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Friday, November 3, 2006

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Total Clips: 11

	Date	Outlet
Study results from Auburn University broaden understanding of dialysis	11/03/2006	Drug Week
AU's eagle Tiger retiring	11/03/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Riley stops in Auburn Thursday on statewide tour	11/03/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Vote 2006: Alabama Governor's Race Heats Up Closer To Elections	11/03/2006	WTVM-TV
Cardiovascular Diseases Breaking News	11/02/2006	Genetic Engineering News
Inside the Lines: Group show at TWU explores patterns	11/02/2006	Denton Record-Chronicle
Catfish: Market upswing while basa threatens	11/02/2006	Southeast Farm Press
Controversy and the bird: Researchers confident proof will come for ivory-bill's existence	11/02/2006	Opelika-Auburn News
Education Briefs: Honors	11/02/2006	Birmingham News
Racial Protest at Hopkins: Actions of Fraternity, University Practices Decried	11/02/2006	Black Enterprise
AU taking steps amid nationwide shortage of nursing instructors	11/01/2006	Opelika-Auburn News


Study results from Auburn University broaden understanding of dialysis 11/03/2006 Drug Week		Return to Top
This article cites a study by AU researchers. A new study, Removal of methotrexate by peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis in a single patient with end-stage renal disease, is now available. According to recent research published in the The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Although methotrexate is highly bound to albumin, it is thought to be removed by hemodialysis and not by peritoneal dialysis. We are not aware of any direct comparison in the same patient. REPORT A 60-year-old patient on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was admitted to the East Alabama Medical Center for stomatitis and pancytopenia after being given 10 mg of methotrexate for his rheumatoid arthritis. Measurements of total methotrexate levels were made before, during, and after sequential peritoneal and hemodialysis treatments. We found that the clearance of methotrexate measured in the dialysate was equal in the first hour of dialysis for both types of dialysis, although serum levels were markedly lower in hemodialysis compared to peritoneal dialysis. Methotrexate was cleared by peritoneal dialysis in the first hour of an exchange and was not associated with a rebound in serum levels. Hemodialysis was associated with lower serum levels; however, there was also a significant rebound 2 hours after the procedure ended, wrote C.J. Diskin and colleagues, Auburn University. The researchers concluded Since neither procedure was able to preclude the death of the patient, other more effective means of methotrexate elimination should be employed. Diskin and colleagues published their study in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (Removal of methotrexate by peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis in a single patient with end-stage renal disease. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 2006;332(3) 156-8). For additional information, contact C.J. Diskin, HNDT, Auburn University, Opelika, Alabama 36801 U.S. The publisher's contact information for the The American Journal of the Medical Sciences is Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA. Keywords United States, Opelika, Drugs, Hemodialysis, Methotrexate Sodium, Pharmaceuticals, Renal Dialysis, Therapy, Treatment. This article was prepared by Drug Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Drug Week via NewsRx.com. Copyright © 2006 Drug Week via NewsRx.com


AU's eagle Tiger retiring 11/03/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Amy Weaver		Return to Top
Golden eagles will continue to soar above hordes of Auburn University fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium for every football game, but after Nov. 11, it won't be Tiger. University officials announced Thursday the retirement of the famed 26-year-old Tiger. A special ceremony will be held 25 minutes prior to the kickoff of the University of Georgia game. Her successor, Nova, will be presented at halftime, as War Eagle VII. "It's a celebration of what's she meant to this community," said Dr. Jamie Bellah, director of the Southeastern Raptor Center. "It's pretty obvious she means a lot to the whole Auburn community. She's certainly an important part of the tradition." Bellah said Tiger is "feeling good" since she underwent surgery this June to remove a cancerous tumor on her right leg. She also received local radiation treatment. "But it's too