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Mass tran secuirty threats prompt searches, evacuations

By Kelly Kerr | October 17

Despite threats to U.S. transportation systems, AU students returned back to campus safely and some AU students said they were affected by the delays and searches, but it didn't change their travel plans. As AU students vacationed across the U.S. over fall break, both Philadelphia's and New York City's public transportation systems faced terrorist threats and bomb scares.

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Prospectives, donors give mixed feedback on Ladner

By John Riley and Lauren Gardner | October 17

Student groups involved in recruitment and fundraising have received mixed reactions from potential donors and prospective students regarding the investigation of former AU President Benjamin Ladner's misuse of school funds and his subsequent termination.

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Study abroad mandatory at two national universities

By Elizabeth Royall | October 17

Goucher University in Baltimore and the new Soka University of America in Southern California have made study abroad mandatory for all its students to graduate. Starting with the class of 2010, Goucher University requires that all students must participate at least three weeks - if not a semester or year - in an intensive study abroad program.

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AU Christian groups offer aid to Katrina victims

By Seth Johnson | October 17

Twenty-two members of AU's Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship group spent fall break at Camp Hope, a shelter for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The AU students were immediately put to work helping prepare and serve food, as well as kitchen work.

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Campus calendar

By Lauren Gardner | October 17

Monday, Oct. 17, 2005 Greenwood Follies and Other Old French Plays Arena Stage, 14th and T streets NW. Theatre Productions presents John DuVal's translation of Adam de la Halle's "Greenwood Follies," Rutebeuf's "The Miracle of Theophile" and an excerpt from "The Play of Adam.

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GW's Square 54 sparks debate between residents and school

By Lauren Gardner | October 17

Plans to build a mixed-use development at the site of the former George Washington University hospital has caused heated debate between planners at GW and Foggy Bottom residents. The complex would provide both Foggy Bottom residents and university students with much-needed retail and grocery stores, the city with tax revenues and GW with the investment income to develop other projects, namely more on-campus housing for students, said Tracy Schario, director of media relations at GW.

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AU questions Miers' experience

By Jimm Phillips | October 13

White House Counsel Harriet Miers' nomination to the Supreme Court on Oct. 3 has caused AU students and faculty to question her qualifications, judicial philosophy and her connections to President Bush. Ashley Mushnick, a junior in the School of Public Affairs and president of College Democrats, said Miers lacks the qualifications to be a Supreme Court justice.

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University survives scandal

By Kate Oczypok and Lauren Gardner | October 13

The Board of Trustees voted Monday that Benjamin Ladner would not return to lead the university, sparking memories of then-President Richard Berendzen's resignation in 1990 and reminding the AU community of its ability to weather scandal. School of International Service professor and faculty member-in-residence John Richardson taught at the university in 1990 when Berendzen abruptly resigned amid allegations he made indecent phone calls from his office.

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Students speak out on diversity

By John Riley | October 13

When Viola Irvin applied to American University her senior year of high school, she knew that it was a predominately white university, but it was more diverse than some of the other schools she was considering and actively marketed its large international population.

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RHA bill keeps military recruiters on campus

By Jess Reamy | October 13

The Residence Hall Association and the Student Government passed pieces of competing legislation in the past few weeks over whether military recruiters should be allowed on campus. The General Assembly, the SG's legislative arm, passed a bill in late September calling for the university to ban military recruiters from campus.

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Ladner fired after nine-hour meeting, two trustees resign

By Marissa Newhall | October 13

A nine-hour meeting of the AU Board of Trustees Monday night resulted in the firing of AU President Benjamin Ladner, the continuation of Dr. Neil Kerwin's service as acting president and the resignation of two university trustees - Paul Martin Wolff and board Chair Leslie E. Bains.

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Campus calendar

By Kate Oczypok | October 13

Thursday, Oct. 13 OSP Seminar on SPIN/SMARTS Database 1:30-3:00 p.m., Anderson Computing Complex room B11. The SPIN/SMARTS database is a central component of the funder identification process at OSP. SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network) is a listing of national and international government funding sources updated daily, while SMARTS (SPIN Matching and Research Transmittal System) matches investigator profiles with the funding opportunities in the SPIN database and delivers automatic updates by e-mail.

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Metro briefs

October 13

Panda cub celebrates milestone The National Zoo's giant panda cub now has his first teeth, according to the Washington Post. The cub underwent a medical examination yesterday morning showing that four of his canine teeth and all 12 incisors have broken his gums, but not all have fully come in.

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Timeline of events in Ladner probe

By Kate Oczypok and Megan Slack | October 13

March 2005 The AU Board of Trustees' six-member Executive Committee receives an anonymous whistle-blower 's letter, alleging President Benjamin Ladner had used university money for personal expenses, including a French chef, expensive vacations and family parties.

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Police blotter

By Josh Goodman | October 13

Thursday, Oct. 6 A staff member reported that his wallet had been stolen from Capital Hall. A bomb threat was called in to Capital Hall and the building was evacuated. The building was searched by the Metro Police Department bomb squad and nothing was found.

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Conduct from Ladner, trustees draws mixed reactions

By John Riley | October 13

Moments after AU's Board of Trustees announced their decision to remove President Benjamin Ladner following Monday's nine-hour meeting, students expressed emotions ranging from happiness at Ladner's dismissal to anger over the terms of his possible severance package and at the board for allowing the controversy to happen in the first place.

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Town hall meeting urges student activism

By Rebecca Shillenn | October 6

Students need to keep up the fight for changes in university bylaws and for Ben Ladner's dismissal, faculty and student representatives said at last night's town hall meeting. The board of trustees is holding a meeting next Monday to determine President Ladner's status and possible severance, and to discuss board of trustee reforms.

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