June 23, 24 & 25, 2003
Utah State in the News
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
UPHELD WITH LIMITS
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that colleges can rely
on the “narrowly tailored use of race” in their
admissions policies, a significant victory for affirmative action
supporters but one not expected to have a big effect in Utah.
The nation's highest court said a program used at the University
of Michigan law school that gives race a role in its admissions
process does not violate the U.S. Constitution. It did, however,
strike down another Michigan policy that gave significant weight
to race in a point system that determined admission for undergraduates.
“The court has given proponents of affirmative action
a reason to move forward and critics a signal that the court
is not going to accept -- on constitutional grounds -- just
any system of selection based on race,” said Utah State
University President Kermit Hall. He said the ruling will have
little or no effect on USU. The most significant impact will
be on “those highly selective institutions” of higher
education, such as the University of Michigan, Hall said. (Salt
Lake Tribune, 06/24/03) click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2003/jun/06242003/utah/69111.asp
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
RULING HAS VERY LITTLE IMPACT FOR UTAH'S UNIVERSITIES
Monday’s Supreme Court ruling regarding affirmative action
for higher education admissions isn’t expected to have
an immense effect on Utah’s larger public and private
universities. In two separate rulings, Supreme Court justices
upheld a prior court ruling that universities cannot accept
minorities by using quotas or a point system. However, universities
are encouraged to value and promote diversity in classrooms
and seek ways of taking race into account, the court said. Weber
State University, Utah State University, the University of Utah
and Brigham Young University are well within the parameters
of affirmative action laws. None of the universities accepts
entrance applications based solely on race. ... USU President
Kermit L. Hall said he believes money, not race, is the main
barrier keeping students from higher education today. “The
real struggle is if students don’t have the means to get
in and stay in,” Hall said.
(Standard Examiner, 06/24/03) click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00030623231510815739
ALL THE PRESIDENTS’
BOOKS
“Let me tell you about the very rich,” wrote F.
Scott Fitzgerald. “They are different from you and me.”
Well, college presidents are a breed apart, too, and especially
so in summer, when it comes to enjoying the riches of reading.
While the rest of the world munches on the book-world equivalent
of snack food, these literary connoisseurs use their summer
months to voraciously consume quantities of the very best -
the steak tartare of current literature - lightly sprinkled
with a few classics. ... A few presidents do admit that, in
all honesty, their tastes sometimes tip in summer even to popular
fiction. But Kermit Hall is not one of those. “I like
to read a book every other week” during the school year,
writes the president of Utah State University in Logan via e-mail.
But during his summer break he shifts into overdrive, charging
through five fat tomes in two weeks while relaxing on Captiva
Island off Florida's coast, flipping pages on a screened-in
porch with gulf breezes. (The Christian Science Monitor, 06/24/03)
POLICE FEAR KILLER
MAY MOVE FROM CATS TO PEOPLE
Luke Woodham was 16 years old when he tortured, killed and
burned his dog in April 1997. Six months later, the teen from
Pearl, Miss., turned to human victims and stabbed his mother
to death, then took a gun to school and fatally shot two students
and wounded seven others. In Salt Lake City, police and animal
service authorities are concerned that whoever or whatever is
responsible for 10 animal mutilations in the Avenues since last
May may follow the same pattern. Studies on animal abuse suggest
that such behavior “may be characteristic of the developmental
histories of between one in four and nearly two in three violent
adult offenders,” Utah State University professor Frank
Ascione concluded in a recent study titled "Animal Abuse
and Youth Violence." (Deseret News, 06/24/03) click on:
http://deseretnews.com/dn/print/1,1442,510035048,00.html
MANY FACTORS IN
ANIMAL ABUSE
Curiosity or exploration (i.e., the animal is injured or killed
in the process of being examined, usually by a young or developmentally
delayed child), peer pressure (peers may encourage animal abuse
or require it as a part of an initiation rite), mood enhancement
(to relieve boredom or depression), sexual gratification. ...
Source: “Animal Abuse and Youth Violence” —
Frank Ascione, Ph.D., professor of Psychology at Utah State
University. (Deseret News, 06/24/03) click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/print/1,1442,510035038,00.html
BLAME THE COWS
; WHITE HOUSE WOULD RATHER DOWNPLAY GLOBAL WARMING
Maybe we should blame cows. Or sheep. Or, perhaps, termites.
It's those creatures who cause global warming. At least some
of it, anyway. A Utah State University study calculated that
nearly 20 percent of the greenhouse-gas methane released into
the atmosphere is provided by the collective breathing of cows.
