News

News

National briefs

By Ryan Grannan-Doll | May 1

Congress authorizes increased Pell Grant funding Congress increased funding for the Pell Grant program Thursday by renewing the Higher Education Act, the Ohio State University's newspaper The Lantern, reported. The vote was down party lines, The Lantern reported.

---

News

Graduation speakers aim to inspire

By Kendra Garstka | May 1

Donald Graham, The Washington Post's chief executive officer; Michael Kahn, the Shakespeare Theater Company's artistic director; and Paul Volcker, former Federal Reserve Board chair, will speak at AU's 120th commencement ceremony May 14. Judge Vanessa Ruiz will deliver the commencement address at the Washington College of Law's graduation on May 21.

---

News

Students reflect on 40 years with the Kay Spiritual Life Center

April 27

SOC junior Joy Henry, a member of the AU Gospel Choir, sings along at the Kay Spiritual Life Center's 40th birthday celebration Monday. Students spoke about various religions and the Kay family was on hand to help celebrate the anniversary.

---

News

WCL guest talks human rights law

By Elizabeth Royall | April 27

Human rights and international law have come far in the past 100 years, but the European Court of Human Rights still faces difficulties today, said Judge Luzius Wildhaber, president of the Court, at the Washington College of Law Friday. Approximately 100 WCL and AU students, professors and community members came to hear Wildhaber, who was introduced by Stephen Breyer.

---

News

Albright's talk funny, reflective

By Josh Goodman | April 27

"Our intelligence was wrong," former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said of Kim Jong Il as she spoke to students in Bender Arena Wednesday night. "They told me he was crazy and a pervert. He's not crazy." This and other jabs at the world of diplomacy left students laughing in their seats during the final Kennedy Political Union event of the 2005-2006 academic year.

---

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---

News

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.

---