Purdue News
November 1994
Diet-savvy consumers still get in their licks
Efforts to inform the public about the link between fat intake and chronic disease
have increased public awareness and changed food choices, but haven't resulted in
reduced fat-intake levels. Daniel S. Putler, assistant professor of management at
Purdue, and USDA economist Elizabeth Frazao found in a study that even individuals aware of
the link still have somewhat unhealthy diets. For example, the study notes that diet-savvy
women eat less red meat and egg products, but eat more salty snacks, deserts and
fatty dressings and sauces. CONTACT: Putler, (765) 494-4404.
Take steps when child abuse knocks at your door
You see bruises on the face of one of your child's playmates. Should you contact child
protective services or ignore the matter? Dean D. Knudsen, Purdue professor of sociology,
says it's better to try to determine if the child is really being abused than to do nothing, and child-protection authorities are in the best position to determine
that. Children will continue to be abused unless someone intervenes, he says. Knudsen's
comments come on the heels of a recent study by a University of New Hampshire researcher that says one in four U.S. kids ages 10 to 16 is abused each year. CONTACT:
Knudsen, (765) 494-4666. Black-and-white photo of Knudsen available, (765) 494-2096.
Generational differences are great among Catholics
A Purdue professor has found marked differences in the way different generations of
Catholics look at their church. James D. Davidson, professor of sociology, is directing
a study of theological differences among Catholics in Indiana and has plans to expand his study nationwide. His findings so far: Older Catholics, those raised in the
1930s and 1940s, stress discipline and obedience when talking about the church, and
they are worried about the younger generation and the future of the church. Younger
Catholics, those raised in the 1970s and 1980s, focus almost exclusively on their personal
relationship with God. They place higher premium on what they perceive as "God's
Law" than they do on church teachings. Davidson presented his findings at the Nov.
4-6 meeting in Albuquerque, N.M., of the Society for Scientific Study of Religion. CONTACT:
Davidson, (765) 494-6630; home, (765) 463-9607. Black-and-white feature photo of Davidson available, (765) 494-2096
.
Students make college rooms feel like home, sweet home
College students have stopped thinking about university housing as simply a place
to sleep. The residence hall is home eight months of the year, and students are bringing
the comforts of home with them to school. The comforts include telephones, answering
machines, televisions, videotape recorders, refrigerators and personal computers.
Students are using the concepts of interior design to personalize their living space,
and this fall Purdue conducted a contest to let students show their creativity. Two
students who decorated their room in a sports motif won the inaugural judging. With nearly
11,000 undergraduate students living on campus, Purdue operates the largest residence
hall system in the country that does not require students to live in university housing. CONTACT: Barbara Middleton, residence halls marketing manager, (765) 494-1000;
Internet, bamiddleton@smly-01.hfs.purdue.edu Color photos available. (765) 494-2096.
Lullabies are good tool to help baby learn language
Singing or reciting nursery rhymes to your baby is a good way to help the child learn
language, says Michael P. Lynch, assistant professor of audiology and speech sciences
at Purdue. And it's never too early to start, he says -- babies are fascinated by
music from the moment they're born. Even if you sing off-key, that's OK, he says. The
important thing is to use music to encourage your little one to pay attention and
start picking up how language sounds. CONTACT: Lynch, (765) 494-3824.
Higher education turns more to private funds
"Shrinking state revenues are forcing public-assisted colleges and universities to
make private support a larger part of their budgets," says Charles B. Wise, Purdue
vice president for development. Wise spearheaded Purdue's five-year, $250 million
"Vision 21" campaign, which has raised more than $321 million to date -- the largest total
by an Indiana public college or university. Wise says, "Private support has become
increasingly important to Purdue's ability to sustain and build excellence. In fact,
few realize that only one-fourth of Purdue's 1994-95 annual operating budget comes from
state funds. This compares to 33 percent in 1980-81." The "Vision 21" campaign allows
the university to bolster such areas as student scholarships, faculty development
and establishment of new centers of excellence. The campaign officially ends Dec. 31. CONTACT:
Wise, (765) 494-8653. Black-and-white photo of Wise and b-roll of campaign celebration available, (765)
494-2096.
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
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