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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2000)
An independent newspaper A welcome addition * Swedish cross country runner Hanna Smedstad’s many travels have led her to Eugene. PAGE 7 Our house is your house All students are welcome at the Multicultural Center Open House on Oct. 6. PAGE 5A www.dailyemerald.com Thursday October 5,2000 Volume 102, Issue 26 Weather today SUNNY high 70, low 41 Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon , ...... . ErinSwanson-DaviesEmeraiu First-term students in Human Anatomy classes are learning about bones and the muscle structure of the human body before they move on to the more hands-on experience of studying cadavers in the spring. Anatomy students get hands-on vvim bLdipeib at the ready, undergradua tes in Human Anatomy 1 prepare for autopsies on real cadavers later in the year ay Lisa lotn Oregon Daily Emerald This isn’t an ordinary room - — it’s full of dead bodies. You’re instantly aware of the odor emanating from the tissue fluids keeping the bodies moist — masking the more powerful stench of other fluids that leak from the corpses during dissec tion. Human bones cover the tables while charts of body systems and skeletons line the walls. Human Anatomy 1, taught by orthopedic surgeon and in structor Dr. Gregory Strum, is offered this term to undergradu ate students through the exer cise and movement science de partment. Strum’s class offers students a chance to learn about the structure and function of the human body with some real teaching aids. While the students won’t dis sect the bodies this term, they will observe their laboratory teaching assistants in the process of examining the struc tures of the cadavers. By the spring, Strum will teach and supervise them as they pick up the scalpel themselves. Strum said the cotirse Jis chal lenging because thei students have to identify the many hu man structures and systems for the midterm and final. “It’s like learning a foreign language,” Strum said. “What I Turn to Cadavers, page 3A Abortion foes find pill hard to swallow ■ Is mifeprestone (RU 486) a blessing or a curse? Strong emotion has risen since the FDA’s approval of the controversial abortion pill By Rebecca Newell Oregon Daily Emerald Women’s rights advocates hail Sept. 28 as the day women’s reproductive rights took another giant step. On that day, one of America’s most de bated issues was thrust onto the private citizen when the Food and Drug Admin istration approved the controversial pill mifeprestone, known as RU 486. Now physicians, as well as abortion providers, can offer patients abortions. The pill, a two-step process, is prima rily administered in a doctor’s office and is followed with a second dose taken at home. The risk of using the pill is signif icantly less than that of surgical abor tion, with less chance of infection or damage to the uterus, and is six times less hazardous than carrying a child to term, according to recent studies. Marie Harvey, professor of public health and director of research for the Center for Study of Women in Society, said studies show that women want an other option. “[RU 486] allows women to have an abortion in the privacy of their own doc tor’s office, rather than at a clinic,” Har vey said. “Clinics are targeted by pro-lif ers. At a doctor’s office, people don’t know you’re going there for an abortion.” However, the reality of widespread availability of the pill will not be achieved overnight. It will be up to in dividual practices and medical service Turn to Abortion, page 6A CC Clin ics are targeted by pro-lif ers. At a doctor's of fice, people don't know that you're going there for an abor tion. Marie Harvey director of re search Center for Study of Women in Society I he disease ot mathphobia has a number of cures Mathematics is one of the University’s most intimidating subjects, but it doesn’t have to be By Brooke Ross Oregon Daily Emerald The thought of scientific calculators and linear equations causes many stu dents to flee in terror. Those who suffer from math anxiety often let their insecu rities hold them back, but there are a number of resources to help students make it through the academic adventure awaiting them at Deady Hall. “Every field has its own disease,” said Richard Koch, director of undergradu ate studies for the University math de partment. “Unfortunately, math’s dis ease is that some students end up feeling like idiots.” Students tend to feel anxious about math for different reasons. Anna Seeley, a sophomore majoring in pre-journal ism, said math intimidates her. “There’s a large margin of error and a big chance for you to screw up,” she said. “There are a million and one steps you have to do to get to the end of the problem. It’s scary.” Whether it’s due to fear or insecurity, mathematics tends to be low on the list of students’ favorite classes. For some students, high school math did not ade quately prepare them for higher educa tion. Others often feel behind their peers in class and choose not to ask a question for fear of looking less intelligent. “Someone can be good at math in high school, but it gets harder later and that’s natural. Everyone has to spend more time on it,” said Marie Vitulli, a Univer sity math professor. Students devote a lot of study time to math classes. Doug Hintz, a math spe cialist at Academic Learning Services, said there are more students who come to the center’s math lab for tutoring than its writing lab. Students in lower-level classes usually need more help. “The class sizes are large, and that can be intimidating to a student,” Hintz said. Some classes that commonly give stu dents trouble include Math 95, Math Turn to Math, page 4A Professor Marie Vitulli, an enemy of mathphobia, speaks to her Abstract Algebra class.
