HIGHER EDUCATION Students electrocutedinotin The Michigan Daiy - Tuesday, October 26, 1999 - 7 By Angela Entzminger Daily Texan AUSTIN, Texas (U-WIRE)-- Rowdy University of Texas students cheered, honked their car horns and d ked the Drag in toilet paper in the jubilant after- fW of Saturday's victory against Nebraska. But for a handful of UT fans, the revelry was brought to an early and shocking end. Luke Ledbetter, a first-year student, and Blair Streit, a senior, were rushed to the hospital after being electri- cally shocked in the Littlefield Fountain. "The last thing I remember thinking is, 'Oh God, I'm going to die in the fountain at UT,"' Streit said. Ledbetter and other fans were prohibited from rush- ing the football field to celebrate, so he and two friends decided to hop in the fountain. "Since the cops were sitting there guarding the *posts so we wouldn't tear (them) down, we resort- ed to other means," Ledbetter said. After passing the East Mall Fountain, which was overflowing with students, Ledbetter and his friends were on their way home when they came upon the Littlefield Fountain. Streit and a group of his friends were also approaching the fountain at the time. Streit, who did not previously know Ledbeter. sad he had been in the fountain before and wasn't worried, "As soon as I got in, I was getting electrocuted said Streit. "I couldn't move; I was paralyzed)' Ledbetter jumped in just before Streit. col ap d face down in the water, and after a few seconds, he felt intense pain. "It was like excruciating shock" Ledbetter said. "I didn't notice that (Streit) was drowning until the people shouted at me to get him. Streit said that Ledbetter dropped him the 1first time he attempted to pull him up because the shock pro- hibited Ledbetter from mioving. The drowning Streit began to drift towards the bronze horses, which worsened the situation since his head was now touching metal, Ledbetter said. Ledbetter grabbed Streit a second time but could not leave the fountain himself because the effects of the shock prevented him from moving his legs. "The people outside of the fountain grabbed my arm and pulled us out of the fountain," Ledbetter said. A few students, including Streit's roommate Justin Klekar, a junior, helped pull the two out. Streit was unconscious.: cdheuer sad he \ elled at a passerbY to call 911. UE Polie Department Sgt. Dennis Chartier said two I PD ofcicers arrived at the scene at 6:20 p an an ambulance arrived shortIy after and tk Ledheter and Streit to Brackenridge Hospital. An unidentified student whose arm was shocked wh ile he ping to pull the two out of the water was also ta ken to the hospi tal. At the hospital, Ledbetter's heart was tested to ensure that his heart pattern was normal. "Eventualy they said that everything was back to normal, and my legs were going to hurt for awhile," Leidetter said. Led hetter and the student who helped pull him from the fountain were released from the hospital Saturday night. Streit, who regained consciousness after the paramedics arrived, stayed at the hospital until Sunday evening. Streit's pulse rate was more than 200 beats a minute, and he was experiencing irregular heart rhythm when the paramedics examined him, Streit said. H, said paramedics were surprised he was still alive after the incident. U. New Mexico may face federal equity lawsuit Moonshine AP PHOTO After this touchdown led University of Texas to a victory over the University of Nebraska on Saturday, student celebrations at UT led to injuries. Rutgers student jumps off 10 story residence hall By Iliarsa Limun Daily Lobo LBUQUERQUE, N.M. (U-WIRE) -he U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights has launched an investigation into University of New Mexico's actions against three men's athletic programs cut March 31. The investigation is based on a complaint filed by community members. The group filed the complaint after the men's gymnastics, swimming and wtling teams were cut and allege that t niversity cut the three programs to meet Title IX equity standards. "We determined that this is in our jurisdiction, no other agency is review- ing this case and that it had merit," said Rodger Murphey, a spokesperson for the Department of Education. "We are now investigating the matter. It should take us about 135 days to complete our analysis of the situation." Title IX is a component of the 1968 Civil Rights Act vgh states no person shall be denied access, benefits or the opportunity to participate in any educational program or activity based on gender at any insti- tution receiving federal funding. "UNM is going along with a nation- al trend of addition by subtraction," said Jim Stevens, a UNM alum and one of the community members who filed the VEAK OUT Continued from Page 1. Ed Stuck said he applauds any abuse survivors who come forward and share their sexual or physical abuse experi- ences during the Speak Out. "People need to know that it is hap- pening. Some people do not want to believe it for a lot of different reasons, but people need to believe it and know it. It helps to educate the public on the fact that domestic violence is very p~lent in society. No one carries a stronger message than an actual vic- tim," Stuck said. Stuck also noted that often it is assumed that all victims of