Miami Hurricane, April 09, 1991

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BID FOR THE TOP
Conny Falk proved he's No. 1 by
defeating Al Parker, the top-ranked
player in the country, Friday afternoon at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
.
• SPORTS —pageS
TAZMANIAN WEASEL
Pauly Shore, host of MTVs "Totally Pauly," will
bring his stoney cool self to campus Friday night as
part of Program Council's Street Dance, which will
feature food booths, mimes and music on the shores
of Lake Osceola.
• ACCENT —pages
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TODAY'S
FORECAST
HIGH: 83
LOW: 73       Partly Cloudy
INSIDE
Space exploration
could benefit from private enterprise. Page 4
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THE MIAMI r—
URRICANlTa
VOLUME 68, NUMBER 45
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, CORAL GABLES. FLA.
TUESDAY. APRIL 9. 1991
NEWSBR1EFS
Czech diplomat
to speak today
Czechoslovaks Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Martin Pal-
ous will speak on new trends in
Czechoslovak foreign policies,
specifically regarding Israel,
Cuba, South Africa and Taiwan.
The lecture, sponsored by the
Institute for Soviet and East
European Studies, will take place
from 6:30 to 8 p.m. tonight at
Albert Pick HaU, 1531 Brescia
Ave.
During the first six months of
1990, P_k*_s was a member of
the Chamber of the People and a
member of ita Committee for Foreign Relations. He haa been the
adviaer to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Csechoalovakia since
July of lastyear and deputy minister since October. Paioqs also is
currently a lecturer at the
Charles Univeraity in Prague
where he specialises in the classical and contemporary problem* of
political philosophy.
Paloua. who is responsible for
his country's Third World policies, was among the first to sign
Charter 77 and was the organization's spokesperson in 1986. He
was also actively involved in formulating its foreign policy positions. Since 1989, Palous has
been in charge of Caechoelova-
kia's Civic Forum's foreign rela-
284-5411 to make a reservation.
UM debate team
wins championship
The University of Miami
debate team, for the second year
in a row, won the championship
for the Southeast region of the
Cross Examination Debate Association. Thirty-five universities
compete in the Southeast region
of CEDA, including Emory, Van
derbilt, Duke, Clemson, Alabama,
Florida State, University of Florida, and University of South Carolina.
Two UM varsity teams were
entered in the CEDA national
tournament, which was held
March 28 to April 1 st Western
Washington University in Belling-
ham, Wash.
The team of Dale Reed and
Peter Lee posted wins over San
Francisco State, FSU, California
State-Long Beach, and San Diego
State. They entered elimination
rounds seeded 25th of 220 teams
entered in the competition. Reed
and Lee defeated another San
Diego State team on a 3-0 decision in the first elimination round,
but fell to UCLA in the second on
a 2-1 vote.
Rory Segal and Ernie Querido
defeated Whitman College, Notre
Dame, Northwestern, Emory and
Emporia State universities to
advance to elimination rounds
seeded 60th. They lost their first
out-round to Gonzaga University,
last year's national championship
team, on a 3-0 decision.
This year's UM team was
ranked 19th in the nation and also
included Mindy Hervey, Michael
Morris, Mark Rosenblatt, Damon
Petticord, Pamela Knoop, Darren
Stance and Ricardo Bascuas.
FACE THE FACTS
UM alumni live in all 50
states and over 100 foreign
countries.There have been
more than 100,028 In UM's
history. For 1990-91:
UM involved in biological weapons research
By JOANNA N. STAVROPOULOS
Staff Writer
The U.S. Army is providing funding for the University of Miami to produce toxins which are used in a biological weapons research program. Although the program is controversial, members of the UM
administration emphasize the scientific merit of the
research and aay there are no ethical dilemmas
attached to it.
The Btological Defense Research Program (BDRP),
under the U.S. Department of Defense, ia funding
research at 20 universities nationwide, including the
University of Illinois, Colorado State and the University of Washington.
According to Army records, Dr. Daniel Baden, associate professor of marine biology and fisheries at the
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
(RSMAS), has been funded by the Department of
Defense since December 1986 to develop and produce
the marine neurotoxin Brevetoxin.
