KUMC researcher finalist for S. Carolina dean job

A Kansas University researcher known for his research on smoking is a finalist to be dean at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina.

Jasjit Ahluwalia, chairman of the department of preventive medicine and public health at the KU Medical Center, was one of three finalists announced this week by the school, which helps public health officials prepare to respond to epidemics and bioterrorism.

In one study, Ahluwalia, who has been at KU since 1997, found that the anti-smoking drug Zyban works especially well among blacks, whose smoking cessation rate is much lower than that of whites.

Ahluwalia also was announced as a finalist to be dean at the University of Southern Florida’s College of Public Health in April.

Arts

Writer producing play on Indians in Lawrence

Representatives from Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and Haskell Indian Nations University will meet with experimental playwright Ping Chong at noon today to discuss Chong’s plans to produce a play based on the experiences of American Indians in Lawrence.

The play will be presented as part of a communitywide summit on human relations in April 2005.

In recent weeks, Chong has collected first-person stories from Haskell students, faculty and alumni. His play will be based on their stories.

Chong is a past recipient of six National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and a Guggenheim fellowship.

The luncheon meeting today will be at Navarre Hall on the Haskell campus.

Police

Basketball player helps break up fight at bar

Kansas University men’s basketball point guard Aaron Miles appeared on the police blotter Thursday after helping break up a fight between two women outside Johnny’s Tavern, 401 N. Second St., police said.

Miles was listed as a witness in the case. Sgt. Dan Ward, a Lawrence Police spokesman, said a 27-year-old woman had been arguing with a 23-year-old woman as they left the bar. Outside, after the 27-year-old recognized Miles and began talking with him, the other woman came up behind her and struck her on the head, Ward said.

Police were on routine patrol when they came upon the incident and found Miles separating the two women, Ward said.

The 23-year-old was issued notices to appear in municipal court.