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Campus briefs

January 23

Blogs update classroom experience for UCLA students (U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES - When one thinks about a university math class, several thoughts come to mind - finals, midterms, problem sets - but blogging is usually not one of them. For mathematics Professor Chad Topaz, however, blogs are an important tool for learning math.

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News

Recent controversies question Wikipedia's reliability

By Lauren Gardner | January 23

Many AU students use Wikipedia, a Web-based free-content encyclopedia, as a source for papers and other class assignments despite recent controversy surrounding the Web site. Wikipedia uses wiki software on the site so users can add and edit content. The name is based on the Hawaiian word "wiki," which means "quick," "fast," or "to hasten," according to the Web site.

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News

SG Senate discusses financial allocations

By Caitlin Douglas | January 23

The Undergraduate Senate passed two pieces of legislation reallocating a total of $18,500 to the Student Government executives to fund programming for the spring semester. The first piece of legislation, Bill 05-06-013, transferred $7,500 to the SG General account to continue funding the "Be" Campaign.

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News

Metro calendar

By Kelly Kerr | January 23

Tuesday-Saturday, Jan. 24-28 Beauty and the Beast Additional performances: Friday, Jan. 27, 2 p.m and Saturday, Jan. 28, 1:30 p.m 140 W. Mount Royal Ave. Baltimore, MD (Lyric Opera House) This classic tale is brought to life on stage through music and acting.

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News

Resident assistants tackle student transition, floor themes

By Tiffany Heimbuch-Maybee | January 23

The job of resident assistant comes with much more than just a complimentary spacious room and a monthly stipend. Although these are obvious perks that come with the job, RAs have plenty of additional duties from dealing with serious issues like ill students and alcohol violations to being responsible for floor programming and decoration themes.

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News

National brief: Pirates pursued by Navy vessels

January 23

U.S. Navy vessels pursued a pirate ship in the Indian Ocean Somalia's coast and fired warning shots to its crew on Saturday, U.S. Navy Forces Central Command said. The guided missile destroyer Winston S. Churchill and other U.S. naval forces located the vessel after receiving a report of an attempted act of piracy, but it failed to respond to orders to stop, according to and article from www.

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News

MLK, Jr. honored with community service and song

By Kate Oczypok | January 23

AU celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this week with a day of service and a check presentation that culminated the week's efforts. As part of AU's fifth annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of service event, students worked at the Washington Center for the Aging, visiting and playing Bingo with the center's residents.

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News

Gore speaks out in wiretapping debate

By Brian Kalish | January 19

Both Republicans and Democracts concerned about President George W. Bush's use of wiretapping packed DAR Constitution Hall for a speech given by former Vice President Al Gore last Monday. Many in the audience said they went because they feel that Bush's use of wiretapping is illegal.

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News

Coffee venue opens following steamy debate

By Kate Oczypok | January 19

Pura Vida coffee, opened its doors to the public this week, replacing Auntie Anne's Pretzels. Students fought last year for the fair trade coffee shop to be put in MGC instead of a Starbucks. According to www.theeagleonline.com, polls by RHA and The Eagle Online consistently show students favor Pura Vida.

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News

AU alum helps children in Madagascar

By Lauren Gardner | January 19

Dana Dunne, class of '99, decided to use her past work and volunteer experience to start a program for the hungry - in Madagascar, one of the world's 11 poorest countries, where half of the population is malnourished. Dunne, a former Peace Corps volunteer, started Project Smile with three teachers from the American School in Antananarivo in December to help improve the Home for Malnourished Children in the city.

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News

National briefs

January 19

Apple releases new 2006 laptop line The new year brings Apple fans two welcome gifts: a new desktop iMac and a new line of professional laptops called the MacBook Pro laptop, which Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled last week at an Apple trade show. The machines use new Intel chips, after Apple used IBM's PowerPC chips for years.

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News

Campus Calendar

By Kate Oczypok | January 19

Friday, Jan. 20 New Plays Workshop Series 2: "Happy.Go.Lucky" 8 p.m., Katzen Arts Center, Studio Theatre Through 21 Jan. "Happy.Go.Lucky" is an award-winning play by Chicago-based playwright Tania Richard.Richard has appeared at Chicago's Goodman Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre, and on Broadway.

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News

Professors miss grade deadlines, frustrate students

By Kate Oczypok and Tiffany Heimbuch-Maybee | January 19

Some AU students are unhappy with the amount of time professors took to post their grades online at the end of the fall semester. "Grades are posted 72 hours after a student's last class," said Linda Bolden-Pitcher, the university registrar. "This has actually been one of our better grade submission periods.

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News

Police blotter

By Josh Goodman | January 19

Monday, Jan. 2 A Public Safety officer discovered that someone had written the American University logo in black marker on a wall in Anderson Hall. The phrase "Tammy is the woman" was discovered written on a different wall in Anderson Hall, also with black marker.

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Classroom laptop use stirs debate

By Kendra Garstka | January 19

Laptops can be a useful classroom aid for note taking or looking up facts as part of a class discussion, but some professors say computers also provide a potential distraction for students. "In the spring '05, I noticed that students were not using them to take notes but to use IM and exchange e-mail," said W.

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News

New teaching position for Mexican diplomats

January 19

With immigration and border control sparking national debate, university officials announced a new, permanent teaching position for Mexican diplomats at AU. After a successful trial run, a Mexican diplomat will start a year-long teaching and research residency at AU in fall 2006.

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News

D.C. Guns Aside Month promotes youth awareness

By Kelly Kerr | January 19

The D.C. City Council along with the gun violence prevention group Reaching Out to Others Together (ROOT, Inc.) declared this January as Guns Aside Month in the District of Columbia, following an 11 percent increase in gun violence in the District of Columbia.

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