10/25/02
News Brief
Following is a story lead and the University of Northern Iowa sources who can best address this topic. Feel free to contact the sources directly.
Low voter turnout among the young is symptom of greater problem, says UNI professor
As a rule, people18-24 are less likely to vote than are other voting populations. "At that age, people have a lot going on in their lives," explains Tom Rice, head of the UNI Department of Political Science. "They're starting families or relationships, moving, starting careers, they're in and out of school." As a result, they focus less on what's going on politically, and more on what's going on personally.
Recently, those numbers have dropped to all-time lows. "But what's more troubling is that young people seem to be less engaged in the community in general," says Rice. "The fact that they don't vote is really just a symptom of the erosion of social capital."
He says it's pointless to generically encourage voting. "We don't want people voting because they've been brow beaten into it. We want them to want to vote. But that starts by becoming engaged in your community, and that's what we aren't encouraging."
Contact:
Tom Rice, head of the Department of Political Science, (319) 273-2039
Gwenne Culpepper, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
10/25/02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Al Hays, director, UNI master's in public policy program, (319) 274-2719
Gwenne Culpepper, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
UNI co-sponsors fifth annual conference on race
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa's master's in public policy program will co-sponsor the fifth annual Cedar Valley Conference on Race, "Bridging the Divide," from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15, at Hawkeye Community College.
The keynote address will be given by Al Vivian, president of Atlanta-based Basic Action Strategies and Information Center Inc. Vivian graduated from Morehouse College and served as an equal opportunity officer for the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1991. He studied at the Intercultural Communication Institute in Portland, Oregon.
Clifton Taulbert, founder and president of the Building Community Institute in Tulsa, Okla., will be the plenary session speaker. The institute is based on the principles outlined in Taulbert's book, "Eight Habits of the Heart," USA Today's 1998 choice for book to "enrich our minds and lives."
Workshop presenters will be Vivian; Eddie Moore, dean of intercultural life at Central College in Pella; Jim Day, local speech/language pathologist; Lou Porter, director of development for KBBG Radio; and Salome Raheim of the University of Iowa.
Other conference sponsors are the Waterloo mayor's office, the Waterloo Commission on Human Rights, the Cedar Valley Diversity Appreciation Team, John Deere Community Credit Union, KBBG-FM, and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.
Registration fee of $50 is due by Nov. 8. For more information, contact the Waterloo Commission on Human Rights, (319) 291-4441.
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10/25/02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Cheryl Smith, program associate, Iowa Space Grant Consortium, (319) 273-6809
Melissa Barber, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
Turkey Valley High School class wins Space Week Challenge
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The sixth-period 9th grade physics class at Turkey Valley High School in Jackson Junction won this year's Space Week Science Challenge, a contest open to all K-12 Iowa classrooms. The winners were announced October 23 by the Iowa Space Grant Consortium, one of the contest sponsors.
The winning class, taught by Caroline Scheidel, will receive a Meade ETX Astro telescope and a Garmin e-TREX GPS receiver for their classroom and a field trip to the Science Station and IMAX Theatre in Cedar Rapids. The teachers at Turkey Valley High School won an in-service training session and curriculum materials from the Iowa State University Extension Service's Science, Engineering and Technology team.
Meade ETX Astro telescopes also were awarded to the top classroom entries in two other categories. The 2nd-3rd grade talented and gifted classroom of Marilyn Hawkins at Mount Ayr Elementary won for category K-3, and the 4th-8th grade science classroom of Gary Bottorff at Lansing Middle School won for category 4-8.
Contestants listened to special editions of the Earth and Sky radio program broadcast by WHO Radio in Des Moines during Space Week, October 4-10. Topics included the greenhouse effect, volcanoes, the moon and asteroids. Students then took a quiz based on the radio programs and supporting activities.
Each of the 43 classrooms that entered the contest will receive a classroom space travel kit from Team Encounter. The number of entries for the competition has doubled since last year.
Corporate contest sponsors were WHO Radio and the Earth and Sky radio program. The Iowa Space Grant Consortium is a NASA-supported organization aimed at increasing interest in aerospace education and research. Its academic members are the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and Drake University.
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10/25/02
News Brief
Following is a story lead and the University of Northern Iowa sources who can best address this topic. Feel free to contact the sources directly.
Meningitis recall does not affect UNI student health clinic
The Oct. 18 voluntary recall of the meningitis vaccine (Menomune) has no bearing on students immunized at UNI's Student Health Clinic.
Sue Courts, director of the clinic, said the recall affects only single-dose vials. "We use multiple-does vials of the medication," she explained. Courts noted fewer than 50 students have been immunized at the clinic this year.
Contact:
Sue Courts, director, UNI Student Health Center, (319) 273-2979
Gwenne Culpepper, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
10/25/02
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sara Schuler, UNI admissions counselor and telecounseling supervior, (319) 273-2365
James O'Connor, University Marketing & Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
UNI 2002 fall semester Northern Iowa STARs named
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa has announced its Student Telecounseling Admissions Representatives (STARs) for the 2002 fall semester.
__(NAME)__ of __(HOMETOWN)__, a __(CLASSIFICATION)__ studying __(MAJOR)__ at the University of Northern Iowa is one of 13 students working as a STAR this fall semester.
STARs call prospective students, as well as admitted students, to talk about student life at UNI. They call Sundays from 3 to 8 p.m. and from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Sara Schuler, UNI admissions counselor and telecounseling supervisor, is the Northern Iowa STARs supervisor.
NOTE: to obtain a listing of the students, please contact the University Marketing and Public Relations at 319273-2761.