tl20001026-000 "L www.thetowerlight.com � 0 Weir ig Published twice-weekly by students of Towson University 10/26/00 USM turmoil could hurt search 3 PlayStation 2 hits the market 11 Fine Arts looks at Asian culture 12 Monmouth trip has home feel 17 Departments News Police Blotter 7 Nation 7 A&E /1 The High Road 12 Wrasslin' Weekly /6 Sports /9 East Break 19 Playoff Picture 23 Op/Ed 26 RU-486 adds to abortion options Erica Schloeder The Towerlight While the FDA approval of RU-486 � the controversial ""abortion pill"" � has been the focus of pro-lifers and pro-choice advocates alike, less con-sideration has been given to some of the other pills that have been offered as alternatives to surgical abortion. Methotrexate, a drug sometimes used for rhu-matoid arthritis, is one of these alternatives. According to their ad, American Health Care Services offers ""the abortion pill."" The pill it offer, however, is not RU- 486, it's _Methotrexate � and it isn't FDA approved for abor-tion. A senior at Towson who wished to remain anonymous said she chose American Health Care Services for her abortion specifically because they offered a non-surgical alterna-tive well before RU-486 was available. ""That's why.I called them, because I didn't want to have surgery,"" she said, explaining that the clinic administers the pill dissolved in a fruit drink. ""They said that it would stop the cell growth."" The senior then had to insert four pills, which caused the miscarriage. The entire process took approximately two weeks. ""It was only really bad for about five to seven days,"" she said. The student said she believes abortion by means of induced miscarriage, rather than sur-gery, is actually more traumatic, and that it doesn't make the process any easier, as critics of the pill have claimed. ""I think it was more trauma-tizing because I actually saw the [fetus] come out ... I watched the whole thing happen."" She said that, in choosing the pill, she knew what she would have to go through by seeing the fetus, saying, ""I think I did it to punish myself."" American Health Care Services declined comment See ABORTION, page 6 Students spooked at Blair Witch campout AmbenarmannterwmAight Students were treated to music and beer at a promotional Blair Witch campout Friday. See story, page 11. URG seeks input on smoking policy Adam S. Reisinger The Towerlight The University Residence Government announced Tuesday that it will hold a town meeting for students to respond to the University's possible ban of smoking in dorms. The meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Susquehanna Atrium, will give students an opportunity to let the University know how they feel. ""I hope as many Towson stu-dents as possible show up to this town meeting and show some of the powers that be at this University that the students on this campus care,"" URG President Michael Gambuto said. The no-smoking policy was presented three weeks ago to the URG by the department of housing and residence life, which wants the URG to get feedback from the students before it makes its final decision. Gambuto said he is happy the University even looked to the URG for input on the policy. ""We've had a few more responsibilities given to us and they're ideas we're catching with great pride,"" he said. ""There was a point in time where we didn't deserve to make those decisions, but now were capable of it."" And while Gambuto said his board would not make the final say on the smoking policy, he thinks housing and residence life will take the wishes of stu-dents into account. See SMOKING. page 6 Today High 70 Low 52 Friday High 73 Low 49 Saturday High 63 Low 39 Sunday High 62 Low 40 "
