Untitled Document

Auburn University

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Good morning! Here's today's summary of news coverage of Auburn University.
NOTE: Any errors in text are due to formatting by the publication.

Total Clips: 4

Headline		Date	Outlet
	U.N. official visiting AU to recognize hunger project	09/19/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
	Town planning meeting tonight	09/19/2006	Press-Register
	Bring on the wrecking crew	09/19/2006	Press-Register
	A rest from the desk	09/19/2006	Kansas City Star


U.N. official visiting AU to recognize hunger project 09/19/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Amy Weaver		Return to Top
James T. Morris may not be one of those famous names known by every Auburn University student, but AU officials hope they recognize the importance of his visit to campus. As the executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, the world's largest humanitarian organization, Morris is the featured presenter Thursday in the College of Agriculture's E.T. York Distinguished Lecture Series. His lecture, "Auburn, Institutions of Higher Learning and the Fight against Global Hunger," is set for 7 p.m. in the auditorium of The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. The presentation is free and open to the public, as is a reception at 5:45 p.m. in Ballroom A. Two years ago, Auburn became the first university to partner with the WFP to raise awareness, specifically among college students, about world hunger. Since then June Henton, dean of the College of Human Sciences, said Auburn has enrolled about 40 other universities to join the cause, creating Universities Fighting World Hunger. AU officials plan to reach 100 members by World Food Day, Oct. 16. College-aged students are the target audience because WFP believes they are uneducated about the issue of world hunger, said Bill Hardy, associate dean of the College of Agriculture. "Most of them have never had to do without," Hardy said. "They don't think about it." There are an estimated 850 million people experiencing chronic hunger in countries served by WFP each year. Henton said someone dies from hunger every five seconds. WFP fed 104 million people in 81 countries last year. Whitney Skinner, a doctorate student in the College of Human Sciences, said college students are an ideal market. "We are getting educated and learning what goes on in the world," she said. Besides speaking, Morris is visiting to thank AU students for all their efforts in the global battle against food hunger, Hardy said. Morris’ five-year term with WFP ends this year. "He wants what we are doing here to be his legacy," said Hardy. Auburn has the Committee of 19 (website), which includes representatives of all the colleges and seven major student organizations, to educate the university community about world hunger. Each college holds events throughout the year to raise money and awareness. The group gets its name from the 19 cents a day it takes the WFP to feed a hungry child in the developing world. Skinner remembers the first time she went to a "hunger" banquet. Meals are portioned out among participants based on global income patterns. Some will get a handful of chips, meant to last five days, while others will get a full three-course meal. Skinner was in the "middle class." She ate rice and beans, but still went home hungry. "It shows you how the rest of the world is living," Hardy said. "It really opens some eyes." Henton said it is the responsibility of the university to not only provide students with professional competency, but educate them as global citizens. "They are the next generation of decision makers," she said. Skinner, who serves as chair of the Committee of 19 this year, said the hunger issue could continue for generations if her generation doesn’t do something to stop it. "It's even in our own community and we can't ignore it," she said. Auburn will continue to earn world recognition with World Food Day. For an hour of the three-hour global teleconference, Henton said participants will learn all about the Committee of 19 and other achievements made by AU students in the last couple of years. "Students need to understand Auburn is getting global recognition in this aspect," said Skinner. Members of the Committee will be recognized before Saturday's home football game versus Buffalo.
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Town planning meeting tonight 09/19/2006 Press-Register Guy Busby		Return to Top
This story is about the work of the Urban Studio. Auburn representatives to meet with residents at Stockton Presbyterian Church Small unincorporated communities need to prepare for the future just as large cities do, said a planner working on a study of Stockton in north Baldwin County. Members of Auburn University's Urban Studio will meet with residents of that community today, at the Stockton Presbyterian Church. The public meeting is intended as the next step in working out a growth plan for the community, said Cheryl Morgan, studio director. "We've been looking at the area, but what we want to do with this is hear from the people there," she said. "We don't want to dictate to them about what to do, we want to know what they think. What direction do they want for their community." Stockton has many positive attributes, said Morgan, including its proximity to the rapidly growing coastal area, the Tensaw Delta and a long history as a rural community. By preparing long-range plans, residents can help guide growth and make certain that the aspects they enjoy about Stockton can be preserved, Morgan said. "The people here have chosen to live in a small community with a lot of character, charm and a rural way of life that is important to them," she said. The study will cost $12,000 to $13,000, with the cost being split between the Baldwin County Commission and a grant from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, according to reports. After tonight's meeting, Morgan and Auburn students will take the ideas presented by residents and use them as part of the plan. On Saturday, they will make a short presentation of their work at 10 a.m. at the Presbyterian church. She said a final summary should be complete by the end of the year. The final product in Small Town Initiative projects is a summary that is produced on a 22- by 34-inch poster. "We found that posters work very well. It's sort of the idea that a picture is worth 1,000 words. This is something that can be hung in a town hall, Stagecoach Cafe, the churches, post office. It's a way to remind people of their community and sense of direction." As part of the Small Town Initiative, Morgan said the Urban Studio has prepared plans for municipalities with as few as 59 residents and for unincorporated areas and neighborhoods within larger cities.
