LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, February 6, 2001 - 3
CRIME
NIT F
Assault reported
in Church Street
parking structure
Two visitors to campus were
*hed around and verbally abused by
three intoxicated males early Saturday
morning on the third floor of the
Church Street carport, Department of
Public Safety spokeswoman Diane
Brown said.
One of victims told DPS that he
and his friend were returning to their
car when the three men approached
them and started swearing and calling
them names. Neither victim was
injured and DPS reported that the sus-
s left the area in a vehicle.
Person gets stuck
in carport elevator
An individual became stuck in the
elevator of the carport at 1600 East
Medical Center Dr. on Thursday after-
noon. DPS reported that there was
possible damage to the elevator.
faughn House
missing first aid
kit, 6 muffins
I)PS reports indicate that a first aid
kit was stolen from the ground-floor
kitchen of the Victor C. Vaughn
1fouse on Thursday afternoon. Six
muffins have also been stolen from
the kitchen over the course of six
ks, according to the report.
Person injured
while lifting water
An employee at the Law Quad
injured his back Friday morning while
lifting a large water bottle. DPS
reports said. The subject was provided
with an escort to receive medical
ention.
farms triggered
in tunnel system
Alarms in the underground tunnel
system near the Harlan Hatcher Grad-
uate Library were triggered early Sat-
urday morning by individuals
attempting to enter the tunnels, DPS
reports state.
[PS officers were unable to catch
(trespassers.
Disorderly fan
arrested at Crisler
IPS reported that a disorderly fan
verbally abused other spectators at
Crisler Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The woman refused to cooperate with
DPS officers and was subsequently
a sted for disorderly conduct.
uring the arrest, she assaulted one
of the officers. The officer suffered no
ijuries.
Student reports
sexual assault in
another city
A University student reported being
sexually assaulted in another city Sat-
urday night. The student went to Uni-
Sity Hospitals, where she reported
the incident to DPS. who notified the
agtncy with jurisdiction, according to
DP$ reports.
MItoxicated minor
arrested by DPS
DPS reports indicate officers made
contact with several intoxicated indi-
*ials at South Quad Residence hatl
early Sunday morning.
One of the individuals was under-
age. DPS subsequently took him into
custody.
Cash stolen from
Kresge library
circulation desk
The second-floor circulation desk
he Kresge Business Administra-
tion Library reported the theft of
$390, DPS reports state.
The theft occurred sometime
between 3 p.m. Jan. 24 and 9 a.m. Jan.
30. DPS reported having no suspects.
CompiledbyDaily Staff Reporter
Kristen Beaumont.
FDA provides more warnings on Accutane
By Susan Luth
Daily Staff Reporter
Following recent complaints that the pre-
scription drug Accutane may be linked to
depression and suicidal tendencies, the Food
and Drug Administration has taken new
strides to ensure that patients are fully aware
of the effects of the drug.
Accutane, prescribed for cases of severe
nodular cystic acne after other acne treatments
have failed to work, has been scientifically
proven to cause a range of birth defects in the
fetuses of women taking the drug.
To ensure that patients are fully aware of
these side effects, the FDA has approved a
revised informed consent agreement all users
are required to sign before receiving a pre-
scription from their doctors.
"It will be helpful." said Donna Chen, a phar-
macist at Decker Drugs on South State Street.
"Acne is so common, especially with teenagers."
"It's a medicine with pretty serious side
effects, and this will certainly raise some atten-
tion," she said.
According to a press release from Roche
Pharmaceuticals, the drug's manufacturer,
"the form has 12 statements for the patient to
read and initial, including risks associated
with being pregnant while on Accutane and
the potential for psychiatric events" The form
is reviewed by both male and female patients
with their doctors.
In addition to the revised informed consent
agreement, there are two other methods in
place to ensure that users are educated about
their risks.
A second form is signed only by female
patients and focuses exclusively on the side
effects concerning pregnancy. The second is a
medication guide given to all patients by their
pharmacists.
Carrie Coselman, a pharmacist at Village
Apothecary on South University Avenue, said
prior to the distribution of the new medication
guide, pharmacists distributed a patient informa-
tion sheet.
"The new guide is actually distributed by
Roche Pharmaceuticals and goes into more
detail. The other one was pretty general, and
this is very extensive." Coselman said.
Chen added that some pharmacies do even
more.
"We usually print out the monograph and give
that to the patient as well when they pick up their
medication," Chen said.
A monograph is a standard print-out that
pharmacies issue upon filling a prescription.
It explains proper usage of the drug.
The decision to revise the consent form
and to add the medication guide were the
result of a meeting last September by an FDA
advisory committee. The committee recom-
mended that because of the great risks asso-
ciated with the drug, further efforts should be
made to ensure the safety and education of
patients. Among these was the drug's possi-
ble relation of depression and suicidal ten-
dencies.
Though the FDA confirms there is no clear
causal link between the drug and incidences
of psychotic events, the agency says there is
enough evidence to cause suspicion of an
association between the two.
As part of the effort to ensure safe use of
the drug, the advisory committee has recom-
mended the FDA work with several organiza-
tions, including the National Institutes of
Health, to design a study to examine the pos-
sible link between Accutane and suicide.
Wanna buy a plane?
Economic slowdown does not
affect student employment
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AP PHOTO
John and Marjorie Hoover of Birch Run, wait for a final customer at their booth
during a remote-control vehicle swap meet Sunday at Baker College in Flint.
Detroit football coach
suspended for htting
players with paddle
By Shannon Pettyplece
For the Dal
Anincrease in Michigan's unemploy-
ment rate should not directly affect the
12,000 University students who rely
upon work-study programs and part
time jobs to fund their educations.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported a 2 percent increase in the
United States unemployment rates in
January a significant increase in
comparison to previous months.
