The Michigan Daily-Friday, May 5,1989-Page 10 Ford protests English dept. BY WENDY WORTHEN On April 25th several students joined Rackham Graduate student Charita Ford in a rally to protest her recent dismissal from the Depart- ment of English Language and Literature's Ph.D. program. Students who lent their support to Ford's call to fight institutionalized racism in the English Department also gave accounts of their own experiences as students of color. "My protest deals with the in- equitability of the system. I cannot go through the formal process of appeals under those circumstances," said Ford. The Graduate Committee's deci- sion to dismiss Ford was based in part on her failure to pass two of the required four Ph.D. qualifying ex- ams. The committee then reviewed her academic record, and Prof. Lin- coln Faller, the Graduate Chair of the English Department, spoke with several of Ford's instructors. Ford continued her protest later in the week by sitting on the sidewalk outside of University President James Duderstadt's home for 36 passed "a New Traditions require- hours last Friday. ment, which makes it mandatory for Ford wanted Duderstadt to support undergraduate English majors to take the statement he made in the March at least one course in the literature of 31 University-wide letter, "Each minorities and/or women." person who becomes a part of this Faller said the English Depart- University belongs here in the truest went has "exactly followed the pro- sns ey cedures specified in the English De- Shirley Clarkson, assistant to prmn rdaeHnbo. h ethe president, said Wednesday that partment Graduate Handbook." The "The PresidentdesnWteinsvedHandbook states that the chair must "The President does not get involved confer with her past instructors on in departmental decisions." her academic performance and Ford said the decision to dismiss promise. Then, "with all these her may have been influenced in part materials in hand," the committee by her political activism, as well as reviews the case. by her academic focus on the writ- ings of neglected Afro-American Weisbuch said he would not writers. comment on the situation due to the She said her work has "challenged confidentiality fo student records. He the exclusionary tactics used by the would, however, comment on the mainstream literary tradition." more general developments in the "The subjectivity of the standard English Department. canon of English literature really "Probably the main issue in the does not allow for the kind of under- English Department over the last standing or broadness of perspective two years has been to make the de- necessary at a University," asserted partment a happy, productive, wel- cominm ace for minority students F'Im 0 0 3 4 i S i Ford. g pbF L'I'". Prof. Robert Weisbuch, chair of and faculty." the Department of English, however, Ford is planning to take legal ac- said that the English Department has tion against the University. Charita Ford protests her dismissal from the University's English doctoral program in front of President James Duderstadt's house. The Calendar of The University o Michigan The calendar combines meeting, lecture, workshop, and conferenceannouncements withother events happening eachweekon campus. It is based on The University Record calendar, and is open to all University sponsored groups and organizations recognized by the Michigan Student Assembly. Items must be submitted in writing by Spm. the Tuesday before publication. Address all information to: Marcia Bennett, publications assistant, University Record, 412 Maynard St. Asterisk (*) denotes events to which admission is charged. FRIDAY May 5 *ICLE--2-day Advocacy Institute begs, "Trying The Business Tort," 9 am, Hill Aud. Reg req. 764-0533. *Cont Med Educ/Med Sch/Pediatric & Communicable Diseases--2-day course begs, G Serwer, "Pediatric Advanced Life Support," 7:30 am, Towsley Ctr. Reg req. 763-1400. *U-M Dearborn--Dinner/Dance restoration Fair Lane: Recep, 7 pm; Dinner, 8 pm, Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Res req. 593-5590. SATURDAY May 6 Hosp Volunteers--Teen Volunteer Info Session, 10:30 am, Mott Hosp Rm F1608. 