B # I jA74* ~ it wali4, Ifi ' V , 4l.l* ' ~ PENNSTATE TH E e a ~ v, N 4 Erie ni , . . •*, ~ • November 1, 2002 . NOv 14 Pages Vol. L R END to " COLL EGE No. 2 ..."- wa tt , .. Deadline for meningitis vaccine draws near by Caley Doran staff writer In June, Governor Mark Schweiker and the Pennsylvania Legislature signed the College and University Student Vaccination Act. In accor dance with the act, all students residing in Uni versity owned housing must provide proof that they have received the meningococcal vaccina tion or sign a waver exempting them from receiv ing the vaccination. The waver verifies that the student has made an enlightened decision not to receive the meningo coccal vaccination. Students who have not com pleted and turned in the certification form or an exemption waiver by Jan. 9 will not be permitted to live on campus next semester. At the beginning of the semester, some students submitted a University Health History record. That is a record of other specific vaccinations that the University requires prior to attendance. It does Greek Week encourages solidarity among brothers and sisters by Chrissy Speranza and Adrienne Schermer contributing writers The Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council sponsor Greek Week, whose purpose is to unite the Greeks on campus and to pro mote the Greek System. It is also an opportu nity to provide an element of brother and sis terhood. Each organization shows ability to work as a team and welcomes spectators to see the closeness of the Greek community on this campus. Greek Week occurs on the Behrend campus during each fall semester. The Greek Organizations which participated this year were social sororities and fraternities that included Alpha Sigma Alpha, Theta Phi Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau, Kappa Delta Rho, Delta Chi, and Sigma Tau Gamma. Greek Week consists of a different event for each day of the week, Monday through Friday. The events this year were the tug-of-war, relay race, reek sing, drag race and a chariot race. Every organization shows its own spirit in dif ferent ways, and encourages its participants by cheering, painting its faces, and even dressing up as their mascot. Each event is easily judged by who won, except for Greek Week. A panel of five judges is selected and asked to judge each organization on Creativity, Origi nality, Appearance, Lip Sync, Prop/Stage Use and Overall Performance. Each event awards points to each organization. The winner recaeives the highest amount of points, in de- alloween cheer abounds in Bruno's PHOTO BY ERIN McCARTY / BEHREND BEACON Students who enter Bruno's on Thursday are greeted by a line of carved pumpkins. They could cast votes on their favorite by placing change in the cans next to the pumpkins, which were carved the night before. Proceeds go to THON. NEWS 1-4 ADS 5 Inside EDITORIAL 6 CALENDAR 7 FEATURES 8 "Y 4 4 ; ) • Pettli Statcl it 11 not meet the requirements of the law. Even if your meningococcal vaccination was included on your health history record or you re ceived it from University Health Services, you must still submit a completed certification fonn so that the file can be retrieved from Health Ser vices and put on file in the Housing department. It is important that students receive the vacci nation because the symptoms of meningitis can be misleading. "Meningitis initially appears like a bad case of the flu and can move very quickly to becoming life threatening," said Patty McMahon, director of the Health and Wellness Center. "The vaccine offers varying percentages of protection from the four main types of bacterial meningitis and is a relatively safe vaccine. We urge those living on and off campus to consider being immunized." According to the Meningitis Research Founda tion, when a person has developed meningitis, bac teria from the blood transfers into the membranes Members of Behrend's Greek community convene during Greek Week, an annual week of events promoting friendly competition among fraternities and sororities. scending order, rewarding one point to the or- Delta Rho won the tug-of-war, Theta Phi Al- Chi won the drag race, ganization coming in last place. pha and Kappa Delta Rho won the relay race GREEK This year Alpha Sigma Alpha and Kappa and Greek Sing, Alpha Sigma Alpha and Delta A&E 9-10 SPORTS 1-4 B around the brain. The bacteria cause the tissue around the brain to become inflamed and the fluid to become infected. Without treatment the per son infected will go into coma, which can be deadly. According to the Meningitis Foundation of America, symptoms of meningitis include vomit ing, headache, drowsiness, seizures, high tempera ture, achy joints, and stiff neck. Meningitis caus ing bacteria can also cause septicemia (blood poi soning). The Meningitis Foundation of America found that, once contracted, most cases of meningitis re quire hospital treatment. The bacteria are fought off by white blood cells in the tissue, but in the fluid there are no white blood cells so therefore there is nothing to fight the infection. The infection can spread very rapidly to all ar eas of the body. Large amounts of brain damage can be caused in just a few hours. The infection can prove deadly in only 24 hours. NEWSROOM: 898-6488 FAX: 898-6019 =2l Contact Us E-MAIL: behrcolls@aol.com =MI "The meningitis vaccine is available at the Health and Wellness Center for $B5 that can be billed to the student account or paid for at the time of the visit," said McMahon. "A coded receipt to turn into the student's insurance is given to the student for any services received here." According to the American College Health As sociation, 3,000 people are infected with menin gitis each year, and it claims about 300 lives yearly. An estimated 100 to 125 cases of Meningitis oc cur on college campuses each year, five to 15 of which are fatal. "Many students are opting to be immunized, in cluding those who live off campus," said McMahon. "One immunization is all that is needed. No booster is recommended. We will con tinue to have the vaccine available for all that want it. It can be given before, with or after the flu shot, which we also encourage students to come in for." Offices are located downstairs in the Reed Union Building CONTRIBUTED PHOTO continue. on page 2