December 14, 1999

Here are descriptions of the radio stories available on the Ohio State University Info Line, December 17, 1999, through January 3, 2000. Stories are changed at noon. All feeds include one wraparound report of approximately 1:00 and at least one other actuality plus background material. If you have questions, want additional information, or need a re-feed of a missed story, call Amy Murray at 614-292-8385.

Friday 12/17-Monday 12/20 - The approaching millennium is generating a number of new age groups. Some believe the world will end while others believe we are entering a new age of spirituality. Hugh Urban, an assistant professor of comparative studies at Ohio State University, teaches a class in new age and new religious movements. He explains how a variety of groups view the millennium.

Monday 12/20-Wednesday 12/22 - Predictions for the new millennium have included fears of no electricity or food--sort of the end of the world as we know it. Carla Pestana, an associate professor of history at Ohio State, teaches a course offering an historical perspective on Y2K. She says in the past, people anticipated the end of the world as they knew it, but in very different ways and for very different reasons.

Wednesday 12/22-Monday 1/3 - Ohio State’s contributions to 20th century society range from a major role in reviving Lake Erie and developing five new apple varieties to performing heart surgery with the help of a robot. Ohio State President William Kirwan discusses just a few of the many contributions that the university has made in the last 100 years. In addition to educating hundreds of thousands of students, Kirwan says Ohio State has advanced knowledge in the arts and sciences.

Many news outlets are getting our news releases electronically. Would you like to receive your weekly Info Line rundown via e-mail? It’s faster than the postal service and offers less chance for bad addresses, lost or damaged mail. We can e-mail this and other news releases directly to your computer. E-mail Amy at murray-goedde.1@osu.edu or call 614-292-8385 to make arrangements.

www.osu.edu is Ohio State’s Internet address. News releases (including this rundown sheet) from University Communications and many other offices are posted on the website. The site is also a great source for answers to frequently asked questions about OSU.