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Show Page 2 November 8, 1935. Forum news e Esjpeirieinice AIDS Mysiierfsi after a psychologist visited the Uni- Maryland and other places regularly have versity of Arkansas campus last spring to tried to ban or hobble the groups college acurge that gays be quarantined to stop the medical officials say intensified anti-ga- y in Week of Pride is be of one the to first signs AIDS, Gay Fayettespread tivity likely ville became an unusually traumatic episode. AIDS hysteria has spread to campuses. Soon Members of gay and lesbian groups were It could get worse, they say, if AIDS (acverbally assaulted in letters and newspaper quired immune deficiency syndrome) beadvertisements, and threatened with a comes widespread in the heterosexual com- makeshift bomb that fizzled before its mak- munity. ers could detonate it properly. Most health officials note that, statistically, It made us nervous because they were so every college campus in the United States loud and so adamant, says Linda Lovell, an soon can expect to have at least one student, officer of the universitys gay and lesbian teacher or administrator with AIDS. group. And many say that without preventive Theres no question AIDS is being used as measures, its only a matter of time until the an excuse to mask hatred of gays. hysteria now swirling around primary and schools precedes the disease to colsecondary been While campuses never have very leges. friendly to gay groups heterosexual stuA number of national higher education dents, administrators and even state legislators in Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, D.C., groups already are trying to fashion Tlammg9 Becomes Problem New electronic mail systems campus-wid- e adapt to the immediacy the technology are turning some students into intemperate a variety of computer obsermessage-sender- vers say. The problem, called "flaming, occurs when a student replies in an electronic message more angrily than if he or she took the time to hand write a response. As a result, message writers who dont take a cooling off period often send messages they later regret Computer mail systems tend to overload people, observes Murray Turoff, a New Jersey Institute of Technology professor. You occasionally get a lot of (messages) you dont want Its easy to get irritated. Upon getting an irritating note via computer, naturally one will flame and send a mes- sage, stop sending me this garbage, " Turoff says. Turoff does not however, believe computers cause flaming. Its a lack of people understanding proper social norms and writing style in order to succeed in what is a new communication Bystem, he contends. The resolution is an organization problem, not a technological problem, says Massachusetts Institute of Technology Prof. Steven Lerman. Mail system participants need to . pro- vides. s, . We have not developed the convention yet. It will evolve, I think," Lerman says. The appropriate etiquette for letter writing was established over many years, Lerman says. And letterwriting by definition provides a cool ing off period. A letter has to be placed in an envelope, addressed, stamped and placed in an out basket, Lerman notes. But among computer hackers, there is a certain arrogance: Tve done it right and you havent, says Arizona State computer professor Larry Peterson. Most people who work frequently with computer mail systems acknowledge some degree of flaming goes on, but differ on its significance. It happens. I dont know what to make of it So what? Is it particular to electronic systems? wonders Dan Oberst of EDUCOM, an organization that distributes academically related information technology to about 500 colleges. It is easy to support the opposite view (of how the computers affect the tone of communication). People reflect more. I think that is the case here at the University of Michigan, observes Karl Zinn, a learning systems Wabel Presides Over WBAPSA guidelines for coping with the disease and the fears surrounding it Its going to depend on the extent of the educational efforts made by institutions," says Dr. Richard Keeling of the University of Vriginia medical center, chairman of ar AIDS task force established by the Americai College Health Association. If college officials take a narrow perspective and make little in the way of an educational effort, rumors and discontent will fester, Keeling warns, and colleges will get swept along in the same AIDS hysteria that affects other segments of society. Experts fear a massive disruption of college life: students fleeing dorms, teachers insisting their offices be moved far from colleagues with the disease, students refusing to take classes taught by AIDS victims. Keeling says in the dozen or so cases in which administrators have had to deal with AIDS victims, they have responded correctly. But Lovell thinks Arkansas officials were part of the problem. Our administration does not feel any ethical or moral need to provide information on AIDS or to make public comment when others spread false information, she complains. They let a speaker who calls for the quarantine of gays come to campus, and they dont say a word about it Dr. Robert Wirag, director of the universitys health center, says his staff wa3 prepared to respond to inquiries about AIDS. But he says it would have been a mistake to make an unsolicited public presentation at the time. If we had, we would have poured more fuel on that emotionally-charge- d fire, he says. Lovell, however, notes the uproar dissipated after state health officials held a press conference in Fayetteville and branded rhetoric false and irresponsible. the anti-ga- y That took a lot of the arguments away from the anti-ga- y crowd, Lovell says. AIDS fears apparently also prompted onlookers at a University of Texas parade last spring to verbally assault and pelt gay marchers with beer bottles, rocks and garbage. The violence was justified, a liberal arts major subsequently wrote to the UT student newspaper. At least greeks give aid to the community instead of AIDS. But Keeling ultimately