-
Massachusetts School Bans Clothing That Covers the Face
Tweet Share on Facebook January 6, 2010 Comment (3)A college in Massachusetts has banned certain head coverings after an alumnus was arrested on charges of plotting terrorist attacks. The ban includes anything that covers the face, such as face veils or burkas.
The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services in Boston put the ban into effect on Friday, the Associated Press reports. But school spokesman Michael Ratty says the new policy has nothing to do with the arrest in October of Tarek Mehanna, a 2008 graduate and the son of a professor at the college.
-
Furloughs, Freezes Hit University of Illinois
Tweet Share on Facebook January 5, 2010 Comment (1)Well, that didn't take long. We aren't even one week into 2010, and more economic bad news on college campuses is on its way. We already knew about the University of Illinois system's financial troubles, but it's always rough when the actual hammer falls.
The university announced that it will implement furloughs and wage and hiring freezes this spring, the Daily Illini reports. Interim Illinois President Stanley Ikenberry cited a lack of state appropriations, among other problems, as the reason for the financial adjustment. And judging by Ikenberry's statement, it seems entirely possible that Illinois might not finish the academic year.
"At some point, we will be unable to meet payroll and complete the academic year unless there are significant payments from the state as promised," Ikenberry writes in a statement to the university community.
The university is dealing with a $400 million shortfall because it has received only 7 percent of its designated appropriations from the state. Ikenberry asked university administrators to take 10 unpaid furlough days before June 15, and he asked faculty and staff to take four furlough days between February and May 15.
Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of America's Best Colleges.
-
Polls Open for Year-End Awards Voting
Tweet Share on Facebook January 5, 2010 CommentLet the voting begin! That is, the polls are open for the 2009 Paper Trail Year-End Awards. We've continued the four categories from last year: Story of the Year, Nonstory of the Year, Newsmaker of the Year, and Best Alternative Media Outlet of the Year. Some nominees are new to the mix; others are old standby candidates. Either way, it's time to get your voting fill.
Click these links to go to the polls:
-
Best Alternative Media Outlet 2009
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2010 Comment (2)Don't blame us for the heavy dose of blogs. Here are the nominees:
-
Newsmaker of the Year 2009
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2010 CommentIt's a simple concept: Pick the biggest name in the news in 2009. Here are your choices:
-
Nonstory of the Year 2009
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2010 CommentNot a story to you? Who cares—you'll hear about it every minute of every day. Here are the candidates:
-
Story of the Year 2009
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2010 Comment (1)No one said 2009 was uneventful. Pick among these nominees for the biggest story of the year:
-
USC Imposes Sanctions on Hoops Team
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2010 Comment (5)An internal investigation of the University of Southern California men's basketball program found NCAA violations that occurred during the 2007–2008 season. And, in an effort to quell any punishments from the NCAA, the university handed its mired-in-turmoil hoops team severe penalties of its own.
USC banned its men's basketball team from play for this post-season and reduced the number of scholarships available for the team for the 2009–2010 and 2010–2011 school years, the Daily Trojan reports. USC will refuse invitations to any post-season tournament, whether it's the Pac-10 conference tournament or the NCAA tournament, the National Invitational Tournament, or the College Basketball Invitational. Furthermore, USC will cut the number of coaches allowed on the recruiting trail by one and limit the amount of hours that USC coaches can spend recruiting by 20 this upcoming off-season. And in maybe the biggest punch in the gut for the seniors from the 2007–2008 team, USC will vacate all 21 of its victories and return the money the team received for playing in the Pac-10 and NCAA tournaments.