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News

Eco-Sense panel addresses oil dependency, politics

By Tracy Kania | October 12

Those who have the money to contribute to political campaigns have a greater voice than those who do not, oil companies being one of the most powerful, according to Tyson Slocum, the director of Public Citizen's Energy Program and a panelist at a forum hosted by Eco-Sense Tuesday.

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Life of average intern lacks glamour

By Lauren Gardner | October 12

College students from across the nation flock to Washington, D.C., every year to either attend the District's universities or to participate in semester-long programs there. Many of the students who choose to study in the District are political science junkies who come to Washington with a common goal - interning on Capitol Hill.

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National briefs

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 12

White House rejects North Korea talks The Bush administration rejected the notion of holding talks with North Korea on Tuesday and said it will not be intimidated by the recent nuclear missile tests the North Korean government allegedly launched Monday, according to the Associated Press.

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Special report: one year later

By Jimm Phillips and Kendra Garstka | October 9

One year ago tomorrow, former AU President Benjamin Ladner was removed from office after a nine-hour meeting of the AU board of trustees. During fall 2005, the campus was alive with protests as students and faculty voiced their disapproval of the university's leadership.

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Ladner scandal timeline

By Kendra Garstka | October 9

MARCH The board of trustees' six-member Executive Committee receives an anonymous whistle-blower's letter, alleging then-President Benjamin Ladner had used university money for personal expenses, including a French chef, expensive vacations and family parties.

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AU students brave rain to fight HIV/AIDS

By Allison Young | October 9

Despite the chilling rain that fell Saturday morning, AU students gathered in Freedom Plaza to support the 25th annual Aids Walk Washington. Many campus organizations formed teams to participate in the walk, including the Class of 2009, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

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No action from Senate committee

October 9

The board of trustees and Student Government President Ashley Mushnick have not heard from the Senate Finance Committee since submitting a final report after the board's June meeting, according to Mushnick and presidential Chief of Staff David Taylor. The final report detailed the governance reforms enacted by the board and also addressed the committee's requests for further documentation from the university, according to Taylor.

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National brief: Clinton brokers healthy snack deal

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 9

Former President Bill Clinton and the American Heart Association announced they have entered into a voluntary agreement with various food companies to make schoolchildren's snacks healthier, according to the Associated Press. Snacks will have less fat, salt and sugar in an effort to cut down on the number of cases of childhood obesity, according to the AP.

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Q & A with Neil Kerwin

October 9

The Eagle: What is your most vivid memory of the Ladner scandal? Neil Kerwin: There were a whole series of memories that come back. The call I got indicating that I would be serving as acting president was memorable, as you might imagine. I remember vividly the convocation that occurred quite soon after the transition from the former president to me.

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AU lends muscle to campaigns

By Howard Perlman | October 9

AU students are participating in numerous political campaigns, such as the November midterm elections, to gain valuable political experience that can be applied to future career plans. Jordan Landry, who graduated in 2006 from the School of Public Affairs, said student involvement can be crucial to a campaign's success.

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Podcasts, blogs bring journalism to "citizen media"

By Peggy Wu | October 9

The second edition of a two-part American Forum titled "The Future of News is Here, Now What?" explored the changes in "new" media after 15 years of online news and its effect on today's generation Thursday. The forum addressed how a new generation of podcasts, online blogs, "Youtubing" and online news has fostered a shift in the traditional print, television and radio media.

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Faculty, staff on Facebook prompt some users to increase privacy settings

By Kelly Barrett | October 9

Students are beginning to learn they are not the only people in the Facebook community, as many staff members and administrators are also members of the site, and many have been for over a year. Freshmen initially learned of staff members being on the site at their summer orientation, during a Housing and Dining presentation by Director of Residence Life Rick Treter.

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Mushnick's letter to the Senate Finance Committee

October 9

Dear Senator Grassley, Although it is unfortunate that events at American University have initiated your involvement, the Student Government wishes to thank you for the attention and interest you've given our institution and the governance challenges it faces.

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Metro brief: Cardin skeptical of Maryland voting system

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 9

U.S. Senate candidate Benjamin Cardin, D-Md., said he is not confident in the Maryland voting system, stating the problems experienced in the primaries would discourage people from voting, according to The Washington Post. In the Maryland primaries, a lack of ballots forced voters to use everything from scrap papers to campaign fliers, The Eagle previously reported.

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Donor agendas dictate NGO policy

By Robin Bravender | October 9

The most important things to remember when fundraising for non-profits are to network, remain independent of your donors and above all, never compromise your agenda, said a panel of non-profit professionals at a lecture Friday. For those looking to work in non-profit organizations, "you need money," said Bill Goodfellow, executive director of the Center for International Policy.

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Ashley Mushnick's clarification statement

October 9

"I am writing to clear up some issues raised by my June 13 letter to the Senate Finance Committee. Regarding the issue of consultation with student representatives, the Student Government wishes to correct any perception that there was not frequent communication between the Board's Governance Committee and students.

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Campus briefs

By Jess Reamy | October 9

Student trustee candidates to interview tonight Student leaders will interview candidates tonight to select finalists for the first-ever student to sit on the board of trustees, according to a statement posted by Student Government President Ashley Mushnick on the SG Web site.

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