Corps to dig at Public Safety site

By Patricio Chile

AU officials approved plans late last month that will allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dig behind the Public Safety building, Dan Noble, project manager for the Army Corps' Military Munitions Response Program, said during a Spring Valley Restoration Advisory Board meeting June 10. (continue reading)

Comment on this story

AU ranks at top of 'politically active' list

By Jimm Phillips

AU again ranks as the most politically involved school in the nation, according to the Princeton Review. The Review, which released details about the 2009 edition of its "The Best 368 Colleges" guide Monday, ranked AU in sixth place on the "Most Politically Active Students" list in its 2008 edition, but previously ranked it as the top school on the list in its 2007 edition. (continue reading)

SG announces new SUB director nominee

Tre Matthews is the new nominee for Student Union Board Director, Student Government President Seth Cutter announced in an e-mail to campus media this afternoon. Matthews, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, is an artist and currently works as an intern at Nightsky Productions, according to an SG press release. (continue reading)

Philosophy and religion professor dies at 52

By Jimm Phillips

Lucinda Peach, an associate professor in the School of International Service and the College of Arts and Sciences, died Friday due to complications that resulted from treatment for a recurrence of breast cancer. (continue reading)

New provost seeks out student viewpoint

By Ethan Klapper

A few months ago, Scott Bass sat through a prospective student information session and took a walking tour of campus with students interested in AU. "I wanted to know what it's like," he said. Bass was not a prospective student, however. He was a prospective provost, and AU "accepted" him May 7. (continue reading)

SOC hires new academic advisers

Ackerley, Andrews replace departing school staff

By Jen Calantone

The School of Communication hired two new academic advisers after Kurt Gunderson and Farida Khatchadourian left their offices in May to pursue new professional opportunities, according to Jonnel Clothier, the school's director of undergraduate affairs. Ashley Ackerley replaced Gunderson as the adviser to SOC students with last names beginning with letters G through O. (continue reading)

Club members send aid to Myanmar

By Maureen McCarty

Since Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar on May 2, several members of American University's Student Campaign for Burma have taken personal initiatives to increase aid to the country, according to Leslie Miller, former president of the AUSCB and a 2008 graduate from the School of International Service. (continue reading)

Learning communities meant to assist incoming freshmen

By Jen Calantone

Approximately 300 incoming freshmen will be involved in the Learning Communities Project next semester, according to Patrick Thaddeus Jackson, chairman of the Learning Communities program. The new programs, targeted at first-year students, are an attempt to expand the University College program. (continue reading)

AU summer housing rates similar to area schools

By Kaylor Garcia

As interns from across the country come to D.C. for the summer, many have chosen to live in AU residence halls. Most interns who use AU housing live with the university's summer students in one of the three South side residence halls, according to information on the university's Web site. (continue reading)

AU not among colleges to drop SAT requirement

By Jeanette Lenoir

AU has not changed its SAT submission requirement, even as a growing number of schools nationwide have decided to alter or drop their own testing requirements. In May, Wake Forest University in North Carolina and Smith College in Massachusetts have joined the list of schools that no longer require a review of students' SAT scores. (continue reading)

Metro calendar

Thursday, June 19 Summer Concerts at Farragut Square: Crowded Streets 5-7 p.m. WHERE: Farragut Park, 17th and K streets N.W. METRO: Farragut North (red line), Farragut West (blue and orange lines) INFO: Crowded Streets will perform at this free weekly summer concert series Thursday afternoons. (continue reading)

Campus brief

Kogod launches two new master's programs

The Kogod School of Business has launched two new graduate degrees - a master of science in finance and master of science in finance and real estate - to begin this academic year. The programs will require 33 credit hours, which can be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis. (continue reading)

Metro brief

main burst contaminates Montgomery County drinking water

The 48-inch water pipe burst at 9 p.m. Sunday evening near Rockville Regional Park, releasing 100 million tons of water into close-by Rock Creek. Following the main water break, Montgomery County ordered 1,200 restaurants that use water from the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission to close on Monday, according to NBC4. (continue reading)

Cutter dismisses SUB director

By Jimm Phillips

Student Government President Seth Cutter removed Student Union Board Director Amanda Mustafic from office Monday, SG Chief of Staff Amanda Fulton said in a press release today. Cutter decided to dismiss Mustafic because she had not met the job's requirements since taking over the position at the end of the spring semester, Fulton said in the press release. (continue reading)

National brief

Red Cross disaster fund empty

The Red Cross has depleted its national relief fund and has taken out loans to pay for housing, food and other relief services to assist the seven Midwestern states inundated by floods, according to The Washington Post. Red Cross officials estimated that the flooded region has cost $15 million so far. (continue reading)

International brief

Israel and Hamas reach cease-fire agreement

Israel and Hamas agreed to the terms of an Egypt-brokered cease-fire Tuesday. The agreement was supposed to go into effect today in the Gaza Strip, according to The New York Times. Hamas co-founder Mahmoud Zahar confirmed the six-month-long truce at a news conference Tuesday, The Times reported. (continue reading)