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Author: Nicole Wyndham

Stanford protests new Rumsfeld appointment

Students and faculty at Stanford University have protested the appointment of former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to a university think tank, the Hoover Institution. Professor Pamela Lee began an online petition after Rumsfeld's appointment this fall. The petition has so far gathered over 3,500 signatures, nearly 300 of which belong to professors across the disciplines.

"Many of us believe," said Dr. Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology, "that Donald Rumsfeld, in his role as Secretary of Defense, has behaved in ways that are dishonorable, disgraceful and always disingenuous."

"We view the appointment as fundamentally incompatible with the ethical values of truthfulness, tolerance, disinterested inquiry, respect for national and international laws, and care for the opinions, property and lives of others to which Stanford is inalienably committed," read the petition.

The University officially claims the appointment is within the rights of the Hoover Institution in spite of the controversy. Hoover's one-year appointment places Rumsfeld on a task force on terrorism and ideology as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow.
-CNN.com


Anger boils after noose discovered at Columbia

Columbia University students found themselves enraged after a noose was discovered hanging on Teachers' College Professor Madonna Constantine's office door on Oct. 8.

Students considered the incident a blatant act of racism against Constantine, who is African-American. In a meeting with University President Lee Bollinger, many of the school's student leaders accused the University of taking a weak stance against discrimination.

One student said it is time to stop "placating us with statements or whatever silly things like that Ö [and to] reevaluate these past initiatives because they clearly have not prevented the events of this month."

As police continued to search for a suspect, the University came together to protest such prejudiced sentiments by marching through the campus last Wednesday.

"I would like us to stay strong," Constantine told supporters at the Wednesday rally. "I would like the perpetrator to know that I will not be silent. Hanging a noose on my door reeks of cowardice on many, many levels."
-Columbia Daily Spectator


Football player to face rape charges at Penn St.

Austin Scott, Pennsylvania State University running back, has been suspended after being charged with the rape of a female student. The incident has been connected to an event that occurred early in the morning on Oct. 5.

Scott, 22, was charged with one felony count of both rape and sexual assault as well as two felony counts of aggravated indecent assault. Additionally, Scott was charged with three misdemeanors, including one count of simple assault and two counts of indecent assault.

The incident was reported at 4:00 p.m. on Oct. 12 to University police. The report came a day before the University's game against Iowa State. Scott was prohibited from playing in both the Iowa State game as well as a game against the University of Wisconsin, due to an unspecified violation.

Scott was released on $50,000 unsecured bail. Scott's hearing has been set for 11:00 a.m. on Oct. 17.
-The Daily Collegian