abuse are female. This may be an untested assumption, he said, because, "very sel- dom does the male half of the relation- ship call for help. I think it is harder for men to report domestic violence. I Cy Id say that the largest majority is in fYwomen. Occasionally, a victim is a man," he said. Catherine McClary, Washtenaw county treasurer and president of the complaint. "They cut men's teams to inflate the women's percentage in sports in relation to men's." complaint, he said. "They cut men's teams to inflate the women's percentage in sports in relation to men's." Stevens said the sports were cut to make the University Title IX compliant. "The University always said the teams were cut for financial reasons," Stevens said. "We didn't feel good about that, did some investigating and found some problems with that. The key is the part of Title IX that says 'no person,' and does not just protect women. The men who were in this sport are people covered by that." The group found a corporate sponsor who would support the teams with an endowment, Stevens said. He said the group presented the offer to NMU President Bill Gordon and Julie Weaks, the interim vice president of business and finance. A copy of the memorandum Weaks wrote in response to the proposal, which was submitted with the com- plaint, states, "The Athletics Department and the University of New Mexico do not believe that it is in the best interests of achieving the long- term goals of the Athletic Department to undertake such an effort." Board of Directors for the Shelter Available for Emergency, explained the disparity between men and women sur- vivors. "Men are the survivors of domestic violence half of one to about 5 percent nationwide," she said. McClary also explained that sexual assault and domestic violence often derives from "a power trip" "Some people, typically they're men but not always, use physical violence to control the actions and activities of another person," McClarty said. But some University students said they have personally never heard about or experienced sexual or physical abuse. "I don't hear about much domestic violence," Art senior Kerry Larkey said, adding that "my friends have been assaulted by strangers, not in the con- text of a dating relationship" Despite not hearing personal stories about sexual or physical abuse domesti- cally, Larkey said she would attend the Speak Out because it "gives exposure to this kind of serious issue and makes it By Cathleen Lewis Daily Targum NEW BRUNSWICK, N.. (U- WIRE)_- Early Saturday morning, Rutgers University police, responding to a call, found an 18-year-old Rutgers student dead after he fell nine stories from the McCormick Residence Hall on the Busch campus. Bryan Batista was pronounced dead shortly after 7:25 a.m. on Saturday, according to a statement released by the university. The initial call to police was made by a preceptor, according the statement. Batista apparently jumped from the 10th floor of the residence hall, Leslie Fehrenbach, vice president of adminis- tration and public safety, said. According to the st atement, University police said they found Batista on the roof of the first level. A note, which has been classified as a suicide note, was found in his room in the Davidson Residence Hall on the Busch campus, Fehrenbach said. "We really don't know much more than that at this point, the investigation is ongo- ing," she said. University Police Chief Anthony Murphy said that, based on the investiga- tion and the evidence, they believe the death to be a suicide, but "there are still some people detectives h y to speak to." "Some people who knew him saw him that night," he said. Murphy said speaking to those people will "help us establish a time line" Fehrenbach said she believed it happened between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. But members of the family said they did not believe the 18-year-old had committed suicide. "He was definitely the support system for myself and my family," his sister, Cassandra, said. She described him as "completely ground- ed, so sincere and really self adjusted" His sister said that while she was older, she often felt as if Bryan was the older brother. She said the North Brunswick High School graduate played guitar and composed piano music. Cassandra Batista said her brother was "incredibly outgoing and social, (he) had such an engaging personality." She said he was "incredibly sensitive, I think really beyond his years." Even in his first year of college, she said he had no trouble adjusting. Cassandra Batista said she had expected her brother to have the same anxiety about starting school that she did, but found that he adjusted quickly and was very happy. He was pledging a fraternity on cam- pus and participating in activities on campus, she said. MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily As another sign that winter is quickly approaching, the last harvest moon of the season showed itself Sunday night. personal to people" Similarly, LSA first-year student Derek Steele said, "I don't think it can hurt anyone to go. There's a lot men can do to stop (abuse). It would just disturb me to hear these stories. It would keep me from doing it. I'm not one to sup- port violence against women or any- one." Stuck said he advises