World AIDS Day is commemorated at U.

and Chris Marcisz Brad Young has been fighting against AIDS since 1983, and so far he is winning. As a Van Pelt music librarian for 12 years, Young shared his story as part of the "AIDS and the Penn Family" conference in the Penn Tower Hotel yesterday. The conference was part of the World Health Organization's World AIDS Day. Sponsored by the University Task Force on HIV/AIDS, five workshops were conducted on subjects ranging from caring for people with AIDS to medical research updates. Young said he has told his supervisor and co-workers about his disease, adding that he has been able to remain relatively healthy because he participates in several clinical studies. "I don't think I have missed a day's work since I've had the illness," Young said. "The one time I was in the hospital was between Christmas and New Year's. "There are people who are continuing productive lives for many years," he added. "I think it comes as a surprise to many people." Robert Schoenberg, coordinator of the Program for the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community at Penn and the Task Force's Policy Committee, said he was impressed with Young because "he didn't presume to be representative of all people with AIDS." Schoenberg said the conference's workshops provided a valuable learning experience to the more than 100 people in attendance. But he expressed his desire for more student participation even though the conference was designed for faculty and staff. "It was extremely successful," Schoenberg said. "I think more people should have been here. "There are a lot of University administrators who have a lot to learn about AIDS," he added. "I think the people who were here did learn." Sharon Feldman, assistant to the chairperson of the Department of Systems Engineering and part-time student in the College of General Studies, agreed that the lack of students at the conference was disappointing. "When I got to the conference today, I said, 'Where are the students?'," she said. "Students need to know how to deal with faculty and staff with AIDS." Feldman said the $30 registration fee may have discouraged student attendance. After the conference, a candlelight vigil was sponsored by the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to remember patients who had died from AIDS. Stephen Gluckman, an infectious disease physician, said the memorial service was "a way to share memories" between doctors and the families of AIDS victims. Associate Vice President and Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valerie Swain-Cade McCoullum, Associate Vice Provost for University Life Larry Moneta and AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania Executive Director Nan Feyler also spoke at the conference.