University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Believing that programs could be developed to enhance life at the University, President Lee C. Bellinger organized a Commis- sion on the Undergraduate Experience in the winter of 2000. Chaired by Provost Nancy Cantor, the Commission researched certain issues dealing with student life. Divided into three subcommittees, the Commission focused specifically on the issues of the University ' s diversity and complexity, the impor- tance of globalism, and the development of campus communi- ties. The findings of the subcommittees were gathered in the Undergraduate Report. President Bollinger said of the committee ' s effort, I am deeply grateful for the Commission ' s thoughtful engagement with the myriad of issues arising from the undergraduate pro- gram. The recommendations are far-ranging, and I encourage thecampus community to spend time discussing and consider- ing the proposals. One suggestion made by the report was to improve sopho- more year. It was believed that sophomores did not get the same supportthattheotheryears received. This belief stemmed from deep concern about sophomores ' lack of initiative and their lack of knowledge about career choices. One idea for improving sophomore initiative was requiring students to live in the dorms for a second year and creating residence halls that appeared more like the Residential College. Other suggestions included a symposium with more emphasis on advising and intellectual programs. ISA junior Mark Jane said of the aim to improve the sophomore experience, I think it is false optimism to believe that adding course clusters and a sophomore sympo- sium would greatly increase a student ' s desire to decide on a career path at that time. Among other proposals in the report was increasing the presence of faculty in residential and social settings and creat- ing a global, transnational emphasis, which included increas- ing the study abroad program. Interim Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Lisa A. Tedesco explained that, The whole University will need to rise to the Commission ' s challenge to deepen our already strong commitment to our undergraduates. By Carly McEntee | improving the! Commission on the Undergraduate Experience meets to address issues concerning ' ent life at the University and how to the student experience ij jr enrich the sti rfe 92 | Undergraduate Report

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research iversity continues to ndorse the use of animal testing ical research, furthering the debate over animal rights ICS University biomedical engineer Lisa Jones and cellular and mo- lecular biology researcher Sarah Tupica employed work-study students for tissue engineering projects. The jobs were ideal for students entering medical professions, especially when they had hands-on experience with bone regeneration or hormone re- placement therapy. Lab assistants are required to take a ULAM mouse care semi- nar. Assistants help with basic lab duties that are necessary to the functioning of the lab. These duties include, but are not limited to, the care and management of a mouse colony, Tupica ex- plained. Her explanation confirmed what not all students real- ized: the University ' s research base relied heavily on animal test- ing. ULAM, the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, ensured that researchers gave humane care to animals. ULAM was the pro- vider of the animals as test subjects. If we were not to make these trials on animals, we would have to make them on humans instead or else give up the hope of devising new drugs and new treatments, philosophy Professor Carl Cohen said. He continued, The justification commonly used for the refusal to use animals that it is an invasion of their rights. That same justification was used by a group who, in 1 999, sent threatening letters to several research labs, including the Univer- sity. The FBI affiliated the group with the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), an organization known for using violence to free animals from what they deemed cruel testing. While the ALF ' s tactics were extreme and highly criticized, certain students on campus continued to share the belief of the immorality of animal testing. LSA senior Allison Hess, an advocate for animal rights, disap- proved of the University ' s testing techniques. Animals will never be suitable models for human disease. The drug Thalidomide caused birth defects in more than 10,000 humans after being found safe on rats, mice, rabbits, dogs, hamsters and primates, while the drug penicillin kills guinea pigs, said Hess. In truth animal research is a long-standing tradition that produces results which are easily published and bring huge amounts of funding to universities. There was cause for concern on both sides of the issue, and the conflict was not to be settled easily. Animal labs, however, remained fundamental to the medical research at the University. By Sarah Johnson Academics I 91

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In the basement of East Quad, In- structor Erica Paslick listens at- tentively to her students ' inter- pretation of literature in the RC course Pleasure of the Text. The Undergraduate Report praised the communal aspect of the Residen- tial College, highlighting the im- portance of living in the dorms for two years along with closer inter- actions with faculty and smaller Class sizes, photo by Abby Johnson Bill Nolting, Director of the Over- seas Opportunities Office a di- vision of the International Center advises Kristin Hitchcock on study abroad programs offered outside of the University. In addi- tion to enlarging awareness of study abroad programs, the Un- dergraduate Report suggested the need to improve the study abroad programs themselves in order to better immerse students into the host culture, photo by Abby Johnson Academics I 93