CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Experts and government officials say three graduate fellowship programs at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale exclude students based on race and gender, and if the University does not change the programs, it will be vulnerable to a lawsuit.\nLast week, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to the University stating three graduate scholarships programs are unfair to whites, males and others. Further, it said they must be eliminated before Nov. 18, or the federal agency would seek legal action, Chancellor Walter Wendler said. \nJustice Department officials have not commented on the letter. \nWendler responded Wednesday requesting a meeting to discuss the matter with agency officials. The chancellor said Sunday he has examined the programs thoroughly and has not seen racial exclusivity.\n"I believe these are (open to all students), but there may be preferences built into them," he said. \nThe Justice Department's letter identifies three fellowships: the Proactive Recruitment and Multicultural Professionals for Tomorrow, the Graduate Dean's and the Bridge to Doctorate, Wendler said.\n
LSU to limit class withdrawals
\nBATON ROUGE, La. -- Lousiana State University students will only be allowed to withdraw from three classes in their freshman year and one every academic year, beginning fall 2006.\nThe withdrawal limit has been recommended in the scheduling catalog for several years, but the Faculty Senate passed a resolution this semester recommending the Office of Academic Affairs make it a formal restriction. Supporters of the change say it will eventually better the university's graduation rates, fulfilling one goal of the university's Flagship Agenda.\nStudents in need of dropping more classes than allowed may plead their cases to the dean of their college.\nThe change will not affect any classes dropped before the date to receive a "W."\n
UC-San Diego \nstudents protest student TV ban
\nLA JOLLA, Calif. -- Christopher Sweeten, president of the Associated Students of the University of California at San Diego, has said he plans to push through a petition signed by more than 2,600 UC-San Diego students protesting a nudity ban on Student-Run Television despite opposition from several members of the Associated Students Council.\nThe signatures, gathered by seniors Steve York and Daniel Watts and several representatives of SRTV, were presented to Sweeten at the Nov. 9 council meeting.\nAs stated in the AS Council's constitution, a minimum of 10 percent of the student body must sign the petition, which would force a special election within 15 academic days of the document's submission to the council. The petition could give students the opportunity to vote on whether or not to overturn the council's decision to ban graphic depictions of nudity on the station and to prohibit York from entering SRTV premises.