early to tell how well we've done,” he said. "It's hard to project how she'lll be next year." Between the cancer and her age - Tiger will be 27 soon - Bellah said officials wanted her to retire "on top of her game." Tiger will remain a resident of the Raptor Center and will still be available for special appearances. "Tiger has, and will continue to be, a much-treasured part of Auburn University history," said AU President Ed Richardson. "She will still make guest appearances at games and will remain a vital part of the educational programs of the Southeastern Raptor Center." "As long as she is feeling good and able to do those things, she'll get to do them," Bellah added. Serving as War Eagle VI, Tiger has represented the university's school spirit since 1986 and has been flying before home football games since 2000. She gained worldwide attention in 2002 as a part of the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Tiger has flown only once this season, at last weekend's game against Tulane. Other appearances have been made by 6-year-old golden eagle Nova and 11-year-old bald eagle Spirit. Bellah said they both will fly for the 2007 football season. Bellah wasn't certain which bird will fly this Saturday against Arkansas State. He said it is a gameday decision, usually dependent on weather. During Tiger's reign as War Eagle VI, the football team has complied a record of 173-69-4, including undefeated seasons in 1993 and 2004. The team won four Southeastern Conference Championships and six SEC Western Division championships. "I think there is going to be a lot of joys (on Nov. 11) and there might be a lot of Kleenex coming out of purses and pockets,” said Bellah. “I hope Tiger is a good sign for the football team." The university is honoring the longtime icon through a special 2007 calendar, "Tiger: A Tribute," which is available through the AU's Photographic Services Web site at www.auburn.edu/photo or by phone at (334) 844-4560. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the raptor center. "Auburn has had golden eagles since the late 1800s, and now Nova will uphold the tradition of promoting Auburn and wildlife conservation," said Marianne Murphy, who trains AU's eagles with colleague Roy Crowe. "We are very privileged to have such a unique tradition at Auburn University."
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Riley stops in Auburn Thursday on statewide tour 11/03/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Amy Weaver		Return to Top
Alabama Gov. Riley visits AU Nov. 2. The College Republicans at Auburn University never had a debate to inform students on the issues before the Nov. 7 election, but they may have trumped the other student political groups on campus Thursday by welcoming Gov. Bob Riley to the lawn of Samford Hall. Nearly 100 people, most Republican members, gathered for the stump as part of Riley's statewide tour before election day. It also served as a promotion for other Republican candidates running in Tuesday’s race. Riley was introduced as someone who is fighting for Auburn students and has fought to keep tuition down. A small group of students stood in the back of the crowd, quietly with signs questioning some of his actions, including his veto of the last education budget and numerous no-bid contracts. "I find it ironic that Riley comes to Auburn as a huge friend of higher education when in fact he's one of the biggest enemies of higher education in the state," said Brandon Costerison, a member of the AU College Democrats and the Lee County contact for the Lucy Baxley campaign for governor. Riley said he never misses a chance to come to AU because he has so much support in the College Republicans. "You guys are great," he said. "You never let us down." Riley touted his successes in the past four years, including turning the state economy around, creating 100,000 jobs, lowering the unemployment rate and improving test scores in schools. All his work has laid a foundation, he said, for the future, which he explains in Plan 2010. Voters have a choice on Tuesday, according to Riley - let Alabama go back to what it was or move forward for a better and brighter future. "We are this close to making it happen," he said, showing a pinch-size margin with his fingers. Costerison called Riley's 2010 plan a "vague idea" instead of a detailed agenda for the future of Alabama. "They are trying to present it as an end-all, be-all of agendas and it's not," he said. "On Tuesday, you can either vote for a guy who breaks promises or vote for someone who can actually lead Alabama and the Legislature as an advocate for the everyday working person."
