Thursday, April 12, 2007
C a b r i n i
C o l l e g e
The Loquitur Y o u S p e a k, W e L i s t e n
www.theLoquitur.com
Radnor, Pa.
HPV becomes concern for males
Vol XLVIII, Issue 22
Alcohol-related deaths on the rise
JAMIE HUFNAGLE
ASST. NEWS EDITOR
JLH729@CABRINI.COM
While recent attention has been focused on the human papillomavirus in women, recent studies have shown that males may have a reason to be just as concerned. As many as 60 percent of men ages 18 to 70 are infected with HPV, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times. Questions have been raised on whether the new vaccine will be effective in reducing diseases linked to the virus unless both men and women are immunized. Several studies are being conducted in order to better understand HPV in males and whether the new HPV vaccine, Gardasil, will also work for them. The new data confirms that HPV is not solely a women’s issue but an issue for males as well. HPV is well known for causing cervical cancer in women. Gardasil, the new vaccine, is given in a three-shot series and was approved last year for girls and women ages 9 to 26.
HPV, page 3
WHAT’S INSIDE
MICHELE JOY FITZGERALD/SUBMITTED PHOTO
Victoria Hickman, a York College freshman, was found unresponsive in her dorm room on Nov. 27, 2006 due to a “massive alcohol overdose.” JILLIAN SMITH
ASST. PERSPECTIVES EDITOR JKS724@CABRINI.EDU
Until the death of Victoria “Vicki” Hickman, a York College freshman, sophomore elementary education major Michele Fitzgerald and freshman undeclared major Nick Pitts, never knew one another. “She brought us together,” Pitts said. “It was
nice not to feel alone.” To Fitzgerald, Hickman, a friend, was the “pick me up. There was never a dull moment.” To Pitts, Hickman was not only his second cousin by marriage (his dad and her dad are cousins) but one of his best friends when they were little. “I never saw her in a bad mood.” On Nov. 27, 2006, the 18-year old was found unresponsive in
her dorm room at 11:44 a.m. in the Laurel Hall on York’s campus. She was pronounced dead after arriving at York Hospital. The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse in 1998 found “approximately 240,000 to 360,000 of the nation’s 12 million current undergraduates will ultimately die from alcohol-related causes—more than the number that will get MAs and PhDs com-
bined.” The toxicology report came back on Jan. 23 stating that Hickman died of a “massive alcohol overdose” and her blood alcohol content was 0.33 percent, which is four times the legal limit of Pennsylvania state law. Lt. Ron Camacho, who supervises the city’s detective bureau, told reporters, “That’s an incredible amount of alcohol,” about the toxicology report on Hickman. “I would say that is relatively rare,” and his “detectives don’t often come across fatal alcohol poisonings,” he said. However, according to alcoholnews.org, the odds of a teen dying of an alcohol-related death is 9 in 100,000. “Approximately 13,212,000 underage youth in the United States drink each year.” That breaks down into 78 percent had at least one drink of alcohol on one or more days during their life; 30 percent had five or more drinks of alcohol in a row in the past 30 days; five percent had at least one drink of alcohol on school property on one or more of the past 30 days, according to udetc.org. “She was drinking at the dorm with other people, just drinking shots — vodka — not beer,” York City Police Detective Jeffrey Spence told reporters. “I just assumed she knew her limit,” Fitgerald said. “Apparently she didn’t.” Fitzgerald explained that
ALCOHOL, page 3
Program focuses on violence against women MEGHAN HURLEY
WRITING COACH/WEB EDITOR MLH722@CABRINI.EDU
A&E ‘Blades of Glory’ review Page 10
SPORTS Women’s softball Page 13
Students, faculty and staff sat in the Grace Hall Atrium in complete silence as Rose Stewart, a date-rape survivor, told her story of the violence that was inflicted upon her 23 years ago. Stewart was part of the Take Back the Night program that took place on March 27. The night was meant to raise awareness on campus about violence, mainly against women, and it’s affect on the women and the people around them. “It’s helpful for people to know they are not alone,” Stewart said. Stewart survived being beaten and raped by a man
who broke into her apartment. She later helped to get him convicted, not only of the crimes against her, but for the murders of other women. He is currently on death row. “This experience for me was incredibly empowering,” Stewart said. “We are all a lot stronger than we give ourselves credit for.” After Stewart’s story, participants gathered for a walk around the campus stopping at various points including the Widener Center and East Residence Hall. At each stop, students read stories of violence from the perspective of a woman, a man and a child. “I wasn’t asked to come an scare you,” Stewart said. “But you need to give some serious
VIOLENCE, page 3
CABRINI STUDENT ACTIVITIES
As part of the Take Back the Night program, students walked around Residential Drive and they were led in chants. Also, candlelight vigil in front of the Mansion.