Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll conference

Contact Toni Searle, 216-368-4443 or amf2@po.cwru.edu.

Posted 9-11-00

Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll conference is Sept. 15

CLEVELAND -- Case Western Reserve University's annual Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll conference is set for Friday, September 15. Registration runs from 1-2 p.m. in the atrium of the Thwing Student Center, 11111 Euclid Avenue. All conference programs are free to university faculty, staff and students.

For more information, call the Student Activities Office at 216-368-2679 or the University Counseling Service at 216-368-5872.

The event is a student conference for the appreciation of rock and roll music, healthy relationships, and substance abuse education and prevention.

Three pre-conference sessions are planned:

Tuesday, September 12 (4 p.m.): "We Do ... We Can't" (1914 Lounge, Thwing Center) -- A discussion about the current events and legislation related to Gay and Lesbian unions/marriages.
Wednesday, September 13 (noon): "Dancing through the Ages" (Thwing Center Atrium) -- Come learn popular rock and roll dances from the 1950s through the 1990s.
Thursday, September 14 (noon): "I Dream Before I Take the Stand" (Spartan Room, Thwing Center) -- This dramatic presentation will feature riveting dialogue between a man and a woman. Was it sexual assault? Who's right and who's wrong?
Thursday, September 14 (4 p.m.): Men Against Violence training session (Cleveland Room) -- The premise of this training is to start a group on campus to challenge men's violence. The trainer, Russ Funk, is an activist from Washington, D.C., with more than 15 years experience in working with men, organizing men's groups, and combating men's violence. This session is for men only.

The conference's keynote presentation will run from 2-3:20 p.m. Friday, September 15 in the Thwing Center Ballroom. Keynote speaker Floyd Cochran will speak on "Changing Colors: Connecting With Your Fears."

Cochran, a former director of propaganda for the Aryan Nation, now speaks out against racism and hate groups. He is one of the nation's leading experts on hate group activity and recruitment tactics.

A question-and-answer period will follow his discussion. This session is being co-sponsored by two student organizations -- Spectrum and the United Protestant Campus Ministries (UPCaM).

Here is a list of topics and locations for the first conference sessions, which run from 3:30-4:40 p.m.:

"Stealing, Sharing, or Borrowing -- Internet and Music" (1914 Lounge) -- This session will examine the current trends of "borrowing" in the music industry and a look at its effects on how we listen and buy music.
"Think Before you Drink" (Spartan Room) -- This session will focus on the effects of alcohol use on college campuses.
"How Men Learn to be Men" (Cleveland Room) -- A discussion of violence, safety and acculturation. Open to all. Presenter is Russ Funk, an activist from Washington, D.C., who works toward ending men's violence.
"Breaking Through to the 'Other' Side" (Meeting Room A) -- Images of black gangs crowd the media, and white supremacy organizations grow silently. Attendance at this session is limited.

Additional topics are available during the second conference session, which runs from 4:50-6 p.m.:

"The Influence of Rock and Roll on Fashion" (Ballroom) -- Rock and roll has an impact that extends well beyond the stage and can profoundly touch millions of people in a way that other pop culture celebrities do not.
"Our Bodies, Ourselves: Exploring the Power of Body Image for Women Today" (Meeting Room A) -- A hands-on presentation in which participants will learn about relationships among culture, gender, sexuality, human development, and body image.
"Out of Control: Ecstasy and Euphoria in Today's Party Scene" (1914 Lounge) -- This panel discussion will go in depth on the dangers of designer drugs and popularity of drugs on today's nightlife scene.
"History of Rock and Roll" (Spartan Room) -- This presentation will detail the evolution of rock and roll music from its roots through the eighties.

The conference concludes with an all-campus picnic which begins at 6 p.m. on the north lawn of Thwing Center (adjacent to Freiberger Field). The CWRU band Seven Kings will perform. Students should bring their CWRU ID to receive a free meal.

Among conference sponsors and supporters are the University Bookstore, Panhellenic Council, Spectrum, Vertical Sound, UPCaM, and the Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll Committee.

-CWRU-