But the White House would just as soon not talk about climate
change whoever is responsible. For the second time, the Bush
administration has sought to soft-pedal global warming, all
but deleting the section on it in a major report on the state
of the environment expected to be released this week by the
Environmental Protection Agency. (The Patriot - News; Harrisburg,
Pa., 06/23/03)
KUTV NEWSCAST:
USU NUTRITION SPECIALIST
Healthy Living Nutritionists and the Dairy Industry say that
children and adults should be consuming three servings of dairy
products every day. (Interview with Pauline Williams, Utah State
University Extension). (KUTV newscast, 5 p.m., 06/23/03)
OUT OF REACH ;
MORE AND MORE FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD COLLEGE
The wave of high school graduation ceremonies is all but over,
and the proud graduates are to be congratulated. But this year,
many American families faced some tough decisions: which college
could they afford for their children, or whether they could
afford higher education at all. Public colleges and universities
are looking more and more attractive because of relatively low
tuition, at a time when many states are slashing aid to higher
education and tuition is rising. ... Congressional research
is predicting that decreasing scholarship funds and increasing
tuition costs could prevent more than 4 million young people
from attending four-year colleges in this decade. Kermit Hall,
the president of Utah State University, writes in the current
Chronicle of Higher Education that the single greatest barrier
to higher education for most American students, including minorities,
is the "inability to gain a sufficient financial foothold
to enter and then graduate" from college. (The Record;
Bergen County, N.J., 06/22/03)
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
NASA EXPERIMENT
MAY BE VISIBLE TOMORROW
Residents of Mid-Atlantic states may get an opportunity to
witness some high-altitude science tomorrow night as NASA launches
a series of atmospheric research rockets from its Wallops Flight
Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Three rockets will be
launched 90 minutes apart. They will soar 56 to 109 miles above
the Atlantic Ocean, then release chemicals to form milky-white
clouds visible in the night sky. A fourth rocket will carry
instruments. Scientists from the University of Texas, Clemson
University and Utah State University will monitor the clouds
through long-range cameras to learn about winds in the ionosphere
- a hard-to reach region near the edge of space. (The Baltimore
Sun, 06/22/03)
GARN TAKES WRIGHT
PLANE REPLICA ON SHORT BUT SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT
A replica of the Wright Brothers' early airplane took off despite
mechanical and weather problems. Former U.S. Sen. Jake Garn
flew the aircraft for about 90 seconds over the Ogden Airport
runway Saturday before a large crowd. Garn, a former astronaut
who also flew the space shuttle, explained how the Wright Flyer
is more difficult to fly than his own 1947 Navion, which he
flew to Ogden on Saturday. "This one does not fly itself,"
Garn said. The 1,200-pound plane was built by Utah State University
students and their professors. (Salt Lake Tribune, 06/23/03)
click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2003/jun/06232003/utah/68814.asp
TIPS ON WHAT
RECORDS TO KEEP, SHRED AND WEED
You are bombarded with papers, so how do you know what to keep
and for how long? What should you toss or shred? Some things
are obvious -- you want to hang on to that birth certificate
-- but what do you do with checkbook carbons, pay stubs and
ATM receipts? The Utah State University Extension service offers
the following tips: Keep indefinitely: Barbara Rowe, family
resource management specialist at USU Extension, advises storing
the following list of papers in a fireproof box in your home
or in a safe deposit box at the bank. (Salt Lake Tribune, 06/23/03)
click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2003/jun/06232003/monday/68741.asp
BEST OF STATE
PREMIERE IS A WINNER
The first-ever Utah 2003 Best of State Awards was an evening
of tuxedos and gowns, double-entree dinners, camera cranes and
cued music and clapping. Necklaces were made of pearls and precious
stones. "It's pretty glamorous for an event in Salt Lake
City," said Susan Campbell, whose husband owns Dogmode,
a non-traditional pet boarding house in Salt Lake City. Around
700 people attended the $50-a-plate dinner awards gala. Eleven
individuals or companies were honored with the BOSS or Best
of State Statue — a 22-pound solid bronze sculpture, plated
with 24 karat gold, standing on a black granite pedestal inscribed
with the slogan "Excelling and Surpassing All Else."
... This year's BOSS recipients were: Agriculture, Kenneth White,
Utah State University professor. (Deseret News, 06/23/03) click
on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/print/1,1442,510034731,00.html
WRIGHT FLYER
EVENT FLYING HIGH: CELEBRATION AT OGDEN-HINCKLEY AIRPORT COMMEMORATES
100 YEARS OF FLIGHT
Despite some rain, wind and a delay in the flight of the 1905
USU Wright Flyer, the mood of hundreds of people attending the
Ogden-Hinckley Airport Open House and Fly-In remained high for
the event. The Ogden-sponsored celebration of 100 years of flight
took place Saturday on the Ogden airport ramp, with flour-bomb
drops, sky divers, radio-controlled model airplanes and former
U.S. senator Jake Garn serving as part of the festivities. Garn
flew into the airport in his own 1947-model Navion airplane
to fly the open two-seat 1905 USU Wright Flyer flying replica
he has flown about 16 times before. (Standard Examiner, 06/22/03)
click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00030621231528543505
FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR
Utah State University industrial technology and education professor
Edward Reeve has received a Fulbright Senior Specialists grant
in education at Mahidol University, Faculty of Medical Technology
in Thailand. The Fulbright Senior Specialists Program offers
two- to six-week grants to leading American academics and professionals
to support curricular and faculty development and institutional
planning at academic institutions in 140 countries around the
world. (Herald Journal, 06/22/03)
TASTY BBQ TIPS
FROM A CHAMP
Did you know that the first meal eaten on the moon was roast
turkey? Or, that Sesame Street’s Big Bird costume is made
from turkey feathers? Stephanie Hughes did; and this, along
with a lot of practice and study, helped her become the National
4-H Turkey Barbecue champ. (Herald Journal, 06/22/03)
EXTENSION MOVES
INTO NEW DIGS DOWNTOWN
We moved the USU Extension Office into the new Cache County
Administration Building last week. It is a beautiful building!
