Arts Major Ranks Steadily Increasing

According to data compiled by the Art and Science Group, there was a 44-percent increase between 1996 and 2005 in the number of high school seniors who said that they planned to major in a visual or performing art.

With this increased interest, plus the students who want to study but not major in the arts, some administrators say that they’re feeling a lot more burden when it comes to promoting artistic creativity, according to Shirley M. Tilghman, the president of Princeton University. Along with Princeton, many universities have been offering more art programs in an effort to keep up with student interest.

While students continue to demonstrate an affinity for the arts, other majors have showed a decline in interest, with the ASG findings also indicating that the percentage of students who planned to major in social sciences and history decreased in the same time period by 15 percent.

Breastfed Babies Breathe Better

Babies who are breastfed for a full six months are far less likely to develop respiratory ailments than babies who nurse fully for only four months, according to the results of a new UC Davis study.

The study revealed that infants who breastfeed for six months are four times less likely to contract pneumonia, half as likely to experience recurrent ear infections and are also less prone to contracting gastrointestinal infections.

Published in the February issue of medical journal Pediatrics, the results add to a bevy of research supporting the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation that breastfeeding should be the exclusive method of feeding children under six months of age.

Ceremony Marks Black History Month

Dances, poetry, speeches and songs marked the beginning of UCSD’s observation of Black History Month in an hour-long program held in Price Center last week.

Students sang the black national anthem and a stomping team from San Diego’s Fulton Elementary School performed for the audience. UCSD’s Black History Month calendar includes an appearance by civil rights activist Angela Davis, an exhibit about entertainer Josephine Baker and a scholarship brunch featuring actress Holly Robinson Peete.