victims of sexual or physical abuse to act against the viole'nce as soyn as it enters a relationship, w hether that action is talking to friends, getting counseling, calling the police or get- ting out the relationship with the abuser. Signing is available or hearing impaired individuals SA FE HOUSE and SA PAC of/er conpletel/ c ofldtlential counsebnlng ser-vices through 24-hour hotlines, (su w e// as manso other prev'ention pro- grams. The phone number for SA PAC'S 24-hour crisis hot/ine is 936-3333. and SAFE HOUSES 24- hour crisis hot/ine phone number is 995-5444. PHARMACY Continued from Page 1 Paul Nightengale, a third-year Pharmacy student. "People are often afraid to ask," he said. Nightengale said consumers often underestimate the importance of pharmacists, but that the pharmacy program is extremely rigorous. Students receive much of the same education of med- ical and nursing students. Pharmacists are now pushing for a seamless medical team of doctors, nurses and phar- macists to provide optimal care for patients, Nightengale said. He added that pharmacists in some states, including Michigan. have limited power to do their own prescribing under the supervision of physicians. The demand for pharmacists is rising dramatically as the demand for prescription drugs is increasing. "There were 2.8 billion prescriptions filled in the U.S. in 1998 Kenyon said. "That's over ten prescriptions per per- son. By 2005, it is projected that over 4 billion will be filled," he said. Schools are not supplying enough trained pharmacists to fill this demand, Kenyon said. As a result, students who receive doctorates in pharmacy are highly recruited. Pedro Caetano, a fourth year doctoral candidate in the School of Pharmacy, has received five job offers in the past two months without even soliciting them. "This is a good field to be in," he said. "The average starting salary for a pharmacist is S65 to S80,000." Kenyon said. "There was 2.8 billion prescriptions filled in the U.S. in 1998 ... By 2005, it is projected that over 4 billion will be filled." - George Kenyon School of Pharmacy Dean "However, there is a growing disconnect between the excellent opportunities available for young people and lag- ging interest." The need for revived interest in the field of pharmacy as a profession makes this year's National Pharmacy Week an important recruiting tool. "We need to have a promotion of what a pharmacist is and what his or her skills are," said Duane Kirking, a pharmacy professor. Pharmacy school students are planning on handing out informational pamphlets on the Diag and other campus locations Thursday to educate students on the merits of pharmacy. "We want to make people aware of the breadth of; opportunities available to students in the field of phar- macy," Kirking said. Yale researchers develop method for regeneration of brain cells EARLY SPRING BREAK specials! Bahamas Party Cruise 5 Days $279! Includes Most Meals! Awesome Beaches, Nightlife! Panama City, Daytona. South Beach, Florida $129! springbreaktravel.com 1-800-678-6368. FREE TRIPS AND CASH!!! SPRING BREAK 2000 SrudentCity.com is looking for Highly aated Students to promote Spring Break Al)'Organize a small group and travel FREE!! Topcampus reps can earn Free Tripp & over $10,000! Choose Cancun, Jamaica or Nassau! Book Trips On-Line Log-In and Win FREE Stuff. Sign Up now On Line! www.StudentCity.co or 800/293-1443. HOCKEY TICKETS WANTED for Michigan vs. Ohio State game, Nov. 5. Call SPRING BRJEAK PANAMA CITY BEACH FLORIDA FROM $99 PER PERSON SANDPIPER BEACON BEACH RESORT THE "FUN PLACE"! HOME OF THE WORLD'S LONGEST KEG PARTY DRINK DRAFT BEER ALL WEEK LONG TIKI BEACH BAR ENTERTAINMENT BY BOOGIE INCORPORATED BIKINI CONTESTS MALE HARD BODY CONTESTS 3 LESSONS: Guitar, Bass, Banjo. Piano, H. Dulcimer. Sitar, BalaGaika la Brass, Fiddle. Perc.. etc. Herb David Guitar Studio 302 E. Liberty, 665-8001. POSTERS Outrageous College Humor www.posterworld. 'on By Jennifer Bayot 1e }ady News NE'W H AVEN. Conn. (U-W IRE) -W As some Yale students kill brain cells each weekend, Yale University researchers are working to grow them back. A team led by Yale Medical School Neurobiology Chair Pasko Rakic has found a way to restart the growth of brain cells. The team's findings were published in the jour- nal "Science" on Friday and have been heralded nationwide for their in neurons and the extensions they form during reproduction. The Notch recep- tor was first described in studies at Yale in the 1940s and then cloned at Yale in the 1980s. But the Notch receptor's role in regenerating adult brain cells had escaped identification until now. Until adulthood, neurons grow by extending branches called dendrites and axons, which in turn make millions of connections. What interests researchers is the increased activity of Notch signaling that accompanies the creation of the has also identied the associed mole- cules that can turn th swich on md off Rakic and hi: o"'. ues found he role of the Notch receptor and these related molecules "new and unexpect- ed:' The Notch signaling pathway gradu- ally inhibits the making of these new connections, instead of stabilizing those that exist. By inhibiting Notch activity in mature cells, the team was able to reverse this state of stability and renew neuron growth. Scientists I