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ONE-HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Thursday, March 27, 2014

Ann Arbor, Michigan

michigandaily.com

ACADEMICS

‘U’, Peace Corps sign program agreement School of Information becomes the first to be involved in two new initiatives By CLAIRE BRYAN Daily Staff Reporter

After a ceremony Wednesday afternoon, the University’s School of Information expanded its partnership with the Peace Corps through two new initiatives. The first agreement allowed the University to create its own branch of the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program. The Coverdell program provides financial support and academic credit to any students who have previously served in the Peace Corps, allowing them to count part of their time in the organization towards graduation. The second created a partnership with the University and the Master’s International Program, which will allow students to start their Masters in Science in Information before serving in the Peace

Corps and return to it once they complete their service. This program is the first ever at an Information School. According to Judy Lawson, assistant dean for student and academic affairs, students’ time in the Peace Corps will fulfill six internship credits, a total of 360 hours. After returning to the program, students will be required to participate in the Initiative for Information Impact—a set of service based projects including Alternative Spring Break, Citizen Interaction Design, Global Information Engagement Program and Michigan Makers, Lawson said. “I think the interest around the School of Information is one that has really grown out of the existing relationship but also a realization, both on the part of the Peace Corp and people here at Michigan who have worked with the Peace Corps, that there is a real need within the work of the Peace Corp around information technology,” James Holloway, vice provost for global and engaged education, said. For example, there is a new See PEACECORPS, Page 4A

VIRGINIA LOZANO/Daily

Acting director of the Peace Corps Carrie Hessler-Radelet speaks at the Ford School of Public Policy Wednesday about the past, present, and future of the organization.

Leader talks Corps’ goals Director of Peace Corps examines organization’s future By JOEL GOLDSTEIN For the Daily

Fifty-four years ago, U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy, then presidential candidate, held an

impromptu election speech on the steps of the Michigan Union, where he proposed to more than 5,000 students the idea of the Peace Corps, a volunteer organization to help impoverished nations. One year after Kennedy’s speech, the Peace Corps was established through an executive order. Since the establishment of the program, the University has supplied the fourth most volunteers to the

organization, with 2,556 graduates serving in the Peace Corps. Carrie Hessler-Radelet, acting director of the Peace Corps, spoke at the Ford School of Public Policy Wednesday, discussing the future of the organization. The talk was part of a series of policy talks held at the Ford School this year. Recently, Hessler-Radelet has focused on improving efficiency and safety within the organization. The Peace Corps

experienced scandal prior to Hessler-Radelet’s tenure due to allegations of covering up sexual assaults of volunteers while they were abroad. Hessler-Radelet implemented the standards of the 2011 Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act, which are meant to train and protect volunteers. Hessler-Radelet has served as acting director since July 2013. Before serving with the Peace See GOALS, Page 5A

CAMPUS LIFE

EDUCATION

Students look at ‘U’ disability efforts

Teach for America to start new training program for volunteers

Advisory Board meets to discuss possibilities for better campus climate By CHARLOTTE JENKINS Daily Staff Reporter

At a Services for Students with Disabilities Student Advisory Board event on Wednesday, Business senior Rohit Kapur recited a Mike Myers quote that spoke to him. “If I went by all the rejection I’ve had in my career, I should have given up a long time ago,” the Myers quote reads. “These words resonate with me in not only in terms of rejection from the general public and members of the opposite sex, but from potential future employers as well,” Kapur said. Kapur was one of seven stuSee BOARD, Page 4A

Summer session to be extended to yearlong curriculum By EMILIE PLESSET Daily Staff Reporter

RYAN REISS/Daily

The Michigan Hybrid Racing team unveils their new racecar in the FXB building on North Campus Wednesday.

Team unveils new hybrid race car for competition Hybrid Racing Team to attend New Hampshire tournament By PAULA FRIEDRICH Daily Staff Reporter

A sweep of blue fabric unveiled the MHybrid Racing team’s car in the atrium

of North Campus’ Francois Xavier Bagnoud Building on Wednesday night. The team will take the car to the weeklong Formula Hybrid competition at the end of April for its third showing at the competition in New Hampshire. Cars compete in acceleration, autocross, endurance and marketing competitions. The MHybrid team took fourth place last year.

After unveiling the car, the team removed its shell to reveal the jumble of wires, gears and tubes that makes the vehicle go. With 20 percent less weight than last year’s car, the vehicle features an organized and modular electric system. “Last year, we had our first working car that actually could run and so from there we learned a lot of things See RACECAR, Page 5A

For 24 years, the Teach for America program has catered to college graduates hoping to help underprivileged students through a two-year teaching stint in schools across the country. While many TFA applicants hear of rewarding experienced garnered through the program, they are less likely to be informed of the problems corps members experience once in the classroom. Many alumni have criticized the TFA program for undertraining corps members and throwing inexperienced teachers into difficult classroom situations. The summer prior to their first year in a classroom, prospective teachers must complete a five-week teaching crash course. University alum Rohan Dharan, a current Las Vegas-based corps member,

said the crash course was similar to “cramming” an education degree in five weeks. “I definitely learned a ton at institute, but teaching is such a multi-faceted thing,” Dharan said. “Until you’re in a position running your own classroom, figuring out what works for your kids, I can’t say I walked in 100 percent prepared.” The Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR and other news organizations have published first-hand accounts from TFA alum who had experiences similar to Dharan’s involving apparent lack of preparation. In an effort to confront this criticism, TFA co-CEOs Elisa Villanueva Beard and Matthew Kramer announced recently that next year early TFAadmitted college seniors will participate in a year-long pilot program. The program will focus on teacher education and will provide participants with an extra year to practice their teaching skills before they are in charge of their own classroom. Kendra Hearn, University Coordinator of the TFA-Detroit See TFA, Page 2A

SHM U ta tra

the art-side

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Motivating and healing through art at the ‘U’

citue pareh T

» INSIDE

WEATHER TOMORROW

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INDEX

NEWS......................... 2A SUDOKU.....................2A OPINION..................... 3A

CL ASSIFIEDS...............6A S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A B-SIDE ....................1B