News

Students learn better from Web pages that contain print ‘cues’ – Can students learn just as well from the World Wide Web as they do from print? Yes, says a new study – but only if Web pages offer some of the same elements found on today’s typical printed page.  In written tests, students who read an article about influenza on the Web scored the same as students who read the story on hard copy – about 73 percent –  but only when the Web article contained traditional print cues for organizing information, such as page numbers and a table of contents.  William Eveland, an assistant professor of journalism and communication at Ohio State, says the presence of hyperlinks on a page encourages readers to link ideas mentally, which increases learning.  The research was published in a recent issue of the journal Communication Research. Contact: William P. Eveland, (614) 247-6004.

Experts

Law professor says death penalty case not a simple matter – Barring another last minute stay, 48-year-old Jay D. Scott will die by injection at 9 p.m. Tuesday (5/16) at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility near Lucasville.  He was barely an hour away from execution last month when the Ohio Supreme Court granted a stay to hear arguments on whether Scott should not be put to death because he suffers from schizophrenia.  If the execution goes through, Scott would be the second Ohioan – the first not a volunteer – to be executed since Ohio reinstated the death penalty. Douglas Berman, an assistant professor of Law, has studied a number of death penalty cases and says there are a number of issues involved in the Scott case.  Berman was involved in organizing “Addressing Capital Punishment Through Statutory Reform,” a recent symposium at the Law School. Contact: Douglas Berman, Law, (614) 688-8690.

Events

Ohio State community celebrates African-American culture at festival – May 14-20.  What began as a one day ‘block party’ for Ohio State students in a campus parking lot 23 years ago has grown to a week of events that celebrate African American culture.  The African American Heritage Festival now spans the campus and attracts between 30,000 and 40,000 people during the weekend.  The theme for this year’s festival, May 14-20, is “It Takes an Entire Village.”  Among the events: WBNS-TV anchor Jerry Revish will present a program on May 16 about the Underground Railroad and its history in Columbus; the 14^th Annual Pan-Hellenic Black Greek Step Show will be held on May 18; and comedians from the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” a popular urban radio show heard in 100 cities, will perform on May 18 in the Comedy Showcase. The complete schedule is at  http://www.osuheritagefestival.com.

Contact: Lesley Deaderick, University Relations, (614) 292-0569.

Mount Scholars lend a hand to community with service projects – through May 20. Reaching out to the university and community is the goal of Mount Legacy Week, May 7-20.  Student teams from the Mount Leadership Society will participate in community service projects while learning the value of leadership, problem solving and community action. Among the events: the Homelessness team offers a fair for the campus area’s homeless people at 5:30 p.m. today (5/14) in the Ohio Union Buckeye Suite C/D/E.  The Animal Rights team offers students a study break with furry friends, in pet therapy sessions at 6 p.m. May 16 in front of Drackett Tower, 161 Curl Drive.  The Political Action team has organized a series of events and speakers in residence halls on May 14, 15, 16 and 18.  Contact: Shannon Wingard, University Relations, (614) 247-6821.

Society for Quality hosts conference – May 18.  The American Society for Quality (ASQ) Ohio State Student Branch is presenting “Expanding Quality Horizons” from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday (5/18) at the Ohio Union. The conference will include presentations by Beth A. Cooper of the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and Janet Ashe, vice president for business and finance at Ohio State.  The complete agenda is at www.osu.edu/students/asq/Spring%20Conference.htm. Contact: Keith P. Taylor, AVS Project Manager, (614) 436-1609.

Fisher College will award $85,000 for best business plan – May 18-19.  What began as a field of 40 teams last September has been winnowed to eight competing in the Arthur Andersen/Fisher College of Business Plan Competition.  At stake is $85,000 in cash and services from Arthur Andersen.  The final round of the competition takes place at the college on Friday and Saturday (5/18-19).   Two of the finalist teams will present their plans to judges beginning at 3 p.m., Friday (5/18); the remaining six teams will present their plans on Saturday (5/19) beginning at 8 a.m. The winning team will present again at a concluding dinner at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Pfahl Hall Executive Dining Room, 280 W. Woodruff Ave.  Contact: Anna Rzewnicki, Fisher College of Business, 614-292-8937.

OSU Symposium addresses “Mozart Effect” – May 19.  Does music make kids learn better?  A 1993 study suggests listening to the music of Mozart can improve test scores.  Now researchers say there is also a “Brahms Effect” and a “Grateful Dead Effect.”  Ohio State hosts a set of lectures on Saturday morning (5/19) related to the “Mozart Effect.”  The session is part of MusicCog/2001, Ohio State’s annual music cognition research symposium.  The  “Mozart Effect” symposium takes place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in 177 Weigel Hall, 1866 College Road.  Sessions include “The Nonmusical Effects of Musical Instruction,” at 9:45a.m. and “Variations on the Mozart Effect” at 10:45 a.m.  Following an 11:30 a.m. panel discussion, media are invited to interview  lecturers.  A complete schedule is at http://dactyl.som.ohio-state.edu/MusicCog/musicog01.html Contact: David Huron, MusicCog/2001 coordinator, School of Music, (614) 688-4753. 

Student research is showcased – May 21. You may one day report on a medical breakthrough that began in an Ohio State University laboratory.  Undergraduate students will showcase their work at the Richard J. and Martha D. Denman Undergraduate Research Recognition Day.  Students will present their projects from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Ohio Union Ballroom, 1739 N. High St.  Awards, including cash prizes to the winners will be presented from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Ohio Union Conference Theatre.  Contact: David Strauss, Honors & Scholars Center, (614) 292-3135.

Get plugged in at Connectivity 2001 – May 21-25.  What must Ohio do to take advantage of technology business opportunities?  This key question will be addressed during three events hosted by TechPartners at Ohio State.  Connectivity 2001: The TechPartners Forum for Ohio Leaders kicks off the series on Monday (5/21) at the Hyatt on Capitol Square.  Dell Computer CEO Michael Dell will talk about how he started Dell Computers and also about the roles of higher education and state government in the technology driven economy.  Dell will also visit a Columbus public school and address MBA students at the Fisher College of Business.  Other events include Connectivity 2001: The TechPartners Awards on Tuesday (5/22) at the Longaberger Alumni House. Following a luncheon, a panel will discuss ways to expand central Ohio as a technology powerhouse.  Guests and speakers include Ohio Governor Bob Taft, technology business leaders, state legislators and university officials.  The final event, on Friday (5/25), is Connectivity 2001: The TechPartners Venture Summit, venture capital and technology business leaders will meet with university officials to learn more about technology commercialization opportunities at Ohio State.  Contact: Beth Van Gundy, TechPartners, (614) 688-0189.

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; Karissa Shively, (614) 292-8295, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.