College Shorts

Author: Andrea Gissing

Explosive Discovery at U. Montana

A sophomore at the University of Montana was arrested last Wednesday night after Public Safety officers discovered explosives in his dorm room. The student, Dereck Stairs, has been charged with felony possession of explosives.
Public Safety officers, responding to a call from two resident assistants in Stairs' dorm, found a prescription bottle filled with gun powder, with a hole in the lid and a fuse next to it, primer blasting caps and matchstick heads in the microwave of Stairs' room. After Stairs was arrested he was turned over to the Missoula Police Department.
Director of Residence Life Ron Brunell commented that the incident was "the most disturbing incident to happen in the dorms this year" and one of the worst in the 15 years he has been in his position.
According to court records, Stairs admitted to the Public Safety officers that the explosive device was his. The Resident Assistants called security when they saw Stairs walk into the dorm carrying what appeared to be shotgun shells or dynamite, and an electric cord with exposed wires.
Another unidentified suspect was detained, questioned and then released.
Stairs will appear in District Court for his preliminary hearing on Oct. 10. The penalty for possessing explosives is up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Source: U-Wire

Columbia Turns to a More Scientific Course

A new science course built with the purpose of introducing students to modern topics in science, is being considered as an addition to the core curriculum at Columbia University.
The currently unnamed course will cover subjects ranging from cosmology to genetics. Its main purpose, according to David J. Helfand, the Columbia astronomer heading the campaign to establish the course as a requirement, is to teach students "scientific habits of mind."
The core curriculum, which was established over 80 years ago, has placed a strong emphasis on the humanities. Students are required to take seven prescribed courses in various fields of the humanities, and while they are also required to take science courses, there is no one required course.
A pilot program will start sometime this month. The course will differ from the other core courses in that instead of being limited to 22 students to facilitate discussion, they will mostly be large, weekly lectures given by leading researchers
Kathryn B. Yatrakis, dean of academic affairs for Columbia University, says that while it is not certain that the course will be added next fall, she is hoping and thinking that it will, though it is dependent on the results of the evaluations of the pilot course.

Source: The New York Times

Early Vacation Rumors Dry Up at UVA

Despite rumors that Charlottesville, Va., reservoirs might dry up in 88 days, there are no plans for classes at the University of Virginia (UVA) to end early. Rumors of the university closing for Christmas break around Thanksgiving were so widespread last week that college officials sent out a campus-wide e-mail denying plans to send students home early in order to conserve water.
Though not drastic enough to warrant sending all 18,000 members of the student body home early, the water shortage in Charlottesville is causing no shortage of alarm. UVA's water is supplied by the municipal system, whose reservoirs are at 54.1 percent of capacity. According to city officials, unless rain falls and water usage practices are not changed significantly, the reservoirs will dry out in three months.
The effects of the water shortage have definitely been seen on campus; university workers have been around campus changing showerheads and faucets, closing pools and fountains, turning down air conditioning and setting up portable toilets at the stadium. Also over the summer break water-conserving washing machines were installed in dormitories and the dining halls are using paperware to avoid dishwashing.
Though water use has decreased by a third since the city and university instituted mandatory restrictions, it has not been enough. The municipal government is asking UVA and other customers to reduce water use by an additional 20 percent and is increasing water rates to encourage conservation. Officials say, however, that closing the university is included only in "doomsday scenarios." University officials said that the fall classes and exams would end as planned, 82 days from now.

Source: The Washington Post