SPORTS Toasted Hokies In a battle of top-25 teams, the Blue Devils used a late run to storm by Virginia Tech 70- THE CHRONICLE 61 in Cassell Coliseum. See page 25 THURSDAY. DECEMBER 9.1999 CIRCULATION 15,000 •j.3ii'ijiii.i:iMiWfl. University group Plan tackles transportation problems • With the proposal, GPSC hopes to studies ergonomics ease the traffic and parking problems • For seven years, OESO special­ faced by graduate students commuting ists have helped make Duke's work­ to campus. place environment safer and more This is the third story in an occasional series examining graduate student life. comfortable. By CAROLINE WILSON By GREG PESSIN The Chronicle The Chronicle Everyone on a campus as expansive as Duke's Long before the federal Occupational can expect transportation inconveniences. But for Safety and Health Administration's pro­ the graduate and professional student popula­ posed ergonomics regulations sparked a de­ tion—which relies heavily on University parking bate in late November about the fledgling and public transportation provisions—getting field's economic and scientific merit, Duke from point A to point B can sometimes be even had answered the question for itself. more difficult. For the past seven years, the University's Restricted parking spaces, high parking rates, Occupational and Environmental Safety Of­ limited foot and bicycle paths and remote RT lots fice has employed specialists to develop are among the most common graduate student strategies for preventing work-related in­ gripes regarding transportation on campus. juries. "The definition we like to use is Some graduate and professional students find matching jobs to the worker and products to that a simple trip to the library can be more the user," said Tamara James, an ergono- trouble than it's worth because they have diffi­ mist trained in biomedical engineering who culty finding parking spaces near campus. works in the Duke Ergonomics Program. "It's ridiculous," said Marta Hernandez, a Ro­ The program issues a catalog of recom­ mance Studies graduate student. "I can't park mended ergonomic products to University anywhere near the [Perkins] Library... and it can workers and their departments and works be really uncomfortable carrying so many books with employees on tailoring their jobs for all the way back to the RT lots." their strengths. The three University er- Hernandez sometimes takes advantage ofthe gonomists work on about 350 projects each shuttles the University provides—two at peak year and have served nearly every division hours and one at off-peak hours—that run be­ See ERGONOMICS on page 10 • tween lots and Main West Campus. She added, GRADUATE STUDENTS like bicyclist Holly Piemann of the Divinity School hope See TRANSPORT on page 14 B- the GPSC proposal will ease the perennial campus traffic crunch. Looking Biology merger proposal wins By KATHERINE STROUP The Chronicle support of priorities committee INSIDE The approval is the first of several the plan must earn before a possible vote by the Board ofTrustees in mid-February Bv GREG PESSIN which might be taken to assure that the The Chronicle trajectory to date is maintained." From cacophonous debate and point­ Botany department chair Donald ed barbs to unanimous approval and ap­ Stone, who continues to help guide de­ parent satisfaction, the proposed merg­ partmental advisory committees in their er of the botany and zoology work on the merger, was not surprised departments has come a long way since by the decision. "We've bt,: _o wrapped talks accelerated last spring. up in long-range reports, serious merger In a meeting early Wednesday morn­ planning and end-of-the-semester mat­ ing, the Academic Priorities Committee ters that there's been no time to worry reviewed the Biology Task Force's report about a done deal," he said. supporting and outlining the framework Zoology chair Mark Rausher could of a merged biology department and not be reached for comment. then unanimously advised that the Lange and William Chafe, dean of provost push forward with the merger. the faculty of arts and sciences, will next ach decade has its persona, an over-simpli­ "The real strength of Duke is in the work together to draft a proposal that biological sciences," said APC chair John Chafe will propose to the Academic fied caricature representing the era's over­ Simon. "[The merger] sets the stage for Council for faculty approval. continued excellence of the biological "I think we'll bring the task force rec­ arching philosophy. sciences in the national scene." ommendations to the council in their The 1950s was a time of conspicuous consumption, mass production The step represents the first in a se­ current form," Chafe said. and baby booming. In the '60s, a beil-bottomed generation revolted ries of required approvals leading to a Lange said that although the propos­ final vote