Brevetoxin affects the nervous system, causing
death by respiratory failure. As with many marine tox
ins, the cause of death would be hard to detect. Brevetoxin is produced by minute marine photoeynthetic
protozoans called dmoflagellates. Scientists are not
sure why these organisms produce the toxins.
The toxins are stopped to the U.S. Amy base. Fort
Detrick, in Maryland. Baden's latest contract, according to an official copy supplied by the Department of
Defense, runs until 1992 and ia for $950,340.
In accordance with Army policy, Baden's contract
will be reevaluated at the end of its term in order to
determine if it will be renewed.
Baden received his Ph.D. from RSMAS in 1977 and
was employed by the University in 1978. Baden has a
laboratory at RSMAS, located on Virginia Key, where
he processes and concentrates Brevetoxin. At RSMAS
he also has a facility where he cultures the organisms
which produce the toxins.
Baden refused to comment when asked about the
toxins.
In an earlier and unrelated interview, Baden said
the personnel in his lab take specific safety precautions
when dealing With toxins. They use such devices as a
Pkase see page 2fRESE ARCH
Program's ethics questioned
By JOANNA N. STRAVRO-
POULOS
Statt Writ*
The U.S. Army's Biological
Defense Research Program
(BDRP) haa come under attack
from many scientists and politicians who say the program ia
ambiguous, unsafe and damaging
to foreign relations.
One of the scientific groups
that does not believe research
conducted by the BDRP is "ethically nuetral" is Physicians for
Social Responsibility, an interest
group based in Washington, D.C,
with 130 local chapters and over
3,000 members.
"Scientists and the universities
in which research is done have a
major responsibility for the consequences of their work," Dr.
Victor Sidel, oast president of
Physicians for Social Responsibility, said.
Many scientists claim BDRP
research gives the appearance
that the United States is develop-
ingbiological warfare capabilities.
Thia appearance in itself ia contributing to an atmosphere of distrust leading other countries to
step up their development of bio-
Please seepage 2/TOXIN
RIGHT ON TRACK
Mc±
Office of .Admissions reports
drop in number of applicants
DAVE BERQMAN/Photo Editor,
RUN WITH THE WIND: Darryl Williams, UM sophomore track runner and football
player, won the final leg of the 4 X 100 relay at the Gatorade Track and Field Invitational on Friday afternoon. See story Sport*, page 8
By CONNIE PILOTO
StaH Writer
Fewer high school seniors are applying to
private colleges, while state universities are
enjoying increased popularity, early reports
from various campuses indicate.
Miami, according to Director of Admissions
Mary Conway.
As of April 2,7,327 applications had been
received and 5,275 of these accepted for
admission to the Univeraity.
Despite thia decrease in applicants, the
number of students admitted to the University haa increased by 5 percent.
However, Conway said she was pleased
with the quality of students being accepted.
Conway speculated that the number of
applicants is declining because there is a 12
percent decrease in high school graduates
nationwide.
This decline in the number of 18-year-old8
in the United States is affecting campuses
nationwide.
"We simply cannot underestimate the
impact of the continuing shift in student
demographics," Frank Burtnett, of the
National Association of College Admission
Counselors in Virginia, said, adding that the
number of high school seniors will continue
to decline through the mid-1990s.
The poor economic outlook is an additional factor contributing to the decline.
"I am sure that the economic decline has
impacted those applying," Conway aaid. "It's
not easy to measure because we don't have
an opportunity to talk about financial assistance opportunities to students who self
select out of the process at the front end."
"We know that people have lost jobs, and
' The cost of going to a private
college is so ungodly that people
are looking at public schools'
we know public schools cost less, so we have
tried twice aa hard to give our applicant pool
a positive message regarding the value of a
private education at UM and now it is affordable," Conway added.
Meanwhile, state universities are reporting increases in the number of applicants.
The universities of Connecticut, Kentucky
and Wyoming have reported increases of up
to 16 percent this year.
"The coat of going to a private college is
so ungodly that people are looking at public
schools," Kathy Fields, associate director of
admissions at the Univeraity of Wyoming,
said.
"The cost of tuition and the availability of
financial aid are affecting more kids and with
greater intensity," Burtnett said.
Tuition at four-year private universities
averaged $9,393 this year, the College
Board reported laat October.
By contrast, tuition averaged $1,809 at
four-year public campuses and $884 at two-
year public campuses thia year.
