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All eight Thurgood Marshall College Student Council candidates on the Nexus slate were disqualified Wednesday from the Marshall College Student Council and A.S. elections for violating of posting and solicitation policies. A.S. junior senator candidate Amy Eisel, TMCSC chair candidate Adam Lawrence Sherry, vice chair candidate Brent Nibecker, director of finance candidate Mike Afshar, director of communications candidate Michael Scarpelli, director of public relations candidate Steven Vu, and student at large candidates Jenifer Crawford and Jane Coffee were the students disqualified from this week’s elections. Marshall college director of programming candidate Jennifer Kim had already withdrawn her candidacy when allegations were made. The disqualification leaves all TMCSC position candidates running unopposed. The Thurgood Marshall College Rules/Elections Committee met April 10 to hand down the decision. Five of the seven members of the rules committee eligible to vote on the issue were present. The rules committee found the Nexus slate guilty of 67 posting policy violations. The posting violations, considered to be the first violation, were reported April 4 by Assistant Residence Dean Mitchelle Greenlee, who lives on campus. Members of the slate were found guilty of posting more than 10 fliers, a violation of the Marshall college constitution. They were also found guilty of posting fliers in locations not approved for posting. Additionally, they were found guilty of posting fliers with Residential Life stamps photocopied, another violation of posting policy. The Marshall college constitution states, “”Upon the second violation for a [slate] decided by the rules committee, the candidate is disqualified.”” The second violation was brought to the attention of the rules committee Monday, also by Greenlee. The Nexus slate was also accused of “”dorm storming,”” which is distributing material and campaigning in the residence halls and on-campus apartments. Members of the Nexus slate said they placed printed materials on doorsteps of the Marshall Upper apartments and that they visited the suites of people they knew in the residence halls. “”We didn’t actually go in and talk to anyone we didn’t know,”” Scarpelli said. “”If we had known dorm storming was blatantly illegal, we wouldn’t have done it.”” Sherry also said that the slate members didn’t know that what they were doing was wrong. “”We explained clearly [to the rules committee] that we didn’t know that it was against policy,”” she said. Since the slate was found in violation of these rules, the case was taken to the rules committee by Marshall College Elections Manager Tricia Piers. “”As soon as it was determined that they had committed in excess of two violations, they were disqualified in accordance to the constitution,”” she said. The eight candidates found guilty of the violations were each sentenced to 15 hours of community service and an ethics workshop by Marshall College Dean Ashanti Houston Hands. Members of the Nexus slate said they dispute the decision of the rules committee because two nonvoting members, TMCSC Chair Emiko Burchill and TMCSC Rules Committee Chair Michelle Law, had approached Nibecker April 6 about literature the slate posted legally. These members approached the slate for their own personal reasons, Piers said. “”In [Burchill and Law’s] opinions, some of the material posted on the Nexus fliers was slanderous to current committee members,”” Piers said. Members of the slate felt that their presence at the meeting was a conflict of interest. “”In general, Marshall Council had expressed discontent about our campaign and the way that we called them into question,”” Nibecker said. “”It’s like having the victim of attack be the judge and jury.”” Piers said she disagreed that this was a factor in the decision. “”The meeting we had was 100 percent unbiased, and the decision [the committee] made was strictly based on the constitution,”” she said. In addition, Marshall College Residence Life policies do not fall directly in line with the elections policies of the A.S. Council. The candidates were given copies of both sets of rules. “”There was a lot of confusion over when you follow A.S.’s rules and when you follow Marshall’s,”” Scarpelli said. Piers said she regrets the timing of the rule discrepancy. “”I don’t know how many years these sets of rules have existed, contradicting each other,”” Piers said. “”It’s unfortunate that this had to come up during election week. We had to make do with two sets of rules.”” Allegations of policy violation were also brought against the Marshall Posse, the other Marshall college slate whose candidates are now all running unopposed. Members of the Nexus slate and another student accused the Marshall Posse of five posting violations, Piers said. Four of the accusations were declared invalid by the rules committee. Another allegation that the Marshall Posse used a photocopied stamp was heard by the committee. The Marshall Posse slate was found innocent of any violation. “”For various reasons, there was not enough evidence linking Marshall Posse to the violation,”” Piers said. The Nexus slate members appealed the decision to A.S. Elections Manager Vince Vasquez and to Piers. Vasquez said he had no jurisdiction over the issue. “”They appealed to me, asking that we look again at the allegations against the Marshall Posse,”” Piers said. “”However, the rules committee’s decision is final.”” The members of the Nexus slate are not happy with this. “”This college is so hyped up on diversity, and they went to great lengths to deny students diversity of choice in this election,”” Sherry said. ...

