Page 4- The Michigan Doily - Friday, May 23, 1986
MSA: autonomous
from the University?
By REBECCA BLUMENSTEIN a manner that appeared as a threat to
The Michigan Student Assembly some assembly's members.
saw its autonomy from the University CONTRARY to hiring procedures
questioned this week as several expressed in Chapter 5 of MSAs
members fought for the right to hire recently-approved constitution, he
their own coordinator. They continue maintained that the hiring and super-
to face strong opposition from the Of- vising of the adminstrative coor-
fice of Student Services. dinator is necessary. It must be ac-
The coordinator is the assembly's complished, he said, though Pam
only University employee, thought Horne, the adminstrative assistant
the annual MSA student fee of $5.07 currently in charge of MSA, and the
pays the position's salary. Vice assembly's executive members.
President for Student Services Henry By not adhering to his hiring
Johnson maintains that the coor- procedures, "the position of the ad-
dinator must be hired in accordance minstrative coordinator will be in
with the University's standard prac- jeopardy...and some of the current
tice guide, which regulates and services and programs of the Assem-
protects University employees. bly will be called into question,"
IT APPEARS THAT the assembly's ' Johnson wrote.
right to charge student fees, granted of Student Services has puts threat in
by the Board of Regents, has given writgdent itat a"hsai
administrators the perogative to sent it to MSA, said law
oversee some assembly practices. school rep. Eric Schnaufer.
MsAe HS BENmwitho ranier- Assembly president Kurt Mun-
MSA HAS BEEN without a univer- chow, however, sees Johnson's
sity-employed coordinator since chow, ho es e Joh '
Cheryl Bullard resigned last statements posing "a threat worth
February. Since then, student volun- fighting". After discussion at Mon-
teers have served as office manager day's meeting the assembly agreed
of MSA's various duties, which in- to write to Johnson, asking for a
dude health insurance, and funding clarification of his position.
student oganhizans and udent Schnaufer feared that "if Muen-
student organizations and student chow doesn't stand up to the ad-
Iegalservices. .ministration on this fundamental
Rich Layman, interim office coor- issue, then it will set a bad precedent
dinator, said "there is no reason to the coming year, specifically in
believe that these services won't be for dealing with the proposed code of
adequately provided without a coor- student conduct."
dinator employed by the Ad- BRUCE BELCHER, chair of
ministration." BUEBLHE, caro
In a letter sent to the assembly MSA's Rules and Elections Commit-
Searlier this week, Johnson stated his tee, didn't see Johnson's statements
oppoirtisweekSJhnsratcedsin as a direct threat to the assembly, but
opposition to MSA hiring practices did view them as a change.
Student sues fraternity

By MARTIN FRANK
Second-year medical student Vivian
Griffin found little humor in being
designated "Sex Kitten of the Week"
by a University medical fraternity
newsletter and filed suit last week in
Wayne County Circuit Court.
Griffin is seeking more than $10,000
from the Phi Chi national
organization for "false and
defamatory statements." She claims
the "award" has damaged her
academic and professional
reputation.
GRIFFIN'S nomination appeared
in the Feb. 21 classified section of Phi
Chi Notes, a newsletter which
publishes notes from medical school
classes. The classified section is
reserved for student comments on the
notes.
The anonymously submitted item
named Griffin a "sex kitten" for her
"obvious inability to use proper
CAMP CO
oIncTIONS

grammar, punctuate correctly, con-
struct comprehensible sentences, and
proofread effectively (or at all)." o
"She must therefore have some other
attributes which were appreciated by Charles Wright, Taco Bell's boun
the admissions committee (sic)," the write an anthology of black poetry.
item continued.
It then said Griffin has a lesion oni
the ares of her brain which under- Ti
stands and formulates speech. T i
The comment came after notes
taken by Griffin in a Feb. 6
neurological sciences class had ap- By ELLEN FIEDELHOLTZ
peared in the Phi Chi Notes. Griffin Special to the Daily
could not be reached for comment. LANSING - A Michigan Senate bill
that originally called for English
THE CLASSIFIED section "does language competency tests for
not have one trace of seriousness," ac- foreign-born faculty and teaching
cording to first-year medical student assistants has been sent back to
Alvan Cruz. committee for revisions. The bill was
Nevertheless, the fraternity issued discussed in a public hearing Wed-
an apology two weeks later and nesday.
abolished the classified section of the Senate bill 771, introduced May8 by
notes. Sen. Joe Conroy (D-Flint), now calls
for all public universities to set
minimum standards in general com-
munication skills for all TAs. The bill
UNSELOR previously mandated English
AVAILABLE proficiency standards, and also in-
cluded faculty members as well as
.Cc aB TAs.
ris Casco, Maine | CONROY SAID he introduced the
UG UST 17 original bill due to numerous com-
plaints from students and parents
Wind Surfing, Ceramics, Arts about incomprehensible TAs,
Phone Vicki Secrest (215) 247- especially in the sciences and in
ew Vernon, New Jersey 07976. math.
Mike Dimano, Michigan State
- University business student; testified

Daily Photo by ANDI SCHREIBEI
cer, takes a break Saturday near the Engine Arch. He hopes to someday


oes back for revision


at Wednesday's hearing. Dimano Ann Arbor), protesting the
complained about a foreign TA who legislation.
taught one of his college algebra The bill, Margolis said, was
classes. based on "anecdotal, rather than em-
"We did have a communication pirical evidence." He agreed that a
problem sometimes he couldn't un- communication problem exists but
derstand our questions," he said. quickly pointed out that many are
After receiving a poor grade in the quick to blame the TAs.
class, Mike took the problem to
various department heads. "All they THE PROBLEM, Margolis said, is
did was defend their department an American culture "not inherent in
members," he said. foreign TAs."
He spoke to an MSU official who "Educated people are not
suggested that he take two lower- necessarily great teachers," he said.
level math classes, despite his Another criticism of the bill is its
original placement testscores. supposed threat to University
THE BILL fell under heavy autonomy. Sen. Al DeMaso (R-Battle
criticism for what critics call alack ofCreek)uggestethat each univesi
understanding of the problem. be able to determine its- own
Cultural differences, not language proficiency guidelines independently
problems, they say, are the root of of the legislature. University officials
communication problems between no longer see the bill threatening their
foreign TAs and American students. autonomy guaranteed in the state
Mike Margolis, a chair of the constitution.
Michigan Student Assembly's Exter-
nal Relations Committee, wrote let- CONROY said he does not advocate
ters to Sen., Dan DeGrQw , (R.-Port uniformity, or even a specific means
Huron) and Sen. Lana 'Pollack (D- of testing TAs fo'r 1riglish proficiency.

t


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JUNE 23 -A
Swimming, Canoeing, Sailing,
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8508 or Write Camp Arcadia, NE
sk '-.sm .