College shorts - 03/11/10

Lecture example sparks media frenzy on Roberts

What started out as a simple law lecture turned into a media frenzy on Thursday at Georgetown University.

Professor Peter W. Tague started his criminal law course in the morning by telling students that the Supreme Court’s chief justice, John G. Roberts, would announce his retirement soon due to health reasons. He then asked students not to spread the word but to keep the information within the class.

After learning the news, however, at least one student texted the information to his or her friends. Within 20 minutes, Radar Online, a gossip site that is the sibling to the National Enquirer, officially reported the rumor, which soon spread to other Web sites.

About halfway through the lecture, which was on the credibility of informants, the professor explained that the information about Roberts was made up to show the class that even people who may be considered reliable sources can give inaccurate information.

—The Chronicle of Higher Education

Tufts University allows applicant YouTube vids

For the first time ever, Tufts University allowed its prospective students to turn in a short YouTube video of themselves as a supplement to their application. Of the 15,000 applicants who applied, about 1,000 submitted videos.

Tufts University is known for the unique aspects of its application. It often gives students a variety of optional essays to answer, which include questions such as “Are we alone?,” one of this year’s topics.

In the videos, some prospective students merely chose to talk into the camera, while others submitted more elaborate projects, showing off their water cameras or animation skills. Elephants were a common theme among many videos, as the university’s mascot is Jumbo the Elephant.

About 60 percent of the videos came from women, with two-thirds sent in by financial aid applicants. Some of the videos have developed a following. One of the favorites so far has had more than 6,000 hits.

Lee Coffin, dean of undergraduate admissions, said the videos gave the admissions staff an opportunity to get a better understanding of the applicants beyond their application.

—The New York Times

Californian students protect budget cuts

Students in California staged dozens of protests in major cities against state budget cuts to public universities last Thursday. More than 1,000 students gathered at the Berkeley, Los Angeles, Davis and Riverside campuses of the University of California. A larger group went to Sacramento, calling on lawmakers to restore funds.

The protests started out peacefully, with protestors making a point to avoid taking aggressive action. However, groups in Oakland and Davis eventually decided to storm the freeways, stopping traffic until the police turned them back or arrested them.

This movement was part of a larger “national day of action” in which students and faculty in 30 states united to protest the budget cuts. California has been deeply affected by its $20 billion budget deficit.

—The Chronicle of Higher Education