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The men's basketball looks to rebound from Saturday’s 83-82 loss to St. John's when it travels down to Clemson. See page 17
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Duke’s genomics center progresses The genomics institute, which does not yet have a director, will unite biological research, ethics and policy in an ambitious
interdisciplinary program. >
By GREG PESSIN The Chronicle
As scientists move closer to mapping the entire human genome, Duke has begun preparing for the bold new world ofbiological research, ethics and policy that is emerging. In one of its most complex and interdisciplinary initiatives ever, the University is beginning to engage almost every one of its colleges and schools in the Institute for Genomic Sciences and Policy. The institute will comprise at least five centers of research on the science, statistics, ethics and policy associated with deciphering DNA sequences. “I think we see this as one of the major things that we can do to forward the development of biological sciences at Duke,” said Provost Peter Lange. “We have said often that you can’t build department by department. You have to build centers of excellence.” Medical school dean Dr. Ed Holmes is helping to lead the planning effort, and his school will play a key role in each of the centers. “Several of the centers are already functioning to varying degrees and planning for several more will likely lead to functioning programs within the next year,” he said. “Planning for the institute will no doubt continue in conjunction with the University strategic planning process over the next academic year.” The institute does not have a director yet, but centers researching human genetics, models of human disease, genome technology and policy, ethics and law are in various stages of development. The University’s initiative is part of a national trend at several major research institutions attempting to apply genome technology to medical and other fields. See
GENOMICS on page 14 ¥■
TAYLOR PAIGE McKINNEY was the first leap year baby born at the Medical Center
A birthday to remember By DREW KLEIN Trie Chronicle
' Eternal youth may not be possible, but some new parents think their newborn children could come close. Children bom yesterday will have the rare distinction of having leap-year birthdays. Technically, they will have only one birthday every four years—a situation expectant parents found unique and exciting. “I think it would be exciting for the kids,” said Darrell Bradfield, an expectant father waiting with his wife in a Duke Hospital birthing suite. “It’s always fun to
have something different.” He added that having a leap year baby in a millennium year was especially rare. Neither Bradfield nor his wife, who was preparing to deliver fraternal twins, were concerned about potential social difficulties for their children. “I have a friend who’s a twin who was bom on leap year and she always jokes about it,” said Kristen Bradfield. Although most parents seemed excited about the prospect of delivery on Feb. 29, few had planned for the possibility. Lynda Everett, an expectant mother, See LEAP YEAR BABIES
on page 15
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As midterms mount, so does stress By MATT BRUMM The Chronicle A national survey indicates that college stu-
dents are experiencing more stress than ever, and the classrooms of Duke are no exception. While hundreds pack Cameron for home basketball games, still more can be found studying in libraries and dorm rooms around campus in anticipation of impending midterms. The survey, conducted by the University of California at Los Angeles, reports that 30.2 percent of students feel stressed. The study also found that women were more likely than men to feel high levels of stress 38.8 percent vs. 20 percent. Exams and academic rigor have never been foreign to the University, but officials at Counseling and Psychological Services report that about 13 percent of the undergraduate population seeks their assistance each year, and the number is rising annually. “It’s a national trend, and Duke is part of it,” said CAPS Director Jim Clack. “It is a high competition and high stress environment that promotes and supports anxiety development.” Trinity junior Susan Michelich said that in spite of her workload this semester, she is less ANTONIA ABRAHAM, a Trinity freshman, staves off stress as she studies in the stressed about midterms and tests than when she was a freshman. Trinity Cafe on East Campus. —
Scientists study attention control,
page
“I go to the gym, take breaks, and hang out with friends, and vent,” she said. “I’m more stressed about finding out what I’m going to do after I graduate.” Some students arrive at Duke with stressful lifestyles they perfected in high school, while others start developing anxiety as they make the transition to college life, Clack said. “Some students have perfectionist tendencies; they always got As. We help them cope with old expectations and parental expectations,” Clack said. In addition to CAPS, students can go to the Academic Skills center, where they can refine their time management skills and ease the transition into the academic atmosphere of Duke. “Some students are taken by surprise when they [come to Dukel,” said Jackie Ariail, an instructor at the center. “They’re making new friends and putting time and energy into that on top of academics.” Keeping completely stress-free through four years at Duke is probably not a likely feat, but students have developed avoidance and management techniques to prevent overwhelming anxiety from ruling their lives. Jenny Hong, a Pratt sophomore, said that she intersperses studying with more relaxing See
STRESS on page !5
4 � Chin offers 10th option for DSG prez, page 9