COLLEGE SHORTS

Author: Polly Johnson

Bowdoin unveils innovative online multimedia map

Online virtual tours? So last year. In a major feat of technology, Bowdoin College has just unveiled their newest strategy to entice future Bowdoin Polar Bears. The College's Information Technology division recently launched a multimedia map of the campus using Google Earth software, which allows visitors to the site to download the free Google Earth software and observe a birds-eye view of the picturesque campus. Combining map, texts, satellite imagery and web links, the map offers viewers high-resolution aerial photos of the campus. The viewer can even turn on specific options that allow names of buildings and campus locations to be seen. Furthermore, viewers can zoom out to place Bowdoin in relation to major cities such as Portland or Boston, or zoom in to a specific building and learn its history and location on campus.

-bowdoin.edu



Gallaudet Univ. president receives no confidence vote

With faculty and students claiming that newly-elected president of Gallaudet University does not truly represent the deaf community, Jane K. Fernandes received a vote of no-confidence on Monday. During the closed-door faculty meeting which took place on Monday night, a resolution of support for Fernandes failed by a vote of 49 to 96. A vote of 85 to 58 called for the vote to be reopened. Faculty questioned whether she was "deaf enough" to represent the student body of Gallaudet, a university for the deaf located in Northeast Washington, D.C.

Since Fernandes was appointed last week, students and faculty have protested the search process, which students claimed was unfair in eliminating strong candidates and not focusing on diversity.

Fernandes was born deaf and grew up using sign language rather than speaking. Board members have defended her selection, claiming that Fernandes is definitely the right person to represent the university.

-Washington Post



Report finds fault with Duke search

According to a report released by former Princeton University President William G. Bowen and Julius Chambers, a former director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc., Duke University officials, ranging from members of the campus police department to the highest administrators, failed to comprehend the gravity of the rape case that has clouded Duke for the past couple of months.

The accusation that several white lacrosse players raped a black woman at a party was apparently not taken seriously enough when it was initially reported. The report noted that the Duke campus police failed to report the racial aspects of the case to administrators, resulting in a slow response by the Duke administration.

The report concluded by saying that Duke should have conducted its own investigation, rather than waiting for the Durham police investigation to finish. It did, however, commend Duke President Richard Brodhead for his "personal commitment" to addressing the gravity of the situation.

-The New York Times