1998-04-17

              V L0 I S U E 2 3 A .i 4 P S, R I L i?
Titan slugger.
laughter
Monmouth 13-2
. . . portu, p. 14
I
'the lowdown on getting high
at 9W1U
.. Jeatures, p. 5
Find out the truth about
Minor's hair
... Opinion, p. 11
J.W. Powell
confeence
focuseson
liberal arts
Jessica Brown
Staff Writer
The Illinois Wesleyan Provost's
office and the IWU Chapter of the
Phi Kappa Phi National Honor
Society will be sponsoring the
ninth annual John Wesley Powell
Research Conference on Saturday
April 18 in the IWU Center for
Natural Science.
This year, Robert Spear '77,
Illinois Wesleyan's 1990
Outstanding Young Alum and
Doctor of Pediatric Intensive Care
at the University of California San
Diego Medical Center, will make
his presentation at 2:30 p.m. to the
participants in the Science
Center's Anderson Auditorium.
Spear previously was at John
Hopkins University in Baltimore
for four years. In 1987, he served
as a member of a Johns Hopkins
surgical team that performed one
of the most difficult and unusual
procedures in history - the suc-cessful
separation of conjoined
twins which were attached at the
head.
Spear was among several pedi-atric
anesthesiologists on the team
and was present throughout the
22-hour operation, except for
three half-hour breaks.
The research conference fea-tures
visual and oral presentations
of IWU students who have com-pleted
work in their chosen field
of study. Poster setups begin at
8:30 a.m.
According to Associate Provost
Roger Schnaitter, most of the 50-
plus research projects are present-ed
by IWU juniors and seniors,
yet sophomores "and the occa-sional
brave freshman" are
encouraged to participate. The
conference affords all students
producing research projects "a
chance to present their work and
be reognized for their accomplish-ment."
Participants at this year's con-ference
include senior Nicole
Williams, junior Heidi
Richardson and senior Shailushi
Baxi, who are eager to present
their work at the conference.
Williams, an English major
whose research focuses on
Women and Shakespeare's
Cymbeline, is excited about her
oral presentation.
"I'm glad to be presenting a
topic that is not centered on sci-ence,"
she said. "Although
Shakespeare is centuries old,
there are still issues that pertain to
society today and lessons that can
be learned from it."
Richardson, a biology major,
will present her paper, "Patterns
see CONFERENCE p. 2
By Diane Tasic
Staff Writer
W. Michael Weis, recipient of the 1998 DuPont
Award for Teaching Excellence, explained that he
wasn't going to give a "save the rain forests
speech" for his keynote address at the annual
Honors Day Convocation Wednesday in
Westbrook Auditorium.
Instead, he focused on the issues of teaching and
tolerance in the speech, titled "The Revolution
Will Not Be Televised."
"Our enthusiasm for subjects can help students
to see the value of a liberal arts education," said
Weis, associate professor of history and acting
director of International Studies. "Our job is not to
install beliefs, but perhaps to become more tolerant
of others."
Throughout Weis' life, especially his adoles-cence
and adulthood, he realized the significance
of revolution and revolutionary times through rock
music. He arrived at the title of his speech from a
song by Gil Scott-Herrin.
"Gil Scott-Herrin's and Bob Marley's songs
were mostly from the 70's, and they provided hope
mixed with resignation. The economic decline
could not stop the revolution," Weis said.
But Weis, who has taught at IWU for ten years,
stated that he is not a revolutionary, only a tenured
professor.
"As professors, our job is to create revolutions in
the hearts and minds of students," he said. "We
convey the great joy of a lifetime of journeys."
Senior Nicole Fitting enjoyed Weis' speech.
"Basically, I'm really glad there are professors
out there who truly believe in opening the eyes of
students and encouraging them to think for them-selves
and what they believe in," Fitting said.
Senior Selena Stubbs also enjoyed Weis' presen-tation.
"I think Dr. Weis did an excellent job," Stubbs
said. "It was the most lighthearted speech I've
heard here. I'm very happy that he was the DuPont DuPont Award for Teaching Excellence recipient 1998 W. Michael
Award winner for [1998]."
Weis takes his standing ovation sitting down at the Honors
see WEIS p. 3 Convocation on Wednesday, April 15. John Vrakas/The Argus
Going out on a good note
Senior music major Erin Winter performs at the Senior Dinner on Tuesday, April 14 in the
Main Lounge. Associate Professor of English Jim Plath addressed the Class of 1998 about
seeing the importance of being a follower instead of always competing for the spotlight of
the leader. Dave Rupp/The Argus
Stash accepts new post in student affairs
By Kelly Piepenbrink
Managing Editor
Consistent with several adminis-trative
changes implemented to
improve student life and relations
on campus, hall director and
Director of Student Activities Kim
Stash has been promoted to
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs-
Greek Affairs.