Of those students applying for admission
to UM, 64 percent reside out of state, 15
percent are from Dade County, 6 percent are
international students, 5 percent come from
Broward County and 10 percent are from
Florida counties outside of Dade and
Broward.
Information from College Press Services
was used in this report.
Norplant birth control
available at Jackson
HIRAM HENRIQUE. / G*_pt*le Arttat
By DANIELLE PARKS
Contributing Editor
Norplant, the five-year contraceptive for women newly approved
by the Food and Drug Administration, is now available at the Univeraity of Miami School of Medicine
for a reduced coat.
Physicians from around South
Florida are attending training sessions st UM's Jackson Memorial
Hospital to learn how to administer
the new system.
Norplant has been used by more
than 500,000 women in 46 countries. Six flexible capsules, each 1.3
inches long, implanted under the
skin of the upper arm, continuously
release a low dose of progestin over
a five-year period. It is effective
within 24 hours when implanted
during the first seven days of the
menstrual cycle.
Madeline Rhrero, patient account
coordinator, said that eight patients
received the Norplant contraceptive during the training period,
sponsored by the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology. The
program began four weeks ago. and
there have oeen "no problems so
far."
Patients volunteering for implantation during the training
will receive Norplant at a discount.
For volunteers, the School of Medicine is charging $350 for the contraceptive, according to Rivero; the
usual fee for implantation averages
$700.
Madelyn Rodriguez, a councel-
lor/patient care assistant at the UM
Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, explains the risks snd
benefits of Norplant to prospective
volunteers. "I tell them it is being
implanted by a physician, but he ia
being trained," said Rodniguez.
The most important side effect
that Rodriguez warns about is
irregular bleeding patterns in the
menstrual cycle. "So far, the
patients have had no irregular
bleeding and no other problems,"
Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez predicts the training
sessions will continue for a few
months, depending upon the number of doctors who seek training.
After the training sessions end,
Norplant will continue to be
offered, but no longer at a reduced
cost. Sessions are held every Friday to implant the contraceptive
under local anethesia.
To volunteer, or learn more
about Norplant, call the University
of Miami Department of Obstetrics
and Gynecology at 548-4774.
UM board recruits minorities
One Hispanic and three blacks named trustees
From Staff Report*
The University of Miami Board of Trustees is
becoming more racially diverse with the recent addition of five new members.
The appointment of one Hispanic member and
three black members to the 79-member board
brings the total number of Hispanics to five and
blacks to six.
Board members claim they have begun to actively
recruit minorities.
"I think the thrust this year, among other criteria, waa to give emphasis to both young and up-and-
coming business people in the community," board
chairperson Ray Goode told The Miami Herald.
"Ana to make sure in the process the board composition is more and more reflective of the demographic
profile of Florida.
"While in many ways we are a national institution,
we're in thia community," Goode added. "Our base
of support is here."
According to Dorothy Ball, Board of Trustees
secretary, new board members sre selected by current board members.
"It's totally the board's responsibility," Ball said.
The new members who have been appointed to
one-year terms include the following:
• Dean Colson, 39, senior partner of Colson,
Hicks A Edison, served aa a law clerk to U.S.
Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist from
1981-82.
Colson graduated magna cum laude from the UM
School of Caw in 1977, where he was a member of
the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the Society of Wig
and Robe and the UM Law Review.
• Arthur James Hill, 43, is the secretary of the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and federal housing commissioner. Hill is the
former chairman of the board, president and chief
executive officer of People National Bank of Commerce in Miami.
• Lee Everett Monroe, 48, a resident of Miami
Lakes, is the president of Florida Memorial College.
Monroe has served as senior education adviaer to
North Carolina Governor Jim Martin and as special
assistant to the assistant secretary for management
within the U.S. Department of Education.
• Frank Scruggs II, 44, is the secretary of labor
and employment security for the State of Florida. He
ia a former partner at Steel, Hector & Davis and he
served as assistant general counsel to former Governor Bob Graham.
• Gonzalo Valdes-Fauli, 45, is responsible for the
Barclays Group business in Latin America in his position as the executive vice president and director of
Barclays Bank. He ia a former member of the UM
Citisens Board and director and executive advisory
board member of the UM International Business and
Banking Institute.