LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 18, 2002 - 3A
Study finds 6 hours of sleep is sufficient
Former EPA head
to speak in A2
Carol Browner, who headed the
Environmental Protection Agency dur-
ing the Clinton Administration, will
give a speech titled "Public Health and
Environmental Protection in the 21st
Century" tomorrow.
Browner, who had the longest term
in history as an EPA administrator, cre-
ated the Brownfields program that
develops abandoned and contaminated
urban areas. The lecture is at 4 p.m. in
the Michigan League Mendelssohn
Theater. Browner will also meet with
faculty and students during her time in
Ann Arbor.
Williams lectures
before "Elijah"
performance
Before the 8 p.m. performance of
the Felix Mendelssohn oratorio "Eli-
jah" tomorrow at Hill Auditorium,
English Prof. Ralph Williams will dis-
cuss the significance of the biblical
character Elijah. The lecture will be
held at 6:30 p.m. in the Alumni Associ-
ation building, 200 Fletcher St. The
performance will feature the Universi-
ty Choir, University Symphony
Orchestra and Chamber Choir and fac-
ulty soloists from the School of Music.
Prof. to lecture
about Jerusalem
Glasgow University history Prof.
Bernard Wasserstein will discuss
"Jerusalem Divided: Religion and Poli-
tics in the Holy City," sponsored by the
University Center for Judaic Studies.
Wasserstein will speak today in the
Michigan League Vandenberg Room at
7:30 p.m.
Lecture connects
fishing, breast
cancer survivors
Fishing and flycasting can be physi-
cally and emotionally healing for sur-
vivors of breast cancer, according to
Judy McCann of Casting for Recovery.
McCann will speak about this thera-
py at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Ypsilanti
Marriott, 1275 S. Huron St., Ypsilanti.
Lecture series on
Middle East will
focus.on Islam
A discussion of "Islam: Religion and
Culture" will be held Wednesday at
7:30 p.m. in the Rudolf Steiner School,
2775 Newport Rd. The talk is part of
the "Conflict and Culture in the Middle
East and Central Asia" series.
Squitieri to speak
on international
journalism travels
USA Today journalist Tom Squitieri,
a veteran reporter who has covered
breaking news in Bosnia, Northern Ire-
land and Lebanon, will discuss his
international travels Thursday The talk
will be held'in the Michigan League
ballroom at 11:30 a.m.
Tickets, sold in advance, cost $40.
All proceeds will be put toward a Uni-
versity scholarship fund.
Mayor describes
"State of City"
Ann Arbor mayor John Hieftje will
address the "State of the City of Ann
Arbor" Thursday, sponsored by the
American Association of University
Women. It will be held at 1:30 p.m. in
the Women's City Club, 1830 Washte-
naw.
Detroit Institute
of Arts exhibit
under review
Tomorrow at noon, University dance
Prof. Peter Sparling and University of
Detroit Mercy architecture Prof. Ronit
Eisenbach will describe their contribu-
tions to the Detroit Institute of Arts
"Artists Take on Detroit" exhibit series.
The talk, titled "Detroit: Fast Forward,
Play Back," will be held in the Institute
for the Humanities Common Room,
Comerica Bldg, 350 S. Thayer.
- Compiled by Daily StaffReporter
Jordan Schrader
By Christopher Johnson
Daily Staff Reporter
Students who think their studies are depriv-
ing them of enough sleep may be comforted
to learn that infrequent visits to dreamland
may actually add a few years to their life.
A study released in February at the Univer-
sity of California at San Diego determined
that those who sleep for less than the conven-
tional eight hours each night may live longer
than those who sleep more.
Based on a 1982 American Cancer Society
questionnaire that asked 1.1 million partici-
pants from ages 30 to 102 about their sleep
patterns and frequency of insomnia, the study
found that those who slept for about eight
hours per night were 12 percent more likely
to die within the next six years than those
who slept for six to seven hours per night.