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Vote 2006: Alabama Governor's Race Heats Up Closer To Elections 11/03/2006 WTVM-TV Priya Aujla, Reporter		Return to Top
Alabama Gov. Riley visits AU Nov. 2. With the election day less than a week away, the Alabama Governor's race is revving up. Governor Bob Riley made a campaign stop at Auburn University Thursday, while Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley held a news conference in Montgomery. With fellow candidate Mike Hubbard by his side, Governor Bob Riley talked to a group of Auburn students and supporters about his vision for a better Alabama. Riley spoke about raising test scores, improving education, and the negative attacks on his campaign. "In politics today, you can say anything. It doesn't even have to resemble the truth," Riley said. Riley is referring to ads, paid for by Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley, which claim his administration handed out one billion dollars in no-bid contracts. "How can he continue to say that he ended no bid contracts. And why can't he just admit that he has continued to practice what he has so harshly chastised Siegelman for," said Gubernatorial candidate Lucy Baxley. "We've gotten to the point today that even when we're not required to bid contracts, we still bid them. Lucy knows that," said Riley. While the candidates may view other issues differently, both agree that education should be a top priority in the upcoming term. "In the last four years, by building a new economic model, by building a new reformed education model, we have transformed this state in the last four years," said Riley. "I will never take a dollar out of education money. I want to be like Governor Riley said when he was running before. I won't be happy until our schools rank in the top ten nationally like our football teams do," Baxley said. Governor Riley's bus tour will make a stop at Troy University in Troy Friday morning.
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Cardiovascular Diseases Breaking News 11/02/2006 Genetic Engineering News		Return to Top
Auburn University hosted an invitation-only conference of leading microscopy and biomedical scientists. First Live Video of Calcifying Nanoparticles Provides Possible Key to Chronic Disease Condition Scientists today released the first live video footage of calcifying nanoparticles, or CNPs, that might play a basic role in calcifying diseases ranging from heart disease to prostate disease and kidney stones. Calcification is a harmful condition found in most diseases on the leading-cause-of-death list, including cardiovascular disease -- the nation's single leading cause of death. Even the lesser problem of kidney stones results in more than one million doctor visits and 250,000 hospitalizations every year. "We used a new, high-definition Nikon microscope system, validated with a new award-winning system from Aetos Technologies, which allowed real-time tracking of calcifying nanoparticles (CNPs) at a size of around 100 nanometers," explained Dr. Neva Ciftcioglu, Science Director of Nanobac Pharmaceuticals, which produced the video. "Before these technologies were created recently, we had to chemically treat the nanoparticles to see below the 200 nanometer threshold, which kept us from observing live processes." This video, for the first time, illustrates: 1) A decalcifying agent dissolving calcified structures while the particles inside seem unaffected and are released to potentially begin the calcification process again. 2) By contrast, inorganic crystals exposed to the same agent are dissolved without releasing nanoparticles. "Although preliminary, this is a significant scientific and medical finding," observed Dr. Arnold Mandell, professor emeritus at UCSD School of Medicine, research professor at the Emory University School of Medicine and a MacArthur Prize Fellow in the medical sciences. "It brings new scientific support to earlier findings that the pathophysiology of calcification in vascular and other organ systems might involve calcifying nanoparticles. More generally, it suggests that an as yet to be fully explored universe of nanoparticles might play critical roles in medical disorders. It also supports previous evidence that these particles can be viewed as distinct from inorganic crystals and form the basis for an exciting and independent area of research." Dr. Mandell was present as an independent observer when the results were announced by Nanobac scientists. "While these are early findings, we believe they merit serious investigation," explained Nanobac Co-Chairman Dr. Benedict Maniscalco. "Further investigation of these particles will be necessary to determine if this is the first step toward proving a biological mechanism for calcifying diseases, and will hopefully lead to drug therapies to treat calcification. These results, which were obtained from animal sourced particles, will now be applied to particles obtained from human blood." Evidence of CNPs was first reported in the 1990s, by Nanobac scientists and other scientists in peer-reviewed journals. The new video was first unveiled at a recent invitation-only Auburn University conference of leading microscopy and biomedical scientists, organized by the Fetzer Memorial Trust. The Trust specializes in