Community Briefs

Thursday, November 7, 1996Cal newspapers stolen for endorsing
Prop. 209

No one has claimed responsibility for the theft of all 23,000
copies of a University of California student newspaper that
included an editorial supporting Proposition 209, police said.

Editor-in-chief Mike Coleman said he believed the thieves
followed the newspaper’s three delivery trucks Tuesday, waited for
the newspapers to be placed in news racks and then stole the Daily
Californian’s entire print run.

The paper put out 5,000 extra copies Tuesday afternoon. They
were distributed by the staff on the campus.

The editorial, which also ran in Monday’s edition of the free
newspaper, backed the state ballot measure. Californians on Tuesday
passed the proposition, which prohibits racial and gender
preferences in state hiring, contracting and education.

"Race-based affirmative action is wrong because it discriminates
on the basis of race," the editorial said. "Race and gender
preferences now do more harm than good."

The issue has become a contentious one at the university since
the Board of Regents voted in July 1995 to end racial preferences
in admissions and financial aid.

"The stereotype is that everyone in Berkeley is against
Proposition 209," Coleman said. "But this school, this newspaper is
more conservative than it was 10 years ago."

Campus police Sgt. John Powell said it was not clear whether
taking the free newspapers was a crime, although the Daily
Californian has filed a criminal complaint with the city.

UCLA student receives Directors Guild award

Vern Anthony Pringle of the UCLA School of Theatre Film and
Television was awarded the Wendell Franklin Award for
African-American film students.

Directors Guild President Gene Reynolds announced Tuesday the
winners of the Second Annual Directors Guild Association Student
Film Awards for African-American, Latino, and women filmmakers.

"These awards are designed to honor, encourage, and bring
attention to outstanding minority and women film students in
California film schools," commented Reynolds.

Nuwer elected to society of neurophysiology

Dr. Marc Nuwer, professor of neurology and chief of clinical
neurophysiology at the UCLA School of Medicine, has been elected to
serve a four-year term as president of the International Federation
of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN). The IFCN, which comprises 50
clinical neurophysiological societies with a total of more than
25,000 members on six continents, is the leading organization of
its type in the world.

Clinical neurophysiology relates the function of the nervous
system in health to its dysfunction in diseases such as epilepsy,
Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis, pinched nerves and sleep
disorders.

Nuwer completed his internship and residency in neurology at the
UCLA School of Medicine, and joined the faculty in 1979. He is
internationally respected as a leader in understanding EEG and its
applications in neurophysiology.

As president of the IFCN, Nuwer plans to lead the federation
into the next century by expanding its role in educating physicians
worldwide and leading in the development of standards for new
medical testing of nervous system function.

"Young physicians in all nations are very interested in learning
to use these tests in neurological practice," Nuwer said. "With
good teaching and modestly priced equipment, physicians even in
developing countries are learning to practice high quality clinical
neurophysiological testing. This will directly benefit patient care
standards worldwide."

Compiled from Daily Bruin staff and wire reports

The Nov. 6 Viewpoint column, "Take a crazy, three-day trek
around sites of fun-filled L.A.," contained an error. The attacks
on USAC President John Du and former USAC President York Chang were
not intended to run. Their presence was due to an editing error and
not the columnist’s intention.