News

News

Metro Brief: GMU official uses sex as blackmail

By Mary Specht | February 10

A George Mason University administrator videotaped a sexual encounter with a 17-year-old, then demanded $10,000 to keep the tape secret from the youth's parents, the boy testified in Fairfax County court Feb. 1. "He was willing to show [the tape] to my parents, in order to out me to them," the youth testified.

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Ballroom dancing debuts in Hughes Hall

February 10

The Baila-Tanz Club held a dance tutorial on Wednesday night in the Hughes Formal Lounge. Dancers learned salsa, samba, waltz, the fox trot and other ballroom dances. The club will hold meetings throughout the year on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

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Student-spy program scrutinized

By JERILIN BUZZETTA | February 7

When some students think of spies, intelligence and the Central Intelligence Agency, they think of media-driven images such as Tom Cruise's self-destructing sunglasses in "Mission: Impossible II," satellite reconnaissance in "Patriot Games" and James Bond-esque high-tech gadgets straight out of the Spy Museum.

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Hillel plans trips to Israel

By Rochelle Chounet | February 7

AU Hillel, a Jewish group on campus, is planning an alternative spring break trip to Argentina and a Birthright Israel trip for the spring semester. This comes after 13 students returned from a Birthright trip less than a month ago. For 10 days in December and the beginning of January, AU Hillel sent 13 students from its campus to Israel through Birthright Israel, a partnership that brings together Israelis, Jewish philanthropists and Jewish American communities.

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Drug survey to test AU students

By Kate Oczypok | February 7

Undergraduates will have the opportunity to fill out the second Core Alcohol and Drug Survey when the Office of the Dean of Students administers the survey to various undergraduate classes starting today. Surveys will be distributed to classes in all six schools that represent all four years of undergraduate students, according to Sara Waldron, associate dean of students.

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AU debuts music and movie downloading service

By Jeannette Kimmel | February 7

AU is offering a free, legal music and movie downloading service to on-campus students starting today at 9 a.m. The downloading service, called Ruckus, will be available to on-campus students for the remainder of the semester. It has more than 700,000 music titles and a limited number of movies.

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Campus Brief: Alumni return for SIS Career Week

By Ariel Amante | February 7

The Career Center kicks of its School of International Service Career Week 2005 today, starting a week of lectures, panel discussions, and an alumni-student networking reception, according to the Career Center Web site. AU alumni working in intelligence, international relations, national security and other areas are returning to campus to speak to students about how to get started in the fields.

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Bud debuts combo drink

By Rob Chamberlain | February 7

The combination of Red Bull and vodka, a mixed drink that has gained popularity in recent years, has inspired beer company Anheuser-Busch to offer its own version of the beverage. "B to the E" beer, or B with a subscript E, which combines caffeine and alcohol, was released by Anheuser-Busch last month.

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Bender 'philled' by 2,000 fans

By Janel Knight | February 7

Students packed Bender Arena for the annual Phil Bender event, which coincides with the AU Men's Basketball game against Holy Cross. Each resident hall joined in by making banners in honor of the game. Letts Hall won the competition with a banner that illustrated a crucifix with "Crusade This" directed at Holy Cross.

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SC prepares to fix bylaws

By Mary Specht | February 7

Members of the Student Confederation discussed restructuring the governing body to maximize effectiveness at a hearing held by the SC's Committee on Government Operations Monday. "We're trying to better define the purpose of the SC ... so [it's] structured around what we need to get done," said committee chair Ben Murray.

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Students cheer, jeer Bowl in Tavern

By Khai Ha | February 7

More than 200 students gathered in the Tavern to watch Super Bowl XXXIX on a giant projector screen while eating free pizza and wings provided by the Residence Hall Association and The Gathering. However, after all the requisite excitement, some students expressed dissatisfaction.

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AU hosts activists conference

By Kate Oczypok | February 7

Radical cheerleaders, left-wing tabling and groups of students discussing political and social issues on the Quad marked the eighth annual National Conference for Organized Resistance at AU. More than 1,000 people attended the conference this year, with "aims to provide a space for activists to meet each other, have in-depth discussions, analyze strategies, tactics, beliefs, learn a few new skills, and give everyone a lot to think about after an inspiring weekend," according to the NCOR Web site.

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Police Blotter

By Kate Oczypok | February 7

Wednesday, Feb. 2 A professor reported lost property in Clark Hall. She lost her office keys. They have yet to be recovered. Graffiti was reported in Bender Library. Naked female anatomy was painted on an elevator panel. A female staff member reported lost property, her office and home keys, at Capitol Hall.

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Call for D.C. voting rights returns to Congress

By Emily Carone | February 7

For the third year in a row, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) introduced a bill that would grant the District full voting rights. At a press conference last week, Norton, Lieberman, an Iraqi-American and two local Iraq war veterans showed support for the bill.

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Metro Brief: MPD expands red light camera program

By Emily Carone | February 7

The city's red light camera program is expanding to catch speeders at four new locations, including two in Northwest D.C. Drivers speeding through intersections at the 4700 block of MacArthur Boulevard NW, the 2800 block of Benning Road NE, the 100 block of Michigan Avenue NE and the 5400 block of 16th Street NW will receive tickets in the mail.

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Campus Calendar: Feb. 7-13

By Kate Oczypok and Ariel Amante | February 7

Events from SIS Career Week to the Essence of Blackness events and more.

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Abercrombie found guilty for race practices

By Kelly Moynihan | February 7

Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch was found guilty in November in a federal class-action lawsuit filed in 2003 for race discrimination and will pay up to $40 million in damages. In the suit, Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch, the clothing retailer was accused of hiring a predominately white work force and putting its black, Asian and Hispanic workers in less visible job positions and reducing their work hours.

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