supporting leading-edge medical technologies, and has been collaborating with Nanobac on this project since early 2006. For a copy of the video click on link. For more information, or to schedule a briefing/interview please contact Sanda Pecina (202)367-1622, specina@akerpartners.com, or Carson Chandler (202)367-1625, cchandler@akerpartners.com. Caption for video: Video microscopy shows impacts of a decalcifying agent on calcified structures similar to those found in disease-related calcification. In the opening segments, the agent comes in contact with calcified structures. Those semi-transparent structures then disintegrate, and nanoparticles, seen as black dots, are released. The released nanoparticles accumulate in large amounts as the process continues, transported by capillary action in the fluid. In the final video segment, inorganic calcium phosphate crystals -- used as a control -- dissolve completely without releasing any nanoparticles. About Nanobac Pharmaceuticals: Nanobac Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCBB:NNBP) is dedicated to the discovery and development of products and services to improve human health through the detection and treatment of calcifying nanoparticles (CNPs). The company's pioneering research is establishing the pathogenic role of CNPs in soft tissue calcification, particularly in coronary artery, prostate and vascular disease. Nanobac's drug discovery and development is focused on new and existing compounds that effectively inhibit, destroy or neutralize CNPs. Nanobac manufactures In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) kits and reagents for detecting calcifying nanoparticles. IVD products include a line of assays, proprietary antibodies, and reagents for uniquely recognizing CNPs. Nanobac's BioAnalytical Services works with biopharmaceutical partners to develop and apply methods for avoiding, detecting, and inactivating or eliminating CNPs from raw materials. For details visit http://www.nanobac.com. Investors are cautioned that certain statements in this document, some statements in periodic press releases and some oral statements of Nanobac Pharmaceuticals, Inc. officials are "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act). Forward-Looking statements include statements which are predictive in nature, which depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, which include words such as "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible future Nanobac Pharmaceuticals, Inc. actions, which may be provided by management, are also forward-looking statements as defined by the Act. Forward-Looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and to vary significantly from reporting period to reporting period. Although management believes that the assumptions will, in fact, prove to be correct or that actual future results will not be different from the expectations expressed in this report. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and Nanobac Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has no specific intention to update these statements.
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Inside the Lines: Group show at TWU explores patterns 11/02/2006 Denton Record-Chronicle		Return to Top
AU's Barb Bondy's works to be shown in Texas Woman's University exhibit. Three artists come together in a show about patterns at Texas Woman’s University next week. The artists — Nancy Blum, Barb Bondy and Moira Scott Payne — use different approaches and materials to seek out and reproduce patterns, and the exhibit will reflect how each artist’s work relates to the others. Blum, who lives in New York City, combines painting, drawing and screen printing in her works. The pieces are suspended from floor to ceiling in a series that spans the length of the gallery wall. Colorful print fields were created under fellowship from the Lower East Side Printshop in New York. Bondy’s graphite drawings spin out of thoughts on art, philosophy and science. She is an assistant professor of art and exhibits and lectures coordinator at Auburn University in Alabama. In her art, she explores how the brain forms an individual’s experience of the world. Payne uses clothes, magazines, rugs and homes as a springboard to finding patterns. Each painting describes confusion, the complexity of life and seductions of design. Payne is a fine arts researcher at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Scotland. —Lucinda Breeding
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Catfish: Market upswing while basa threatens 11/02/2006 Southeast Farm Press David Bennett		Return to Top
