News

News

Activist signs book

By Robin Bravender | October 23

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and environmentalist Wangari Maathai visited the AU bookstore Saturday to greet students and sign copies of her new memoir, "Unbowed." Maathai, a Kenyan native, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her environmental activism in Africa.

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News

Offbeat debates highlight tournament

By Stephen Tringali | October 23

Forty teams of college debaters from 12 schools gathered at AU Friday and Saturday to debate a variety of issues, some serious and some less serious, as part of an AU-sponsored event judged by the AU Debate Society. "Should conscription in the U.S. military be employed?" and "Are Vikings cooler than pirates?" were some of the cases debated.

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Family Weekend features arts, song and service for visitors

By Bill Debaun | October 23

Cherie Booth Blair's speech was a part of AU's annual Family Weekend, which took place from Friday to Sunday. It offered a variety of events intended to give students and their families insight into the many different types of activities on campus. Friday's events included a myriad of open classes for families to get a taste of academic life on campus; an AU neighborhood bus tour that took families to important sites, historic and otherwise, around Tenleytown; and a historical walking tour of campus.

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Number of foreign students in U.S. falls

By Elyse Franko | October 23

The United States may soon lose its place as the top destination for international students, according to a report released Tuesday by the American Council on Education. Though U.S. universities still have the largest international student enrollment, some European and Asian countries are beating the United States in percentage growth of enrollment.

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Metro calendar

By Rebecca Kern | October 23

Wednesday, Oct. 25 Washington's Most Haunted Houses 6:30-8:30 p.m. Lafayette Square Metro: Farragut West (blue and orange lines) President Andrew Jackson, navy hero Stephen Decatur, Henry Adams and his wife, Clover, are just several of the famous Washingtonians whose haunted homes will be visited on this walking tour of Washington's most haunted houses.

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New senators sworn into SG, hold first meeting

By Cait Douglas | October 23

The second class of undergraduate senators was sworn in Wednesday night and re-elected Ben Murray as their speaker. Murray, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, said he was enthusiastic about the new class of senators. "I think we have a really great group of dedicated advocates and leaders that will start some much needed discussion on campus," he said.

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Campus brief: Annual fraternity event raises funds for children's health

By Kendra Garstka | October 23

Derby Days, Sigma Chi's annual philanthropy event, kicked off its week-long fundraiser Saturday with broomball. The money raised will go to Children's National Medical Center, D.C.'s Children's Miracle Network hospital. "All those who are participating in this year's Derby Days prove that raising money for a cause as good as this can be both rewarding and fun," said Patrick Sullivan, 2006 Derby Days Commissioner and a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.

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Identity theft risk high for students, AU IDs unaffected

By Wah-Hui Ong | October 23

According to the U.S. Department of Education, students nationwide are at a high risk for identity theft crimes because they are vulnerable to having their personal information such as Social Security numbers stolen, but at AU, the EagleBuck$ system is not linked to any personal identity numbers and provides little incentive for identity thieves.

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Galluadet protests spur student arrests

By Rebecca Kern | October 19

N GALLAUDET UPDATE By REBECCA KERN Eagle Staff Writer Gallaudet University faculty signed a resolution calling for the resignation of incoming president Jane K. Fernandes on Monday following the arrests of 133 student protesters and the school reopening after shutting down for three days, according to The Washington Post.

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Campus calendar

By Kendra Garstka | October 19

Thursday, Oct. 19 "Taking Your Product to Market: Clinical Research and Product Launch for Drugs and Devices" 9:30 a.m.-noon, WCL, room 603 Speakers include Lynn Shapiro Snyder and Robert Wanerman of Epstein Becker and Green. For more information, contact (202) 274-4075.

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Language forum examines effect of homophobia

By Robin Bravender | October 19

Homophobia is "a real phenomenon that affects real people's lives," said Bill Leap, a professor in AU's anthropology department, about the topic of a conference held Friday on the effect of homophobic language on people's lives and public policy. Leap defined homophobic language as "statements of disdain, disgust or hatred of persons who are homosexual or are assumed to be homosexual.

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National briefs

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 19

North Korea says U.S.-led sanctions are war declaration North Korea said it considers U.S.-led sanctions following last week's test launch of its first nuclear weapon a declaration of war, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. North Korea released a statement Tuesday saying "the [sanctions] resolution cannot be construed otherwise than a declaration of a war," the AP reported.

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Aramark staffers feel disrespected

By Andrea Chong | October 19

Many Aramark staff members say students this year have worse manners compared to students of previous years and express frustration over some students' inconsideration and lack of etiquette. At the same time, the campus as a whole is reaching out to build stronger relationships with Aramark staff.

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Professor addresses intentions behind new Facebook

By Elyse Franko | October 19

New Facebook features have been designed to increase the Web site's sale potential for the future rather than to improve student communication, said language and foreign studies professor Naomi Baron at an Honors Tea Talk Tuesday evening. Despite Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg's claims that Facebook is "a social utility that connects you with the people around you," according to the Web site, Baron said Zuckerberg's implementation of new features such as the Newsfeed and Mini-feed, as well as his decision to make Facebook available to non-students, only point to one concern - making a profit.

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Expansion of buildings underway

By Brian Kalish | October 19

Within the next five years, the School of Communication and the School of International Service will receive new homes, the Kogod School of Business will gain more space, Nebraska Hall will be converted into a residence hall and the Mary Graydon Center's first floor will be renovated.

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Festival encourages 'green' lifestyle

By Kaylor Garcia | October 19

The D.C. Convention Center buzzed with excitement last weekend as visitors poured in for the annual Green Festival, which looked past the traditional stereotype of anti-global warming sentiment and focused on more specific ecological issues such as healthier living, vegan eating and fair trade.

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Metro brief: Poll shows Virginia majority supports gay marriage ban

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 19

A new poll shows a majority of Virginians support a gay marriage ban, according to The Washington Post. The survey, conducted by The Post, found that 53 percent of voters said they would support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, while only 43 percent said they would oppose the law.

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