Stanford Report, March 1, 2006

Cardinal Chronicle

BY MICHAEL PEÑA

If the nearly 40-year-old pedestrian bridge on the south side of Meyer Library was ever in need of repair, it's now. On Feb. 22, a recycling truck on its regular morning route got wedged while trying to drive under the bridge and chipped a few chunks off the span's belly. In order to get the truck unstuck, facilities staff had to deflate the front tires to gain a few inches of clearance for backing out. The bridge has been fenced and taped off since then. A structural engineering firm has assessed the damage and recommended minor repairs be made, but those might have to wait a week because of the heavy rain, said TAI TRAN, a facilities coordinator who oversaw the assessment. He added that a seismic study of Meyer Library—and its bridge, built in the late 1960s—is already under way. One noticeable change that could occur rather quickly is the posting of a sign for maximum clearance height.

Rain or shine, the 17th WILLIAM M. FAIRBANK Memorial Run/Walk/Bike will begin at noon Saturday, March 4. The event is hosted by the Physics Department and honors the late Fairbank, a physics professor from 1959 until his death in 1989. As in previous years, the winner will not be the one who finishes first, but the participant whose actual time is fractionally closest to his or her predicted time. The winner's name will appear on a plaque displayed in the Physics Department, and those crossing the finish line will receive a certificate noting their time. The event is free and open to the public, and pets are welcome. Runners and walkers will use the 4-mile Campus Drive loop, while bikers ride along the Alpine Drive-Arastradero Road-Page Mill Road loop. Both routes will start and end at the Cantor Art Center's Rodin Sculpture Garden. Organizers expect the race to end by 1:30 p.m.

Tonight, the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity will screen the six-time Oscar-nominated film Crash, which has been described as an ensemble piece that probes race relations and interweaves the lives of nine different sets of characters over a 36-hour period in modern-day Los Angeles. The movie starts at 6:30 p.m. in Building 260, Room 113. The free program includes a faculty panel discussion and will last about three hours.