The candidates for A.S. president met Thursday night for the A.S. Council Presidential Candidates’ Debate, co-sponsored by the Toastmasters and the UCSD Speech and Debate Team. Earlier in the week, the A.S. Council conducted its own presidential debates during the day at Price Center. According to the UCSD Speech and Debate Team President Brandy Brickey, each organization wanted a separate presidential debate as an alternative to the annual debate that the A.S. Council conducts. “”We tried to focus [the questions] more from a student org. perspective,”” Brickey said. “”All the candidates were willing to participate and were very responsive.”” After being introduced by Brickey, each candidate presented an opening statement. Marshall senior and member of the UCSD Speech and Debate Team, Santosh Narayan, served as the moderator. Narayan asked each candidate a total of 15 questions. Each candidate was given one minute to answer each question. Topics ranged from general, such as what candidates believe they can offer to the UCSD community, to specific, like their personal thoughts on the proposed campus life fee referendum. The five candidates were Jennifer Christine Villanueva Ganata, John Bwarie, Ali Yazdi, Jeff Dodge and Noah Levin. During the debate, all the candidates had an opportunities to introduce themselves and express their stances on issues. Ganata, a Marshall sophomore who is running without a slate, said her campaign does not make big promises, but instead focuses on individual student needs. She went on to say that even though she lacks A.S. Council experience, she has been involved with other organizations such as the Student Affirmative Action Coalition, the Asian and Pacific-Islander Student Alliance, the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan and the African American Student Union. Ganata described how she distinguishes herself from the other candidates. “”I’m a woman of color, which I think makes a big statement,”” Ganata said. “”Even though there have been past female presidents, I hope to represent those students who are underrepresented.”” Bwarie, a Marshall junior is also running without a slate. He served on Marshall College Council his freshman year and is an outreach coordinator this year at the Preuss School. Bwarie said he is running as a true leader and is a candidate for the people. Being a commuter has made Bwarie willing to get more involved on campus, he said. “”I’m very energetic with people and I’m always trying to find out what’s going on on campus,”” Bwarie said. “”I want to be visible and represent people and communicate with the administration on a mature level.”” Yazdi, a Revelle senior and candidate on the One slate, said he wants to listen to students. According to Yazdi, one of his main goals is to improve the quality of student life on campus. For two years, Yazdi served as ex-officio on the A.S. Council and is currently a senior senator for Revelle. Yazdi said he has tangible goals such as increasing campus safety by adding more call-boxes on campus, supporting bigger and better student events, and supplementing support for UCSD athletics with a Triton Pride Booster Club. “”Last year I ran for A.S. President,”” Yazdi said. “”I don’t think A.S. is something you can get involved [with] any time. You need to know a lot about the campus.”” Dodge is a Marshall junior running as a member of the Unity slate. He has served on over 10 all-campus committees including the Academic Senate and Student Affairs and Business Relations. This year he serves as A.S. vice president internal. Dodge said he hopes to increase access to the A.S. Council for all UCSD students and to end the “”bureaucratic shadiness”” of the A.S. Council. He said his extended experience with the council distinguishes him from the other candidates. “”Ideas are only good if you have experience and know-how to follow through with them,”” Dodge said. “”I have a firm commitment to do things and am extremely passionate about representing student interests at all times.”” Levin, a Muir junior running independently, said he wants students to be interested in UCSD and show what it has to offer. According to Levin, he would like the over 300 organizations on campus to actively recruit more students. This year, Levin has served on the Muir College Council. “”I see a lot of students and I make an effort to talk to them,”” Levin said. ...