Stash's main goal is to work with
the Greek community to implement
the recommendations set forth by
the Greek Task Force, which
include formulating a mutual rela-tionship
agreement between the
university and the Greek communi-ty,
strengthening interaction
between InterFraternity Council
and Panhellenic Council, and
improving inter-Greek relations,
among other plans.
Another goal of the new assistant
dean will be to promote education
among the members of the Greek
community.
The new-member education
series "Greek 101" is something
that Stash looks forward to contin-uing.
She plans to bring in speakers
to educate both new and old mem-bers
of the Greek chapters about
various issues like risk manage-ment
and standards that concern the
IWU Greek community.
She is currently soliciting student
response to the prospect of plan-ning
a Greek leadership conference
or retreat for various officers in the
chapters. This educational event
would be used to form ties within
the Greek community as well as to
facilitate the sharing of ideas
between chapters.
Stash also has plans to send the
presidents of IFC and Panhellenic
Council to a five-day leadership
conference this summer, the
Undergraduate Inter-Fraternity
Institute sponsored by National
Interfraternity Council. Among
issues to be addressed at UIFI will
be national Greek issues such as
substance-free housing, deferred
rush and implementation of cre-ative
Greek events.
Stash is presently keeping an
open mind as to how these issues
should be addressed within the
Illinois Wesleyan Greek communi-ty.
"I do not have a firm stance
see STASH p. 3
Nader: "Turn youth
onto politics"
By Laura Holsen
News Editor
"Today's young people have to
pay attention to the political scene.
If they don't turn onto politics, it
will turn on them."
Consumer advocate Ralph
Nader, who will address the Class
of 1998 at Commencement on
Sunday, May 3 stressed the
encouragement of young adults to
take active part in public affairs in
his 1996 Presidential campaign.
During a phone interview with
The Argus Wednesday afternoon,
Nader explained how advertising
affects today's society.
"The goal of advertising is the
creation of wants by corporations,
to make you want things you don't
really want," Nader said.
"In today's society, people spend
money on their own - on food,
clothing, shelter," Nader said. "But
that trend is shrinking, and it's up
to the consumer to demand better
regulation, to learn how to avoid
being swindled."
Nader, who has been highly
influential in the fight to empower
consumers against mass decisions
by establishing several citizen
groups dedicated to the cause,
believes a major impetus behind
corporate decisions is the presence
of good media. According to
Nader, the "media's sensitive
antennae" helps determine
"whether the costs on innocent
consumers will be internalized" by
companies.
When the media has a dispropor-tionate
power, as in advertisement,
"a one-si ed technique" is
employed. The detrimental effect
of this, according to Nader, can be
seen in tobacco ads, which have
caused a substantial increase in
smoking among young people.
When Nader established OSHA
(Occupational Safety and Health
Administration), his goal was "to
cut the death toll of workers from
[the past high of] 100,000."
Nader explained that OSHA's
establishment has caused changes
in attitudes and practices of health
and safety by corporations.
"With better reports on safety,
companies are seized with knowl-edge,"
he said. "They are now
required to open their workplaces
for inspection and to meet estab-lished
standards."
Nader illustrated the previous
history of citizen action with con-sideration
to the realistic view of
citizen involvement.
"The Revolution, Civil War and
women's movement were always
started with citizens," Nader said.
"To maintain their empowerment,
citizens have to be present in the
future."
Ralph Nader
Nader's own involvement in
civil action was demonstrated in
his 1996 campaign for President
on the Green Party ballot in 21
states. Nader explained that the
process started with party repre-sentatives
asking him to run.
"My goals were threefold: to
expand the Green Party, to try to
encourage young people to get
involved in politics and to expose
the fraudulent practices in health
and safety by large corporations,"
Nader said. "The deaths of young
people due to tobacco use are
largely the responsibility of large
advertisement corporations."
The remarkable presence of the
Green Party in the election served
to enlarge the debate on these
problems and to display the issues.
His goals in the election were met
to some extent, especially in the
increased involvement of the youth
in politics, he said.
"My ultimate goal in life is
building a strong, just democracy
that would serve as a model over-sees,"
Nader said. "If our objective
is to attain happiness through this
goal, perhaps other countries can
be affected in the same way."
Nader's major influences and
heroes include Thomas Jefferson,
Thomas Payne, Abraham Lincoln
and Susan B. Anthony.
"Janel Rankin, the first woman
senator, also influenced me greatly.
She was a social reformer who
fought despite the drawbacks of
her gender," Nader said.
Overall, Nader hopes to show
that many opportunities for young
people.
"Citizen involvement for young
adults depends on how much time
they devote to civic responsibili-ties.
They can attain justice if they
are willing to face these responsi-bilities,"
Nader said.
Ani's
back!
Features
Duden--lNaeu
tandem Iead:
Titan softball
... Spotts, p. 14
Weis creates sentimental revolution in students
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