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News

Students balance military service and education

By Greg Rosenberg | April 27

More than five percent of U.S. university graduates in 2004 were either veterans, on active duty or in the reserves of the U.S. military, according to statistics from the Department of Education. These students' experiences - from combat zones to training exercises - set them apart from their university peers in the life skills they have, the adjustment to college they make and in the way they view the world.

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Women play key role in military operations overseas despite low numbers of female soldiers

By Elyse Franko | April 27

It's hard to imagine Jennifer Baker in uniform. Wearing jeans and a cardigan, she bears more resemblance to a 1950s movie star than to GI Jane with her blonde hair, manicured nails and radiant smile. One would certainly never think that she had been flown into a small Afghan village to search for Taliban members in hiding.

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Former porn star, sexologist advises students on sex

By Laraine Weschler | April 27

Former porn star and sexologist Annie Sprinkle warned her audience to cover their eyes if they were offended by her multimedia talk about her life in the sex industry in Ward 1 Monday night. "Sex was easy, the acting was hard," she said. Sprinkle, an artist, sexologist and former prostitute who spent much of the '70s and early '80s as a porn star, spoke to around 300 people in an event sponsored by AU Queers and Allies and the College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Student Council.

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Nebraska Hall suites will house 115

By Kendra Garstka | April 27

Nebraska Hall is being renovated to make apartment style dorms for 115 undergraduate students, available in room draw by spring 2007, said Julie Weber, AU's director of Housing and Dining. According to Weber, the new housing option will reduce triples and give transfer students more choices for on-campus living.

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Job-hunting grads: no need to worry

By Kelly Moynihan | April 27

Good news for graduating seniors: According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the job market is solid this year and seniors shouldn't worry if they haven't secured a job just yet. The article reported that there is high demand for jobs in consulting firms, banks, government agencies and educational organizations.

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National briefs

By Ryan Grannan-Doll | April 27

Movie version of Fox TV show "24" in the works Kiefer Sutherland has confirmed a movie version of the Fox TV show "24" is in the works, The Sun, a British newspaper, reported. "It would be the first time that we would not do something in real time, but the characters would obviously be derivative of the show," Sutherland said.

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Campus organizations promote divestment

By Kyra Smerkanich | April 27

On-campus organizations designed to pressure university officials to divest from companies that do business in Sudan have spread to numerous campuses throughout the nation, including American University. "[Divestment] is a smart kind of activism that recognizes the role universities, and really money, can play," said Adam Gentleson, policy and advocacy manager for Campus Progress at the Center for American Progress.

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Congresswoman addresses student body about stem cell research

April 27

The College Democrats brought Congresswoman Diana DeGette to AU Tuesday to address the student body about stem cell research. DeGette serves as the Democratic Party's chief deputy whip and is an advocate for lifting the limitations placed on stem cell research by President Bush in 2001.

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Metro calendar

By Lauren Gardner | April 27

Thursday, April 27 Danish Ambassador Lecture 9:15 a.m., SIS Lounge Ambassador Friis Arne Peterson of the Danish embassy in Washington will speak about Danish foreign policy and transatlantic relations. Sponsored by the SIS dean's office. Contact sisdeansoffice@american.

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World briefs

April 24

7.7-magnitude earthquake rocks Siberia A large earthquake struck the sparsely populated region of Siberia in Eastern Russia at 12:30 p.m. local time Friday, the AP reported. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake registered a 7.7 magnitude on the Richter scale.

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Campus brief: Katxen Museum caters weekend event to children

By Kate Oczypok | April 24

The AU Museum in the Katzen Arts Center held its first "Kids at the Katzen Day" Saturday afternoon, according to American Weekly. The event featured Puerto Rican photographer Norma Quintana, whose exhibition runs through May 7 at the Katzen. She discussed what her work meant to her and also helped the youths think about themselves as portrait subjects.

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Discussion encourages global peace initiatives

By Tiffany Heimbuch-Maybee | April 24

World leaders must learn to focus equally on local and global scales in the pursuit of peace, according to Betty Reardon, an international peace promoter who spoke to students Saturday at an AU Creative Peace Initiatives event. Abdul Aziz Said, professor of international peace and conflict resolution, also offered his comments about teaching for global citizenship.

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Interest in China grows at AU, abroad

By Kyra Smerkanich | April 24

Learning Chinese is growing in popularity among American University students, demonstrating the prominent role China has taken in international politics and business and showing the push the Chinese government is making in introducing new language programs.

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GLBTA students break day of silence, fight discrimination

By Laraine Weschler | April 24

AU's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students broke their annual day of silence Monday by screaming in protest of discrimination against GLBT people, said KT Thirion, president of AU Queers and Allies. Every year, members of Queers and Allies show their support for GLBT issues by not speaking for an entire day.

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Freshman Day attracts thousands of prospective students

By Kate Oczypok | April 24

Over 2,000 admitted freshmen attended AU's twice-yearly Freshman Day Friday. Despite the rain, members of the Class of 2010 took tours and attended student panels, like the one above. There were also deans' receptions that allowed students and parents to talk to the deans of AU's five schools.

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Senate approves legislation, SG budget for new school year

By Cait Douglas | April 24

The Undergraduate Senate passed numerous pieces of legislation, including the Student Government budget for the 2006-2007 year, in the last session of their inaugural year. The $558,000 proposed budget was written by Comptroller Zach Ulrich and then amended by members of the Senate before it was approved with only three dissenting votes.

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Muslim sorority abides by traditions

By Kelly Kerr | April 24

The idea of a Muslim sorority received mixed reactions from the AU community. A new sorority, Gamma Gamma Chi, is holding information sessions across the country in order to garner support. The Muslim-oriented sorority is the first of its kind and was created last year by two converts to Islam, Althia Collins and her daughter, Imani Abdul-Haqq.

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