The A.S. Elections Board of Inquiry ruled unanimously Friday that Jeff Dodge and the Unity slate were guilty of posting violations in their campaign for the 2001 A.S. Council election. Three members of the One slate filed formal complaints with the elections committee against the 22-member Unity slate for violating this year’s posting policies. Unity was found guilty of posting signs over five feet in length and hanging banners on the Gilman Drive and Veterans Affairs Hospital bridges that were made of paper, rather than cloth as is mandated in A.S. bylaws. Against committee chair Vince Vasquez’s recommendation, the One slate requested a formal hearing. The hearing was held at 10:20 p.m. Thursday in the Student Leadership Chambers. The committee ruled that the Unity slate must write a formal apology to those filing the violations and all other candidates affected by the violations. Also, as reparations for the extra publicity provided by the posting violations, the Unity slate was limited to 13 posters in and on the Price Center from noon. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. Monday. This number includes slate and candidate postings. The conditions surrounding the correction of the violation were in question at the hearing Thursday night. “”Most of the problem I had was that the violations weren’t corrected in a timely manner,”” said One presidential candidate Ali Yazdi, one of the slate members who filed a violation. “”There was over a 30-hour period in which they could have taken down the posters,”” said One vice president internal candidate Shana Thakur. The Unity slate cited busy schedules, trouble locating proper supplies and difficulty mobilizing the 22 members as reasons for the delayed reaction. “”It was just a delayed-time reaction, there was no malicious intent,”” said Dodge, Unity’s presidential candidate. The Unity slate admitted guilt at the hearing to the posting violations. Slate members had received an outdated copy of A.S. posting policies, which they blamed for their violations. Upon notification of the error, Dodge said he was not able to immediately attend to the posters. “”When these violations were brought to my attention, it was 8:30 a.m. on Monday, and I was in bed,”” Dodge said. He said he had classes all day that day, and he met with his slate that night to discuss the poster size problems The bridge posters were fixed Monday afternoon. The Gilman Drive bridge signs were removed and the VA Hospital bridge sign was attached to cloth and tied up with string. The oversized posters in the Price Center were cut down Tuesday by Vasquez. “”The average height of the ones I cut down was six feet or in excess of that,”” Vasquez said at the hearing. The One slate requested the hearing because of the publicity allotted to the Unity slate resulting from their oversized signs. Unity slate members admitted Thursday night that they erred in their delay to correct the violations. “”Their argument rests solely on that there are 22 of us and we should have [taken down signs] faster,”” said Unity slate member Nick Lieberknecht. “”And we should have.”” Dodge agreed. “”It is a violation, and it is a big deal,”” Dodge said. The Board’s decision was well-accepted by both slates. “”I think it was an extremely fair ruling. We had offered to do this and more before the hearing,”” Dodge said. “”Our slate and myself, we’re extremely compliant in trying to get this done.”” Thakur was surprised with the slate’s cooperation in the matter. “”I’m surprised that they decided to have some repercussions,”” Thakur said. “”Since we could not decide in our informal meeting on adequate consequences, I’m happy with the decision.”” The Unity slate corrected the violating posters and continues to follow the current posting policies. “”I think the elections board ruling was fair and it provides everyone with a chance to campaign equally,”” Yazdi said. A.S. elections are being held today through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students can vote at http://studentlink.ucsd.edu or on Library Walk. ...

