The Week in Brief

Diabetes prevention in black women studied

According to the study, led by nursing school Associate Professor Gail D'Eramus Melkus, people of African descent, especially women, are more susceptible to Type 2 diabetes, which develops later in life. One in four African-Americans over the age of 55 suffer from the disease.

Melkus's study indicates that teaching black women to eat a healthier diet, exercise more frequently, and learn more about prevention strategies will avert the disease before it can enter its more serious phase. Personal health care had historically been a neglected priority for the participants in the study group. Melkus explained that she went to great lengths to provide comprehensive care for the women in the study.

--Melissa DePetris

Students discuss Yale's diversity at forum

Co-sponsored by Type magazine and the Student Coalition for Diversity (SCD), the discussion centered on the class issues sometimes overlooked by the Yale community. "Yale is a lot closer to achieving race diversity than class diversity. You don't hear about many students who fall within the $30,000 income range," Simon Rodberg, DC '00, said.

Students participating in the discussion were split over whether they felt closer ties to others with similar cultural backgrounds or similar economic backgrounds. Chicano student Esak Garcia, SY '00, recounted how growing up in a lower middle class household affected his outlook. Garcia said that he related better to students who espoused values similar to those of his background. "The people who I am closest to are those who think in the same way I do and understand where I'm coming from," he said.

--Liz Oliner

Officer in Jones case wins award for service

Flodquist maintained that he killed Jones in self-defense. Officials are still inves-tigating whether Flodquist, a white man, acted appropriately when he shot Jones, a black man.

MALIK, an organization formed in response to Jones's death, staunchly denounced Flodquist's recent honors. Nonetheless, Police Chief Leonard L. Gallo said in a statement on Wed., Sept. 30, "For the three months Officer Flodquist has been under my command, he's been a very competent, upbeat and positive worker."

--Matthew Murchison

Universities reflect on freshman's death

A Massachusetts grand jury indicted MIT's Phi Gamma Delta chapter on charges of manslaughter and hazing. Since Krueger's death, universities such as Yale have increased attempts to educate students about the dangers of binge drinking.

Assistant Yale College Dean Edgar Letriz-Núñez, who coordinates the campus activities of sororities and fraternities, said, "Our response [to Krueger's and other deaths] has been one of trying to coordinate programming to educate students. We provide discussions on alcohol for all incoming students and train the freshman counselors to handle situations in which a student's health is at risk." Letriz-Nuñez added that it would be unfair to target only fraternities for binge drinking.

--Melissa Barton

Sixty candles for St. Thomas More chapel

A symposium on Catholicism and intellectual life will take place on Sat., Oct. 3. Political science Professor Bruce Russett said that he planned to talk about the impact of the 1983 Pastoral Letter of the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Conference on international peace and justice, which he helped to write. Divinity school Professor Harold Attridge, another panelist, has observed a shift in religious activity at Yale. "The variation in intensity has been here for a long time; the extreme diversity is a hallmark of our own time," Attridge said.

Yale alumni in attendance for the events include Sargent Robert Shriver, Jr.,

PC '38, LAW '41, William F. Buckley, Jr., DC '50, and former Law School Dean Guido Calabresi, TD '53, LAW '58.

Catholics account for nearly one-fourth of the Yale student body. "More House is a very safe and sacred place where the intellect and spirit can meet," Sister Jo-Ann Veillette said.

--Sangeetha Ramaswamy

Back to News...