Brown and White Vol. 117 no. 2

              Gast heads review panel for ‘01 anthrax scare
By ELAINE HARDENSTINE
Almost eight years ago to the day, letters containing anthrax powder began showing up in the mailboxes of several high-profile American citizens and media outlets.
Over several weeks, 17 people became infected and five people died of the infectious disease.
In 2008, Bruce Ivins, a gov­ernment scientist, was investigat­ed as the “sole” anthrax-mailing suspect, according to authorities at the time. Before a criminal investigation was held, he com­mitted suicide.
Throughout the entirety of the anthrax scare, offices closed down as hospitals tested for more cases and public fear ran ram­pant. But the forensic evidence in the case was never compiled and analyzed to the satisfaction of the government.
Now, in an effort to under­stand what truly happened in 2001, the National Academy of Sciences is running a panel to study and form conclusions about the anthrax scare.
“We are holding information gathering meetings, in order to hear evidence,” said President Alice Gast, who is heading the investigation panel filled with scientists from a wide variety of fields, including chemists, techni­cians, a justice and specialists in infectious disease.
“The group members were chosen for their balanced, unbi­ased views,” Gast said. “It was a privilege to take an in-depth look at an important subject with such a diverse, informed group of people.”
The panel met once in July and will meet several more times, including this month, until they finish formulating a report.
Although Gast cannot cur­rently disclose the opinions of the panel, the full report detailing its conclusions will be released within the year.
The report, which will be reviewed by outside experts and presented on Capitol Hill, will contain guidelines for handling bioterroristic threats in the future.
Officials will gain advice on how to properly manage mi­crobial forensic cases, including law enforcements’ collection of bacteria and medical experts’ identification of disease.
“It will be a service to agen­cies for the future, in the chance that bioterroristic threats arise again,” Gast said. “They will be able to respond more quickly to an urgent situation that is consis­tently new and changing.”
Gast compared the anthrax case to the Severe Acute Respira­tory Syndrome, SARS, epidemic in China several years ago.
“The situations are parallel because the national and world community needed to come to­gether to identify the problem,” she said. “No one expected someone in a hospital to have SARS or anthrax.”
This is the third panel Gast has worked on for the National Academy of Sciences.
Vol. 117 No. 2
Friday, September 4, 2009
‘All the Lehigh News First’
THE BROWN AND WHITE
Lehigh University’s Student Newspaper Founded in 1894
SPORTS
Lehigh stumps Stanford 2-1
Page 16
ONLINE
Check online for breaking news
www.thebrownandwhite.com
Economy affects financial aid
Page 7
LIFESTYLE
Lehigh prepares for swine flu
By OPEYEMI AKINBAMIDELE
In an effort to gear up for an inter­national pandemic of the H1N1 influ­enza virus, most commonly known as swine flu, administrators are preparing to minimize the effect of the situation on campus.
Lehigh was designated a state senti­nel surveillance site for influenza after the Bethlehem Health Bureau asked if Lehigh would join.
Dr. Susan Kitei, director of the Health and Wellness Center, said the university’s involvement with the sur­veillance program helps Lehigh gain access to specialized testing through the state at no cost to students.
Kitei said Lehigh is also in a similar surveillance program with the Ameri­can College Health Association, which will provide key information about the effect of the H1N1 influenza on colleg­es and universities across the country.
“We want to minimize the impact of the H1N1 virus on students and the educational process through preven­tion and response,” said John Smeaton, vice president of student affairs.
Lehigh has also registered with the state to receive the swine flu vaccine when it becomes available. Kitei said that Lehigh has spoken to the Bethle­hem Health Bureau in hopes of having the vaccine administered by volunteers of the Medical Reserve Corps so that the vaccine will be available to stu­dents at no charge.
University announcements have en­couraged students to wash their hands thoroughly and often, sneeze in a tissue and disinfect items such as key­boards, doorknobs and phones.
If a student should show the symp­toms of a fever, temperature of 100 degrees or greater, cough and/or a sore throat, he or she should call or e-mail the Health Center, which will notify the dean’s office.
Kitei said all faculty have received a letter telling them to allow students to miss up to a week of classes if they should become ill.
The national Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises college students to isolate themselves if they become ill until 24 hours after they stop exhibiting symptoms of the flu.
“Is isolation ideal? Yes. Practical? No,” Smeaton said. “As a person, par­ent, administrator, would that be the right thing to do?”
n The school aims to inform students about the H1N1 virus and treatment methods.
See H1N1 Page 5
Class of 2013 strong, despite application decline
B&W photo by STEPHANIE LIN
Students line up for lunch in front of the University Center, a popular place for freshmen. Despite a decrease in applications, the class of 2013 is a strong, diverse group, administrators say.
By MOLLY O’NEILL
With the fall semester now in full swing, Lehigh welcomes a new crop of students to the university.
J. Leon Washington, dean of admissions and financial aid, said the class of 2013 is a ram­bunctious group.
“I don’t know yet whether or not that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” Washington said.
Washington said although applications were down from last year by 8.6 percent, the class of 2013 is academically on par with the preceding class. With 1201 students arriving at check-in, they represent 41 states and the territories of Puer­to Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Washington D.C., he said. The class is about 58 percent male and 42 percent female.
The poor economy made the admissions process slightly different this year, Washington said. “We were very concerned with getting a class at all,” he said.
“We conducted personal fol­low-ups and did what you’d call hand-holding so that by the end of the whole process, the fami­lies were happy to stop hearing from us.”
Washington said there are some interesting characters in the class of 2013, including three students who have black belts in karate, one student who is a martial arts instructor, a stu­dent who aspires to be a news­paper editor who already has local renown in her hometown and a student fluent in seven languages.
Some first-year students ar­rived on campus early, but the rest of the new class arrived on campus on Aug. 20. From there, they were welcomed with events planned by Allison Ragon, the director of orienta­tion and new student programs, and the rest of the office of first year experience, OFYE.
Orientation for the class of 2013 was similar to what it has been in years past because
See FRESHMEN Page 6