Torrential rain drenched Marshall college’s Cultural Celebration, one of many events on UCSD’s annual Admit Day on Saturday. Crowds were confronted with delays and cancellations due to the weather. Leo der Stepanians Guardian Admit Day activities at all five colleges, in the Price Center and on Library Walk were also affected. Visitors to Marshall college were still able to enjoy diverse culinary works from around the world, featuring Louisiana catfish, Greek falafel and gyros, hot dogs and sushi. The Global Game Room was also open. This area, which was aimed at children, featured classic board games such as chess and checkers, as well as Africa’s mankala and the ancient tile game mah-jongg. The Children’s Village lost its larger attractions due to the rain. Llama rides were canceled to keep the animals dry. The Astrojump was also gone by 12:30 p.m. The agaobitin, or Filipino-style pinatas, were waiting inside, so those in attendance did have some entertainment. Grammy winner Quino and three other bands, Almeta Speaks, The Revelations and B-Side Players cancelled performances. A troupe of Aztec dancers, whose costumes would have been spoiled by the rain, also canceled. A lone bagpiper arrived in the morning to play Scottish songs. One of the main attractions that remained untouched by the weather was the Cesar Chavez exhibit. Planners transformed the Thurgood Marshall Dean’s Conference Room into a pictorial display of Chavez’s work with migrant farm workers in the 1960s. Several other objects were displayed, including a quilt modeled after the United Farm Workers flag and a video presentation of “”Fight in the Fields.”” The exhibit opened with the history of Chavez and the National Farm Workers Association he founded in 1962. This union was formed to protect the rights of agricultural workers who were allegedly manipulated and underpaid while the U.S. and Mexico engaged in a “”Bracero program,”” whereby labor was imported from Mexico to keep prices low. From there the display moved to illuminate some of the specifics of the labor rights movement that was growing in the San Joaquin Valley and elsewhere. ...

Tim Barnett and David Pierce, researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, have recently pinpointed global warming in the upper 3,000 meters of the ocean to human beings rather than natural causes. The researchers found that observed global ocean temperature rose along with climate model taken from the U.S. developed Parallel Climate Model, indicating that global warming could be attributed to man-made causes. This finding applies to all of the world’s oceans and will be published in the April 13 issue of the journal Science. The study results will also help measure the accuracy of computer climate computer models. The study was funded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association Climate Change Data and Detection Program and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Research. Regents Appoint David Russ as UCSD’s New Treasurer The UC Regents appointed David H. Russ as their new treasurer and vice president for investments last week. Russ formerly served as the public markets managing director for the University of Texas Investment Management Company and replaces Patricia A. Small, who resigned in August after serving on the post for five years. Russ will begin his new position June 1, 2001. At the University of Texas Investment Management Company, where he has worked since 1997, Russ was responsible for all global publicly traded investments and alternative marketable assets, among other things. Russ’ other experiences include his tenure both as director of investment management and portfolio manager for Pacific Telesis Group and as a portfolio manager for Stanford Management Company, which is in charge of all of Stanford University’s investments. UCSD Physicists Verify Snell Law Reversing Material Physicists at UCSD have verified the first of a set of composite materials that they believe would reverse the behavioral characteristics of fundamental electromagnetic properties. The scientists discovered that electromagnetic radiation travels through the new material in a manner never witnessed before. The new material could be instrumental in creating new kinds of antennas and also a “”perfect lens”” that could focus light and other radiation in a way that no other lens can. The researchers findings were published in the April 6 issue of Science. The composite material differs from ordinary materials in that it bends electromagnetic radiation in the opposite direction while ordinary materials deflect light in the same direction; it possesses a negative index of refraction. The researchers have filed for a patent for their new material. Their study was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Air Force Office for Science Research, which are investigating potential applications. Bingham Scholarships to Help Students Working on Campus The Darcy and Robert Bingham Endowed Scholarships, “”Helping Students who are Helping Themselves,”” are now open for application and are being offered to students who hold jobs on campus. Six scholarships of $1,500 each will be awarded to students in the 2001-2002 academic year. The Darcy Bingham Recreation Student Employee Scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student employed by UCSD Student Recreation. The Bingham Student Affairs Student Employee Scholarships will be awarded to two undergraduate students employed by Student Affairs. The Bingham UCSD Student Employee Scholarships will be awarded to three UCSD students employee by any campus department. Applications for the scholarships can be printed from the UCSD Financial Services Web site at http://www.ucsd.edu/finaid. A hard copy of the applications can also be obtained from the Student Financial Services lobby. Questions about the scholarships can be directed to the Scholarship Office at (858) 534-3263. ...