This story mentions AU's research on the catfish industry. Much like livestock, the U.S. catfish industry is on a boom-or-bust cycle. Right now, there's a price upturn. "Prices are around 85 cents per pound," says Larry Dorman, Arkansas Extension fisheries specialist. "Some processors are even paying, or splitting, delivery costs. When that happens, it's a clear indication fish are short." But, if allowed, imported fish will fill the gap. Such imports — often illegally brought into the United States from Vietnam and, increasingly, China — are an increasing threat to U.S. producers. "Go back a decade, or so, and we had rapid expansion in the industry. We were processing half a billion pounds of fish annually. Suddenly, we were 100 million pounds beyond what we were able to sell in past years." At the same time, basa (a type of farm-raised Vietnamese fish) began appearing on U.S. grocery store freezers. Basa forced the price of U.S. catfish down. "When that happened, it was too risky for banks to loan farmers money. That's turned around somewhat." The catfish industry is on a 5 to 10-year cycle. Dorman says this can be charted from the 1970s. "We'll have two or three years of depressed prices and then recover for four or five years. Then another couple years of depressed prices emerge." An example: U.S. producers couldn't "give fish away" in the early 1990s. The consumer was able to buy a cheap product and that spurred demand. By the mid-1990s, lots of pond construction was happening. Then, in 2000, there was an over-supply once again. "We've generated good demand for catfish. Sometimes the cheaper product, like basa, fills a niche. But we don't want foreign competitors to fill that niche. We're at a distinct disadvantage when you're talking about going up against a state-controlled economy and a poor, captive workforce." U.S. farmers have spent "all kinds of hard-earned advertising money to build demand and (the Vietnamese and Chinese) ride in on U.S. farmers’ coattails." American producers pony up $5 per ton of catfish to pay for advertising and promotion. That money, too often, creates a demand filled by basa. "That's ridiculous. We’re getting some benefit out of U.S. tariffs placed on (fish imports). Some of the tariffs are high. But, currently, there seem to be ways to get around labeling rules. Those exporting Vietnamese fish are able to get labels saying 'Laos' or 'Cambodia' or another country where tariffs don't apply. That's one angle the Vietnamese are using." In the age of global trade, Dorman says the U.S. catfish industry has unwillingly become entangled in other international trade issues. "When the catfish industry first pursued an import tariff, rumors circulated that (executives from a major international corporation) called and said, 'Hey, you guys are threatening our business.' Multinational corporations are trying to open up foreign markets. By placing tariffs on basa, it makes these foreign trade reps mad and they won't let another product in. They retaliate. International trade is a web you can get tangled up in." On the research side, there's a lot of interest in channel blue hybrids. The fish grow much quicker and seem hardier than their catfish "cousins." There are still some spawning issues to work out, though. "There are very few farms with blue cats so to stock they have to be brought from the river. The female catfish can spawn from May through July. Sometimes the timing with breeding is an issue — when the females are ready, a ripe male is needed." Often, that means both animals have to be sacrificed. The male's testes have to be removed and the eggs must be stripped from the female. "That doesn't kill the female but it is a traumatic thing — sh'’s probably good to go to the processing plant. "Plus, when we cross these two, the viability is a bit low. That's probably true with any hybrid. So we're working on how best to get the breeding right. "I know this produces a beautiful fish and everyone recognizes that. It has improved growth — anywhere from 10 to 20 percent faster. We also see some disease resistance. However, if we culture them long enough, I'm sure a disease will show up they're vulnerable to. But right now, they're quite resistant to what affects channel catfish." Another problem is the hybrid doesn't lend itself to a typical cropping system. You can't stock X number of fish in a pond, feed them to a certain point, pull the faster-growing ones, and the smaller ones are left to grow more. "There are a few farms working on the blues. One large farm in southeast Arkansas is in on this, as is a farm in Alabama. Auburn University is working with farmers in Alabama on these fish — they're high on it."
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Controversy and the bird: Researchers confident proof will come for ivory-bill's existence 11/02/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Amy Weaver		Return to Top
This story is about AU professor and ornithologist, Geoff Hill, and team, sighting the ivory-billed woodpecker. The proof is in the picture and only the picture. Without a photographic image of a thought-to-be-extinct bird, Dr. Geoff Hill, an Auburn University professor and ornithologist, is getting all sorts of flack from critics for claiming the ivory-billed woodpecker is alive and well and living in the Florida Panhandle. Hill and two of his research assistants have seen the bird and have 300 sound recordings, but it's not enough to prove the rare bird's existence. Ever since Hill published his findings in an electronic scientific journal at the end of September and then presented them at the North American Ornithological Conference in Veracruz, Mexico, in October, he has been praised and doubted. Hill said the bird was last well documented in 1944. "People are very reluctant to say this bird has existed in North America for 60 years without anyone seeing it," he said. In hopes of settling the matter, Hill plans to return to Florida this year with more