Ohio State's news, experts and events give you more on the news

News

TV news teaches more about politics to the less-educated - Television news, much maligned for its lack of content, may actually help less-educated people learn about political candidates. A new study finds that people with a high school education or less scored higher on a quiz about the 1996 presidential candidates if they watched a lot of television news. William P. Eveland, assistant professor of journalism and communication at Ohio State University, says results suggest that up to half of Americans could benefit from such viewing. Contact:William P. Eveland, (614) 247-6004.

OSU economic expert: Fed should raise interest rates to avoid '70s replay - The U.S. Federal Reserve Board should take the unpopular - but necessary - step of raising interest rates in response to rising oil costs, according to an Ohio State economist. Stephen Cecchetti is a professor of economics at Ohio State and former director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He says without action by the Federal Reserve, rising oil costs threaten to spark a period of high inflation and low growth just as they did in the 1970s. Contact: Stephen Cecchetti, (614) 292-9339.

Experts

Planning your election night coverage? Turn to our political scientists: Ohio State's Department of Political Science includes a number of experts on the 2000 election. Many have appeared as analysts for media this year as well as in previous elections. Call University Relations for a more complete list. Here are the professors -more- has mentioned recently:

Events

Boo! School of Music presents Halloween Concert - Oct. 31. Performers and members of the audience are invited to get in the holiday spirit and wear costumes as the OSU School of Music scares up some tunes for its annual Halloween Concert, Tuesday (10/31) at 8 p.m. in Weigel Auditorium. This "spirited" concert features a wide range of performing ensembles, including the OSU Chorale, The Statesmen, Ladies First, Women's Glee Club, trombone ensemble, flute troupe, tuba/euphonium ensemble, and several other instrumental groups. Contact: Victoria Ellwood, College of the Arts, (614) 292-6299.

A gift of life - Nov. 1 Ohio State students, faculty, staff and visitors can take heart in the recent donation of 20 heart defibrillators from alumna Dorothy Fenburr of Bexley, Ohio. The University Police Department will hold an open house to recognize the gift of equipment and training and will provide demonstrations of its use on Wednesday (11/1) from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Blankenship Hall, 901 Woody Hayes Drive. University Police officers will use the Medtronic Physio-Control Life Pak 500 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in 10 cruisers; the remaining AEDs will be distributed across campus in public gathering sites. Contact: Lt. Denny Hollern, University Police, (614) 292-2121

Board of Trustees meets - Nov. 2 and 3. The Ohio State University Board of Trustees will meet in regular session at 10:30 a.m. on Friday (11/3) in the Longaberger Alumni House, 2200 Olentangy River Road. Committee meetings, where most of the discussion takes place, will be held prior to the Friday meeting and on Thursday afternoon. Contact: Melinda Sadar, University Relations, (614) 292-8298

Bring a food item to Michigan State football game to win battle against hunger - Nov. 4. Wives of OSU football coaches are suiting up for Buckeye Battle Against Hunger, a canned-food drive that culminates Saturday (11/4) at Ohio Stadium when the Buckeyes host Michigan State. Canned foods and cash donations will be collected to benefit the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, which serves some 450 food distribution outlets in central and eastern Ohio. Bins will be placed around Ohio Stadium and St. John Arena. The most-needed canned items include meats, fruits, pasta dinners, stews, soups and peanut butter in consumer-size containers. With each donation, fans will receive a sticker redeemable at Kroger stores for a free 22 oz. Coca-Cola product. Kroger also is providing drop-off bins in area stores through Saturday. Gilda Spencer, whose husband, Tim, played tailback for the Buckeyes from 1979-82 and now mentors Ohio State running backs, initiated the Buckeye Battle Against Hunger. During Tim's stay with the San Diego Chargers (1984-90), his last stint as a professional player, Gilda was inspired by a similar food drive conducted by the wives of a rival NFL team. Wives will be headquartered on the south lot of St. John Arena during the pre-game drive. Contact: Liz Cook, Athletic Communications, (614) 292-6861.

African-American Voices sing Rock and Roll - Nov. 4 Ohio State's African-American Voices choir will perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on Saturday (11/4) at 10 a.m. as part of the National Association of Black Culture Centers Annual Conference being held in Cleveland. The Conference is comprised of Cultural Centers, multicultural facilities, and Offices of Minority Affairs at colleges and universities across the country. The 70-voice choir is made up of undergraduate students who represent all areas of the university majors and disciplines. Busses depart from the Hale Black Cultural Center, 153 W. 12th Ave at 6 a.m. Saturday and will return around 4 p.m. Contact: Reggie Anglen, African-American Voices advisor, (614) 292-8423.

Tired eyes? College of Optometry is recruiting for a study - People aged 9 to 30 who suffer from a variety of reading-related problems may be eligible to participate in an NIH-sponsored study comparing treatments for an eye-teaming problem called convergence insufficiency. The Ohio State College of Optometry is looking for people who suffer from: eyestrain, headaches, tired eyes, blurred vision, poor concentration, frequent loss of place, or words moving, jumping, or appearing to float on the page. Qualified persons will receive free treatment (treatment program is 12 weeks in length with a 6 month follow-up exam). For information or to schedule a vision screening to see if you qualify, Contact: Marjean Taylor Kulp, College of Optometry, 614-688-3336.

Authors to sign book about botanist - Nov. 5. Authors of the Emanuel D. Rudolph Studies in the History of North American Botany will sign their book at Ohio State on November 5, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Rudolph Reading Room in the Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Road. Rudolph, who died in 1992, was the first botanist to undertake extensive research on the vegetation of Antarctica and became internationally known for his diverse field studies in both polar regions. Rudolph was equally well known for his interests in the history of botany and book collecting. He donated a large segment of his rare book collection to the College of Biological Sciences at Ohio State, some of which will be on display at the book signing. The public is invited to hear Ronald L. Stuckey, Ohio State professor of plant biology, and William R. Burk, biology librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, discuss this new publication. Contact: Sandy Rutkowski, College of Biological Sciences, (614) 292-4759.

The person listed as Contact will have the best information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story--Elizabeth Conlisk, (614) 292-3040; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385; Lesley Deaderick, (614) 292-0569; Melinda Sadar, (614) 292-8298; and Karissa Shivley, (614) 292-8295.

Compiled by Amy Murray, University Relations, (Murray-Goedde.1@osu.edu)