There are many who have worked long and hard to make this transition
a reality. (Herald Journal, 06/22/03)
KSL NEWSCAST:
USU DISPLAYS WRIGHT FLYER REPLICA AT AVIATION DAY
The Ogden Hinckley Airport hosted Aviation Day to recognize
100 years of flying. Utah State University displayed a replica
of the Wright Bros. Flyer. (KSL newscast, 10 p.m., 06/21/03)
Monday, June 23, 2003
SATURDAY FLY-IN,
OPEN HOUSE SALUTE 100 YEARS OF FLIGHT: USU'S WRIGHT FLYER, REPLICA
OF ORIGINAL, WILL BE ON DISPLAY
Wilbur and Orville Wright took to the skies 100 years ago in
Kitty Hawk, N.C. Now, about 7,000 aircraft travel the wild,
blue yonder above the United States at peak times every day,
according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Wright
brothers" 12-second, 120-foot soar has also sparked Ogden's
Open House and Fly-In on Saturday. An 8:30 a.m. sky-diving demonstration
will kick off the flight celebration. Then, former United States
senator and astronaut Jake Garn will do a low fly-by with his
1947-model Navion airplane, commencing the event's opening ceremonies.
J.R. Lundgreen, who is helping head the celebration, said visitors
should also expect to see Utah State University's Wright Flyer.
(Standard Examiner, 06/20/03) click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00030619202018000360
ANOTHER MUTILATED
CAT FOUND IN AURORA; TASK FORCE FORMS
Another mutilated cat was found in the southeast metro area,
authorities said Wednesday, adding to a growing body count in
a mystery that has horrified experts and cat owners. ... And
the mutilations also concern Frank Ascione, a professor of psychology
at Utah State University and a national expert on the connection
between abuse of animals and violence toward people. Animal
abuse by young people can be a sign of underlying physical or
sexual abuse, Ascione said. In adults, it can be a way to act
out aggression. In many instances, Ascione's studies have shown,
it could precede brutally violent acts against people. (The
Denver Post, 06/19/03)
FIT FACT: A MORE
COMFORTABLE BIKE RIDE
Love cycling but don’t like discomfort down there? Try
a bicycle seat with a cutout opening in the center. Researchers
at Utah State University recently found that bicycle seats with
these "pressure relief" zones not only eased some
of the soreness in this sensitive area but also minimized stress
on the spine. (Mind, Body & Spirit Fitness Magazine, July
2003)
VALLEY PRESENCE
STRONG IN UTAH WOLF GROUP
It remains to be seen who will be the alpha member of Utah’s
new wolf management team, but this much is sure: Cache Valley
will have a strong presence in the group. Three of the 12 members
are based in Logan and one other is a Utah State University
graduate student, but that doesn’t mean the four will
vote as a bloc; in fact, disagreement is all but certain. (Herald
Journal, 06/20/03)
ALUMNI BAND RETURNS
The Utah State University Alumni Band Concert series returns
to Kent Concert Hall on Sunday, June 22, and continues through
July 27. For more than 35 years, Utah State alumni have returned
to Logan to share turn-of-the-century park band music with the
community. (Herald Journal, 06/20/03)
STUDENT SOLOS
ON THE AIR
Students soloists will be spotlighted during the third program
in a series of collaborations between Utah Public Radio and
the Utah State University department of music. (Herald Journal,
06/20/03)
SPRING EDITION
The spring 2003 issue of “Western American Literature”
is now available, according to Melody Graulich, a faculty member
in Utah State University’s department of English. (Herald
Journal, 06/20/03)
THEY’RE
PLAID, SO PLAID
Nostalgia — past days and memories of another time, another
place in another life. The key that unlocks many of these doors
lies in patterns of familiar notes and favorite song lyrics.
Songs spark memories and bring people together, and the Old
Lyric Repertory Company does both this season with the heavenly
musical hit “Forever Plaid.” (Herald Journal, 06/20/03)
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