Bowling Green State University ScholarWorks@BGSU BG News (Student Newspaper) University Publications 3-17-1997 The BG News March 17, 1997 Bowling Green State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news Recommended Citation Bowling Green State University, "The BG News March 17, 1997" (1997). BG News (Student Newspaper). 6149. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/6149 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the University Publications at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in BG News (Student Newspaper) by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU. Directory SPORTS OPINION 2 TODAY Switchboard 372-2601 Hockey T—i—r The staff of The News dis- Classified Ads 372-6977 Display Ads 372-2605 Michigan 7 cusses why they think stu- Editorial 372-6966 dents are leaving and what Sports 372-2602 BG 2 cloudy and Entertainment 372-2603 steps the University adminis- Falcon icers fall in CCHA semifinals against Slory Idea? Give us a call number one Michigan; Wolverines go on to claim tration needs to take in order to keep warmer weekdays from I pm. w 5 p/n.. or CCHA championship over Michigan State students on campus over the weekends e-mail: "[email protected]" High: 50 Low: 28 MONDAY March 17,1997 Volume 83, Issue 119 The BG News Bowling Green, Ohio "Serving the Bowling Green community for over 75years" # BG Effect links new students, mentors By JAMIE BUDZICK The BG News Starting at a new school, espe- cially at the college level, can seem quite overwhelming to most students. However, the University can help. Since 1992, the University has offered the Bowling Green Ef- fect program. It is designed to help students make the transition to college life by offering indi- vidual mentors to incoming stu- dents during summer and spring semesters. "The way that we make our- selves known to new students Is through the orientation and reg- ->*. istration sessions," said Beverly Stearns, assistant to the dean of libraries and head of this year's IGNcn Pk«« fcr GIM Fk BIM BG Effect. Students in the program look to their mentors as a friend who Dance away offers Individual support, an- swering their questions about campus policies and campus life in general. the weekend "The administrative staff at the University saw the need to welcome new students to campus Record amount raised and to help orient them to the kinds of procedures they might have questions on," Stearns said. at Dance Marathon Although the program has been By MAUREEN BARRY much," she said. "It Is great to beneficial to new students, it has The BG News know I made a difference in only been available to a limited someone's life." number who start during the Nine months of hard work end- The old record was held by summer and spring semesters. ed Sunday with record-breaking Iowa City, Iowa. Because of a lack of resources, results. According to DJ. Burke, pub- they have not been able to acco- The 1997 Children's Miracle lic relations chair, this year's modate the large number of in- Network Dance Marathon raised marathon was "amazing." coming students in the fall. $102,958.17, which more than "I think every ounce of my soul However, things may be doubles the previous record for a is shaking," Burke said. changing. There is now a new ini- second-year Dance Marathon. Burke added that not only did tiative task force, composed of Amy Schuller, Dance Mar- the children keep the dancers go- constituents from various facul- athon financial chair, said de- ing for 32 hours, but they kept ty and staff departments, at- spite some setbacks, the finan- the committee members working tempting to make BG Effect a cial committee pulled through. for nine months. campus-wide program. The major setback was the ban "There is nothing in my life "I would like to see the pro- on intersection canning when that could be better than this," gram, or something similar to it, junior Deana Paponetti was hit she said. expanded and get more faculty by a car while canning in Toledo. The marathon began Saturday and staff involved," said Joan Although Schuller was dis- morning with motivational Morgan, director of academic couraged because canning con- speeches from University Presi- enhancement and chairwoman of tributed nearly 75 percent of last dent Sidney Ribcau and Tina the administrative staff. "We're year's total, she said she tried to Harris, assistant professor of in- still in the works." The initiation of a campus-wide keep her committee motivated. terpersonal communication. BG New. PkM. b> Amy V«. H.m The dancers also received let- program will require participa- Schuller said no one expected Hundreds of University faculty and students danced for 32 straight hours this