Although experts have known for years that drinking red wine in moderation has health benefits, last month University researchers pinpointed one specific reason why that is. Marty Mayo, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics, and his U.Va.
Say someone offered you up to $950 to stay in a hotel room for five days complete with cable television and room service -- the only catch is that you might get a little sick.
"Let's talk about you and me. Let's talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be." Welcome to the newest weekly addition to The Cavalier Daily - the Health & Sexuality page. Whether your first time was amazing or you dragged your hung-over butt home from Rugby Road the next day ... whether you're a germophobe or reckless about your health... whether you're a nympho or celibate ... the Health & Sexuality page will have something for you. In an effort to better cover these issues at the University, this page will try to focus on covering the health and sex issues most pertinent to University students, but we need your help. First, The Cavalier Daily is still taking submissions through this Wednesday at 5 p.m.
A week ago today the U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued a strengthened warning about the dangers of antidepressants given to children 18 and under. While critics of the drugs caution that users of all ages should be concerned, some experts who testified before the FDA last week attribute the problem to over-prescribing the medications to people who are only mildly ill. "Strengthened warnings about the risk of suicide ideation and attempts with antidepressant medications in children should be communicated to physicians and consumers as soon as possible," said the joint FDA advisory committee in a statement. The FDA committee heard evidence that antidepressants can suppress Rapid Eye Movement and block the muscle paralysis that occurs in that stage so some people may even act out their nightmares. The regulation of waking, sleeping and dreaming occurs in the brainstem where serotonin neurons are clustered.
On the eve of its 25th year serving Charlottesville and its surrounding communities, the University's largest volunteer organization, Madison House, will be operating in the red if measures are not taken soon to insure its financial viability. Five years ago, Student Council voted to start de-funding Madison House in an attempt to make the organization completely self-sufficient and save student activities fees for less independent student organizations. However, Council overestimated the organization's ability to be financially independent, according to Council Vice President for Organizations Eli Dejarnette, and now the financial future of Madison House is in jeopardy. As a result of this situation, Council President Daisy Lundy and Dejarnette currently are working out the details of a bill which will modify Council's bylaws in order to permanently reinstate Madison House's yearly funding allocation. Mark Straub, a fourth-year Commerce student who serves on the Madison House Board of Directors, emphasized the importance of Council's continued support of Madison House because of its contributions to the communities surrounding the University. "This decision is one over thousands of dollars, but it has a very tangible result," he said.
Pending a formal vote in Student Council's meeting next week, one familiar band may have a little more pep in their step. Council Vice President for Administration Will Sowers and Curry representative Sarah Outten introduced a resolution expressing Council's support for the Pep Band at last night's Council meeting. Nearly 20 Pep Band members attended the last Council meeting of the fall semester to express their concern about the Athletic Department's reluctance to deal with them. The Pep Band is waiting for Athletic Department approval to play at athletic events where the marching band does not perform. Pep Band President Scott Hayes said while relations between the Athletic Department and the new marching band have been relatively good and cooperative in nature, "they have been slow in making a decision." Unlike the marching band, which is run by a salaried faculty member brought in by the University's music department, the Pep Band is run completely by students.
As early as the end of this semester, students may be exploring their housing options in a new and simpler way by visiting just one location, the Off-Grounds Housing office. Student Council members said they hope to offer students leasing options, roommate mediation, housing information and legal advice all under one roof by the end of this semester. Student Council representatives Marisa Nelson and Greg Moore presented their plans for the office to the Board of Visitors student affairs and athletics committee Friday afternoon in order to garner more support for their project. According to Moore, Council has had the Board's general support since October but this meeting helped to clarify the new office's goals. Board members "were very interested and very supportive," Moore said.
Pat Payne, who has been the face of Student Council for many University students over the last 10 years, has assumed a newly-created position in the University administration in order to help student organizations in a more tangible way. While Payne has served as the Student Council receptionist for the last 10 1/2 years, she will now assume the new role of assistant to Student Activities Business Manager Bill Hancher. Before, Hancher was the only person managing the Student Activities Fund, but now Payne will help him manage the CIO allocations. Hancher said he looks forward to the extra help that Payne will provide. "She's the most logical person because she has the best knowledge about the CIOs other than myself," Hancher said.
In addition to the usual inundation of beginning-of-the-semester e-mails, many University students and faculty must deal with the increasing number of junk e-mails -- or spam -- which crowd their inboxes. To combat this growing problem of unwanted spam in University e-mail inboxes, University Information Technologies Communications now offers an anti-spam service.
As of last night's Student Council meeting, the Council is two College representatives short of a full, proportional representative body.Council Executive Vice President Rebeen Pasha announced his unilateral decision to end the terms of College representatives Ben Hicks and Curtis Ofori last night, citing the fact that both had transferred to the Commerce School and thus no longer represented their College constituents. "My initial reaction was that if you're full-timed enrolled in both [schools] than it would be fine," Pasha said.
