News

News

National brief: Associated Press bans Paris Hilton news for one week

By Jimm Phillips | March 5

The Associated Press reported Friday that it instituted a week-long ban on news relating to celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton beginning Feb. 19. While the news agency admitted nothing "too out-of-the-ordinary happened in the Hilton universe" during the self-imposed blackout, it did not report on the ejection of one of Hilton's friends from a birthday party held at a Beverly Hills, Calif.

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Many students unaware of how AUCC funding process works

By Michael Lucibella , Laura Schuetz and Aurora Matthews | March 5

Despite two recent, highly publicized controversies about student club funding, many students and student representatives still have little knowledge about how their student activity fees are allocated to AU clubs, leading to confusion over who is responsible for overseeing club activities and how much funding groups are allocated.

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Campus brief: AU honored for environmental projects

By Kyra Smerkanich | March 5

The National Wildlife Federation honored AU for innovative conservation projects that achieve "especially ambitious conservation goals," according to a university press release. The honor came in the 17th annual edition of the National Wildlife Federation's "Campus Ecology Yearbook" and highlighted 48 campus projects that focus on conservation and sustainability, with nine receiving special recognition, the press release said.

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Metro calendar

By Rebecca Kern | March 5

Monday, March 5 D.C. Independent Film Festival Through March 11; times vary University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Metro: Van Ness-UDC (red line) The D.C. Independent Film Festival is an award-winning festival that showcases world-premiere films, award-winning features, shorts, animation and documentaries by local, national and international filmmakers.

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Va. law prevents expulsion for suicide attempts

By Harry Spencer | March 5

The Virginia state legislature passed an amendment that would prevent colleges and universities in Virginia from expelling students who attempt to commit suicide. AU has no policy on suicide and reviews each case of attempted suicide or self-inflicted harm individually, according to AU's Dean of Students Faith Leonard,.

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SG Vote: Your guide to Student Government elections

By Kendra Garstka and Cassie Passinault | March 5

Today and tomorrow, AU students will able to elect Student Government executives electronically through their my.american.edu portals. This election, there are only two contested executive races: secretary and president. The executive hopefuls made appearances before various campus groups over the weekend to try and win their endorsements.

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N.C. students fined for sleeping through alarms

By Jennifer Bennett Hanson | March 1

Two students at Saint Augustine's College in Raleigh, N.C., were recently fined $150 each for sleeping through a fire alarm, causing students to complain about many other fines they feel are excessive. However, AU differs from Saint Augustine in that it AU does not fine students for not leaving the residence halls during a fire alarm, but instead files charges with the Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services Offices, said AU's South Campus Area Director Amber Lange in an e-mail.

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AU Abroad moves into Morocco

By Rachel Wood | March 1

American University students can study in Morocco in a new enclave program starting in fall 2007, AU Study Abroad representatives announced on the AU Abroad Web site. This will be the first AU program to take place in Morocco. Centered in Rabat, Morocco's capital, the program will offer courses in anthropology and art history, as well as the economics and politics courses traditionally offered by AU abroad programs.

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Campaigns use Facebook for grassroots efforts

By Patricio Chile | March 1

A new movement in politics is coming from an unexpected medium - the social networking Web site Facebook has emerged as a way for AU students to show their support for the 2008 presidential candidates. James Lynch, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, started a Facebook group supporting John McCain.

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Gallaudet taking preemptive action to retain accreditation

By Howard Perlman | March 1

Gallaudet University worked to retain its accreditation last month after the Middle States Commission on Higher Education postponed its decision on reaccrediting the university. AU students said they think Gallaudet's preemptive actions will help the school retain its accreditation.

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SG waives exec credit requirement

By Cassie Passinault | March 1

The Undergraduate Senate decided Monday to waive the credit requirement for Alex Manzanares, a freshman in the School of Communication and the College of Arts and Sciences, to allow him to run for Student Government secretary in a last-minute decision. According to current SG bylaws, any student wishing to run for an executive office must have at least 45 credits, not including credits from classes a student is currently taking.

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SOC e-newsletter gives job, internship advice

By Robyn Slagle | March 1

The search for a job or internship during college is often a stressful and difficult time for students. However, the new e-newsletter careers.COMM may alleviate some worries for students in the School of Communication. Lenore Webb, the SOC career adviser in the Career Center, started the e-newsletter in October 2006.

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Activists, Md. prisoners discuss death penalty

By Brian Kalish | March 1

Bonnita Spikes, whose husband was murdered during a convenience store robbery, said she does not want his killers to receive the death penalty if they are caught, at a forum in the School of International Service lounge Tuesday evening. The forum, organized by the AU Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, hosted Spikes, who now serves as an anti-death row activist.

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University office vacancies impeded some SG goals

By Patrick Ambrosio and Kyle Butts | March 1

While campaigning last year for the position of Student Government vice president, Pat McGill promised to replace the annual Founder's Day Ball with "Bender Bash," a carnival in Bender Arena that would conserve funds for other events.

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Campus briefs

March 1

College Democrats hold first meeting following suspension Josh Goodman, a junior in the School of International Service, was named acting treasurer Tuesday at the College Democrats' first meeting since being suspended and losing their spring funding. All campus clubs are allotted money through the AU Club Council and are required to fundraise 10 percent of the funds they are given, The Eagle previously reported.

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Campus calendar

By Brian Kalish | March 1

Thursday, March 1 "The Danish 'Flexicurity' Labor-Market Model and the Question of Cross-National Transferability of Institutions" 12:45-2 p.m. Clark Hall, room 130 Anna Ilsoe, research fellow at the University of Copenhagen's Employment Relations Research Centre, will outline Denmark's flexicurity and whether it could be transferred to the United States.

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Conference looks at use of Facebook as evidence

By Tony Romm | March 1

Lawyers and college administrators debated whether Facebook should be used as a law enforcement tool at a conference on student policing and privacy hosted by Stetson University Monday, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. AU does not use Facebook as evidence against students, according to Gail Hanson, vice president for Campus Life.

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