News

News

Thousands rally for environment

By Marisa Kendall | March 5

AU students braved a snowstorm that temporarily shut down most of D.C. Monday to be among thousands protesting coal and attempting to raise awareness of environmental issues. A rally on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol marked the culmination of Power Shift 2009 - a four-day conference sponsored by Capitol Climate Action, according to the event's Web site.

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AU Abroad adds India programs

By Brolley Genster | March 5

On Feb. 26, AU Abroad sent an e-mail to students to unveil its two newest programs - both of which are in India. Students now have the opportunity to study at Fergusson College in Pune or at Manipal University in Manipal. With more than 1,500 different recognized dialects and 24 official languages, India is the most multicultural country in the world - a fact many foreigners may find daunting, according to Ethan Merritt, an AU Abroad adviser.

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Campus brief

March 5

Business Week magazine has ranked the Kogod School of Business as one of the top 30 best undergraduate business schools, according to an AU press release. The magazine ranked 51 schools, with Kogod in 28th place. The rankings are based on surveys conducted of business majors and business recruiters.

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Metro brief

March 5

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officials signed a deal Friday that will permit more companies to provide cellular phone service in Metrorail's tunnel system, according to The Washington Post. The deal will allow AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile to install equipment in the tunnels over the next four years while providing Metro with about $25 million, according to the Post.

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New club focuses on Western heritage

By Meg Fowler | March 5

As the crowd streamed out of Ward 1 last Thursday, shouts for ethnic pride and gay rights rang through the air while faint voices sang "This Land is My Land." Former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., had just given his talk about assimilation against the "cult of multiculturalism," and some students had been stifling and hushing their reactions to his words all night.

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More opt for early grad

By Marisa Kendall | March 5

Though some colleges have begun creating three-year bachelor's degree programs in an effort to save students money, there has not been a huge amount of interest in the possibility of similar programs at AU. A majority of undergraduate programs at U.S. universities are meant to be completed in four years, but with the economy now in a recession, the three-year bachelor's degree might soon become viewed as a widespread option for cutting costs, according to USA Today.

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Police blotter

March 5

Feb. 25 The D.C. Fire Department transported a highly intoxicated and unconscious individual in Leonard Hall to the hospital. An acquaintance indicated the sick individual consumed alcohol. A student in the Kogod School of Business building became unconscious and fell from her chair during a class lecture.

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Eagles win Patriot League title 73-57

By Jimm Phillips | March 5

Fans flooded onto the court of Bender Arena Friday afternoon after the AU men's basketball team defeated the College of the Holy Cross in the Patriot League championship game. The win will guarantee AU a berth in the NCAA championships. The team's seed and first opponent will be determined Sunday.

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Speaker asks grads to teach in D.C.

By William F Zeman | March 5

AU students can do more to affect change in D.C. Public Schools, School of Education, Teaching and Health Dean Sarah Irvine Belson said during a forum Saturday. "It's great when people volunteer in schools," Belson said during the "Improving Student Achievement in Urban Schools" forum.

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Students react to Obama's Tuesday speech

By Graham Vyse | March 2

President Obama's first address to Congress sparked reaction last week from AU's students and expert analysts who are anxious to see how the new president will confront America's challenges. At least 52 million people watched Obama speak on television, according to The New York Times.

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Metro brief

March 2

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday that a 1776 copy of the Declaration of Independence belongs to a Fairfax County collector who paid $500,000 for it, rather than to the state of Maine, according to The Washington Post. The copy was one of 200 to 300 printed in Salem, Mass.

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Metro logs onto Facebook

By Allison Gold | March 2

Metro recently released a Facebook page in an effort to connect to more customers and provide a new outlet for feedback. The page includes general information on Metro, events and discussion board topics. There are also RSS feeds on the page that show real-time information on Metrorail track-work and Metrobus delays.

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Campus brief

March 2

The School of Public Affairs has recently included former Rep. Connie Morella, R-Md., as the ambassador in residence for the Women and Politics Institute, according to an AU press release. Morella has been a professor for 15 years, and currently teaches the SPA course "Women, Politics and Public Policy.

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National brief

March 2

A Denver man received an unpleasant surprise from the Colorado State Patrol after getting hit by a car while pushing three people out of the way on Feb. 20, the Associated Press reported. Officers issued a jaywalking citation to bus driver Jim Moffett after a car hit Moffett while he was helping two elderly women cross the street, the AP reported.

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International brief

March 2

A team of Saudi surgeons successfully separated a pair of Egyptian conjoined twins Saturday, CNN.com reported. The boys, Hassan and Mahmoud, were less than one year old and were the 21st pair successfully separated without charge under a philanthropic program started by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Azziz, according to CNN.

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AU Web site gets makeover

By Julia Ryan | March 2

AU's Web Steering Committee will debut an updated american.edu March 30 that will make it easier to find and share information about the university. School of Communication Dean Larry Kirkman convened the Web site redesign project a few years ago to make important and necessary updates to the site, according to Bernie Schulz, special assistant to the Vice President of Campus Life.

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Former Miss America speaks on body image

By Travis Mitchell | March 2

It is important to maintain a positive and healthy body image, Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund said during a speech in the Ward Circle Building Thursday night. "Love your body, rock the world," she said. Now an aspiring Hollywood actress, 20-year-old Haglund is originally from Michigan and grew up studying ballet and dance.

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