Police Blotter
Safety and security occurrences around campus since Friday, February 20
Safety and security occurrences around campus since Friday, February 20
Reducing the incoming enrollment rate and focusing on providing benefits for current students were among main objectives in AU President Benjamin Ladner's first public address this semester to the campus in Kay Spiritual Life Center on Tuesday. Ladner discussed the University's 15 Point Plan and Middle States Self-Study in his mid-year address.
ABC's Nightline came to campus Tuesday to interview students about their thoughts on gay marriage, as part of a reaction piece to President George Bush urging Congress to send a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage to the states. "We are talking about civil rights," said sophomore Allison Waithe (bottom right), who is the vice president of Queers and Allies, and was featured on the show.
Members from the campaign "Civitas" got testimonials from the AU community about why they thought AU was a civil campus earlier this week. Civitas, launched by the Office of Campus Life, was designed to promote civility and responsible citizenship in the campus community, Soliciting opinions were Assistant Dean of Students Valerie Verra, along with Katsura Beltz and Katie Auerbach in Judicial Affairs, who tabled in the Mary Graydon Center.
Nadine Strossen, president of the American Civil Liberties Union, will be speaking March 23, through the sponsorship of the Kennedy Political Union, Women & Politics Institute and the Student Advocacy Center. KPU, AU's student-run speaker series, will welcome Strossen to Ward 1 at 7 p.
Campus brief: Focus groups address retail locations on campus.
Provost Cornelius Kerwin is one of three finalists being considered for the position of president of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. Bucknell, a Patriot League rival, has been looking for a new president since current President Steffen H. Rogers announced in May 2003 that he would retire this June.
Only a few days remain in the campaign for the Student Confederation, AU's student government. Candidates are busy jockeying for votes and key endorsements as the campaign nears its end. Some of the last key announcements have been made as the presidential candidates warm up for the annual ATV debate and the official times for voting have been released.
After six sexual attacks shocked the campus last semester, the issue of student security has found its way onto the platforms of two candidates for president of the Student Confederation, AU's student government. The attacks happened when a man - possibly not the same one - grabbed female students and then ran away.
The Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity has established an associate chapter at AU and is recruiting students to become Founding Fathers of the chapter. "Because of the success of our expansion at George Washington University, we decided to start a branch here at AU," Expansion Team Leader David Corey said.
Tucked away in AU's New Mexico office building is the Sharjah Liaison Office, which was designed to offer "administrative support and educational consultation services" for the American-modeled institution American University of Sharjah, in the Middle East.
Public Safety continues to operate under Acting Director Michael McNair as a search committee is considering applicants to serve as the permanent head of the department, including McNair himself. Pat Kelshian, executive director of Risk Management and Safety Services, is heading the search committee to find a replacement for Colleen Carson, who left the University last November after six sexual attacks on campus brought up questions about campus safety.
The elections for the Student Confederation, AU's student government, are in their final week as candidates prepare for voting this coming weekend. The race for vice president has tightened after one of the three candidates ended her campaign this weekend.
Girls wore dresses in every color of the rainbow and men sported tuxedos at Saturday night's Founder's Day Ball in the East Hall of Union Station. About 350 students and administrators showed up to the event, which has been sold out for the last four years, said Kyle Taylor, Student Confederation vice president and co-director of Founder's Day Ball along with Jonathan Mathis.
Many AU students and faculty have participated in the Peace Corps after graduating from college. Alumna Kathryn Coulibaly (left) stands in front of her house in Bagassi, Burkina Faso, holding up dinner - two live chickens she received as a gift. "We were getting ready to kill them and eat them," she said.
The Eagle's weekly post of safety and security incidents from around AU's campus.
News briefs from around campus: SC forum on abroad programs, Ladner's plans to speak next Tuesday, and the Women's Initiative project on violence against women.
Hitchhiking through Indo-China one night, during a five-week vacation from the Peace Corps more than 30 years ago, Vice President of International Affairs Robert Pastor arrived in Laos, where he met a CIA agent. He learned that if he had stayed longer, he would have been killed, he said.
The AU chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity will pick up community service and philanthropic activities this spring for George Washington University's chapter, which was shut down because of hazing. DTD's national organization revoked the GW chapter's charter Feb. 11 after the fraternity confirmed allegations of hazing. Investigations had been underway for more than a month.
A virus-like computer game called "Osama Found" has been plaguing AOL Instant Messenger users, including many here at AU, for the past few weeks. Those who have the game on their computers most likely got it after receiving an Internet link from others on their AOL Instant Messenger buddy lists.