tl19970320_010 "This week's topic: Skin Cancer Spring Break is around the corner. Will you come back with skin cancer? Every hour someone dies of Skin cancer in the United States. Considering that sun and skin cancei go hand in hand, it is no surprise that one million new cases of skin can-cer will be diagnosed this year. ""One in five Americans will get a skin cancer of some kind in their lifetime,"" says Darrel Rigel, a New York City derma-tologist. The good news? Almost all skin cancers are curable if detected early. Safety tips include: staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (when the sun's rays are strongest � using a sun-screen with an ''F of 15 or greater; reapply g sunscreen every two hours when out-door; wearing dark clothing, a hat and sunglasses; and stay-ing in the shade v�henever pos-sible. There are three types of skin cancers: Basal cell cancer, Squamous cell ..ancer and Malignant 'Melall.:-)ma cancer. Of these, maligni-,11 t melanoma is the most ,ious, often becoming fatal. ,-?ny type of Skin cancer can lead to death, if it is left untreated. Six out of seven skin cancer deaths are malignant melanoma. Melanoma is more common than arty non-skin cancer among peiple between 25 and :9-years-old. Malignant melanonia is a seri-oils disease that caused by excessive exposu to the sun. The most sign. 'cant danger Signs,of a seriou,skin condi-tion are best remembered as, the 'ABCD's of skin cancer. They stand for Asymmetry, Border, Color ad Diameter. Skin cancer is usually recog-nized in the form of a mole or Pigmentation of � r ,e. skin. If the spot is not symmetri-cal, it may be an ilidication that Skin cancer is present. Clear Warning signs include an irreg- Mar, scalloped and variation in color from one ar 'a to another. Any mole that bits a diameter measuring larger than six mil-limeters (about the length of a Pencil eraser) can be a serious Sign of skin cancer. 1.0 If you have any question about health, sex, and nutrition, write to ""Ask A rissa"" at the Towerlight or fax her questions at ext. 3862. Towson State's staff reacts to diversity survey that depicts high level of prejudice on campus Staff calls for new programs and immediate action Chief of University Police Stephen Murphy is also a mem-ber of the Diversity Team. The findings of this survey are certainly troubling and some-what disconcerting. I feel that they are demonstrative of the need for a continued collabora-tive effort, involving all areas of the University, to foster an understanding and appreciation of all the forms of human diver-sity represented within our University community. The awareness of students, faculty and staff regardins these issues apparently needs to be height-ened and they need to be encouraged to report incidents to the University Police or other appropriate administrative offices. Ronni Uhland is the director of the Office for Students with Disabilities. Because I work so closely with students with disabilities, I wasn't surprised by the results of the survey. I knew the number of students report-ing harassment, insults, etc. would be high. It is a disgrace when so many students suffer these acts of prejudice. ToWson State University must require educational programs for all staff on diversity issues, sensi-tivity and legal rights. In addi-tion to education, students must also see positive role models among the TSU com-munity. I hope to see directed efforts to working on these issues immediately. Dr. Camille Clay is the assistant vice president of the Office of Diversity. The results of the Diversity Survey clearly show us that although we've come a long way in improving the environ-ment at Towson State for facial-ly', ethnically and culturally diverse students, faculty and staff, we still have a long way to go. The survey suggests there is an undercurrent of prejudice-motivated behavior and atti-tudes which must be addressed. Students need to know their complaints and concerns will be taken seriously and handled fairly. The Towson community needs to be reminded that each. of us is responsible for the cam-pus climate. Towson approves lesbian, gay minor for next fall Brian Hensley The Towerlight A new minor at Towson State, Gay and Lesbian Studies, will go into effect this fall. The minor, which will require 21 credits of study, will be the first one of its. kind in the University of Maryland System. The program will be made up of classes with a homosexual basis that are already being taught at TSU, some of which include Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Studies, Lesbian and Gays in History, Literature of AIDS and some miscellaneous psychology classes. Dr. David Bergman, an English professor at TSU and Chairman of the Committee on Lesbian, Gay, and s Bisexual Issues, was in charge of the push for the new major. Bergman, a twenty year veteran of TSU, is also the writer of the book Gaiety Transfigured: Gay Self- Representation In American Literature. ""As we come to understand the way that sexual identity and arts & history intersect in a number of ways, we have come into an area of intellectual pur-suit,"" Bergman said: ""The emphasis of this new minor is that pursuit."" One of the key reasons for this major, Bergman went on to say, is so that students ""can better understand the homosexual cul-ture"" as well as prepare them-selves for some of the graduate programs that are beginning to appear throughout the country. ""It's very much like any other minority studies, like Jewish Studies, Women Studies, or African American Studies, in the way that various issues can be examined,"" Bergman said. This new minor will be direct-ed toward all students, homo-sexual and heterosexual alike. According to Bergman, the Introduction class that he teach-es is already diversified in that half of the students are straight 'while the other half is gay or bisexual. Co-President of Diversified Sexual Orientation Collective (DSOC), Jay Blumenthal, said,"" I think a lot of the classes will be offered that not only interest gay and lesbian students but the entire student body, as a whole."" ""The addition of the minor is a good thing for TSU because it adds credibility to a group that may not have been seen as in interest of study to TSU stu-dents. It will be a good way to battle homophobia on campus,"" said Blumenthal. ""I feel a lot of students will benefit from the minor."" Based on the current amount of enrollment in the Introduction to Gay and Lesbian Studies (some students actually had to be turned away due to overload) both Bergman and Blumenthal feel that it will be ""a very popular minor."" The new program received ""marvelous support from the Administrative faculty"" added Bergman and that he ""welcomes any additional classes that a fac-ulty member may want to pur-pose."" ...0WwV41040, Dr. Paul Parker is the Vice President of Student Life I am pleased that the Diversity Team took the initia-tive to take a temperature check of our campus climate at Towson State University. We will use the survey results to , develop additional proactive programs to address diversity and multiculutural harmony on campus. Last week, The Towerlight ran an article on. the Diversity survey that was recently released by the Diversity team. Fusion extends library hours Michelle Dachille The Towerlight At Tuesday's SGA meeting the senate agreed, to allocate $15,000 to help extend library hours. Beginning next academic year all library floors will be open until midnight, Sunday through Thursday. Nancy Braverman, planning and development officer, approached the SGA with a plan to split the cost of labor. The library will pay for the graduate students to work while the SGA money will go to pay for the undergraduates. Eleanore Hofsetter, associate dean of library services, says ""Students have been asking for this for a long time. We are grateful to the SGA for their help. This way students will be able to have more time to get their work done."" e e .41. 6416.0 411,40.0.41.0.11,41, -10.1.416411.14 4.111�iLA 41.4//* 40. r4 A 11 "