UCSD, often criticized for a lack of diversity, increased its admittance of underrepresented students by 16.6 percent this year, as the total number of applicants reached an all-time high. As a result of Proposition 209, students of ethnic backgrounds are not given advantages in getting into UCSD. Proposition 209 ends all affirmative action practices in hiring, firing, admissions and contract awards have been illegal in California state-funded organizations for over two years. Assistant Vice Chancellor Richard Backer said that the higher number of underrepresented students is an indication of the higher caliber of applicants overall. “”For both African-Americans and Mexican-Americans, the response is the same,”” he said about why he thinks there was an increase in African-American admissions. He also attributed the higher numbers to the increasing popularity of the campus. Backer also said that students are becoming better prepared for a UCSD education. Admittance of African-Americans increased to 239, up 16.6 percent from last year. Latino admittance is up to 379, which is an increase of 17 percent. Admittance of Native Americans decreased by 8.5 percent to 55. Backer said this is nothing to be alarmed about, as the decrease in statistics is not an accurate representation of a change in the number of Native Americans at this school. Because the number of Native American applicants is already low, any small increase or decrease has a large effect on percentages. “”Native Americans do not have the college-going tradition of other groups,”” Backer said. “”We have been more aggressive in the last two years to change that by visiting reservations more frequently.”” However, the increased percentage of underrepresented students is only a small part of what the admissions data suggests about UCSD’s changing ways. UCSD received 38,161 applications, the second highest in the UC system this year. More than 16,300 students were admitted this year, breaking last year’s record by more than 2,600 students. “”We get so many applications because we are a great university in a great location that provides a first-rate education and social experience,”” Backer said. “”Students want to be here.”” The school expects a lower percentage of those admitted to register this year, and is planning on a freshman class of 3,850 students. There were 2,600 more students admitted this year than last year, with only 650 additional spots. In addition, the 4.04 average GPA of those admitted is an indication that UCSD has reached the academic level of other prestigious and academically celebrated schools. “”We are attracting a higher caliber of student who also consider UCLA, Cal, the Ivies, Stanford, etc.,”” Backer said. Unlike the other schools in this category, UCSD offers the five-college system, which has lured many students. “”Students are recognizing what a great school UCSD is,”” Backer said. “”We are becoming well-known in California and nationally. The college system is also one of our greatest assets.”” The number of applications has slowly risen over the last five years, thanks in part to UCSD’s public relations department, which has been successful in making prospective students aware of what UCSD has to offer. “”A lot of people aggressively publicize and market the best-kept secret in Southern California,”” Backer said. In addition, Backer feels that the work of the Student Affairs Office has been an asset in the school’s attempt to recruit new students. “”[It has been helped by] the very assertive and aggressive role by Student Affairs to make the quality of campus life as strong and fulfilling as possible,”” he said. “”The best recruiters we have are you, the students.”” ...

Friday, April 6 Exhibit: Hypercycles The Hypercycles Club at UCSD will display 15 motorcycles in the Price Center Plaza. The event is sponsored by the UCSD Hypercycles Club and will take place at 11 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information call (858) 581-2587. Film: Second Annual San Diego Human Rights Film Festival Amnesty International at UCSD will sponsor the event, which will feature films centered on human rights issues. The festival will start at 5 p.m. in the Institute of the Americas Building. The event is free to the public. Saturday, April 7 Special Event: Admit Day 2001 The annual celebration for newly admitted UCSD undergraduates and their families will feature festivities such as Marshall college’s Cultural Celebration, Roosevelt college’s “”Eleanor’s Island,”” Muir college’s “”Muir by the Sea,”” Warren college’s musical entertainment and Revelle college’s “”Rockin’ Revelle.”” Admit Day will start at 8 a.m. and go until 3:30 p.m. For more information call (858) 534-4831. Special Event: VSA Culture Night The Vietnamese Student Association will sponsor an evening of drama, dance, vocal performances and martial arts to promote cultural awareness. The event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Mandeville Center Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. For more information call (858) 534-4726. Sunday, April 8 Party: Fusion 2001 The Multi-Asian Student Association will sponsor a hip-hop dance competition, followed by an open dance. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. and go until 11:30 p.m. The open dance will start at 10 p.m. The entire event will be held in the RIMAC Arena. It is free and open to the public. For more information call (858) 663-4733. Monday, April 9 Special Event: A.S. Council Elections Voting for the A.S. elections will begin and will go through Friday. Polling places will be located on Library Walk, in the Price Center and at Center Hall. For more information call (858) 534-4451. Wednesday, April 11 Special Evenbt: Exploring ‘Feminine’ Bodies The A.S., the Women’s Center, the Literature Department, the Critical Gender Studies Department and Senior Vice Chancellor Marsha Chandler will sponsor the seminar which will talk plae at 4:30 p.m. in the Price Center Ballroon. The event is free and open to the public. For more information call (858) 822-0074. ...

