Notebook

Academicians who believe that the way to start the day off right is sitting down with a newspaper and a cup of coffee might want to avoid a new publication by the American Association of University Professors until the afternoon. The College and University Fiscal Crisis Update, which debuted in January, is filled with the latest in bad budget news from campuses around the United States, and is punctuated by comprehensive national lists of funding and job cutback statistics. Highlights (or lowlights) of the January issue include reports that Louisiana has been forced to shave $45 million in state funding from its colleges and universities; the University of Wisconsin system's $10.2 million budget reduction will necessitate hiring freezes, elimination of some classes, and student support services cuts; and Florida State University is experiencing a "brain drain," caused by $18.9 million in cuts over the past two years. For more information about the AAUP newsletter, contact Iris Molotsky at (202) 737-5900, Ext. 3009. In 1962, zoologist Rachel Carson published Silent Spring, which spawned, many believe, the environmental movement as it's known today. One of the first two women ever hired by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Carson, fighting cancer herself, took on the chemical companies, the Department of Agriculture, and agribusiness by exposing in the book the dangers of DDT and other pesticides and herbicides to the environment. She died April 14, 1964, and as part of its "The American Experience" series, PBS examines the impact of Carson's book and her struggle. Included in the show will be readings from the book by actress Meryl Streep and interviews with foes and friends, including then- Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall, one of the early champions of her controversial work. Check local listings for broadcast and possible rebroadcast times. The National Safety Council's First Aid Institute has developed a Bloodborne Pathogens Training Program to ensure the safety of employees who may be exposed to HIV or hepatitis B infection. Included on the list of occupations considered at risk are workers at clinical and diagnostic labs. The program, which can be taught by noncertified instructors, satisfies OSHA guidelines. An instructor training package, which includes a manual, slides, and a video, enables employers to train staff on-site. For more information, call Bill Markowski, technical marketing specialist, National Safety Council, (708) 775-2105. The bowl season didn't entirely end last month. The third annual National Science Bowl will be held April 18-19 in Washington, D.C. Teams of high school students from all 50 states--more than 15,000--are expected to participate in the academic competition, aimed at heightening interest in mathematics, engineering, technology, and science. Regional competitions will produce the 44 teams that will qualify for the national finals in Washington. Cosponsored by the Department of Energy and Cray Research Foundation in Washington, prizes will include international and domestic science trips, computer hardware and software, teacher scholarships, and linkup to the National Education Supercomputer, located at DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif. For information, contact the National Science Bowl Coordinator, Office of University and Science Education, DOE, Washington, D.C. 20585; (202) 586-8949. The National Center for Atmospheric Research offers a library of videos, color slides, black-and-white photos, transparencies, and computer simulation prints on weather, climate change, and related topics. The visual aids can be used to enhance presentations, articles, and classroom lectures. For a free catalog or more information, contact NCAR Information Services, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, Colo. 80307-3000; (303) 497-8600 or (303) 497-8606. Competition for the 1994-1995 Fulbright Scholar Awards for U.S. faculty and professionals begins March 1. Some 1,000 grants will be awarded for research, research and lecturing, or university lecturing in nearly 135 countries. Specific openings exist in a wide range of the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts. Eligibility requirements are U.S. citizenship and a Ph.D. or comparable professional qualifications. University or college teaching experience is expected for lecturing awards. The deadline for applications is August 1. For application materials and information, contact the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 3007 Tilden St., N.W., Suite 5M, Box NEWS, Washington, D.C. 20008-3009; (202) 686-7877. While the price of all things medical seems to be going up, the cost to subscribers of the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE and other NLM online databases have gone down as much as 40 percent. Beginning in January, the price of access to most of the databases was reduced from the approximately $30 per hour of connect time to about $18 for most subscribers. High-volume users, such as hospitals and academic centers, will also have a new discount plan available to them. Commercial database vendors whose systems supply compact disk products containing MEDLINE data will pay for the cost of reproducing and handling database tapes, but will no longer have to pay user fees. For information and a price schedule, contact the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda

Notebook

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