"Health & Medical News"

The University of Iowa is offering extra funding to departments that schedule more Friday classes, as part of an initiative to curb student partying that increasingly begins on Thursday nights and continues through the weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported Jan. 7.

Currently, only about 1,400 classes are held on Fridays at the school, compared to an average of 2,400 from Monday to Thursday. Students and faculty agree that the lack of Friday classes encourages an early start to weekend revelry. “Sometimes a Thursday will definitely beat out a Saturday,” said sophomore Greg Meyer, 20.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Middle-school students in North Carolina will receive media-literacy education on alcohol ads and other media that promote underage drinking under a new state initiative, the Raleigh News & Observer reported Sept. 12.

The program, called “Media Ready,” features 10 lessons designed to be delivered in school and was unveiled this week by First Lady Mary Easley and acting U.S. Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu. The curriculum already is in use in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Chatham schools.

Popularity: 5% [?]