weekend in the second- ters from Marcy Kaptur, US rep- tion by all University faculty and to raise that amount of money. annual Dance Marathon. Above, a number of the 'marathoners' go through the motions Saturday. Be- She knew the total Sunday morn- resentative, Steve Young, San staff if it is to go into effect next low, senior elementary education major Todd Deulsch (right) and junior business major Michael ing, but she kept the secret until Fransisco 49ers quarterback, In- year. Since the program is volun- Could hold Jeff Carter, a senior computer science major, on his hands to help blood get back to his tary on the part of both the men- the end of the marathon. "I know head Sunday. Carter was in his 29th hour of dancing. this Is going to help those kids so • See DANCE, page three. • See EFFECT, page three. Many unaware of air bag injuries Around Bowling Green Analysis at the Harvard School the 29 older children, 25 were not volve people who were unbelted Survey reveals of Public Health mistakenly be- wearing seat belts and two were or had placed children or infants USG to discuss ban of animal testing lieve that air bags are helping wearing lap belts without shoul- improperly in seats in front of Americans'lack more children than they are hurt- der belts, according to Brian O'- passenger air bags," said O'Neill, At tonight's meeting of USG, the senate will dicuss a bill call- ing. Neill, president of the Insurance whose institute is financed by the ing for a university investigation into and ban of all animal test- of knowledge Although survey participants Institute for Highway Safety In insurance industry. ing done on the campus. recognized that air bags can save Arlington, Va. Automakers, the government lives, they were unclear about Air bags, which deploy at up to Bill 96-97-32, written by senator Jason Wolfe, calls for not only of safety device and safety groups say children 12 the investigation, but "beseeches the entire Bowling Green the range of injuries air bags can 200 mph, are credited with sav- and under should sit in the back community ... to put a collective end to the inexcuseable and in- The Associated Press cause. ing more than 1,600 lives. seat, yet fewer than 25 percent of calcuable suffering other beings are unwillingly subjected to." "The public has a perhaps ex- However, Graham said he the survey respondents with BOSTON - While passenger- cessively optimistic and favora- hadn't found any documented children in their homes knew the Aimed at the departments of Psycholgy and Biological Sci- side air bags have killed at least ble view of what air bags are do- cases of children's lives being correct answer. Children are 30 ence, the bill also calls for the public release of all findings of the 38 children, far overshadowing ing for them," said John Graham, saved by the inflatable safety to 50 percent safer in the back investigation. any possible instances of young- director of the center and the devices. seat, Graham said. sters being saved by the devices, study's lead author. And at least 20 adults, most of Most respondents, however, If passed and implemented, the bill would immediately halt all a majority of Americans believe Of the 38 children killed to date them smaller women, have been knew it was dangerous to put an animal testing on campus. the reverse Is true, a new survey by air bags, all were sitting In the killed by air bags. infant in a rear-facing restraint Also at the meeting will be the introduction and reading of a shows. new parking bill. front passenger seat and most "The public has missed the in front of a passenger-side air - Stebbins Nearly 60 percent of adults were decapitated, Graham said. point that most of the [air bag] bag. Rear-facing seats put a polled by the Center for Risk Nine of those were infants. Of deaths and serious injuries in- child's head close to the air bag. ■ page two The BG News Monday March 17, 1997 Mike Wendling Opinion Editor Opinion 372-6966 SPECIAL FEATURE- H E Stopping the exodus out of town News columnists and staff members debate what—if anything— should be done to keep students on campus on the weekends Intellectual curiosity, must Yes, occasionally this place gets Currently, the BGSU admin- Students feel show students that learning is old and boring but overall I usually istration is attempting to "A lot of worthwhile. make my own fun and stay active. continue the "Building Commu- disconnected And. of course, the "life" When I do go home, I can't wait to nity initiative" by devising more students at aspect must be dealt with, we get back here to my friends and ways to keep students on BGSU are NEWS I stumbled need common bonds that make "real life." as I like to call it.