The risk of death for those who reported
more than 8.5 hours or less than 4.5 hours of
sleep per night increased to 15 percent.
"The study shows that if a person feels well
rested after five, six or seven hours sleep,
there is no medical need to sleep longer," the
author of the study Daniel Kripke said.
Despite the results of the study, some local
neurologists did not alter their view that more
sleep will provide better health.
"The majority of the population needs eight
hours of sleep ... (but) school-age or
teenagers may need nine to 10 hours," Flavia
Consens, a clinical assistant professor at the
University Medical School, said.
"The study is sending a wrong message,"
Marco Dotti, a fellow at the Medical School's
Sleep Disorder Center, said.
"We recommend in general seven or eight
(hours of sleep) a night. There is strictly a
minority who need six hours of sleep," Dotti
said. "The thing is feeling refreshed and
being able to function well."
Kripke asserted the researchers made pro-
visions in the study for many variables.
"The study was controlled for race, gender
and exercise," he said.
"The data are very similar for men and
women. We did not measure stress directly,
but we did control for whether or not people
said they were upset," Kripke added.
Heart disease and cancer were the main
"The data are very similar for men and women.
We did not measure stress directly, but we did
control for whether or not people said they were
upset. "
- Daniel Kripke
Author of the study
causes of death for those who died within six
years after the survey.
Kripke maintained the results of the
research leave many questions about the con-
nection between sleep patterns and mortality.
"This study did not examine sleep depriva-
tion of acute sleep loss. ... Future controlled
trials are needed to see if any sleeping pills
are safe and effective for long-term use and to
see if voluntarily restricting sleep prolongs
life," Kripke said.
Some undergraduate students on campus
are skeptical of the study's merit and its find-
ings and do not plan to adjust their sleep pat-
terns.
"I think I feel healthier when I get more
sleep. I don't know if that's going to cause my
death or not," LSA freshman Marisa
Rommeney, said.
"I think you ... feel a lot better if you. get
eight full hours of sleep a night," Engineering
junior Michael Killingsworth said.
"I'd like to known how much longer ... my
life would be shortened if I got eight hours of
sleep," LSA freshman Jason Brown said. "If
we're talking about a month or a year I don't
think I'd really care about it if I can function
better during the day."
Electronic spin
Six professors awarded
Thurnau professorship
By Mica Doctoroff
For the Daily
Recognized for their outstanding teaching
accomplishments, six University professors were
named to the Arthur E Thurnau Professorship at the
University Board of Regents meeting last Thursday.
Those honored were Annette LeCuyer,
associate professor of architecture; Edward
Parmentier, professor of music; Kenneth Pow-
ell, professor of aerospace engineering; Paul
Rasmussen, professor of chemistry and pro-
fessor of macromolecular science and engi-
neering; Robert Sharf, associate professor of
Buddhist studies; and Elliot Soloway, profes-
sor of electrical engineering and computer
science, professor of education and professor
of information.
"I'm delighted and obviously very honored.
The professorship reflects a commitment to
undergraduate education and that is something
I am obviously very committed to and plan to
continue," LeCuyer said.
Established by Thurnau, a University student
from 1902-1904, the professorship is awarded
annually to five or six tenured professors who
have "demonstrated a clear dedication to the
quality of undergraduate education," said inter-
im Provost Paul Courant.
Courant was named a Thurnau Professor in 1996.
All Thurnau Professors receive a $20,000 grans
to fund materials and activities that will enhance
their teaching.
Thurnau wanted to give back to the University in
recognition of the education he received here and
consequently set up the professorship through the
Thurnau Charitable Trust recognized in his will.
Faculty members are nominated for the profes-
sorship by deans and department heads of academic
units with undergraduate classes.
As requested in a letter from the University
provost, the deans and department heads are
required to submit a letter of nomination
describing the achievements of the nominee, a
letter of recommendation from the relevant
dean and a copy of the nominee's current cur-
riculum vitae.