equipment and larger teams. The public can hear Hill discuss his findings Friday at 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the new College of Science and Mathematics building on Roosevelt Drive. Hill said his interest in the woodpecker started two years ago when researchers from Cornell University acquired video proof of the bird in Arkansas. He said it was "exciting news" for ornithologists, those who study birds. But even they were criticized because video isn't concrete, indisputable proof. "It just inspired us to go out and look close to Auburn," he said. On a weekend excursion to the Choctawhatchee River basin in the Panhandle, AU research assistant Brian Rolek saw the creature. Hill heard its unique double knock. Research assistant Tyler Hicks saw it as well on a second trip to the region. With the help of Dr. Dan Mennill, an assistant professor at the University of Windsor in Ontario, the AU team enhanced its search with sound equipment. From May 2005 to May 2006, they recorded more than 10,000 hours of audio recordings. Mennill and his research assistant Kyle Swiston identified more than 300 sounds in the recordings that match descriptions of ivory-billed woodpeckers. They also had 14 sightings of the bird, including two by Hill. Hill said it is possible the sounds were other birds, but the fact that they acquired so many in the same area, and surrounding trees had large cavities and were stripped of bark, their claim was much more likely. Hill said the ivory-bill creates huge wholes in trees and removes bark. The fuss The ivory-billed woodpecker started its disappearance after the Civil War, Hill said. People in the North took a lot of natural resources out of the South to expand, Hill said, including the cypress, oak and pine forests, which dilapidated the habitat of the ivory-billed. It was also heavily hunted. Hill said the bird was thought to be extinct by the 1930s. Hill said any rare vertebrate would get this much attention, but the ivory-billed is the second largest woodpecker in the world and the first to be extinct, or at least thought to be. He described the bird as "big, colorful and dramatic." He estimated it is about 20 percent larger than the common pileated woodpecker. It is mostly black with some white and a striking red crest on the top of its head. Hill said its white color shows the most when it flies. Hill said the knock it makes on trees "sounds like a baseball bat smacking it." "All woodpeckers bang on trees," he said, but no other makes a double knock like the ivory-billed. Hill said it is hard to catch the bird on camera because it hides behind trees when it lands, but it's not impossible. He plans to use time-lapse cameras on future trips. By expanding his team to as many as 14 members and using up to 30 cameras, purchased with state, federal and private funding, he ensures success. "I saw it and seeing is believing," he said. "We will get a picture of it." Another snag? If Hill hasn't already taken enough heat from within his field, he's also drawn the attention of two environmental groups. The Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council are asking the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider a proposal for a $240 million, 4,000-acre airport serving the Panama City area. They also asked the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to look into the issue. Plans would also include developing the 70,000 acres surrounding the site. Hill doesn't know much about the project but believes it would not interfere with the ivory-billed woodpecker or its habitat along the Choctawhatchee River, which is about 19 miles from the proposed site. "There is no reason to think there will be an immediate conflict," he said. "This is not a swamp development. "This part of the Florida Panhandle is one of the most remote areas in the United States." If it is developed, "that will certainly make it less remote," he added.
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Education Briefs: Honors 11/02/2006 Birmingham News		Return to Top
AU professor Steven Brown receives honor. The National Society of Collegiate Scholars has named Auburn University professor Steven P. Brown the 2006 Faculty of the Year recipient. Brown will receive a $1,000 stipend and a $5,000 contribution will be made in his name to Auburn's general scholarship fund. EVENTS Wallace State Community College in Hanceville will host an American Indian Heritage Celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the Wallace State Banquet Hall. The University of Alabama at Birmingham department of anthropology will present a lecture by Egyptologist Barry Kemp on "The Ancient Egyptian City of Tell el-Amarna: Its Religion and Its Life," at 5:30-7:00 p.m. Nov. 14 at the UAB Bell Auditorium, 700 13th St. S. Simon Aban Deng will speak at the University of Alabama at Birmingham about the crisis in Sudan and the problem of slavery in the 21st century at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at UAB Hill University Center, Alumni Auditorium, 1400 University Blvd. FURTHERMORE A silent and live auction at the Wallace State Future Foundation luncheon last week raised $33,925, enough to grant 67 scholarships. Wallace State President Vicki Hawsey said the foundation awards an average scholarship of $500.
