News

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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International Brief

September 6

The United States will remove North Korea from a list of terrorism-sponsoring states and lift sanctions, a spokesman for the North Korean government said Monday, while the chief American envoy said the action remains under discussion, The Associated Press reported.

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Campus Brief

September 6

Assistant vice president of Campus Life named Fanta Aw was named assistant vice president of campus life Saturday, according to a letter to the AU community posted Tuesday by Vice President for Campus Life Gail Hanson on the university's Web site. Aw had been the director of International Student and Scholar Services since 1998.

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Former AU student faces prison sentence in drunk driving case

By Kendra Garstka | September 6

An AU student received a prison sentence after being charged last summer for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident in Long Island. Sayed Khaled El-Waraky, 20, was sentenced in late August to 1 1/3 to four years in prison. Justice Joseph Calabrese sentenced El-Waraky and recommended he be held for the maximum amount of time allowed, according to Newsday, a Long Island and New York City newspaper.

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SG execs provide Senate with summer reports

By Emily Blanck | September 6

The Undergraduate Senate held its first regular meeting of the semester Sunday afternoon, the main focus of which was receiving reports from Student Government executives about their work over the summer months. SG President Joe Vidulich cited expansion of the number of vendors that accept EagleBuck$ and creation of a women's resource center on campus as two of his main goals for the year.

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National Brief

September 6

President Bush made an unexpected visit to Iraq Monday and said the number of U.S. troops may be reduced if security continually improves, The Associated Press reported. Bush and his war cabinet, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, met with U.

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Fenty commends FSE participants

By Jimm Phillips | August 30

AU students involved in this year's Freshman Service Experience received a crash course in the issues facing America's urban areas, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty said last Thursday during a speech in Bender Arena. Fenty spoke during FSE's closing ceremony, which ended a three-day period in which 475 freshmen volunteered at 37 sites around the D.

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AU alum relies on strangers for travel

By Carolyn Phenicie | August 30

Matt Danzico, a 2005 graduate of the School of Communication, will spend this fall learning to make beer in a basement bathtub in El Paso, Texas, snowboarding with a stranger in Vail, Colo., and working a day on a professional wrestling tour in the Midwest.

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Kerwin discusses future of AU

August 30

University President-elect Neil Kerwin sat down with Editor in Chief Lauren Gardner to talk about his vision for AU and the changes he would like to make to the university, among other topics. EIC: Outline your vision for AU for me. What exactly is it that you would like to see change this year for the university? Kerwin: Well I think it's important to understand, to start with, that when I talked with the [presidential] search committee, with the board, about American University, I started with the assumption that this is a very strong institution, so much of what we have to do in the coming year is to ensure that the fundamental strengths of the institution are bolstered and improved.

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AU places 85th in 2008 U.S. News rankings

By Shannon Rice | August 30

In the recently released 2008 edition of U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue, American University tied for 85th place among the top national universities. U.S. News and World Report has been ranking schools for the past 20 years and examines more than 1,400 different schools across the nation.

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Students protest Myanmar gov't

By Carolyn Phenicie | August 30

About 15 AU students attended a demonstration last week to protest the Myanmar government's crackdown on protests in their country. The demonstration was held across the street from the Myanmar embassy on S Street last Thursday. About 40 to 50 people, including some children and several Myanmar refugees, attended the protest.

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Renovations to Nebraska, MGC complete

By Kim Selman | August 30

AU reopened Nebraska Hall and the first floor of Mary Graydon Center this month after crews finished renovations at both locations. There were four long-term goals for the renovation of MGC's first floor, Michael Elmore, senior director of the University Center, said in an e-mail.

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Students face penalties for use of Web writing services

By Patricio Chile | August 30

Custom writing services, businesses that sell pre-made essays, may ease students' lives, but AU students who use them may face stiff penalties. One company, Custom-Writing.org, offers several types of written assignments in 14 subjects to students from high school through Ph.

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