The UCSD International Center recently released its annual report, ranking UCSD third in the country in number of students sent abroad. A record 756 students went abroad through either the University of California’s Education Abroad Program or UCSD’s Opportunities Abroad Program. In the last 15 years, participation in the programs has increased by 764 percent. In hosting international students, UCSD ranks fourth, behind Harvard University, UC Berkeley and UCLA. UCSD hosted 1,612 international students during the 1999-2000 school year. The study also stated that UCSD students studying abroad and international students studying at UCSD received a total of $481,534 in scholarships. Physicist, Anthropologist Named Research Lecturers Lu Jeu Sham, a professor of physics, and Melford E. Spiro, a professor emeritus of anthropology, have been selected as the 1999-2000 Faculty Research Lecture Award Recipients at UCSD. Sham will present a lecture, “”Dancing with Electrons (and to Herd Schroedinger Cats?)”” at 4 p.m. April 9 in the Garren Auditorium in the Basic Sciences Building of the UCSD School of Medicine. Spiro will lecture on “”Utopia and its Discontents”” at 4 p.m. on May 14 in the Basic Sciences Building’s Liebow Auditorium. Sham’s theoretical research in the area of condensed matter physics is credited with an enormous impact in physics as well as in materials science, chemistry and electrical engineering. He is most renowned for his work on the density of functional theory, which he developed with UCSD professor Walter Kohn. The Kohn-Sham theory has played a major role in solid state physics, quantum chemistry, surface physics and chemistry and nuclear physics. Spiro founded the department of anthropology at UCSD, which has since risen to the eighth-ranked such department in the nation. Throughout his career, Spiro’s reigning interest has been in the field of culture and personality. His other areas of study have been religion and supernatural belief, cultural theory and human nature. A.S. Looking for Band to Open This Year’s Sun God A.S. Festivals is looking for a UCSD musical group to play first at this year’s Sun God Festival. The deadline for submissions has been extended until Friday, April 6. The committee asks that interested bands submit their CD or tape to the A.S. offices, located on the third floor of the Price Center. The band’s contact information must be on the submitted CD or tape to be considered. The top five bands will be selected to participate in a Battle of the Bands, to be held April 13. The winner of the musical competition will perform in the opening slot of the Sun God concert. For more information call (858) 534-4451. UCSD Researchers Expose Bare Facts on Skin In a study conducted recently, UCSD researchers discovered a protein that is crucial for the creation of the top layer of the skin. This is the part of the epidermis that protects the body and prevents dehydration. The findings were published in the April 5 issue of the journal Nature. Michael Karin, who led the research in his lab, and his team used mice to identify the protein, which is called a keratinocyte differentiation-inducing factor and is instrumental in the establishment of the cells that make up the outermost layer of the skin. These findings may lead to increased understanding of wounds and also to new methods of healing them. The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Association for International Cancer research and the CERIES Research Award to Karin. ...