936-4327. Lowbrow Astron--Star Party, begs at sunset, Peach Mtn Observ, 434-5668. *Ofc Major Events--Concert, S Bernhard, 8 pm, Power Ctr. 763-TKTS. *Botan Gdns--Conservatory Tour, 1 & 2 pm, 1800 N Dixboro. Res req, 763-7061. SUNDAY May 7 Botan Gdns--Trail Walk, "Call of the Wildflowers," 2 pm, 1800 N Dixboro, Gdns Lobby. 763-7061. MONDAY May 8 Canterbury House---Lesbian-gay men's community open house, 8:45 pm, 218 N Division. 665-0606. -'- - ,Hosp Volunteers--Volunteer Info Session, 4 pm, Hosp Rm 2C108, 936-4327. *ICLE--Video course, "How To Prepare A Divorce Case: A Total Checklist Approach," 1-5 pm, 1020 Greene St. Reg req. 764- 0533. Pharmacol--Lec; S Spector, "Endogenous Opiate Alkaloids," 3-5 pm, 7412 Med Sci I. Disabled Sdt Svcs--5-wk Amer Sign Lang Course begs, Basic ASL, 6:30-8 pm, Mich Union Welker Rm. 763-3000. TUESDAY May 9 TARDAA--Mtg, 8 pm, 296 Dennison. 763-0806. Lesbian & Gay Men's Rights Organizing Committee (LaGROC)--Mtg, 8 pm, Mich Union Rm 3100. 763-4186. *Extension Svc/HRD--Conf, C J Craft, "Office of the 90's," 8 am, Mich League. Reg req. 764-5304. *MedSport--Smokeless System Maintenance Session, 7-8 pm, MedSport, Reg req. 763-7400. Pharmacol--Lec, B Cox, "Evaluating Functions of Specific Endogenous Opioids," 3-5 pm, 7412 Med Sci I. *Dept Rec Sports--Bike Repair Clinic, 7-8:30 pm, NCRB Conf Rm, 764-3967. Solidarity--Discuss, P Landon, "Why Socialists Should Be Activists," 7:30 pm, Guild house. 665-2709. Disabled Sdt Svcs--Persons w/ hidden Disabilities Sdt/Staff Grp begs, 7-8 pm, Mich Union Rm 4306. 763-3000. WEDNESDAY May 10 Univ Lutheran Chapel--Supper, Devotions & Activities, 6 pm, 1511 Washtenaw. 663-5560. *CEW--Wkshp, "Career Decision Making: The Step Before the Job Search," 7-9:30 pm, 350 S Thayer. Reg req. 763-7080. Pharmacol--Lec, A Guidotti, "Endogenous Ligands for GABA- Benzodiazepine Receptor Subtypes," 3-5 pm, 7412 Med Sci L *Women's Athlet--Softball, Bowling Green, 3 pm, Softball Field, 763-2159. Dept Rec Sports--Pre-trip mtg horsebackriding, 7 pm, NCRB Conf Rm, 764-3967. Chem--Sem, M Makosza, "Vicarious Nucleophilic Substitution," 4 pm, Chm Rm 1300. *M-CARE--Lec, C Stone, "The Role of Estrogen," 7 pm, Fam Pract Ctr, Chelsea. Reg req. 475-1321. Disabled Sdt Svcs--5-wk Amer Sign Lang Course begs, Advanced ASL, 6:30-8 pot Religious Sign Lang Instruct, 8- 9:30 pot, Micb Union Welker Rot, 763-3000. Women Of Color Task Force--Brown-Bag Sem, R Lopez, "How To Survive Between Pay Periods," noon-1 pm, Mich League Rms 4 & 5.. 747-1386. Commission for Women--Mtg, "How to Package Yourself to Get the Job You Really Want," noon-1:15 pm, 2553 LSA. THURSDAY May 11 *Mich League--Amer Heritage Nght, Mich, 4:30-7:30 pm, League Buffet. Sailing Club--Mtg, B Karolyi, 7:30 pm, 170 Dennison. 995- 1042 or 426-4299. *Cont Med Educ--2-day course begs, "The Restenosis Summit," 7:45 am, Towsley Ctr. 763-1400. Gifts of Art--Concert, Ozer & Moore Duo, 12:30 pm, Hosp Lobby 1stfi. 936-ARTS. *ICLE--Course, "Dealing with the SOB Litigator," noon-5 pm, 1020 Greene St. Reg req. 764-0533. *MedSport--See May 9. Pharmacol--Lec, R Kelly, "The Evolutionary Imperative for the Persistence of the Cardiac-Glycoside Binding Site on Na K ATPase: Is There An Endogenous Digitalis," 3-5 pm, 7412 Med Sci I. Phys Med & Rehab--Lec, G Davidoff, "Depression in Spinal Cord Injury," 5 pm, Hosp Rm 1H203. *Turner Clinic--Prog, W Mignolo, "Testimonial Literature In Latin America," 10-11:30 am, Kellogg Eye Ctr Aud. Reg req. 764-2556. Vision Lunch--Sem, P MacLeish, "Electrophysiological Properties of Salamander & Monkey Retinal Neurons," noon, Kellogg Eye Ctr Faculty Dining Area. *Zen Buddhist Temple--Intro Course Zen Meditation, S Murray, 6:30-8:30 pm, 1214 Packard Rd. Reg req. 761-6520. Chem--Sem, L L Lohr & H C Griffin, "Cold Fushion--A Discussion," 4 pm, Chem Rm 1200. Sociology/Ctr Near East & N African Stds--Lec, S Tamari, "An Informal Chat with Salim Tamari," noon, 4051 LSA. 764- 0350. Ethnics & Religion/Ecumenical Campus Ctr--Lec, S Tamari, "The Intifada: The Palestinian Struggle for Peace with Israel," 7:30 pm, 120 S State. 7>4-0350. 01 0 s