Vickie Crupper, assistant director of
the Office of Financial Aid, said there
are many opportunities for students to
receive assistance if they or their fami-
lies are incapable of finding employ-
ment.
"When family financial circum-
stances change, students need to come
to the financial aid office to review
their situations. We can't help the stu-
dent if we never know there is a prob-
lem," she said.
Crupper also said students currently
receiving aid should not be concerned
about the future continuation of their
aid packages due to any possible short-
age of funds.
"It is possible that aid reductions
could occur only after the University
exhausted all other possible resources.
We don't anticipate tliat this would
ever happen," she said.
Currently the employment opportu-
nities on campus are abundant.
According to the Office of Financial
Aid there are five jobs for every one
student.
Jason Gmirck, an Engineering
junior who has been employed at the
South Quad Residence Hall front desk
for two years, views his current job as
essential for funding his extracurricu-
lar life.
"My income mainly goes towards
extra stuff," said Gmirck. "Most of
my money for school comes from my
parents and what ever I earn over the
summer.
Megan Spangler, South Quad office
coordinator, said she does not feel stu-
dents currently employed by the resi-
dence halls have reason to worry.
"We are given a budget for opera-
tion which includes staff coverage....
If we need to cut back it will be from
things around the office not employ-
ees," she said.
Spangler said students employed by
University residence halls have even
seen a pay increase within the past
year.
As for graduating seniors who will
be seeking jobs outside the University
community, the job market may have a
different perspective.
According to statistics released by
the Bureau of' Labor Statistics, the
unemployment rate has drastically
increased in manufacturing industries
such as the automotive, metal, rubber.
plastic and lumber industries.
But, employment has improved or
remained consistent in retail trade,
finance, insurance and real estate.
The University Career Planning and
Placement Center did not see a
decrease in employer recruitment dur-
ing the fall semester.
"Job fairs during fall semester had
been very active and are still booming,
they have shown strong turn-outs both
by students and employers" said Terri
Lamarco, associate director of
employment recruiting at CP&P.
Lamarco said it will be a matter of
time before employment results can be
seen objectively.
"The economic down turn may just
be cautiousness of employers," she
said.
"We can't help the student if we never
know there is a problem."
- Vickie Crupper
Assistant director, Office of Financial Aid
M
4
DETROIT (AP) A high school
football coach accused of hitting a 15-
year-old player with a wooden paddle
because the player received poor
grades was suspended yesterday, a
school spokesman said.
Freshman Omi Judkins accused
Detroit Murray-Wright coach and his-
tory teacher Joel Blankenship of hit-
ting him and other players. Police and
school officials are investigating the
claims.
Officials at Murray-Wright did not
return calls yesterday and Blankenship
could not be reached at home.
"The policy is not to discuss person-
nel matters. This one is particularly
sensitive, especially in light of the pos-
sible litigation involved," Detroit Pub-
lic Schools spokesman Stan Childress
said. lie added that Blankenship has
been placed on administrative leave
with pay pending the outcome of the
investigation.
Blankenship played football at Mur-
ray-Wright before receiving a football
scholarship to the University in 1989.
Ile told The Detroit News that his high
school coach also paddled players.
"I told (family members) I've apolo-
gized for this from day one, but they
think it's best if I don't say anything
now?" he told the paper. "... You have
no idea how painful this is to me."
Blankenship became head football
coach at Murray-Wright seven years
ago.
Judkins, a 6-foot-3, 308-pound cen-
ter who started every game for the
junior varsity squad, said he and other
players were called to bring their
report cards to Blankenship's office
after school on Jan. 22. They usually
had weight training for two hours after
school every day.
Blankenship separated the report
cards into "good" and "bad" piles.
Judkins said. Players were told they
would get three smacks for each D
they received and five for each F. A
school security guard was in the room
while Blankenship doled out the
whacks with a thick, wooden, 26-inch-
long paddle. Judkins said.
He said he was supposed to get
13 hits for receiving two Fs and
three Ds. but that Blankenship
stopped at 10. Judkins said he
watched about 10 other players get
the paddle, some as many as 12 or
13 times. He said the beatings last-
ed far about an hour and that play-
ers had to lean forward with their
palms flat on a table.
"It was coming with a lot of force"
Judkins said yesterday. "Ile was lectur-
ing us, telling us getting good grades
would affect us in life."
Judkins said it was known among
teammates that Blankenship and other
coaches used the paddle to try to teach
players lessons and that he previously
had received two hits for getting into
an argument with another student.
Detroit Police Sgt. Gawaine Hughes
of the department's child abuse section
said Judkin's mother, LaTanya Pruett,
filed a report on Jan. 24 but no inter-
views have been conducted yet.
"We're rigrht in the midst of the
investigation." Hughes said. "We will
interview all witnesses until we get to
the bottom and see exactly what hap-
pened."
If there is sufficient proof of wrong-
doing, the police could issue a warrant
on child abuse charges, I ughes said.
Pruett said she insisted on seeing
what was wrong when her son came
home on Jan. 22 and couldn't sit
down. Judkins said he didn't tell his
mother at first because he didn't want
to be a "snitch."
Pruett said she was horrified when
she saw the red and black marks cover-
ing Judkin's buttocks.
"I couldn't believe this was going on
in the school. How could you inflict
that much pain on someone and not
think it was damaging" she said.
She said she took Judkins to Chil-
dren's Hospital of Michigan, where a
doctor took notes and photos showing
I l-by-7-inch bruises on the boy's but-
tocks.
Pruett said she met with Blanken-
ship and other school officials, who
all apologized. But she says she
hasn't heard anything from them
since.
Correction:
The group Students Organizing for Labor and Economic Equality was misidentified on Page 7A of'yesterday's Daily.
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