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News

Campus preps for Jan. 20

By Tamar Hallerman | January 15

While the prospect of massive crowds and bottlenecked public transportation looms over the heads of D.C.'s event coordinators in connection with the Inauguration, many of AU's departments have implemented new programs to maintain order on campus during the four-day weekend.

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Late last call raises AU admin concerns

By Alyssa Wolice | January 15

AU has increased efforts to ensure that students make safe decisions concerning alcohol consumption during the presidential inauguration festivities in response to the D.C. Council's decision to extend the hours of operation for more than 200 D.C. bars. Dean of Students Robert Hradsky sent a letter to the parents of AU students before the start of the semester that advised them to talk with their students about making responsible choices regarding alcohol use.

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Campus calendar

December 4

Thursday, Dec. 4 Opera - "Tell Me about That" Noon WHERE: Battelle-Tompkins Atrium INFO: Undergraduate and graduate students will perform a semi-staged aria as part of the AU Music Program's Atrium Series. CONTACT: For more information, visit www.american.

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Police blotter

December 4

Nov. 18 An officer noticed a stun gun and pepper spray in a student's handbag while conducting a bag check for a high profile event in the Ward Circle Building. The officer confiscated the items. Nov. 20 A student reported receiving numerous harassing text messages and e-mails from his former girlfriend.

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CBS reporter speaks about surviving bomb

By Katie Litvin | December 4

CBS correspondent Kimberly Dozier, who survived a car bomb attack on May 29, 2006, while she was on assignment in Iraq, spoke to AU students Nov. 24 about her ordeal and intensive recovery. "The hardest part of looking back at the footage is that it puts me back as the victim," Dozier said.

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International brief

December 4

Schools and offices in Mumbai (Bombay), India, reopened Monday following violent attacks on sites in the city between Nov. 26 and 29. Gunmen armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades attacked specific locations, including the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, a Jewish center, a railway station and a hospital for women and children, National Public Radio reported.

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Kerwin's salary in middle of pay list

By Julia Ryan | December 4

Private and public university presidents' salaries have continued to climb in recent years despite a weakening economy and the rising cost of tuition, according to a Chronicle of Higher Education study. AU President Neil Kerwin's $573,206 in salary and benefits for the 2006-2007 academic year is near the median salary for private university presidents, according to USA Today.

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National brief

December 4

The U.S. economy entered a recession in December 2007 and this downturn is likely to worsen, the Business Cycle Dating Committee announced Monday. The BCDC consists of seven economists who officially determine when a recession starts and ends.

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Campus brief

December 4

AU President Neil Kerwin announced Monday that the Board of Trustees approved the university's strategic plan at their Nov. 21 meeting. The board made three changes to the strategic plan, all of which put an emphasis on the importance of ethics and service, Kerwin said in an e-mail to the AU community.

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Former SUB director explains resignation

By Tamar Hallerman | December 4

Last month, Tré Matthews, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, suddenly found himself in the middle of a firestorm within the organization that he led - the Student Union Board. Matthews resigned from his position as SUB director Nov. 14. A press release from AU Student Government President Seth Cutter's office said Matthews stepped down in order to focus on his music career, but some members of SUB said he was pressured to step down because he was not fulfilling his duties as director, such as answering phone calls and e-mails, The Eagle previously reported.

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Metro brief

December 4

D.C. might see less snow this winter compared to previous years, possibly as a result of global warming and other causes, according to The Washington Post. D.C. gets an average of 18 inches of snow per year, according to the Post. When the Post's Capital Weather Gang looked at averages in 15-year intervals, there was a notable decrease in snowfall.

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Power outage darkens AU

By Jen Calantone and Andrew Tomlinson | December 4

A malfunction in a Pepco electrical feeder to several power sources at AU may have caused many students to change their plans Wednesday night and this morning between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., according to a representative from Pepco and an e-mail from the Office of Information Technology sent to the AU community on Wednesday.

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AU students standing up for Darfur, Burma

By Anna Tuman | December 4

AU's chapter of Student Taking Action Now: Darfur, a national student-run anti-genocide group, along with several other AU organizations, will collect money on Thursday as part of the STANDFast fundraiser. "STANDFast is a national fundraising effort to donate money to Civilian Protection Program," said Victoria Bosselman, president of AU's STAND chapter.

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Metro brief

November 24

A group of more than 400 people booed at the Smithsonian Institution governing board's first open meeting in 162 years after an audience member suggested the institutions begin charging admissions, the Associated Press reported. Officials told the AP they are searching for new funding options to combat the $2.

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Number of econ majors rising

By Meg Fowler | November 24

Interest in AU's economics courses has increased this year, conforming with a nationwide increase in the number of students who declare majors and minors in the subject due to the economic downturn, according to professors in the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Economics.

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National brief

November 24

Congress asked Big Three automaker executives from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler to provide a "path of visibility" before it can approve the $25 billion emergency federal loan, according to Reuters. Automakers will have until Dec. 2 to provide a detailed survival plan before Congress will return to the discussion, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

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Students debate drinking age

By Austin Green | November 24

Wisconsin, the only state in the United States that does not have a minimum drinking age, is starting to feel pressure from groups in favor of alcohol regulation. AU students have mixed views about state-regulated minimum drinking ages. Minors can drink alcohol in Wisconsin bars and restaurants if an accompanying parent or legal guardian gives consent, according to The New York Times.

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