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Bring on the wrecking crew 09/19/2006 Press-Register		Return to Top
This is an update on Gulf State Park. MORE THAN two years after Hurricane Ivan tore up the Gulf State Park lodge and convention center, what's left should be demolished soon. The arrival of wrecking crews can't be too quick for park visitors or frustrated business and government leaders trying to promote tourism in coastal Baldwin County. The mess has sat on an invaluable piece of public beachfront property while insurers and state officials argued over whether it could be rebuilt and how much insurance would pay. Although state leaders maintained -- and the Press-Register editorial board concurred -- that the structures couldn't and shouldn't be saved, some private reinsurance companies indicated they wouldn't pay off on the claim if the state went ahead with demolition, and suggested that the structures could actually be restored. Finally, the matter went to arbitration. With the arbitrator's judgment and other insurance payments and federal aid, the state expects to get about $10 million. That's well short of the $41 million damage estimate, but the higher figure was based on the cost of rebuilding rather than existing cash value. So $10 million is better than nothing, and the state can get down to the business of clearing the wreckage. The next step toward building something better will be the resolution of a lawsuit challenging Gov. Bob Riley's plan for a high-class hotel and convention center in partnership with Auburn University. That suit is scheduled to be tried next month. The ruins of the old lodge and convention center have been a blight on Gulf State Park and an embarrassment to the state. Gulf State Park has been the jewel of Alabama's park system. Cleaning up -- finally -- after Ivan is long overdue.
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A rest from the desk 09/19/2006 Kansas City Star Faith Dawson		Return to Top
Barb Struempler, a nutritionist with AU's Nutrition and Food Science Department is quoted in this story, which also appeared in the Boulder Daily Camera and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. The way you sit at your work desk influences the way you feel, mentally and physically. Slouching can contribute to conditions such as fatigue, eyestrain, headaches, repetitive-use injuries and muscle pain. Of desk-related injuries, "the most common things we see are the upper-extremity repetitive injuries like numbness and carpal-tunnel syndrome, and then the upper-back and lower-back postural strain," says Frank Kelly, an orthopedic surgeon who is on the board of directors of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AN IDEAL WORLD •Having a healthy workstation starts with how it is configured. Ideally, you should have enough work space and legroom to move around and change positions, and your keyboard height, chair and computer monitor should all be adjustable for your individual needs. •But sometimes we have to work in old, muscle-unfriendly setups. In that case, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends varying your tasks so that, for instance, you type continuously for only 10 minutes before switching to phone calls or something else not centered on the computer. Sometimes disconnecting a few of the fluorescent bulbs above your desk will reduce glare on your monitor. •If you don’t have the power to make the changes to your work area, talk to someone who can. Some ways to stay healthier Exercise Do these quick exercises twice a day to get rid of tension and fatigue, improve circulation and prevent cramps and aches: LEGS: Stand up and lift up on the balls of your feet and your toes. BACK: Stand up, bend over, and let your head and arms dangle toward the floor to stretch the lower back. ARMS: Hold a stapler or a small three-hole punch and do arm curls. HEAD AND SHOULDERS: Roll your head clockwise and counterclockwise. Source: Sherrie Williams, account executive for the Georgia Physical Therapy Association Eat in It’s better to eat away from your desk. But if you can’t: •Wash your hands. "Your hands carry a tremendous amount of bacteria, and if you can start with clean hands, I think you’re halfway there," says Barb Struempler, a nutritionist with Auburn University's Nutrition and Food Science Department. •Wipe down your desk with disinfecting wipes before you eat. •Use a paper towel as a place mat. Avoid eyestrain CAUSED BY: desk setup, bad lighting, uncorrected vision and/or dry eyes. SYMPTOMS: burning, redness, dryness, blurry vision, uneven vision or eye coordination, halo effects and/or headaches. TO FIX OR AVOID: •Visit your optometrist once a year. Discuss whether you need glasses or contact lenses designed for computer use. •Avoid having direct light on the computer screen. •If possible, use incandescent rather than fluorescent bulbs. •Manually adjust the monitor's contrast or use a glare filter. •Take a 10-minute break for every hour spent at the computer. Source: Maurice E. Zadeh, optometrist and president of the Georgia Optometric Association Improve your focus Jack L. Groppel, adjunct professor at Northwestern University, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute and author of The Corporate Athlete, says losing focus is a common problem. But we can retrain ourselves to concentrate with short breaks and mini-meals — managing our energy instead of our time. Sitting quietly at a desk encourages our bodies to operate at their slowest metabolic rate, Groppel says. If we make them function at a higher rate, we’ll increase our concentration and productivity.
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