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News

National briefs

December 12

Southwest airlines jet skids off runway A Southwest Airlines jet landing at Chicago's Midway International Airport skidded off a runway and slammed into vehicles on a nearby street, killing a 6-year-old boy and injuring 10 others Thursday night. Runway conditions were reported to be "fair to poor" by a pilot who landed just minutes ahead of the jet, according to www.

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Baby panda introduced to the public

By Brian Kalish | December 12

For the first time since his birth five months ago at the National Zoo, baby panda Tai Shan made his public debut Thursday. Timed tickets were required for entry into the Fujifilm Panda House where Tai Shan with his mother Mei Xiang and father. According to Mark Olear, director of Friends of the National Zoo, 10,000 tickets were distributed for special preview days Nov.

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Public Safety gets serious about parking tickets

By Kendra Garstka | December 12

Next year, American University's parking policy will use an independent collection company that will collect fines from parking tickets for students with outstanding accounts, but all other parking policies will remain the same. "The days of people thinking tickets mean nothing is over," said Josh Wilson, Transportation Operations Coordinator.

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Students put off academic work, study says

By Rebecca Kern | December 12

According to the results of a recent study, 70 percent of college students identify themselves as "academic procrastinators" who typically delay starting or finishing their assignments. Joseph R. Ferrari, a psychology professor at DePaul University in Chicago, conducted psychological research to define one who procrastinates frequently as a "chronic procrastinator.

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Semester's end brings room changes

By Tiffany Heimbuch-Maybee | December 12

The end of the semester brings about many changes for students, including the decision to switch residence halls and start over from scratch. Nov. 29 to Dec. 2 marked the "Open Room Change Process", where students were able to stop by the Housing and Dining Office in Anderson Hall.

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Louisiana students bribe registrar for grades

By Jason Oliver | December 12

Southern University announced that it plans to revoke the diplomas of 10 students who bribed a former assistant registrar to illegally change their transcripts, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Federal charges have been brought against Cleo Carroll for receiving $9,100 from former students to improve their transcripts between 1995 and 2003 after a two-and-a-half year investigation, according to The Chronicle.

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SG senate could allocate more money for 'Be' campaign

By Jess Reamy | December 12

The Undergraduate Senate is considering allocating $10,000 for the Student Government executives to continue funding their "Be" campaign in the spring semester. Senator Nick Johnson, Class of 2007 representative, spoke out against additional funding for the campaign, which is under consideration by the Committee on Programming.

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News

Metro briefs

December 12

Environmental violation found at GW The D.C. Health Department found George Washington University in violation of federal environmental law after an inspection last August revealed improper hazardous material storage in a building on GW's campus. GW University was non-compliant with parts of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act - a set of federal environmental guidelines - according to the EPA's Web site, which was last updated in November.

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Metro calendar

By Kelly Kerr | December 12

Tuesday, Dec. 13 Art Buchwald Political satirist Art Buchwald will discuss his latest collection of essays from his humor columns over the past five years in "Beating Around the Bush." Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Downtown 555 12th St. NW 1 p.m. 202-347-0176 Metro: Metro Center, Gallery Place-Chinatown Admission: Free The Julliard Orchestra.

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Campus brief

By Kate Oczypok | December 12

The Catholic Community Choir performed their second annual Christmas Concert on Saturday in the Battelle-Tompkins Atrium. The choir sang traditional Christmas songs such as "Angels We Have Heard on High," "O Holy Night" and "Joy to the World." Approximately 30 people attended the concert, including Karin Thornton, the associate Catholic Chaplain at AU.

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Programs release study abroad guidelines

By Kelly Moynihan | December 12

Two international organizations released guidelines for study abroad programs last week that have students questioning their use in making study abroad experiences better, according to insidehighered.com. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization collaborated to release the Guidelines on Quality Provisions in Cross-Border Higher Education.

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Checcio to leave AU after successful fundraising

By Mary Specht | December 12

Al Checcio, vice president of university relations, will leave AU this month after helping launch the school's most ambitious fundraising campaign ever and doubling the percentage of alumni who donate to the university. Checcio will take a similar position at Fordham University in New York, and his former duties will be divided among AU departments until the next president names a replacement.

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Adderall use jumps as fear of finals looms

By Kelly Moynihan | December 8

With finals looming around the corner, many students are relying on the use of prescription drugs like Adderall to help stay alert while studying. Adderall, which is prescribed for people who suffer from attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a stimulant that helps patients focus.

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Fire alarm pullers could be expelled, RHA suggests

By Tiffany Heimbuch-Maybee | December 8

Residence Hall Association President Will Mount has authored and passed a resolution through RHA that would call for a "zero tolerance" policy toward AU students that pull fire alarms. The resolution calls for a swift and severe punishment of residents who have pulled alarms by expelling them from the university.

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Endowment raises thousands from meal swipes

By Kate Oczypok | December 8

The Eagle Endowment for Public and Community Service, a grant program for AU students to put their community service ideas into action, had its annual meal swipe event in the Terrace Dining Room Wednesday to raise money for the program. "We ended up getting to our goal in an hour," said Mark Seaman, a senior in the School of Public Affairs and the executive director of the Eagle Endowment.

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College merchandisers correct labor violations

By Jimm Phillips | December 8

A recent report released by a labor advocacy group indicated that health and safety issues topped the list of violations that occurred in factories producing college merchandise, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Twenty-eight companies, including three that produce AU merchandise, were included in the report released by the Fair Labor Association.

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State Rep. sues Miami U of Ohio

By Jimm Phillips | December 8

A Miami University of Ohio policy that gives benefits to same-sex domestic partners has become the subject of a lawsuit, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Ohio State Rep. Thomas E. Brinkman Jr., R-Cincinnati, filed suit against the Oxford, Ohio-based public university, alleging that their employee benefits policy violates a recently adopted amendment to the state's constitution that defines marriage as "only a union between one man and one woman.

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