The daily collegian. (University Park, Pa.) 1940-current, April 11, 1984, Image 2

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    2—The Daily Collegian Wednesday, April 11, 1984
Don't look:
By PATRICIA A. DIACONT
Collegian Staff Writer
With an upcoming annular solar
.eclipse on May 30, experts are again
warning people about the dangers of
directly viewing the event.
According to a 'statement released
by Frank Post, spokesman for the
National Society to Prevent Blind
ness, watching the eclipse on tele
vision or through a trained
_observation group is the best way to
observe the event. Directly observing
the eclipse, even when skies are over
cast, could damage the retina, a thin
Ford Tempo gets bad mark in safety test
By ANDREW R. WHITEHEAD
Collegian Staff Writer
The Tempo, a popular front wheel drive sedan
vehicle built by the Ford Motor Co., has received
the third worst test result scores for head injuries
of any car ever tested, a spokeswoman for the
Center for Auto Safety said yesterday.
Faith Little said the car received a score of 2,955
points in a head injuries test conducted by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
"If a car 'receives a score of 1,000 or more it could
mean serious injury or death to the driver," she
said. "The results are the worst we have seen in a
long time."
The testing is conducted, Little said, in three
separate areas: head, chest and leg injuries.
"The Tempo also scored poorly on the chest
.injuries test," she said. "Out of a possible 60 points
(representing the highest chance for injury), the
Tempo got a 63."
However, the Tempo scored within the generally
accepted range for leg injuries, she said.
Experts warn that solar eclipse gazing could be dangerous
and delicate membrane behind the
eye that transmits images to the
brain.
Dennis Hirshfelder, director of eye
safety programs for the society, said
that looking directly at the eclipse
could result in solar retinopsis tiny
holes burned in the retina by the
infrared radiation of the sun. The
burns cause no pain and victims can
often be unaware of the damage, he
said. The amount of time that a
person has to view an eclipse for
damage to occur can vary, Hirshfeld
er said.
"It could be a quick glance, but it
Dan Howell, another spokesman for the center,
which is located in Washington, D.C, explained how
the testing was conducted.
"The head injuries test involves the crashing of a
car into a brick wall at 35 miles-per-hour," he said.
"The worst car ever tested was the 1979 Renault
Fuego with a head injury score of 3,768."
Howell added, "The motor companies don't like
to use these results for comparison. We want to get
these figures to the public so they can make their
own decisions."
Richard Judy, technical and regulatory public
affairs manager for the Ford Motor Co., said the
Tempo has passed the tests Ford runs for safety
certification.
"(Ford's) test indicated that the test car met all
criteria, including the head injury criteria," Judy
said.
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administra
tion official, who requested anonymity, said the 35
mile-per-hour test is five miles-per-hour faster than
is required by federal government regulations.
"This test, at 35 miles-per-hour, uses 33 percent
depends, on the cloud covering and
where you are located, but people are
advised not to look at it for even five
seconds," he said.
He added that following the total
eclipse in 1970, over 100 cases of solar
retinopsis were reported.
Post said in his release that unlike
total eclipses, when the moon crosses
over the sun and fully blocks it out, an
annular eclipse allows the annulus or
outer ring of the sun's atmosphere to
be seen at all times.
John Zink, research assistant with
the University's department of as
tronomy, said that the eclipse should
•be visible in North America about 11
a.m. and last about six minutes. He
added that only a portion of the sun
will be blocked in this continent and
only people located in a certain band
across the continent, such as Atlanta,
Ga. and Richmond, Va., will witness
the maximum effects of the eclipse.
According to the release, the Astro
nomical League reported the moon's
shadow is expected to travel north
eastward from Louisiana and cross
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
North Carolina, South Carolina and
Virgina • and arrive in Maryland
around noon.
more impact energy, making the test more effec
tive," the spokesman said.
Judy said the government's test involves a 36
percent higher energy level than Ford's 30 miles
per-hour tests.
The difference in the results of Ford's and the
center's tests could also be attributed to variations
like the test dummies' positions and the tightness of
the safety belts, he said.
The Tempo's safety belts have "provided good
protection for real people in real accidents," Judy
said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administa•
tion spokesman said that the Center for Auto
Safety's test results are used to determine the
"driver head injury criteria," which is based on the
1,000 point scale.
