A New York state law went into effect Nov. 1 banning the use of cell phones while driving a vehicle. This law is the first of its kind in the United States, although 30 other states are considering similar laws.
For the first month, no fines will be levied. Instead, those caught violating the law will be issued a warning. After Nov. 31, violators can expect up to a $100 fine for the first and any subsequent fine.
However, before March 1, a waiver will be available for first time offenders who can show proof of purchase for hands-free equipment. After March 1, the waiver option is not available.
Violations of the new law will go on drivers’ records, but no points will be given. Unlike speeding tickets, the violation should not affect insurance rates.
New e-mails forstudents in the works
New e-mail aliases may be available to students soon.
“We’ve got to resolve the issue of what we’re offering first, and then when we’re offering it,” Operation System Analyst and Programmer Sean Singh said. He said that new aliases might be available next year.
E-mail aliases of the form firstname.lastname
@rochester.edu are currently available for faculty and staff. The same form might be offered to students, Singh said. Other possibilities include something involving a student’s class year.
E-mail sent to a student’s alias would be forwarded to the student’s UR e-mail account.
The aliases would be the first change to undergraduate e-mail since 1999, when the name of the mail server changed from uhura.cc. rochester.edu to mail.rochester.edu.
UR smallpox studystill needs volunteers
The smallpox vaccine study at the UR Medical Center is looking for 100 more subjects to test the effectiveness of diluted smallpox vaccines.
Participants must be between 18 and 32 years old and in good health. Each participant will receive $25 for each of the eight required visits.
UR began to vaccinate the approximately 100 volunteers already involved in the study. The study is designed to determine if current stockpiles of the smallpox vaccine could be diluted in order to inoculate large amounts of people.
Recent worries about bioterrorism sparked the federal government to push for accelerated research in this area. UR is one of the four medical centers selected to determine if a one-fifth or one-tenth dose of the vaccine will be effective.
Those wishing to volunteer for the study, or want more information, can call 273-3990.
Book and bake sale inhonor of Jeremy Glick
The Undergraduate English Council and the Department of English will hold a bake sale Thursday, Nov. 15 in honor of class of 1993 alumnus Jeremy Glick, who was killed aboard United Airlines Flight 93 Sept. 11.
The bake sale will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the May Room of Wilson Commons, Professor of English Sarah Higley said.
She said she had fond memories of Glick. “He was in two of my classes back in ’90 and ’91,” she said. “I remember him as friendly and a good student. He was always interested in the promotion of literature.”
Higley said there would be cookies donated by ARAMARK, and a wide variety of books. “Anything the English faculty felt they could donate from their weird collections” will be for sale, she said.
Glick and other passengers aboard flight 93 were cited as heroes after they took the controls of the plane away from hijackers. They had learned of planes being hijacked by terrorists earlier in the day and crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Reporting by Dan Bockand Alissa Miller.
