College Shorts

Author: Joshua Carson

Prospective BU President Steps Down with $1.8 Million



One day before he was scheduled to assume the job of president of Boston University, Daniel S. Goldin, the former NASA administrator walked away from the commitment with $1.8 million. Goldin had been heard on campus threatening to "sweep the place clean" by dismissing longtime deans, faculty and administrators. After an emergency meeting, the University's trustees agreed that they did not need or want a radical restructuring and offered Goldin the sum for forfeiting the presidency. Those involved in the search process for the new president were not surprised at Goldin's comments as he had spoken candidly during extensive interviews that if awarded the job, he alone would run the university. Members of the search committee made their concerns known to the Board of Trustees, yet Goldin was still offered a $750,000-a-year contract plus perquisites and benefits, in addition to the ability to take extended vacations to Malibu where he and his wife are building a house. "It's Boston University," said trustee Terry Andeas. "We do a lot of stuff in Boston. Long vacations in California are not part of our day-to-day activities." Until a new president is selected, the board named Dr. Avam V. Chobanian, dean of the Medical School, as interim president.

Source: The New York Times



Anti-Gay Protests Heighten Tensions at UNH Consecration



As Rev. V. Gene Robinson prepared to become the first openly gay Episcopalian Bishop, Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., submitted a request to the Durham Police department for permission to protest the ceremony being held at the University of New Hampshire. Phelps also organized a protest at the funeral service of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student killed in 1998 because he was a homosexual. The University community, forced to allow the protest because it will occur on public property, urged people to ignore the protestors and not to engage them. Local law enforcement officials feared that Phelps was looking to pick a fight, as he has brought suit against individuals who react violently to his protests in the past. President of the University Ann Weaver-Hart addressed the concerns of the GLBT community supporting the consecration, saying, "As a public institution, we are carefully constructed for safety, and we must give all groups the opportunity to speak." The UNH Police Department was on hand to ensure that opposing groups did not clash and designated specific "pro" and "con" areas, which were heavily monitored by police. The UNH Alliance has organized a pro-Robinson campaign on campus by printing and distribution 500 blue T-shirts that say, "Gay? Fine by me." Co-president of the Alliance, Dave Merry, promised that their "goal is to be a visible but quiet force. No signs, no chants. We will just be there. There is a fear that we're mobilizing with rocks, but we're not. We're mobilizing with T-shirts."

Source: The New Hampshire Online



Foreign Students Shy away from U.S. Schools



The increased difficulty and delays in obtaining a student visa has forced many international students to shy away from attending American universities, suggests a new study which shows that the number of foreign students enrolling in U.S. colleges increased by less than 1 percent in 2002-2003. This is the smallest increase in seven years and has resulted in an increase enrollment in British and Australian schools. The Institute of International Education (IIE), which conducted the study, concluded that not only a change in policy affected the enrollment numbers but also a negative perception of the difficulty in obtaining a visa. "The word of mouth is out in certain countries about the difficulty getting a visa. And the perception is having as much of a impact as the delays," said Peggy Blumenthal of IIE. Foreign students began experiencing delays following Sept. 11, 2001, and also as the new homeland security policies were implemented requiring them to report a change of address, academic major and other factors that may influence their visa status. The decline in student enrollment in U.S. colleges has been matched with a marked increase at British and Australian institutions. The number of Chinese students studying in Britain increased 36 percent this year. The same increase holds true for Australian institutions. U.S. schools want foreign students both for revenue contributing $12 billion annually and for their contributions in academic research. Students from Asia, the Middle East and Africa have experienced the greatest delays.

Source: The Associated Press