College Shorts

Author: Adam Schaffer

UNIVERSITY FUNDS WORK ON CAMPAIGN TRAILS

As the 2008 Presidential campaign enters its final push into November, students at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind. are pushing for new ways to become involved in this year's election.

In a unanimous resolution, the Notre Dame student senate passed a regulation allowing limited college funds to be dispersed equally among the campus' politcal organizations. Each group is to receive $2,606.04 from the university to post signs and distribute campaign materials supporting their respective candidates and transport students to rallies. They are not allowed to donate directly to a candidate's campaign.

"I think this is a great step in the right direction for students to engage in this dialogue and not be stifled," said Student Body Vice President Grant Schmidt. Others, however, are not so enthusiastic about the new amendment. Carroll Hall senator Nick Ruof worries that it puts too much money towards supporting local candidates.

"I feel like the student body is not all from Indiana and our money could be used for something greater on campus," Ruof said.

-The Observer

KNOWLEDGE IS HUNGER FOR STUDENTS, STUDY REVEALS

A study conducted by Laval University in Canada demonstrated that studying can lead to increased snacking. The study found that the body's insulin and glucose levels become imbalanced during high-stress studying. This leads to an average increase of twenty percent in caloric intake.

"Depending on when people study or where people study, they might not have many options, or not really think through what their options are," said Auburn University Associate Professor of Psychology Chris Correia. "Therefore, they just make the easiest choice, and the easiest choices usually aren't healthy."

On many college campuses, those "easy" choices generally include junk foods such as chips, sodas, pizza and wings.

Fellow Professor of Psychology Annette Kluck also sees fatigue as a major cause of unhealthy snacking.

"There's a lot of research that shows that people who don't get enough sleep, eat more," Kluck said. "Getting more sleep would be a better choice than using food to sustain you through long periods of work or studying…[rather than relying on] the temporary feeling of alertness" associated with snacking.

Kluck sees sleep and regular exercise as a means to combat snacking and aid concentration while studying.

-Auburn Plainsman

ILLEGALS RECEIVE NO FINANCIAL AID AT ARKANSAS

The University of Arkansas' policy of admitting illegal immigrants without financial aid is causing controversy within the student body.

Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel affirmed the legality of the university's policy, declaring that Arkansas universities could enroll illegal immigrants as students, but were not required to provide aid or in-state tuition discounts.

Few non-resident immigrants in Arkansas can afford out-of-state tuition, which on average is over $13,000 per semester.

Arkansas students are divided as to the policy. Some claim financial aid should be available to all, regardless of legal status, while others question the fairness in awarding aid to illegal immigrants over underprivileged residents.

-Arkansas Traveler