The nominations are reviewed by a commit-
tee of faculty members who then send a list of
recommended professors to the provost who
makes the final decision.
"I think (the professorship is) terrific," Courant
said. "It gives us an opportunity to recognize ow
best teachers in undergraduate education."
According to Courant, Thurnau Professors excel
in the areas such as classroom work, curriculum
design and improvement and working with students
in non-classroom situations such as the Undergrad-
uate Research Opportunity Program.
JOHN PRATT/Daily
Richie Hawtln, a Detroit techno D1, explains his electronic music-making methods last night at the
Media Union on North Campus.
Fewer donate blood
at 'U' since Sept 11
By Leslie Ward
For the Daily
Stickers that read "Be nice to me, I
gave blood today" are less visible this
semester as fewer people are donating
blood during Alpha Phi Omega's annual
winter blood drive which began last
Monday and ends Wednesday.
While the winter blood drive, spon-
sored by the service fraternity and the
American Red Cross, usually has a
lower turnout than the annual Fall Term
Blood Battle, this year's figures are par-
ticularly low.
"Turnout has been really bad this
week," Mike Thompson, APO member
and co-chair of the drive, said. "We're
lower on both volunteers and especially
donors. I just don't know what to make
of it."
APO's goal for this drive is to receive
between 80 and 85 pints of blood per
day.
But event co-chair Nancy Short
said they have fallen well short of
that for the first few donation dates.
Donations from the first three days
totaled 100 pints.
Numbers are especially low in com-
parison to last semester's Blood Battle,
in which University blood donors battled
Ohio State University donors for the
most pints of blood.
This year's Blood Battle boasted
increased numbers due to greater aware-
ness of the need for blood after the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks.
Pam Redding-Smith, the director
of public support for the Washtenaw
branch of the Red Cross, said 36
percent of people donating after
Sept. 11 were first-time donors,
Blood Drive donation
locations
SIToday. Pierpont Commrons, 11= 5
p.m.
A Tomorrow: Stockwell Residence
-lMl, 2- 8 p.m.
1Wednesday: Mosher-Jordan Resi-
denee H al 2-8 p.m.
many of whom may not be return-
ing to give a second time.
"People don't realize the significant
need for blood now," Short said. "People
realize it in times of tragedy, but blood is
always needed - there's no substitute
for blood."
Members of APO believe that a lack
of advertising and the loss of competi-
tion with Ohio State have also been fac-
tors in the drop in donors. APO began
trying to increase awareness Friday of
blood drive locations.
"I think (donating) was a fad after
Sept. 11," RC freshman Karenanna
Crees said.
"They have to publicize it like they
did then," she added.
Publicity is especially important when
many students donate at the spur of the
moment because they see a sign adver-
tising the event.
"I've always wanted to give," said RC
freshman Fayrouz Saad, who donated
blood for the first time. "The sign said
blood was 'urgently needed,' so I just
decided to come. It's a good thing to
do."
Rackham student Scott Colcord
added, "When I run across a sign I tend
to go, so it's a question of having to run
across a sign."
The School of Natural Resources and Environment
and the SNRE/LSA Program in the Environment
present
Carol . Browner
"Public Health and Environmental Protection
in the 21st Century"
.. Tuesday, February 19th at 4:00 p.m.
THE CALENDAR
What's happening in Ann Arbor todayj
EVENTS
B Lecture by Architect
Craig Dykers; Sponsored
by the Taubman College
of Architecture and
Window on WTO Acces-
sion"; Sponsored by the
Center for International
and Comparative Law,
3:40 - 5:40 p.m., 116
Hutchins Hall, Law
All invited to join this
local chapter of the Soci-
ety for Creative Anachro-
nism to work on
re-creating different
aspects of medieval cul-
SERVICES
Campus information
Centers, 764-INFO,
info@umich. edu, or
www.umich.edu/-info
S.A.F.E. Walk, 763-WALK,
Call 24 hours a day.