News

News

High schools cut AP classes

By Rachel Lynne Smith | October 6

AU's admissions process continues to evolve as high schools nationwide drop their Advanced Placement programs. The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools initiated their current wave of AP course cuts from the curriculum because professors felt their students might benefit more from a curriculum "that teachers say puts less emphasis on memorization and test preparation," according to U.

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News

SG Brief

October 6

The outgoing Undergraduate Senate unanimously certified the election results for the incoming senate at their last meeting Sunday afternoon. The new senate was sworn into office at their first meeting later that day. Student Government President Seth Cutter told the new senators he looked forward to working with them and encouraged them to remember their obligation to serve the student body.

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News

Kermit camps for Kenya

By Katie Litvin | October 6

AU alumnus and former NBA player Kermit Washington raised more than $25,000 as of Thursday, through his commitment to a five-day fast, in order to call attention to hunger in Kenya. Washington invited students to camp on the Friedheim Quadrangle Thursday night with him, he said.

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News

Calendar

October 6

Monday, Oct. 6 Opera - "La Traviata" 7 p.m. WHERE: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. N.W. METRO: Foggy Bottom/GWU (blue and orange lines) INFO: The Kennedy Center is selling discounted tickets to students and young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 as part of its Generation O program.

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News

Campus Brief

October 6

AU Queers and Allies began National Coming Out Week on Saturday. "National Coming Out Week represented the freedom that LGBT deserve to live openly and out," said Queers and Allies Executive Director John Marzabadi. Marzabadi said this year's Coming Out Week would pay homage to people of the past and present who have served, and want to serve, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

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News

AU reacts to economic crisis

By Lindsey Anderson | October 6

AU will continue normal financial operations even as the university begins to react to the current economic crisis, President Neil Kerwin said in a memo e-mailed to the AU community Friday. The university refinanced $137 million of its tax-exempt bonds in the market and limited withdrawals from its short-term investment fund.

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News

International Brief

October 6

A seven-year-old Australian boy broke into an Australian zoo Friday, fed several animals to the zoo's 11-foot-long crocodile and bashed in the heads of three lizards with a rock, the director of the Alice Springs Reptile Centre told the New York Times. The boy threw several animals, including the zoo's treasured 20-year-old goanna, a turtle, bearded dragons and thorny devil lizards, into the crocodile's pen, The Times reported.

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News

University officials discuss ending SATs as admission criteria

By Bo Banducci | October 6

Four AU staff members attended a Seattle conference in late September during which Harvard University Dean of Admissions William R. Fitzsimmons presented the results of a study that showed the SAT is an imprecise indicator of college success. The study was meant to critically assess the way colleges implement test scores in their admissions processes.

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News

IFC approves TKE as new fraternity colony

By Nicole Glass | October 6

AU's Interfraternity Council recognized a new fraternity on campus, Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), which officially advanced from an interest group to a colony Wednesday. AU's TKE colony currently has 17 members, according to AU TKE President Josh Linder. Students from AU's Tenley campus started the process of founding a TKE colony during the last academic year, according to IFC President John Barber.

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News

Recycling program increases visibility

By Olivia Stitilis | October 2

In an effort to clear some confusion and increase efficiency, AU has adjusted its recycling initiative this semester by changing the recycling receptacles. The new containers, which arrived late this summer, are different colors and have slots to distinguish between those appropriate for mixed papers, bottles and cans.

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News

International brief

October 2

Cadbury Egg announced a recall of 11 types of chocolates made in Beijing and Hong Kong headquarters from stores in Australia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The recall is a precautionary measure after testing "cast doubt on the integrity of a range of our products manufactured in China," Cadbury said in the statement.

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News

Crime reports raise concern

By Jen Calantone and Tamar Hallerman | October 2

AU Public Safety has requested the community's help in identifying suspects in the aftermath of sexual and violent crimes against AU students walking in areas off campus. The Metropolitan Police Department notified AU Public Safety of these crimes, which occurred between Sept. 23 and Sept. 28, according to an e-mail Public Safety sent to the campus community on Sept. 28.

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News

Kerwin won't sign Amethyst Initiative

By Hannah Taylor | October 2

AU President Neil Kerwin does not plan to sign the Amethyst Initiative, a proposal by a group of 121 college presidents who are lobbying to lower the legal drinking age to 18. The proposal's supporters claim that the current drinking age of 21 has resulted in dangerous habits of binge drinking and that alcohol abstinence education is not working.

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News

Metro brief

October 2

Ninety-six students at Georgetown University were hospitalized late Tuesday with bad cases of food poisoning, The Hoya reported. The students were treated at the Georgetown University Hospital and the university's student health center for nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration, according to The Hoya.

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News

National brief

October 2

A house in Saginaw, Mich., sold on eBay for $1.75, the Associated Press reported. Joanne Smith, a woman from Chicago, bought the property, which was foreclosed and scheduled to go up for auction next week. "I don't have any plans to move to Saginaw," she told The Saginaw News.

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News

Student action receives 'C' in eco-rankings

By Anna Tuman | October 2

Despite Eco-Sense's efforts to make the campus 'greener,' AU received a B- from The College Sustainability Report Card in its 2009 evaluation. The College Sustainability Report Card is a Web site from the Sustainable Endowment Institute that grades universities on their sustainability practices.

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News

Campus brief

October 2

The Student Advocacy Center will hold a Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services forum Thursday to allow students to state their concerns with JAMS policies. "The SAC is holding the forum to bring to light the students' perception of JAMS," said SAC Director Emily Whelden.

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