hopes college officials can repeat their recent success in calming fears about herpes. At one time, he says, people thought herpes was the end of the world. But if it appears that (AIDS) is seeping into the heterosexual population, then were going to see some real problems on college campuses, predicts Dr. Kevin Patrick, director of the student health center at San Diego State. Additionally, students living in close dorm quarters may be more frightened of catching the disease. Decisions about letting AIDS victims live in dorms should be made on a basis, members of the task force Keeling heads said in a preliminary statement issued last month. There is no medical reason whatever to alter dormitory assignments simply because of a gay or bisexual roommate, the statement case-by-ca- added. Theres no need to isolate afflicted teachers, either. There is no medical reason to keep professors with AIDS from teaching classes, San Diego States Patrick says. Keeling declines to identify schools where officials learned they had students, faculty or staff who either had or had been exposed to the AIDS virus. Between five and 20 percent of those who test positive for the virus later develop the disease. But a University of Colorado student was diagnosed as having AIDS several years ago. The victim soon thereafter was unable to attend classes, and died some 20 to 22 months later. San Diego State literature professor Carl Keller was allowed to continue teaching after university officials learned he had AIDS in 1983. Keller died last summer. An Illinois State administrator with AIDS died in September, prompting concern among staffers in the admissions office where hed worked. ISU held an AIDS seminar for them, noting it is highly improbable any of them contracted the disease from the administrator. They were not urged to get AIDS tests. And at California-Berkele- y at least three people have died of AIDS, and several others are being treated for the disease. Abolish Tenure; Improve Education PRINCETON, NJ. About a third of all col- other questions convinced foundation officials lege teachers think students would get a better there is a widespread morale problem. education if tenure was abolished, a new surEighty-fou- r percent of the professors said vey of campus faculty members from around students are not properly- prepared for their the nation has found. their classes. The survey, conducted by the Carnegie And 40 percent said morale in their departFoundation for the Advancement of Teaching ments had declined during the past five years. almost also found Oct. that and released 14, Less than half thought their salaries were good four out of every ten college teachers are thinkor excellent ing about changing their careers within the next five years. A decade or two ago, faculty could go from campus to campus, pushing for visibility and Acquiring tenure, of course, traditionally has been one of college teachers primary goals professional advancement, recalls Ernest because it protects them from being fired Boyer, the foundations president Today, with fewer opportunities available, they feel locked without cause. in and filled with doubt about their capacity to But tenure is harder to get now than it was ascend the academic ladder. 3 of the profesfive years ago, about There are, however, other signs in the study sors polled said. that morale is not as bad as Boyer suggests. Carnegie officials say that although none of Only 28 percent of the college teachers, for the survey results surprised them, discovering felt they had limited opportunities example, of are that 38 percent of all faculty thinking for advancement and only 21 perleaving the profession within five years is centprofessional said they would not go into teaching if they alarming. could start their careers over. Overall, were talking about a profession ' The survey was conducted as part of Boyers that may be in a lot of trouble, says foundation review of the quality of undercomprehensive official Marla Ucelli. graduate education being conducted. He is Faculty members were not asked why they scheduled to release his full report sometime might leave teaching, but their answers to next year. - by Karen Holmes secretary; and Barbara Zulick, treasurer. A and historian are yet to be elected. Ask Naoma Wabel, Westminster business reporter With 25 current members, Wabel is hoping and professional students associated to redwood the about triple membership by next year and does not (WBAPSA) president, benches on campus or the cement runway that discourage students enrolled in other curricula allows safe access on and off Black Bridge over from joining. Qualifying curricula include but Emigration Creek. She will proudly explain are not restricted to management, aerospace, that these were projects suggested and funded marketing, accounting, economics, finance, applied politics, international management and by past club members. computer science. According to Wabel, WBAPSA was organOur main objective is to get a group that is ized in 1983 with the following purposes: to stuthose for vehicle large enough to have some impact on the provide a coordinating W abel said. In the past there has been and business school, in the involved dents professional studies of Westminster College: to serve as an some apathy among students and membership interface between the membership and sur- has suffered. Wabel hopes that this will change rounding professional community; to create with a greater emphasis on better defined proleadership development opportunities; to pro- jects and control over assignments given to the mote Westminster College; to encourage inter- committees. collegiate interaction and competition; and to Events scheduled for the year include varenhance both personal and professional life ious speakers, a ski party in February and a quality. spring fashion show. This i3 a tentative officcalendar of events with many more ideas and elected According to Wabel this year's Debbie Empey, suggestions yet to be submitted, said Wabel. ers are Pat Belt, vice-preside- se two-third- |