News

News

Drivers attempt to unionize

By Allie Feras | September 10

AU Solidarity plans to launch a campaign this week to raise awareness for the shuttle bus drivers' attempts to unionize, according to Natalie Harris, a sophomore in the School of Communication and a member of AU Solidarity. The Undergraduate Senate will vote next Sunday on a resolution in support of the drivers.

---

News

National Brief

September 10

Haleh Esfandiari, an Iranian-American scholar, returned to her home in Potomac, Md., this past week after spending 105 days in an Iranian prison, according to The Associated Press. Esfandiari, head of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, was released after Lee Hamilton, director of the Wilson Center, made a direct appeal to Iran's Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the AP reported.

---

News

Campus Brief

September 10

This summer, the Washington College of Law's Pence Law Library received interior renovations and alterations, according to an article published in American Today. The changes included reconfiguring the library's space, replacing old furniture, and modernizing its aesthetics, American Today reported.

---

News

SG Brief

September 10

The Undergraduate Senate passed "A Bill to Restrict Privileges, Perks and Other Favors Granted Specifically for the Benefit of Members of the Student Government" with a 9-3 vote and one abstention, at Sunday's meeting. The bill, sponsored by College of Arts and Sciences Senator Peter Wahlberg, "attempts to underpin, with an ethical basis, the work that we do" by prohibiting exclusive programming and events and requiring "that they be, at least in theory, open to everyone," Wahlberg said.

---

News

Construction on campus progresses

By Brian Kalish | September 6

Although the renovation of Nebraska Hall and the first floor of Mary Graydon Center recently opened up, a number of other construction projects are in progress on campus. These projects include constructing a new School of International Service building, expanding the Kogod School of Business into the adjacent New Lecture Hall and building a canopy over the walkway connecting the Butler Pavilion with the Friedheim Quadrangle.

---

News

Threats show need for text alert system

By Kaylor Garcia | September 6

Last week, college campuses nationwide were targets in a series of bomb threats. AU's Washington College of Law received a threat last Tuesday, and like the other threats, no bomb was found and no attack occurred, The Eagle previously reported. Such reports raise concerns in students like Hillary Shankman, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, about their safety in a high-profile city.

---

News

Protesters agree to $100 fine in April Rove incident

By Jimm Phillips | September 6

Six AU students agreed to pay $100 "post-and-forfeit" fines when they appeared in the D.C. Superior Court Wednesday as settlements of misdemeanor charges that they crossed a police line during a protest against Karl Rove on April 3, according to two of the students involved in the case.

---

News

AU drops to No. 6 on political ranking

By Patrictio Chile | September 6

The Princeton Review ranked American University the sixth most politically active college in the country, one year after placing AU at No. 1. George Washington University holds the top spot this year. Most Politically Active is one of 62 rankings lists in eight categories in the Princeton Review's "Best 366 College Rankings - 2008 Edition.

---

News

Health Center offers alternatives to controversial pill

By Allie Feras | September 6

The Student Health Center now offers generic birth control pills in an effort to keep the cost to students down, according to Student Health Center Director Dan Bruey. The use of the new pills also expands the range of contraceptive options beyond a pair of drugs, which a national organization wants banned.

---

News

Two question types added to GRE

By Carolyn Phenicie | September 6

Beginning Nov. 1, AU students taking the GRE could face one of two new question types not previously included on the test, according to the Educational Testing Service's Web site. There are two new question types: numeric entry and text completion. For numeric entry questions, test takers complete a math problem and answer using a fill-in-the-blank format rather than a set of multiple-choice answers.

---

News

Secretary Manzanares resigns

By Kim Selman | September 6

Alex Manzanares, former Student Government secretary, and Spencer Siegel, former SG outreach director, resigned from their positions at a special session of the Undergraduate Senate last night. Both Manzanares, a sophomore in the School of Communication, and Siegel, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, wrote letters announcing their resignations that were presented to The Eagle staff and the SG.

---

News

Israeli, Palestinian youth leaders call for support

By Patricio Chile | September 6

Working toward conflict resolution between Israelis and Palestinians is the duty of young people across the world, including those at AU, said speakers from the OneVoice Movement at its presentation last night. OneVoice was founded as a grassroots movement in 2002 in response to escalating violence in Israel.

---

News

Off-campus housing hunt eased by new Web service

By Howard Perlman | September 6

This year, AU students can use the university's off-campus housing Web service to search for alternative housing. Housing and Dining Programs launched the service Web site June 15 and contracted with student housing company Off Campus Partners Inc. to administer the Web site, according to Chris Moody, executive director of Housing and Dining Programs.

---

News

Kerwin officially named president

By Jimm Phillips | September 6

President Neil Kerwin and AU's board of trustees continue to make plans for Kerwin's inauguration ceremonies and for how to conduct the process of creating a new strategic plan for the university, according to Presidential Chief of Staff David Taylor. Kerwin officially became president on Saturday, ending a transition period that began when the board selected him to take over the position permanently on July 20.

---

News

Metro Brief

September 6

Several thousand demonstrators rallied in Prince William County Sunday to protest the county board of supervisors' plan to stop services for illegal immigrants, The Washington Post reported. Protesters from around the country swarmed onto the Sean T. Connaughton Community Plaza for speeches and a two-mile march along Prince William Parkway, according to the Post.

---

News

Conservative leader speaks to AU College Republicans

By Allie Feras | September 6

The AU College Republicans kicked off the semester by welcoming Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, to their first meeting. The club also revealed plans to attend either the New Hampshire or South Carolina presidential primaries. Norquist discussed the state of partisan politics and his desire to decrease government spending and lower taxes.

---

News

Campus Calendar

September 6

Thursday, Sept. 6 Study Abroad Fair 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. WHERE: Main Quad (rain site: Bender lobby) INFO: Learn about more than 100 programs in 34 countries available to AU students. CONTACT: For more information, e-mail Sarah Beumer Harlow at auabroad@american.

---