Briefs

Cornell Political Forum awarded: The Cornell Political Forum has been awarded the Gold Medalist Certificate by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Founded in 1987, the forum has been a first-line student publication that has won two Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Awards and also received the first James A. Perkins Prize at Cornell. The forum is a nonpartisan journal and organization that promotes scholarly excellence and original thought. Its upcoming issue will be on the theme, "Science and Society in the 21st Century." The forum also organizes and hosts public debates on key issues of public interest. On Oct. 22, it will present, together with the United Nations Foundation (and with the support of the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education), a public debate at Cornell titled "The Bush Administration's Foreign Policy Strategy and Iraq: Pro and Con," from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in 165 McGraw Hall. Participants will be Barry Strauss, professor of history and classics, and Peter Katzenstein, the Walter S. Carpenter Jr. Professor of International Studies and Government, with an introduction by Kurt Gottfried, professor emeritus of physics and co-founder of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Caplan Fellowships: The College of Arts and Sciences will have an informational meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 4:30 p.m. in 124 Goldwin Smith Hall on the Harry Caplan Travel Fellowships. Two fellowships -- in honor of Harry Caplan, one of the college's most beloved teachers and scholars of classics -- of $3,000 for summer travel to Europe or the Near East are awarded each year to juniors who have serious and developed interest in some aspect of the subjects Caplan loved: ancient Greek and Latin cultures, medieval Latin literature -- especially drama and ancient Jewish culture and rhetoric. Interested juniors can apply by submitting a short essay describing how they plan to take advantage of the fellowship. A committee of the college will select the winners based on both the short essay and scholarly performance. Students on financial aid should not refrain from applying because Cornell will compensate the expectations for summer earnings. Submit essays to Professor John Coleman c/o Katrina Cooper, 120 Goldwin Smith Hall. Applicants need to include the following: full name, local address, permanent address, Social Security number, Cornell ID number, college and citizenship. The application deadline is Nov. 14. Call 255-7471 for further information.

Child safety-seat check: On Saturday, Nov. 1, the Cornell University Police will hold a "Child Safety Seat Check" event at the Cornell Grounds Department Shops at 307 Palm Road (off Route 366 by the Cornell Orchards). The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and is open to the public. Child Safety Seat technicians will be on hand to check seats for proper installation, recall and damage. For more details on this event, contact the Cornell University Crime Prevention Unit at G-2 Barton Hall at 255-7404. A limited number of free safety seats also will be available at the Safety Seat Check. Members of the Cornell community who meet the income guidelines of the New York State WIC program can receive an application for a free seat by calling the Crime Prevention Unit. This program is funded through a grant from the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.