Meredith Herald
Volumes, Number 12 November 12, 1990 1990' 1991- Celebrating 'Meredith's Charier Cenienlxul
Biological research
testing is going to the
dogs
by Kathleen Thomas
The animal rights and welfare
movemeni is growing. What started as a
few picketing radicals has turned into a
mainstream topic that everyone has an
opinion about. Animal rights issues get
especially complicated when they
involve medical research and education.
Many people opposed to cosmetic testing
on animals feel that animal testing is
necessary forlegilimate medical research.
Animal use by educational institutes for
leaching purposes, a long-time tradition,
is being challenged.
According to some, instructors and
researchers have taken animal usage for
granted in the past. There were no
official committees overseeing the
experiments and laboratory procedures.
Universities and research laboratories
must now conform to laws regarding
the treatment of research animals.
Researchers leceivinggovemment grants
mustjustify their animal usage and prove
that the experiment has not been done
before. Changes in the way animals are
used has carried over to the educational
system, as well.
Students opposed to vivisection
(cutting into live animals) are speaking
out all over the country. Some are even
taking the maaer to court.
Two University of Pennsylvania
veterinary students, Gloria Binkowski
and Eric Dunayer, refused to perform
surgery on live dogs. The instructor
insisted that they could not pass the
course without performing the surgery.
“We didn’t want to take healthy animals
and do surgery that they didn’t need,”
Ms. Binkowski said.
Although tha students suggested
alternatives, such as terminally ill animals
or animal cadavers, they were given
incompleles for the course. They filed
suit against ihe university and settled
out of court. The students were allowed
to operate on terminally ill dogs.
Neal Bernard, Chairman of the
Physicians Committee for Responsible
ivledicine, says that computer models,
films of operations, and life-like synthetic
simulators should be used instead of
actual animals. Already in use is a fabric
stuffed frog called Ribbit. The stuffed
animal is used in some high school
biolog>' classes in the place of dissecting
a real frog.
Although alternatives can be used
in some instances, there are many cases
where instructors argue that there is no
substitute to using animals.
“In some situations, such as
Comparative Anatomy and in some
medical research, there simply are no
alternatives,” states Dr. Larry Grimes, a
biology professor here at Meredith.
“I think they lanimal rights activists]
have done some good, in that people
are paying more attention," Dr. Grimes
said. He feels that as an instructor, he
has a responsibility to demonstrate to
his students his r&spea for animal life.
He believes in using the minimum
number of animals possible and in
treating them properly.
Dr. Grimes also stated that the source
of the animals was important. “If the
continued on page 5
Gotta Dance!
Master classes and performance
highlight upcoming dance weekend
Meredith College will hold its six
annual Fall Dance Gathering for North
Carolina dancers, educators, students
and choreographers on Saturday and
Sunday, November 17 and 18 at the
Weatherspoon Gymnasium.
Guest artists and master teacher for
the event will be Tim Conboy, a soloist
with Can Wagoner and Danccrs. An
accomplished dancer, Mr. Conboy also
has performed with the Lucinda Childs
Dance Company and appeared in the
Philip Glass/Robert Wilson produaion,
“Einstein on the Beach" and the PBS
Great Performances Series, “The Making
of Einstein."
Other guest faculty members include
Mayska Bigos, body therapy; Jan Van
Dyke, modern dance; John Gamble,
contact improvisation.
Fees are $ 17 for one day ($12 for NC
Dance Alliance members), S30 for two
days ($22 for NCDA members), S7 for a
single class. Classes are free for Meredith
students.
A highlight of the weekend will be
the “Dance Works ’90" performance on
Saturday, November 17 at 8:00 p.m. in
Jones Auditorium. ‘The concert includes
works by Tim Conboy, Alyson Colwell,
Jan Van Dyke, John Gamble, Aide Melito.
and Robin Harris Taylor. Tickets are S6
($4 for students).
For further information, call the
dance department at 829-8388.
November’s
Tropical Summer
by Janie Mullis
A “Tropical Summer" in November? This is the title
given to the winning non-alcoholic beverage in the
Mocktail Competition on Thursday, November 8
during Alcohol Awareness Week,
The beverage was concocted by freshmen
Monica Fields, Tricia Sumner, and Heather
Thomasson. Their creativity resulted in a
$50 cash prize for the class of 1994. Judges
were Cindy Edwards, Director of Student
Activities and Leadership
Development; Madalyn Gaito,
Programming Director; Susan
Schrag of the Health Center and
Dean Ailen Burris.
Inside:
3 Kicking the habU: Meredith
student tries to beat
addiction; Man's opinion
of the weaker sex
4 Campus happenings and
organization events
5 Student focus: Melissa
Bryan; Chorale performs
6 Candidates thank
supporters In election-
night speeches
7 Election results; student
poll
8 Cornhuskln 1990 photos