But "One data point (such as these test results)
can't be used to make broad or specific generaliza
tions about the safety of these automobiles and
whether or not someone would be killed or injured
in crash," the spokesman added.
Scholars program ties 3
courses under 1 theme .
By BETH KAY
Collegian Staff Writer
An experimental University
Scholars program was developed
this semester to help students un
derstand the interconnection of
ideas in related courses.
Paul Axt, director of the Univer
sity Scholars Program, said that
in. the "cluster" project, students
are enrolled in three, three-credit
courses that fulfill a bachelor's
degree requirement. All three
courses center around one theme
or topic.
This semester the general
theme is social change, which is
being taught from the angles of
political science, sociology and
literature, he said.
Axt said one criticism of general
education is that students do not
see how their courses are con
nected. Another criticism is that
introductory courses that cover a
lot of material have a tendency to
teach very superficially, he said.
"Part of the underlying problem
in a Amiversity is that the faculty
members tend to be specialists
rather than generalists," Axt said.
The instructors for the program
are Lairy Spence, political sci
ence; Richard Bord, sociology;
and Charles Mann, comparative
literature.
"It is an experiment for (profes
sors) as well as for (the stu
dents)," Mann said.
The instructors are in close con
tact with each other and their
efforts are coordinated, Axt said.
Mann said that at the end of the
semester, students will write a
paper encompassing the entire
course.
"I like teaching (the course) but
I am used to more structure,"
Mann said. "Students are doing a
lot more talking."
Melissa Forbis (freshman-polit
ical science) said, "Instead of
taking courses that are wide
range and superficial, you can see
where the courses are interre
lated,"
"(The courses) cover the sub
jects more in depth instead of just
skimming them," she said.
The project provides a lunch
hour between two of the classes for
a distinguished visitor to conduct a
seminar, said Greg Farber, lunch
seminar coordinator.
The lunch gives students a
chance to see the problems in all
three areas that influence each
other, Farber said.
"The students enjoy the semi
nars because. they are geared
around some topic in different
ways, which is an interesting way
to study something," Farber said.
"The teachers make it very en
joyable too."
One notable visitor will be Ken
neth Burke, winner of the National
Medal of Literature, who will visit
April 25, he said.
Axt said if the program is suc
cessful he hopes the idea will work
within other colleges and among
colleges.
"Students seem to be very en
thusiastic," he said.
Career day to help students plan for real wort!.
By PAULA DU PONT
Collegian Staff Writer
Students from the Colleges of Health, Phys
ical Education and Recreation; The Liberal
Arts; Human Development; and Agriculture
will have the chance to discuss concerns
about career opportunities during a career
planning day tomorrow.
Rob Rager, the editor of the College of
HPER publications, said students can discuss
career opportunities and planning, job place
ment, practicum opportunities and college
Health Expo makes learning fun
Program emphasizes student involvement, official says
By PAT COLLIER
Collegian Staff Writer
Health'Expo 'B4 is offering Univer
sity students a chance to have fun
while learning about .a wide ) range of
health care topics, the co-chairwo
men of the event said yesterday.
The purpose of the Expo, sponsored
by the Undergraduate Student Gov
ernment and Ritenour Health Center,
is "to make people aware of The many
aspects of health care and show es
sentially what it means • to be
healthy," USG Town Senator Kelli
Chestnut said.
The Expo began yesterday and will
************** * * * * * * * * * * * * *
DYING AND
DEATH
- IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN SOCIETY
•
An
Informal Discussion of the
Needs of the Terminally 111 and Their Families with
SABRINA C. CHAPMAN, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Coordinator of Women's Studies
Thursday (4/12) 8:00pm HUB Fishbowl
Presented by the Office of Student Activities
**************-A- * * * * * * * * * * * *
•.'.,
•
01984, Domino's Pizza Inc
our drivers carry less than $2O
offer good at participating locations only
limited delivery area I
programs at the career fair held in the HUB
fishbowl.
The opening panel discussion will begin at
11:30 a.m. in the HUB gallery lounge.
"Students will be able to visit (with alumni)
and have one-to-one contact with alumni,
faculty, counselors and Career Development
and Placement Center representatives,"
Rager said.
The purpose of the career day is to provide
students with information that will help stu
dents plan for careers in the fields of health,
fitness, recreation and related areas, he said.
continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m today
in the HUB fishbowl, Chestnut said.
