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August 31, 1998
Volume 51, No. 2


TABLE OF CONTENTS

CAMPUS NEWS

It will be hard for so many freshmen to build community, but it's important, Chace says

Campus construction catches its breath before crunch

First Person: Laderman muses on our twin obsessions-sex and death

Profile: Silberman and Emory enjoy a solid 25-year weld

Lee strikes out stereotypes about Division III athletes

New customer-driven, academic attitude for Lullwater Books

Wellness: Keeping cholesterol in check isn't as difficult as you might think

Freshman Seminar: same name, different meaning

Issues in progress: Employee Council


Religious holidays during school year

Following are the dates of major Christian, Jewish and Islamic holidays for the 1998-99 academic year.

Jewish*

Rosh Hashanah Sept. 21-22

Yom Kippur Sept. 30

Sukkot Oct. 5-13

Hannukah Dec. 14-21

Purim March 2

Passover April 1-8

* All Jewish holidays begin at sunset the night before on the first date given and end one hour after sunset on the last date given.

Christian

Christmas Dec. 25

Ash Wednesday Feb. 17

Good Friday April 2

Easter April 4

Islamic

Ramadan Dec. 20

*Eid-Ul-Fitr Jan. 19-21

*Eid-Ul-Adha March 28-30

First Muharrah April 17

* These days are based on a lunar calendar and are subject to the appearance of the moon and announced by the mosque. (The most observant Muslims will observe all days of Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha; others may observe only the first two.)

L/G/B Office looks to foster Safe Space on campus

The Office of Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Life is recruiting speakers for its Safe Space program and invites anyone interested to call or drop by one of two training sessions planned for Sept. 8 and 10.

The Safe Space program seeks to give everyone in the Emory community the opportunity to help create an environment of openness and respect. Speakers give hourlong presentations to students, faculty, staff and administrators about what it's like for students (or anyone else) to come to terms with their sexuality. By putting a Safe Space sticker-a new supply of which has been provided by the President's Commission on L/G/B Concerns-on their doors, people indicate they are there to provide a friendly ear.

"It says, number one, 'I respect your confidentiality,'" said Deborah Gordon, coordinator of the program. "If a student is having coming-out issues, they may not know who to turn to and may not feel comfortable coming to our office. So maybe they'll see one of their teachers or coaches with this sticker on their door. Our definite goal is to get everyone on the campus to have a Safe Space sticker."

Both training sessions will be in the Dobbs Center from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Sept. 8 session will be in room 220, the Sept. 10 session in room 413. For more information, call Gordon or Cleave Seay in the Office of L/G/B Life at 404-727-0272.

SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH

Faculty 'endure' intensive four-week stint learning Spanish

More black organ donors needed for transplant patients


Toddlers sought for vaccine studies at Pediatric Clinic

Parents of toddlers between the ages of 12 and 18 months are encouraged to consider enrolling their children in studies being conducted by pediatric infectious disease researchers at the School of Medicine.

An Emory/CDC measles study will evaluate a new saliva and filter paper test to diagnose measles. A small amount of blood drawn by finger stick and saliva will be collected from children about three weeks after the routine measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The Emory meningococcal vaccine study will evaluate the safety and immune response, in toddlers, of a meningococcal C vaccine. At the initial visit, children will receive the investigational meningococcal vaccine. Blood samples will be obtained before the first dose and again one month later. Numbing medicine will be applied to the skin to decrease the pain of drawing blood.

More than 500 infants and toddlers have received the meningococcal C vaccine in previous studies. In these studies, the vaccine was found to cause few side effects and to produce antibodies that prevent infection. The vaccine is administered free of charge.

Clinics for both studies are at the Emory Pediatric Clinic. For more information, call 404-727-4044.

Prostate cancer screenings available Sept. 9 and 10

The Emory Healthcare Section of Urology and the Winship Cancer Center are offering reduced-cost prostate cancer screenings Sept. 9 and 10 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Emory Clinic, Building A.

The screening exam will consist of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test for prostate cancer and a digital rectal exam. The screening costs $10, which covers the cost of processing the PSA. Payment is due at the time of service.

Men over the age of 50, or those over 40 who are at high risk (family history of prostate cancer or of African-American descent) are eligible for the exam. Men who have been treated for prostate cancer are not eligible and should seek follow-up care from their physicians.

The screenings are being offered as part of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and are being done in conjunction with the American Cancer Society's Prostate Screening 98 Initiative.

For more information or to register for the screening, please call Emory HealthConnection at 404-778-7777.