Story Ideas for Media 3-4-08

Research

United States is just average in terms of women's role in politics, authors say. The candidacy of Hillary Rodham Clinton for president has broken new ground in the United States, but the nation still trails many other countries in women's political representation, said Pamela Paxton, associate professor of sociology and political science at Ohio State University. When it comes to political equality for women, the United States ranks "middle of the pack" compared to most other countries, according to Paxton, co-author of a recent book on women and global politics.
"It would be groundbreaking for the United States if Hillary Clinton were elected, but it would still be following the middle-of-the road pattern," Paxton said. "A number of other countries have already had female leaders." Paxton and Melanie Hughes, a doctoral student in sociology at Ohio State, are authors of Women, Politics and Power: A Global Perspective (Pine Forge Press, 2007). CONTACT: Pamela Paxton, (614) 688-8266; Melanie Hughes, (614) 247-6404; SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/wompoli.htm

Students with cell phones may take more risks, study finds. Carrying a cell phone may cause some college students – especially women – to take risks with their safety, a new study suggests. A survey of 305 students at one campus found that 40 percent of cell phone users said they walked somewhere after dark that they normally wouldn't go. A separate survey found that about three-quarters of students said that carrying a cell phone while walking alone at night made them feel safer. "Students seem to feel less vulnerable when they carry a cell phone, although there's not evidence that they really are," said Jack Nasar, co-author of the study and professor of city and regional planning at Ohio State University. Nasar says, "If anything, they are probably less safe because they are paying less attention to their surroundings." CONTACT: Jack Nasar, (614) 292-1457; SEE: http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/cellsafe.htm

Events

Students host Ohio Primary Result Watching Party – March 4. Civically-minded undergraduates will watch the results from the Ohio primary beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday (3/4) in Page Hall's Leadership Education Center, 1810 College Rd. room 130. Members of the John Glenn Civic Leadership Council (CLC) and the John Glenn School of Public Affairs Learning Community (LC) are committed to civic engagement, to service, and to policy issues. Throughout the year the CLC and LC host events like this to encourage students to become more involved in the political process. Senator John Glenn, a passionate advocate of civic engagement and leadership, will join the students for part of the evening for a conversation about Ohio's important role in the 2008 presidential election. CONTACT: Laura Sipe, Glenn School, (614) 247-6369.

Ohio State celebrates the ability to learn to read – March 6. Celebrating "Read Across America Week," Ohio State welcomes students from Evening Street Elementary School and their Reading Recovery teacher, Kellie Ehlers, in reading from their favorite works and some Dr. Seuss.
The students and their teacher will celebrate their ability to read during the weekly ReadAloud program, from 3 to 4 p.m. on Thursday (3/6) at the Wexner Center Cafè, 1850 College Rd. Each week Ohio State Libraries offer ReadAloud programs, where faculty, staff, students and community members read from their favorite books. The students, who were all among the lowest in their first grade class, are now competent and excellent readers thanks to Reading Recovery – and OSU's role in bringing Reading Recovery to America in 1984. Since that time more than 1.7 million American children have had intensive Reading Recovery tutoring. CONTACT: Marsha Studebaker, Reading Recovery Council of North America.

The person listed as the CONTACT will have the most current information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story: Liz Cook; (614) 292-7276; Shelly Hoffman; (614) 247-4748; Jim Lynch; (614) 247-4110; or Amy Murray; (614) 292-8385.