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• Features - G- -i.'s
THE Pendulum
ELON, NORTH CAROLINA | FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 | VOLUME 37, EDITION 16
www.elon.edu/pendulum
HEATH
o Edrtor
E
very Elon senior at the Senior Picnic received a personalized graduation cap. The picnic provided
seniors and their families with the opportunity to say goodbye to friends and professors. The
picnic was from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 18 followed by the Senior Gala.
Pfleger’s mother files
suit against Bayer,
accusing company
of wrongful death
Pfieger
Jack Dodson
Reporter
Joan Cummins, the mother of an Elon student who
died in September, filed a wrongful death suit against
Bayer Corporation and subsidiary companies, alleging the
contraceptive YAZ was the cause of death.
Michelle Pfieger, Cummins'
daughter, collapsed on her
way to class Sept. 24, and was
pronounced dead early in the
day. By late October, Cummins
had been talking to lawyers
about filing a lawsuit against the
healthcare company. An autopsy
report indicated Pfieger died from
pulmonary thromboemboli, or
blood clots in her lungs, which
Cummins suggests had been
caused by the contraceptive.
The suit was filed May 10
through a national plaintiff’s firm
called Lieff Cabraser Heimann &
Bernstein, LLP, and New Jersey firm
Trujillo, Rodriguez, and Richards, LLC.
In total, the suit makes 13 complaints against Bayer
Corporation. The claims made include wrongful death,
negligence, fraud, breach of implied warranty of fitness
for a particular purpose and negligent misrepresentation,
among others.
The claim alleges Bayer Corporation was deceptive
with advertising the YAZ contraceptive, and argues laws
in North Carolina and New Jersey are supposed to protect
against unfair, fraudulent trade and business practices
and false advertising.
Within the claim, the plaintiff suggests Bayer
Corporation knew about the harmful effects of YAZ, and
failed to fix the “defective and dangerous conditions” of
the drug.
“Had the defendants not engaged in the deceptive
conduct described herein,” the claim reads, “Plaintiff
would not have purchased and/or paid for the birth
control, and would not have incurred related medical
costs and injury.”
According to earlier reports, Cummins said Pfieger’s use
of YAZ was to treat acne. In the past, links have been made
between blood clots and the use of oral contraceptives.
Faculty, students advocate for value of Walker Dance Studio
Melissa Kansky
Assistant News Editor
Elon University will acquire
the Walker Dance Studio
building at the end of May, but
university faculty and students
expressed concern regarding the
future of the building, located
on the corner of Manning and
West Haggard avenues.
The building was re-leased
to the current owner after
the university purchased the
building December 2008 for
$300,000. The lease ends May,
leaving the building in the
university's possession.
“We purchased this building
as part of a long range master
plan for the university to make
sure we have appropriate space
to expand over the years," said
Gerald Whittington, senior vice
president for business, finance
and technology.
When the building was
purchased, the administration
did not determine a use for the
space, he said.
Although Whittington said
the future of the building has
not been decided, faculty and
students fear a demolition of
the facility. They have suggested
several uses for the building.
“It's been talked about as
a center for green design, or a
hybrid gallery space for film
screening and poetry reading,”
said Samantha DiRosa,
assistant professor of art. “One
faculty member felt that we
had a sculpture walk and the
tree walk, and we could have a
historic building walk."
Faculty members have
posted to a blog, titled Save the
Last Dance, to discuss possible
uses for the building and raise
awareness about the its history.
The building originated as
J.W. Matlock grocery store in
1924. Ownership of the building
changed in 1974 when John
Walker purchased the building
and transformed it into a dance
studio.
Jennifer Smith, document
assistant at Belk Library, grew
up in Alamance County and
remembers her parents talking
about going to the store as
children.
Smith took dance classes
at Walker Dance Studio for 12
years.
“The studio was really about
the artistry of dance and had
a special director," she said.
“It’s more than just an old
building."
She said she believes the
building holds importance
for a number of people in the
community.
“It’s a building that several
people pass all the time, and
it's a fixture of Elon even
though it's not a building that's
fully integrated into campus,"
DiRosa said.
Senior Joanna Patterson
conducted research regarding
Walker Dance Studio as part of
a project for an ecological art
class. The class investigated
the history of properties on
campus structures students are
familiar with.
“Whether it is good or bad
to tear it down, I think it is
good to know what was at
least once there,” Patterson
said. “I personally feel that
students would appreciate their
experience at Elon more if they
were rooted in this appreciation
of the landscape.”
The demolition of the
building would connote
disrespect to the local history
and physical diversity, she
said.
“I don't mean to say that
Elon shouldn't build buildings,
but wouldn’t it be interesting
if Elon thought twice about
what we’re building on top of,"
Patterson said.
Smith and DiRosa said they
also believe in the value of
the building and advocate for
the university to renovate the
facility.
“It has the potential to
bring in students and the
community," Smith said. “And 1
do understand that it would be
an expensive proposition, but
my objective was to question if
it should be torn down and if
there was another way to use
the building."
The university’s senior staff
acknowledged the community
members’ concerns, but have
not made any final decisions
regarding the structure,
according to Whittington.
Tests were conducted to
determine the condition of the
building and level of asbestos
and lead present. The future
of the building will be decided
after receiving the test results,
Whittington said.
“I think folks have talked
about those issues, and
opinions have been expressed
about what could be and what
might be and what hoped to
be, and those are part of the
consideration as we move
forward,” he said.
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