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Racial Protest at Hopkins: Actions of Fraternity, University Practices Decried 11/02/2006 Black Enterprise Sumathi Reddy, The Baltimore Sun		Return to Top
This story mentions Halloween 2001 at AU. Nov. 1--Their list of grievances is long and varied: Insinuations that school admission policy unfairly favors black students. Racial epithets glimpsed on campus. Faculty members they feel are racially insensitive. For many members of the Black Students Union at the Johns Hopkins University, there is an overall feeling of discomfort, that this home of theirs for four years does not fully accept them. Such feelings came to the surface this week amid reaction to a Sigma Chi "Halloween in the Hood" party that included a skeleton pirate dangling from a rope noose -- a symbol, most students agreed, of a lynching. The incident has served to reveal fissures and ignite a larger debate on race relations on campus, while also fueling a student movement with high ambitions. "We just want the administration to act like they are truly, truly committed to diversity," BSU President Christina Chapman said yesterday. Chapman, a senior, said the group met last night to discuss demands and organize demonstrations, and that members have been in contact with the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "We're going to protest in front of the administration building ... until we get what we want," she said. The group's demands, she said, will include mandatory diversity training for faculty members, a cultural center, more faculty of color, a department of African-American studies and a freshman seminar on diversity. University officials have suspended Sigma Chi from all activities pending an investigation into the party and a purported racially insensitive invitation posted by a fraternity member. The author of the invitation was expelled from the fraternity yesterday, according to a statement from the organization's international headquarters. On Monday night, top Hopkins administrators held an open forum where more than 100 students aired their concerns on Sigma Chi's activities and other issues. Now the officials are coordinating meetings with the fraternity and the BSU. "What this has revealed is a lot of pain among our African-American students about life at Johns Hopkins and, frankly, life in our broader society," said Adam Falk, dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, who attended the forum. The invitation to the Saturday night party, posted on the Web site Facebook, described Baltimore as "the HIV pit" and encouraged attendees to wear "regional clothing from our locale" such as "bling bling ice ice, grills, and hoochie hoops (oversize ear-rings)." Across the country, similar racially charged parties have surfaced on college campuses, said Heidi Beirich, a spokeswoman for the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala. "Unfortunately, the campus environment does not exempt us from racial insensitivity," Beirich said. Events -- some of which were canceled after negative reaction -- have included a fraternity "gangsta"-themed gathering at the University of Colorado last month, a "Think Ghetto" party at Texas A&M University several years ago and a 2002 Halloween fraternity party at Auburn University where a student dressed as a Klansman and others came in black-face makeup. Such episodes have helped fuel student movements that have at times been effective at spurring change, said Summer Henry, executive director of the National Council for Black Studies Inc., based in Atlanta. Georgia State University created an African-American studies department in 1994 -- two years after a student protest movement formed in response to an incident in which members of a white fraternity wrote a racial slur on a trash can in front of a black fraternity, Henry said. At Hopkins, student activism has long been overshadowed by academic intensity. In 1992, the Black Students Union launched a yearlong series of protests -- including a sit-in at the library and confrontations with university officials -- to improve the racial atmosphere. At the time, students complained of campus police officers following black students and a lack of black faculty members. Then, 4.5 percent of undergraduate students were black and the faculty included just two blacks, according to a 1993 newspaper article. Thirteen years later, the university's student population is 5.3 percent black and there are six tenured black faculty members and two on the tenure track. "We do not have a good historical record for appointing and retaining faculty of color," said Falk. "One of my highest priorities is to change that. We have a lot more work to do, and we're committed to doing that work." University officials point to a number of programs already in place, including a Diversity Leadership Council formed in 1997. The council recently conducted a survey of all faculty and staff, and plans one for students, said Dennis O'Shea, a spokesman for the university. The university also appointed the first full-time director of its Center for Africana Studies this year. And the two-year-old Baltimore Scholars Program provides free tuition to public school graduates in Baltimore City admitted to the university. Most students on campus -- minority and white -- agreed that the fraternity party was an isolated incident. Arlene Wilkinson, 21, a senior who is half-Puerto Rican and half-Trinidadian, said that while she has never experienced "blatant racism," she does believe that "institutional racism" on