college shorts

Author: Anthony Adragna

California students unite to oppose Arnold

Over 2,000 students and staff from 30 California colleges and universities united to protest the proposed one billion dollars in cuts to higher education by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, on April 28.

Various members of the state government urged students to remain active on their campuses in asking where the dollars from the government go. Others urged legislators to cut money in the school's administrations before taking from classrooms.

The march, which stretched from Raley Field to the steps of the Capitol building, came amid chanting and yelling from demonstrators. Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi thanked students for coming out to show their concerns.

"We're here to tell our legislators that they have to find other sources of revenue and stop giving the budget cuts to the students," said Associated Students Director of Legislative Affairs Esmeralda Campos.
-The Orion Online


Rapes at SMU increased 333 percent in 2006

Southern Methodist University (SMU) released a report detailing an increase of 333 percent in rapes on campus in 2006, long after the information was known.

Thirteen women reported being assaulted on campus, an increase from four the year before. SMU remained quiet publicly on the incident until a federally mandated report in October forced them to release the figures.

The school's director of the Women's Center, Karen Click, thought the school does enough to inform students about incidents.

"I think it's sufficient," she said. For example, said Click, SMU issues a crime alert whenever a student reports a sexual assault. "They always put out a crime alert, whether or not they involve me," she said.

The attacks occurred at various locations throughout campus including fraternities, SMU apartments, several dormitories and in cars on campus.

"My assumption is that it is not an increase in the number of assaults," Click said. "It's an increase in reporting."
-SMU Daily Campus


NYU student finds razor blades in muffin snack

Disaster was narrowly averted at New York University (NYU) when a student found razor blades in a muffin he planned to eat.

Tisch senior Benjamin Jarosch found five muffins wrapped in tin foil upon entering his classroom. Although the professor was skeptical about the muffin's origins, he protested and was eventually allowed to keep them.

Jarosch came forward at the end of class to show that his muffin contained four razor blades. The other four muffins did not have any razor blades in them.

The University said the muffins were props in a class on existentialism to showcase the idea of randomness and absurdness.

"About halfway through, I bit in and felt something hard and crunchy," Jarosch said.

"They were beautiful muffins- it's very ironic," the professor, Deb Willis said.

Campus security was notified after the razor blades were found in the muffins. There were no injuries.
-Washington Square News