Harvard donates $5 million to relief fund
In his first campus press conference last Wednesday, Harvard University President Lawrence H. Summers, defended the University’s acceptance of scholarship donations from the bin Laden family.
The Islamic culture scholarships bearing the bin Laden name have come under fire following the attacks on the World Trade Center, as Osama bin Laden is the prime suspect.
However, while the donations come from people who share bin Laden’s name and blood, they do not share his affiliation with terrorist organizations.
The University is not only in the hot seat with the media, but with the Cambridge City Council, as well. Last week, Councilman Kenneth E. Reeves demanded Harvard give the bin Laden endowment money to the victims of the terrorist attacks. The council ultimately voted for a resolution asking the university to donate $5 million to fund benefiting the victims. They did not however, explicitly tie the request to Harvard’s bin Laden connection.
“I can understand why questions should be raised,” Summers said. “We have looked very carefully at the support (the University) has received.”
In fact, according to Summers, some of the funds were given to Harvard after the Gulf War to foster cooperation between the Middle East and the U.S.
The bin Laden family’s endowed fellowships total $2 million, for use at Harvard’s law and design schools. Since the attacks, Harvard officials have stressed that the university would cease using the endowed funds if they found any explicit link with Osama bin Laden’s terrorist organization.
“It’s very, very important that the university be a moral institution in the way it carries on and finances its activities,” Summers said.
In his first several weeks in office, Summers has already addressed students and faculty, and penned a letter to the Harvard community discussing the need for tolerance. He donated $1 million to a scholarship fund for victim’s families which can be used at any college or university in the U.S.
Scientists discover ‘icon’ to kill cancer
Two Yale scientists are prepared to announce a major new discovery in the ongoing battle against cancer.
Alan Garen, a professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry, and Zhiwei Hu, research assistant, have developed a new molecule dubbed “icon,” which is injected into tumors as part of a harmless virus that kills cancer cells by targeting their blood vessels for destruction by the immune system. Before the cancer cells die, they produce new copies of the virus containing icon. The virus then spreads to target other cancer sites.
In an article to be published in the today’s issue of “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,” Garen and Hu describe a successful trial of icon therapy in laboratory mice injected with human melanoma and prostate cancers.
“Virtually all of the viable tumor cells were eliminated, and the mice appeared to be free of the disease and in good health at the end of the experiments, which lasted up to 194 days,” the pair wrote. Control mice which were not given icon died within 63 days.
Dr. Albert Deisseroth, who worked at Yale before becoming president of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in San Diego, is preparing a clinical trial of icon therapy for people with melanoma.
The trial is slated to begin next spring, contingent on Federal Drug Adminstraton approval. Deisseroth joined Garen in urging cautious optimism.
“There are differences between animals and human beings,” Deisseroth told the Associated Press. “But when studies in animals are so reproducible and encouraging you feel justified to invite individuals who are not responding to other forms of therapy to participate (in a clinical trial).”
San Diego students bike across country
A San Diego State senior in sociology, David Yates, and his brother, Scott, an alumnus, will bike across the nation to raise funds for children orphaned by the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
Accompanying them will be their sister, Jenny, a junior at Sacramento State University, and their father, Frank. They will venture on the Columbus to Veterans Freedom Ride. The ride is a fund-raiser created to raise money for the Twin Towers Orphan Fund.
The Yates family will cycyle from the Santa Monica Pier, Calif. to Manhattan, New York. The family began their trek yesterday and will conclude their journey on Nov. 11. When the family arrives in New York they will deliver a check along with a scrapbook to New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
David Yates is taking a semester off to participate in the ride. Even though it is a big sacrifice, he said it is worth it.
“I can do it because the cause is greater and goes far beyond my personal needs,” he said. “I can make sacrifices just to make a difference in these kids’ lives.”
In order to fund the trip, Scott Yates sent letters to companies asking for donations. The Yates family will also rally in the city hall of every town they pass through. Americans will be able to sign the scrapbook at that time and make personal donations to the cause.
Franklin University renews contract
Despite recent controversy surrounding the school, Franklin University President Paul J. Otte’s contract has been renewed.
Otte had been under scruntiny for running the school like a business, calling students “consumers” and referring to degrees as “products.” Otte also condoned curriculum changes which required professors to teach from specific manuals, giving them little control over the classroom. With many professors and instructors leaving the univerisity, Franklin was also at risk for losing accreditation.
Otte’s contract renewal had been stalled. However, his new contract is good for five years with possible extensions, according to the Office of the President.
– Compiled by Kimberly J. Brauning