The Expo features 40 exhibits
which deal with various aspects of
health care and health awareness
including birth control, stress, aka
hol and drug abuse and physical
fitness, she said.
The emphasis of this year's Health
Expo, unlike in past years, is on
involvement and interaction between
exhibitors, and students who come to
see the exhibitions, co-chairwoman
Susan Kennedy from Ritenour said.
In the past, the emphasis had been
on films and lectures about specific
health-related topics; Kennedy said.
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This year's Expo, however "is be
ing conducted on a more personal
level," she said.
"There is more opportunity for
interaction and participation on the,
part of students who come to see the
Expo," Kennedy said.
Chestnut said, "We've got demon
strations, assessments of personal
health, blood pressure screening
the sorts of things where you can
actually sit down and learn some
thing and enjoy it as well."
She said the students who had been
walking through the fishbowl looking
at the exhibits yesterday seemed to
be enjoying themselves.
Mathematics! Sex! Violence!
Part ?
Edward R. Murrow Interviews
Robert Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer was a scholar and physicist, director
of the WWII A-bomb project, and finally a victim of
McCarthyism.
Today at 4:40 pm
212 McAllister
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421 Rear E. Beaver
Martha Starling, the director of Alumni
Relations for the College of Human Devel
opment, said programs within each area of
human development will start at 9 a.m. and
will continue throughout the day as more than
24 alumni visit classes.
"The alumni are making their contribution
of•time and money to get themselves here,"
said Starling..
The programs will be in the various Human
Development buildings, and a reception that
is open to all students will be at 4 p.m. in the
Human Development Living Center. Awards
will be given out to two alumni and a student
at the reception said Tina Hay, assistant to
the dean.
"Is your education preparing you for life as
well as a career?" is the topic to be discussed
by two University alumni in the HUB Assem
bly Room at 12:30 p.m. as part of the College
of The Liberal Arts Career Planning Day 'B4.
Speakers include Herald Fahringer, the
New York lawyer who defended Jean Harris
during her murder trial; Paul Adams, presi
dent of First American Bank of Maryland;
and Darla Wilson, college recruiter for Amer
ican Telephone & Telegraph of Philadelphia,
said Peter Hagen, an administrative assis-
Bill may pool loan payments
By ANITA J. KATZ
Collegian Staff Writer
Sen. Robert T. Stafford, R-Vt., introduced a bill last
week to a Senate subcommittee to establish a system
for students to consolidate student loans for repay
ment, a staff member of the subcommittee said yester
day.
Skip Vallee, a member of the Senate Subcommittee
of Education, Arts and Humanities, said the bill would
allow students to consolidate their Guaranteed Student
Loans, National Direct Student Loans and PLUS Loans
for a single repayment to one lender.
To be eligible for the proposed program, students
would have to owe at least $5,000 to one or more
lenders, Vallee said.
At the time of application, students would have to be
in at least the fourth month of their "grace period"
after graduation and have a salary not more than twice
the amount of their debt, he said.
All applicants also will have to undergo a needs test
before receiving a consolidated loan, Vallee said.
The bill permits banks and state lending agencies, as
well as the Student Loan Marketing Association, to
offer consolidated loans. Students can receive the loans •
from agencies either in their state of residence or in the ,
state where they attended school, Vallee said.
John Ebersole, public information officer for the
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency,
said PHEAA will probably not offer consolidated loans
because the agency does not want to compete with .
banks and other lenders.
Ebersole also said the program "would be a good
deal for the student consolidators."
AKA - AEA - AKA - AEA - AKA - AEA - AKA - AEA
Greek Week is here at last,
We'll dance with you from
present to past.
<1
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From games and dancing to the
chariot race,
We're well on our way to
winning first place!
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GO AKA and AEA! .154
<- AEA - AKA - AFB - AKA - AEA - AKA,- AE,A -
The Daily Collegian Wednesday, April 11, 1984—.3
tant in the College of the Liberal Arts.
Wilson is expected to focus her speech on
careers for women, Rager said. .
A little more than 53 alumni and about 25
faculty members will be available for dis
cussion, Rager said.
The Liberal Arts and HPER career fairs
will run until 4:30 p.m. with a few of the
Human Development career day programs
extending into the evening.
Schedules for the Human Development
career day events are available in 102 Human
Development Building.
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