm Conf, 15100 Northline
Rd, Southgate. Pre-reg req. For info, call
281-0700, ext 163.
Chem-Sem, Timothy Zwier, "Mode-Selective
Broadening in Low-Frequency Vibrational
Modes of Trans-Stilbene van der Waa/s
Complexes, "4 pm, 1200 Chem.
*AAFC-Breathless, 7:30 pm, A Man & a
Woman, 9:15 pm, M LB 4.
Univ. AA-Mtg, noon, 3200 Union.
Scottish Country Dancers-Beg 7 pm; inter-
meds 8 pm, Forest Hills Comm Ctr, 2351
Shadowood. For info, call 769-4324.
His House Christian Fellowship-Bible study,
7:30 pm, 925 E. Ann. For info, call 665-
0775. 663-0483.
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