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

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NEW REQUIREMENTS CAUSES MALCONTENT AMONG ART STUDENTS College: a time for intellectual freedom and a break from the mandated and sometimes uninteresting courses delegated by high school curriculums. At least that ' s what many Art and Design freshmen were anticipating when they stepped through the doors of the University ' s learning community. While many students grumbled at the restrictive nature of their concentration requirements, the Art and Design freshmen were never given an option. Many students did not take the school ' s description of highly structured for the first two years of study to mean entirely structured. We are not allowed to choose which classes we want to take or when we want to take them for our first two years; each freshman received a copy of their schedule for the fall term at orientation, which was drawn up by the administration with no regard for the personal preferences of the students, said freshman Art and Design major Taylor Rutledge. The new choice of curriculum was part of the University ' s wish to become a world-class institution with globally minded, well-rounded students. While certainly admirable in the eyes of the students affected by the new change in policy, it did create concern over insufficient time to achieve mastery in their selected art media in the remaining extraordinarily flexible two years at the school. The subsequent presentations of their work at the end of their fourth and eighth semester might have been more difficult for the students affected by the new program. Students who performed unsatisfactorily on these reviews were asked to either re-review at a later date, asked to take time off or improve problem areas, or in some cases leave the program altogether. There were also problems with the individuals interested in transferring into the program from either within the University or elsewhere. Even though I have completed an art class from the old curriculum and even though I have completed two semesters here at the University, if I were to transfer to the art school, I would still have four years of undergraduate classes ahead of me, at the least. This is, I think, understandably distressing, said sophomore LSA student Dustin Crawford. The dissatisfaction and disillusion felt by many freshman students faced with two more years of mapped out and inflexible schedules prompted them to sign petitions that were then brought to Assistant Dean Mary Schmidt in hope of modifying the curriculum and explaining the student impact of the new requirements. Waiting for these changes to happen, the discussions left to the freshmen in the Art and Design classes were concluded by Rutledge as such: We likened the new curriculum to an ice cream parlor in which we are forced to sample every flavor; even if we know we ' re allergic to chocolate, we ' re made to swallow a mouthful of Mackinac Island Fudge. BY KATHRYN TORRES ACADEMICS 67

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FRESHMEN RECEIVED A COPY OF THEIR SCHEDULE FOR THE FALL TERM AT ORIENTATION. ..WITH NO REGARD FOR THE PERSONAL PREFERENCES OF THE STUDENTS. Concentrating intently on her metals project, junior ceram- ics and art history major Megan Roach puts all the pieces together. Those under the pre-2002 undergraduate cur- riculum were able to be enrolled in other schools and have the option of art as a minor. K. Maher photo Putting the finishing touches on her ceramics piece, freshman Art and Design student Lauren Hughes works long into the evening. The new curriculum ' s days were not only taxing, but the students still had to put in the regular amount of time to finish their work. K. Maher photo 66 MlCHIGANENSIAN

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ndmg a riace STUDENTS ' OPINIONS VARY AS TO THE IDEAL SPOT TO STUDY On weeknights and some- times even on weekends, students could be found in a variety of places studying for classes, preparing for exams, and writing papers. The studying places ranged from coffee shops to the libraries to dorms and off-campus housing. The reasons for studying at different places were unique to each student as they found a place where they could be most productive. One of the most popular places on campus to study was the Undergraduate Library, better known as the UGLi. The UGLi provided four floors of places to study with full-sized tables, small carrels and com- puter labs. Even within the UGLi, students tended to stick to a single floor for study- ing. The basement and the first floor had the reputation of being the loudest, while the third and fourth floors offered a quieter atmosphere. Junior English major Allison Lazette said, I like to study on the fourth floor of the UGLi. I study there because there are lots of tables and it is usually quiet, but not too quiet. I like some background noise when I study. Students also chose to study at the Hatcher Graduate Library. The reading room provided tables and tables of lighted seating areas, or if a student did not want anyone to find them, they could hide in the stacks. Studying at the libraries also allowed students to take study breaks. The food venues close to the libraries, such as the Union, In and Out, Panchero ' s, and Jimmy John ' s, allowed students to refuel and pick up some food for energy. Some students chose places to study based on their location. They chose places close to their house, to classes, or to food areas. The Union provided a variety of places for students to study. They could sit in the MUG, find a couch on the first or second floor, or study at a desk in the read- ing room. Lazette said, 1 also like to study and read in the Union reading room. I like to study there because it is quiet and there are really comfortable chairs. Also, as an added bonus, there are many places to eat downstairs if I get hungry. Coffee shops provided students with the ability to study in a more casual environment. They could talk there while studying, have food and drinks, and be in a more exciting atmosphere. Some of the common coffee shops to study at included Amer ' s, The Coffee Beanery, Espresso Royale, Starbucks, and Rendez-Vouz Cafe. Junior anthropol- ogy and Spanish major Heather Hicks said, I love the people you find at the Rendez-Vous Cafe, very internation- ally mixed with many languages being spoken. The environment is very con- ducive to conversation, which can be dangerous when trying to study. The best Nutella crepes! Even if studying always did not get done, the study places allowed for social interaction. In the end, students ended up doing what had to be done to get their work finished. Each student had a different special place on campus where they felt the most comfortable studying. BY CARLY MCENTEE 68 MR Hi,: - NENSIAN