IN BRIEF EMU conference addresses gender, race, militarization An all-day conference about gen der, race and militarization will take place in the EMU today. A panel discussion, “Contesting Militarization: Global Perspectives,” begins at 10 a.m. in the Fir Room and features Lakshmi Chaudhry, Lamia Karim and Gwyn Kirk. Chaudhry is a magazine contributor and co-editor of “Start Making Sense: Timing the Les son of Election 2004 into Winning Progressive Politics.” Karim is an as sistant professor of anthropology at the University. Kirk is co-author of “Greenham Women Everywhere: Dreams, Ideas and Actions from the Women’s Peace Movement.” A series of roundtable discussions begins at 12:30 p.m. “Military Recruit ment and Counter-Recruitment” takes places the Oak Room, “Militarization in the Classroom” is in the Walnut Room, “Echoes from Latin America” is in the Maple Room and “Moral Vacu ums: The Soldier-Citizen and the State” takes place in the Fir Room. At 2 p.m. a panel discussion titled “Homefronts and Homefires” takes place in the Fir Room and features Brown University professor Catherine Lutz, author Karen Houppert and University assistant professor of phi losophy Bonnie Mann. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., was scheduled to deliver the keynote ad dress but canceled Thursday because of congressional obligations. The conference is sponsored by the University’s Center for the Study of Women in Society. —Meghann M. Cuniff The Science Factory holds Halloween Extravaganza Science lovers can indulge in Halloween festivities tonight at The Science Factory’s Halloween Extravaganza. The Science Factory, which is lo cated south of Autzen Stadium, will hold its third-annual Halloween Ex travaganza from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.. The event will feature a costume contest, planetarium show, spooky storytelling, haunted corridor and a pumpkin catapult. A “Mad Scientist’s Lab” will invite participants to experiment with lasers, light and chemical concoc tions, according to a press release. “Kids will be able to get their hands on science,” said Tfacey Ed mundson, director of education for The Science Factory. Bouncing balls and glow-in-the dark stickers will be given to those who arrive in costume, Edmundson said. Admission to the event is $10 for a family of four Science Factory mem bers and $12 for a family of non members. The cost is $4 per person. No candy will be at event, Ed mundson said. “Being a science museum, we wanted to be tooth-friendly,” she said. — Katy Gagnon Student Senate seeks to decrease textbook prices The Student Senate unanimously voted Wednesday to support the na tional Affordable Textbooks Campaign that starts Thursday on campus. Oregon Student Public Interest Re search Group intern Jenny Manning asked the Senate to pass a resolution in support of the campaign. Senators questioned the validity of the statistics cited in the resolution, but were swayed in favor after Brett Rowlett, a campus organizer for the Oregon Student Association and the ASUO, and several other students praised the campaign. According to a Government Ac counting Office report, textbook prices are increasing 6 percent per year and have tripled from December 1986 to December 2004, more than twice the rate of inflation. The Affordable Textbook? Cam paign resolution will be sent to publishers, media and possibly even University President Dave Frohn mayer asking to improve the indus try by dropping textbooks prices, thus making college more afford able, Manning said. Student Senate also distributed more than $1,500 to pay for MEChA’s Dia de los Muertos event, two new computers for the Student Insurgent, a new stipend position in the Athletic Department Finance Committee and an International Student Association Halloween carnival scheduled for Sat urday in the Earl Complex. Senate also approved the ASUO Ex ecutive’s appointee to the elections co ordinator position, Ryan Coussens. The Executive announced its intent to fill the seat of former Senator Rob Craig, who resigned Sept. 28. Student Senate is still looking for ap plicants to fill three empty seats. Inter ested students can pick up applications in the ASUO office, EMU Suite 4. — Nicholas Wilbur [ now hiring advertising executives ] Get sales, advertising and media planning experience. Earn unlimited commission. Set your own hours. Contact Advertising Director Melissa Gust at 346-3712 or at ads@daily emerald.com for more information. Deadline to apply is Friday, November 4. Oregon Daily Emerald The independent campus newspaper for the University of Oregon