A troupe of 12 high school students from the Coronado School of the Arts performed the one-act play “”Bang Bang You’re Dead”” at the Mandell Weiss Forum Theater on Tuesday night. David Pilz Guardian The play, written by William Mastrosimone, was directed by Liz O’Neill, a drama teacher at CoSA. At the playwright’s request, the show was free and was followed by an open discussion for the audience. The play, which is inspired by the actual May 1988 school shooting in Springfield, Ore., chronicles the mental state of the perpetrator of a high school shooting before and after he committed the crime. Kip Kinkel was the 15-year-old charged with killing his parents and two classmates in the Springfield shooting. “”Bang Bang You’re Dead”” has spread across the nation. High schools and performance groups have picked up the free script and performed it, hoping the message of the play would be conveyed to at-risk students. Matthew Weatherman played Josh, the youth who turns in desperation to violence. Josh, like Kinkel, turns the gun on his parents, as well as five classmates. The play featured performances by Phillip Botello, Adriana Campos, Daisy Cross, Markus Erdmann, Alison Hoover, Annika Keller, Annalyn Lehnig, Jenny McArthur, Alma Schneider, Geoffrey Sykes and Weatherman. The actors are all students at CoSA. Dr. Vivian Reznik of the Academic Center of Excellence on Youth Violence Prevention was responsible for bringing the play to UCSD. At the end of the play, much of the audience was in tears. The post-performance forum opened an intimate discussion between the cast and audience on issues of violence. O’Neill began the discussion with an account of her past as a violent person and her recovery from that through “”nonviolent communication.”” Kelly Bryson, a psychotherapist and trainer for the International Centers for Nonviolent Communication, led the discussion. But with Bryson’s help, O’Neill said she has been able to overcome her violent tendencies. She proudly announced to the audience that she has never abused her 4-year-old child. “”I’ve broken the chain,”” she said. A high school student in the audience told about the “”disaster drills”” that are now being practiced in many high schools. Along with typical earthquake and fire drills, high school students are being told what to do if a violent act occurs at their schools. A special siren rings, the audience member told, notifying the students of gun violence or a threat on the campus. The students involved in the play emphasized how much the experience has affected them. The script of “”Bang Bang You’re Dead,”” as well as additional information on performance venues and dates, is available online at http://www.bangbangyouredead.com. ...

A recent study shows that UCSD students are increasingly following up their four years of college with two years of service in underdeveloped nations. The study, conducted by the Peace Corps, recently ranked UCSD in the top 25 large universities whose graduates sign up to serve. Currently, 38 UCSD alumni are participating in the Peace Corps, placing UCSD 20th in the nation. “”The Peace Corps is a great opportunity for personal growth and a way to experience another culture,”” said Sandy Kim, the Peace Corps regional recruiter at UCSD. Nearly 500 UCSD alumni have participated in the 37 years since the program was founded by then-President John F. Kennedy. The high turnout may stem in part from the general education undergraduate courses at colleges such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Thurgood Marshall, where students explore the relationship between different people, cultures and nations. Kim sees a connection between potential volunteers and college students. “”A lot of the students come from Eleanor Roosevelt College, where there is a global emphasis,”” Kim said. Charles Baque, acting director of the Peace Corps, announced the findings. “”Through their volunteer work overseas, Americans throughout this country are able to learn more about the world in this era of globalization,”” Baquet said. Baquet served with the Peace Corps in Somalia during the `60s. Kim noted that “”great motivation, leadership and a strong desire to make a difference”” are common qualities that UCSD students entering the programs share. The University of Wisconsin at Madison leads the country in sending alumni into the Peace Corps, with 93 graduates currently volunteering. Second in the country is the University of Colorado at Boulder with 74. UC Berkeley is the only other UC school in the top 25. It ranks third, with 70 alumni currently volunteering. “”The strong showing of colleges from so many different parts of the country illustrates that many students today are solidly dedicated to service and deeply value the unique experience the Peace Corps offers,”” Baquet said. Peace Corps volunteers participate in a number of various community-building activities such as fighting hunger, developing clean water and teaching local children. As these countries become more advanced, volunteers provide computer support and even help to create small businesses. Because of the diverse nature of projects, students of all majors volunteer for the program. The Peace Corps needs volunteers with skills from engineering to economics to natural sciences. Currently, there are over 7,000 Americans working overseas to help improve communities in 137 countries around the world. The traditional notion of the Peace Corps serving remote areas of the Third World is changing. According to Kim, central Asia and the former Soviet Union have an increasing need for volunteers. More information on the Peace Corps can be found at the Volunteer Connection at UCSD or on the Internet at http://www.peacecorps.gov. ...