News

News

Metro brief: Majority of D.C.-area blacks, Hispanics own homes

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 5

A new report released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows black and Hispanic families in the D.C. region are more likely to own their homes when compared to national figures, according to The Washington Post. Most notably, about 63 percent of all immigrants own their own homes, according to The Post, especially Asian and Hispanic immigrants.

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Bringing Their 'A' Game: Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon on "The Departed"

By Todd Matthy | October 5

"Cops or criminals, when you're facing a loaded gun, what's the difference?" That's the tagline for Martin Scorsese's latest crime drama "The Departed," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. In this drama, an undercover cop (DiCaprio) infiltrates a Boston mob syndicate run by a man named Costello (Nicholson) while a criminal (Damon) infiltrates the state police.

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Campus brief: SG begins fall campaign season

By Cait Douglas | October 5

The Student Government kicked off fall elections Tuesday night with a "Candidates and Coffee" meet-and-greet in the Mud Box. "We were pleased by the turnout; obviously we would always want more people," Board of Elections Chair Joe Pavel said. The Undergraduate Senate and Class of 2010 council campaigns began this week and will continue until polls open on Monday.

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Fire safety impacts students in, out of dorms

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 5

Fire safety continues to be a major concern for students living in on- and off-campus housing, but AU is unable to regulate off-campus housing. Since January 2000, there have been 89 student fatalities that have occurred nationwide as a result of fire, according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety, The Center said approximately 80 percent of these fires occurred on off-campus housing.

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Campus calendar

By Kendra Garstka | October 5

Thursday, Oct. 5 Human Rights Film Series: "Amandla!" 6 p.m., Wechsler Theatre The screening is part of the seventh annual Human Rights Film Series that explores the ways film and media can be used to promote and protect human rights. Light refreshments will be served and the screening will be followed by a discussion.

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Student shares Beirut war stories

By Kendra Garstka | October 2

Sarah Johnson, an undergraduate who studied at the American University of Beirut this summer, shared her experience of being in Lebanon when the war started and her evacuation as part of a panel Thursday that discussed the two conflicts Israel has been involved with since the summer.

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Republicans network at annual event

By Brian Kalish | October 2

The AU College Republicans held their annual Republicalooza Thursday night at Chef Geoff's to encourage networking between AU's Republican community and potential employers. "[The College Republicans] wanted an opportunity for fellow Republicans to get together in a formal environment to network and get to know campaign workers," said Christopher Malagisi, a 2003 graduate of the School of Public Affairs and volunteer for the Sen.

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SG presents time sheets

By Cait Douglas | October 2

Student Government Comptroller Robert Donigian and Chief of Staff Kristian Hoysradt presented a binder with all the time sheets filled out by paid members of the SG for the summer to the Undergraduate Senate Sunday. Donigian and Hoysradt presented the time sheets in response to a letter written by Speaker of the Undergraduate Senate Ben Murray and Class of 2008 Senator Charlie Biscotto Sept.

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National briefs

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 2

U.S. Senate approves $70 billion in military spending The U.S. Senate unanimously approved $70 billion on Friday that will finance military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the Associated Press. The allocation is part of a $447.6 billion defense budget now awaiting President Bush's signature after passing in the Senate unanimously, the AP reported.

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Festival draws reading enthusiasts to National Mall

By Arielle Burlett | October 2

Tents featuring best-selling authors, poets and illustrators lined the National Mall Saturday for the annual National Book Festival. The event, organized by the Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura Bush, celebrates the importance of reading and creativity by providing the public an opportunity to meet some of their favorite authors, according to a press release about the event.

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Metro brief: Developers announced for waterfront revamp

By Kyra Smerkanich | October 2

District officials chose developers Thursday to transform the waterfront area from the 12th Street Bridge to Fort McNair into a vibrant area full of housing, restaurants and nightclubs, according to The Washington Post. The developers, PN Hoffman and Struever Bros.

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Changes allow full access to networks

By Kaylor Garcia | October 2

Just as the buzz from Facebook's new News Feed feature seemed to be dying down, site creator Mark Zuckerberg added a new twist for the site's users. After a week of posts and polls, Facebook opened its regional networks, where people would no longer need to be a part of an authenticated network to view profiles of users.

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'Dorm diet' advice from visiting writer

By Emily Blanck | October 2

The college student author of "The Dorm Room Diet," a guide to healthy college eating and exercising, spoke about her book at a Thursday night book signing in the SIS Lounge. Daphne Oz, a junior at Princeton University, said she has struggled with weight all her life.

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Homeland Security cuts will not affect AU

By Allie Feras | October 2

Research and education cuts in the Department of Homeland Security's budget for the 2007 fiscal year will not affect AU scholarships or financial aid, said Violetta Ettle, associate provost for the administration. The department's budget, which Congress passed Friday, will cut $12 million from the department's Office of University Programs, which, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, would be a 20 percent loss from the office's 2006 budget.

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AU community unsure of young voters' impact

By Tracy Kania | October 2

The youth vote may have a greater impact on this year's midterm elections than in past years, according to a recent report by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, but some members of the AU community have reservations about the findings.

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Campus brief: Delta Tau Delta works to improve D.C. school

By Brian Kalish | October 2

On Sept. 17, 25 brothers of AU's Delta Tau Delta fraternity worked on the school grounds of Amidon Elementary School in Southwest D.C. to "make it a more pleasant place to learn," according to a press release. The grounds improvement is part of an on-going project with Amidon Elementary through the Adopt-A-School Program, a national organization Delta Tau Delta has partnered with for their philanthropy work.

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Midterm forum predicts Republican seat losses

By Stephen Tringali | October 2

Republicans are likely to give up seats in both the House and Senate this election, but the change should not surprise anyone despite the image painted by the press, said Thomas Mann, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institute, at a Table Talk Forum Tuesday.

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