Entries for March 26, 2007

Despite many violent deaths attributed to his regime, Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe still holds the honorary degree he got from the University of Massachusetts in 1986, the Daily Collegian reports. "UMass President Jack Wilson has acknowledged that stripping Mugabe of his degree is not out of the question, but almost no real action has been taken in the 20 years since the degree was given," the paper writes. Last semester, a Zimbabwean student at UMass-Boston started a petition that called for the revocation of the degree, to no effect yet. Mugabe received the degree, an honorary doctorate of law, for his work "to establish racial harmony between blacks and whites" one year before he became president of Zimbabwe.

Books are still books, but the 21st century has brought other changes to college libraries. The 24/7 news cycle is one. Many college libraries, including most recently the library at American University, says the Eagle, are opening their doors all day and all night, even on weekends. Starbucks is another change. "Academic libraries are finally facing the reality that most students prefer to read, focus on, and contemplate ideas over food and drink," Colgate's university librarian tells the Maroon News. "Cafes provide a pleasant social space with food to encourage such exchanges."

Texas A&M's Battalion has a nice illustration of this year's candidates for student body president. At least they're not all wearing ties . . . . (Two of eight sport just a collared shirt.)

• Science students at Brown University are underrepresented in study-abroad programs, the Daily Herald reports.
• Art students at Carnegie Mellon will showcase their work on four downtown billboards in Pittsburgh, the Tartan reports.
• Police believe a Texas A&M student who had been missing since mid-March was killed and burned by her 27-year-old ex-boyfriend when she went home for spring break, the AP reports.