<ong>Gustavus Adolphus College: Attempted Attacks on Campus
Saint Peter, MN
In early March, two female Gustavus Adolphus students fended off an attacker on campus. The first attack occurred on March 5 at 1:30 a.m., while the second took place at 8:30 p.m. the next day. Both victims were alone when attacked, but in well-lit areas. Both women fought off the man, who police believe was attempting to sexually assault both of them. Neither woman knew the attacker.
The attempted attacks prompted a campus briefing that was attended by 1,200 students and faculty. The meeting addressed questions surrounding campus security and the pending investigation of the attacks.
Reed College: Misconduct Policy Changes
Portland, OR
Reed College is moving towards losening the current confidentiality policy in sexual assault cases. As of now, victims must beincredibly private about their cases. This led one student to question whether she could talk to her parents about her case. The policy prompted board member Isabel Manley’s resignation in February. In an open letter, Manley wrote that Reed’s policy is “a hearing process that currently leaves survivors little option other than spending hours in the same room as their alleged assailant, as both parties recount the alleged assault.” A student forum was held on Monday to discuss the new ideas about confidentiality.
Yale University: Under Federal Investigation
New Haven, CT
Yale University is under federal investigation for complaints from students who say that the university failed to adequately respond to student concerns regarding sexual assault and misconduct. Currently, Yale has no campus-wide sexual misconduct policy, nor is there a committee to address student complaints. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is performing the investigation. The main concern of students is that Yale has a sexually hostile environment and that the university does not respond in any kind of productive manner to harassment.
In response to the investigation, Yale is forming a committee to address such allegations. The university has said officially that it will not tolerate sexual harassment or other misconduct and that the process for forming such a committee began a few years ago.
Arizona: Huge Rises in Education Costs
Around the country, the cost of education is drastically rising. Across the state, the increase in university tuition costs is roughly 22% from last year. School officials in Arizona blame the cutbacks on the state legislature and say they have made sacrifices to cut costs where they can.
At the University of Arizona, there has been a proposal to increase mandatory fees 47% from last year. Officials say this is part of a two year plan to eventually cut back on fees, while graduate students voted to reject another fee increase proposal that didn’t detail how the money would be spent.
Rutgers University: Snooki vs Toni
New Brunswick, NJ
Carleton had better jump on the phone lines soon if it wants to book America’s newest traveling lecturer for convo: up-and-coming Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.
According to multiple sources, Rutgers University paid the plump star of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” $32,000 Thursday to speak with students about her bronze, ‘doo, and gym-tanning- laundry lifestyle.
Yes, $32,000 for Snooki. All 4’9” of her. So, start pouring the Malibu and lacing up the board shorts. This should be fun.
The reality TV star’s fee is $2,000 more than the New Jersey university agreed to pay former faculty member and Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison to speak at this year’s graduation.
Morrison took the high road when asked for her thoughts about the seeming slight from her home institution. “I don’t know her . . . and I don’t care,” the author told the New York Post earlier this week.
Morrison didn’t forget to mention that she normally charges $60,000 for public talks, but cut her price in half because of feelings of nostalgia for Rutgers.
Rutgers officials had no comment, but one professor had choice words: “I agree with the Rutgers student who said Snooki would have come for a case of beer and the promise of sex with a Rutgers student,” Professor Jorge Pieczenik said in a letter to the New Jersey Star-Ledger.
When asked to give a piece of advice to the crowd, Snooki didn’t shy away. “Study hard, party harder,” she said to the crowd of 1,000 students in the question-and-answer session. A message like that would definitely stir things up at 11 am on a Friday morning in the Chapel.
The Star-Ledger reported that University officials invited Ms. Morrison to address the class of 2011, while a student-run committee was responsible for booking the “pouf.” Student activity fees, which are included in tuition, paid for Snooki’s talk.
While Carleton continues debating whether to channel student dollars to environmental lobbyist MPIRG, it looks like Rutgers students have more serious questions on their minds: whether Flava Flav or the Octomom should be their next commencement speaker. Maybe Carleton can poach the one they don’t pick. Let’s just hope not.
Photos illustrating this feature can be found here.