News

News

National brief

February 7

The results of 24 state-held primaries or caucuses failed to give any of the leading presidential candidates a significant edge over his or her rivals. While Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton traded victories across the country, neither one emerged the clear winner in the Democratic primaries.

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Congress to review textbook legislation

By Christopher Cottrell | February 7

The House of Representatives will vote today on legislation that aims to curtail the rising costs of textbooks at colleges nationwide, according to Rachel Racusen, a spokeswoman for the House Education and Labor Committee. The legislation may have a positive impact on students and college bookstores, Cliff Ewert, vice president of media relations at Follett Corporation, the AU Campus Store's supplier, said in an e-mail.

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News

Metro brief

February 7

Presidential campaign finance reports filed last week revealed that D.C.-area donors contributed nearly three times as much to the Democratic presidential candidates as to their Republican counterparts, The Washington Post reported Sunday. Overall, the Democrats received $21.

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Taxi drivers strike on rotating schedule to protest meter switch

By Maureen McCarty | February 7

Private car companies stepped in Monday to compensate for D.C. taxi drivers' absence during the 12-hour strike against a planned switch from a zone to meter system. Cab drivers are prepared to strike one day a week on a rotating schedule until April, when the switch is supposed to go into effect, Taxicab Industry Group President William Wright said in a press release.

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News

Some AU facilities unavailable during inauguration event

February 7

AU President Neil Kerwin's inauguration ceremony and a subsequent reception will affect the university's class schedule and the availability of certain venues on campus Feb. 8. The inauguration will begin 11 a.m. in Bender Arena, while the reception begins 2 p.

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News

Campus brief

February 7

Edgar Meza last week resigned as executive chair of the Graduate Leadership Council, according to Kimberly Herrera, Student Activities adviser for the council. Meza, a graduate student in the Kogod School of Business, became head of the GLC over the summer break and was one of the people who met with finalists for the university's presidential search.

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News

Super Tuesday

By Laraine Weschler | February 7

While Tuesday's presidential primaries produced a clear front-runner for the Republican Party, they left the choice in the Democratic race more muddled, said Dotty Lynch, executive-in-residence in the School of Communication and political consultant for CBS News, during a panel discussion Wednesday.

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News

Police blotter

February 7

Thursday, Jan. 31 The McDowell Hall front desk reported that a person fainted inside the building. The D.C. Fire Department checked on the individual, who refused a medical transport. The Letts Hall front desk reported a female student was stuck in an elevator car on the north side of the building's fifth floor.

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News

Campus calendar

February 7

Thursday, Feb. 7 "Mission Improv-able's Super Thursday" 11 p.m. WHERE: Battelle-Tompkins Atrium INFO: AU's only campus comedy troupe will perform in honor of the month of February after all of the Super Tuesday excitement has ended. CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Grant Helms at grant.

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News

Colleges respond to pressure from federal lawmakers on standards

By Patricio Chile | February 7

Colleges and the agencies that accredit them are re-evaluating how they publicly disclose their educational achievements over fears of stricter federal regulations on colleges' academic standards. College and accrediting representatives at the Council of Higher Education Accrediting's annual meeting last week in D.

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New budget service available to AU clubs and organizations

By Christopher Cottrell | February 7

The AU Club Council recently introduced a new budget service called Program Assistance, which clubs can use to apply for additional funding on an event-by-event basis, AUCC Chair Kristen Lyon said at a budget workshop Monday. Each club is only eligible, however, for $500 per semester through the service, she said.

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News

International brief

February 7

Police in northern England allowed a burglar to continue his crime spree after he called their station and asked to be picked up, the Daily Mail reported Monday. Liam Tomlinson, 21, allegedly told police in a phone call Dec. 8 that he had broken into the clubhouse of Rossendale United FC, an English soccer team, and stolen three bottles of alcohol, according to the Daily Mail.

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AU to enforce D.C. seat belt laws

By Allie Feras | February 7

Public Safety will begin referring students to Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services for packing too many passengers into their cars, according to Public Safety Crime Prevention Coordinator Lt. Rima Sifri. "We haven't always counted people in the cars because it's never been a big problem," Sifri said.

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W. Va. bill may cut aid over alcohol use

By Ethan Klapper | February 4

Students who receive financial aid from the West Virginia state government will lose their state aid if they receive two or more alcohol citations, according to a bill introduced before the West Virginia State Senate. The bill, introduced Jan. 10, would stop state-funded financial aid for students who receive two or more citations related to open container laws, drunken driving, underage drinking, public drunkenness or contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

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Metro Calendar

February 4

Monday, Feb. 4 Lecture - "Reflections from South Africa: Libraries and Societal Change" Noon-1 p.m. WHERE: The Library of Congress, Mumford Room, James Madison Building (sixth floor), 101 Independence Ave. S.E. METRO: Capitol South (blue and orange lines) INFO: The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions' President-elect Ellen R.

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Fast-food marketing influences habits

By SANDRA FLORES | February 4

Parents are more likely to feed their children fast-food when exposed to fast-food marketing, according to a study conducted by Kogod School of Business professor Sonya Grier. Grier conducted the study to address the "research void" in the work being done to tackle obesity problem in the United States, which the Centers for Disease Control designated as an epidemic.

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INAUGURATION WEEK: Calendar of events

February 4

Monday, Feb. 4 Scholarship, Creativity and Professional Contributions Day Panel Presentation - "Ideas into Action: Faculty Share Their Professional Experiences" 1 p.m. WHERE: MGC 5 INFO: Washington College of Law Dean Claudio Grossman, College of Arts and Sciences professor Caleen Jennings, CAS professor Robert Jernigan, WCL professor Jamin Raskin and AU President Neil Kerwin will discuss academia as public intellectuals.

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