by the Board ofTrustees, possi­ al might not exactly match the task and embraced love and peace. The 1970s brought us disco and the '80s bly as soon as mid-February. force's recommendations, it will serve as introduced leg warmers and a culture of yuppie power. "It was a superb discussion," said a firm guide for him and Chafe. But what ofthe '90s? What is our legacy? In 20 or 30 or 100 years, Provost Peter Lange, "underlining the ex­ The council, the faculty's governing as we glance back from the next millennium, what will we see? cellence of the Task Force's work, as well body, represents a critical checkpoint for as that ofthe departments', and outlining the proposal. The Christie Rule, drafted the major issues before us and the steps See BIOLOGY on page 14 » WILREC ROOMS GO UNUSED, PAGE 6 • WOJCIECHOWSKI LEADS EROM THE SIDELINES, PAGE 25 THE CHRONICLE • PASE2 WORLD & NATIONAL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9 NEWSFILE FROM WIRE REPORTS Israel, Syria agree to new negotiations Sinn Fein accuses France continues ban British of wire tapping on British beef Sinn Fein leader Gerry France decided Wednes­ President Clinton remains optimistic, but admits the talks will be difficult Adams accused British day to maintain its ban on By BARRY SCHWEID ing negotiations with Israel on an Barak and Assad by telephone ear­ spies Wednesday of tap­ British beef import over Associated Press overall Middle East settlement. lier Wednesday ing secret discussions fears of mad cow disease, JERUSALEM — Israel and "History will not forgive a fail­ "There can be no illusion here. with Irish Republican setting the stage for a Syria agreed Wednesday to resume ure to seize this opportunity to On all tracks the road ahead will Army commanders by legal battle with London. the land-for-peace negotiations achieve a comprehensive peace," be arduous, the task of negotiat­ hiding electronic surveil­ Army private convicted they broke off in 1996, starting Clinton said at a State Department ing agreements will be difficult," lance gear inside one of next week in Washington. Presi­ news conference, expressing hope Clinton said. his party's cars. of beating gay soldier An 18-year-old Army dent Bill Clinton, announcing the the restarted Israel-Syria talks "Success is not inevitable. Is­ Students protest private was convicted dramatic agreement, called it a also would spur negotiations be­ raelis, Palestinians, Syrians and against police force Wednesday of blud­ breakthrough but acknowledged tween Israel and Lebanon. Lebanese will have to confront Thousands of teen­ geoning a gay soldier "the road ahead will be arduous." Clinton's announcement fol­ fateful questions." agers across Greece because he feared ex­ Separately, Secretary of State lowed Albright's meetings with Is­ Syria and Israel suspended ne­ protested the govern­ pulsion from the ser­ Madeleine Albright announced raeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak gotiations 3 1/2 years ago in the ment's decision to have vice if he complained after a late-night session with Yass­ Wednesday and with Syrian Presi­ midst of a wave of terrorism police use force to reopen about the man's sexual er Arafat that the Palestinian dent Hafez Assad a day earlier. against the Jewish state. high schools shut down orientation. leader had agreed to resume falter­ Clinton said he had talked to both See NEGOTIATIONS on page 23 ** by students opposed to French court rules education reforms. against tobacco firm Judge makes r uling in A French court ruled Jury finds conspiracy to assasinate King Lockerbie trial Wednesday that Seita, A Scottish judge ruled maker of the Gauloise By WOODY BAIRD The Kings asked for only a token amount in their Associated Press Wednesday that the in­ and Gitane brands of wrongful-death lawsuit. dividuals suspected in cigarettes, was partly MEMPHIS —A jury hearing a lawsuit filed by the After three hours of deliberations, the jury of the 1988 Lockerbie responsible for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s family found Wednesday six blacks and six whites awarded the family $100 bombing of PanAm flight death ofa three-pack-a- that the civil rights leader was the victim of a vast 103 will have to face con­ day smoker from lung murder conspiracy, not a lone assassin. "I'm just so happy to see that the people have spo­ spiracy charges. The cancer and cancer of The King family had sued Loyd Jowers, a retired ken," King's son Dexter said. "This is what we've al­ trial will begin May 3. the tongue. businessman who claimed six years ago that he paid ways asked for." someone other than James Earl Ray to kill King in Ray confessed to shooting King and was sentenced WEATHER Memphis in 1968. to 99 years in prison. He spent the rest of his life claim­ The family's lawyer claimed that the FBI, CIA, the ing to be innocent and trying to get a trial.