campus exists, noting the low number of faculty members of color. "I feel like there's a bit of a disconnect between students that is caused by misunderstandings," she said. "The university should foster discussion," she said. But other students said the university's diverse campus lends itself to an accepting environment. "People are generally very accepting of other cultures," said Andrew Tagoe, 20, a sophomore. "I'm kind of surprised that something like this would happen here." Benedict Dorsey, senior associate director of financial aid, said a lot of the concerns raised are from freshmen or minority students who don't realize that at Hopkins, like the rest of the world, black people can and will face racism. A member of the Diversity Leadership Council, he defended the university and said they always address cases of discrimination. "This university acts," he said. "I've been part of a lot of changes here. They make sure everyone feels welcome here." But some students -- particularly some members of the Baltimore Scholars Program -- said the incident was the culmination of long-brewing tension. Lindsay Bynum and Dayo Simms, both sophomores and 19, said they believe the theme of the fraternity party illustrated many students' negative feelings toward Baltimore. "A lot of students are wary of Baltimore," said Simms. "There's definitely a condescending attitude." "This party just brought out a lot of different feelings about what people are really thinking at Hopkins," added Bynum. "Somehow, whether they admit it or not, they harbor feelings that black people aren't smart. They demean our culture and our city." sumathi.reddy@baltsun.com ----- Copyright (c) 2006, The Baltimore Sun Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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AU taking steps amid nationwide shortage of nursing instructors 11/01/2006 Opelika-Auburn News Amy Weaver		Return to Top
Barbara Witt, dean of the AU School of Nursing, is the primary source for this story. News of a nationwide shortage of nursing instructors is not news to Barbara Witt. It's a problem Witt has been dealing with since 1999, when she became dean of the College of Nursing at Auburn University. "I have never, in all that time, had all faculty positions filled," she said. There are 16 positions at AU and 14 in the School of Nursing at Auburn University Montgomery, where Witt also serves as dean. Having only one vacancy on each campus currently is the best situation Witt said she's ever had. In the past, she's had as many as three or four openings at one campus or the other. The country has been dealing with a shortage of nurses for years, but as colleges across the country enroll more nursing students, the demand for instructors to teach them increases. Witt called it a "perfect storm." "Nursing education is not as attractive as clinical work because of the money," Witt said. "The word is out that if you become a nurse, you have economic security." Certain nursing positions in the highest demand, such as nurse anesthetist, can start at more than $100,000, according to Witt, but most new graduates can expect to earn a salary and benefits worth $50,000 for a staff nursing job, which is more than Witt said first-year faculty at AU or AUM are paid. Part of the problem lies with the current staff. The Baby Boomer generation is aging, Witt said, creating an older generation of instructors. The average age of a faculty member these days is between 54 and 56. "As these people start to retire, the ranks will be depleted," she said, making the situation more dire than it is now. To address the shortage, AU and AUM started a joint master's program last year. Classes for the new Master's of Science in Nursing began this fall. Witt said graduates will be clinical nurse specialists who have a focus on nursing education. "We are growing our own," she said. It is a true joint endeavor as classes are offered at either campus by faculty at both, Witt said. Diplomas will list AU and AUM as the degree-granting institutions. The undergraduate programs, which have been under Witt's direction for the past seven years, remain separate. Witt said enrollment in the undergrad programs has increased in Auburn and Montgomery, creating a need for more faculty at both. Witt said AUM recently received a grant from Baptist Health to pay the salaries of two additional faculty for four years. This fall, AUM was able to admit 80 students rather than its usual 60. AU added eight more for a total of 88 students without additional resources, Witt said. It's great that the schools were able to admit more, but Witt said many qualified students are turned away year after year because neither campus can accommodate all that apply. Witt said 210 students applied for the 88 spots this year at AU; 240 applied last year for 80. One hundred applicants sought the 80 seats at AUM. "It's frustrating," she said. "We have well-qualified students we have to say no to. They want to be nurses, but we don't have the room." Even if AU and AUM could admit more to help the nursing and teacher shortages, there are a limited number of places in the area for students to do their clinicals, such as hospitals and hospice, Witt said. Some have to travel to Columbus, Montgomery or Birmingham. "We have pretty much maxed out our clinical facilities," she said. If there is any good news out of the shortage, Witt said employers can rest assured the demand is creating only the most highly qualified graduates to enter the workforce.
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