Dining services offers kosher meal plan
NU Dining Services has introduced a new kosher meal plan targeted at students whose dining options are limited due to religious or personal beliefs, said Director of Spiritual Life Shelli Jankowski. “The focus is on Jewish and Muslim students who have specific dietary needs because of their practice,” Jankowski said. Unlike already existing cafeteria food, the meals are not prepared in the dining hall, but by Ruben’s Deli and Catering in Brookline under rabbinical supervision and kosher laws, Jankowski said. There is no pork, mixing of meat and dairy, or alcohol extract in the food. “It’s a result of a lot of work by a lot of people,” Jankowski said, “and we’re just thrilled to have it in place.” Students can sign up for the plan online by checking the “kosher option” box when choosing a meal plan.
Fall commencement features Wheelock president
A combined 1,100 graduate and undergraduate students attended Northeastern’s fall commencement ceremony at Matthews Arena Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The speaker for the event was Jackie Jenkins-Scott, president of Wheelock College and former president and CEO of Dimock Community Health Center. Jenkins-Scott helped lead the Roxbury health center out of bankruptcy and created 110 new programs geared towards the urban and culturally diverse community. During the ceremony Jenkins-Scott was awarded with an honorary doctorate of public service degree.
NU hires new director of communications
A new director of communications has been appointed to fill the void left by current Vice President of Student Affairs Ed Klotzbier. Fred McGrail, a public relations specialist with over 20 years of experience, has been given the position, said Vice President of Marketing and Communications Brian Kenny. “He has been doing this job for the last 20 years or so with private sectors,” Kenny said. “He has great experience and has worked with the national media, and we want to talk about NU in [different] parts of the country.” Kenny said McGrail will be responsible for “all media relations … reaching out to media around the country and hopefully internationally to talk about NU … the other side of his job has to do with public relations, if there’s any kind of a crisis, he would be the spokesperson for the university.” Kenny also cited McGrail’s familiarity with the city. “[McGrail] is a lifelong Boston resident … he knows a lot of key people,” Kenny said. “He’s got a great set of skills that I think are very appropriate for what we need right now.”
City approves West Village F construction
The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved plans by Northeastern University Aug. 19 to build the final installment of the West Village complex. Building F will house the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute. Construction will be completed on the building by the 2007 academic year, President Richard Freeland said. West Village buildings G and H, a $93 million project for the university, opened this fall. The buildings hold classrooms, labs, the College of Computer Science and have a combined 534 beds.
Marino to be open 24 hours a day
As of 12 a.m. Wednesday, the Marino Center has begun its new hours of operation; 24 hours a day. The workout facility will be open 24 hours a day throughout the semester until vacations, when it will return, for a short while, to its pervious hours of operation. The ability for the facility to be operational 24 hours a day comes from the new mandatory $45 Campus Recreation Fee paid per semester by students. In previous years, students had the options to waive the yearly $100 sports pass fee. The main purpose of the fee is to help fund the proposed multi-purpose athletic stadium. Before the stadium is even built, money from the fee will also go towards expanding and improving club and intramural sports. For more information about the Marino Center’s operating hours and club and intramural sports, visit www.campusrec.neu.edu.
Freeland welcomes freshmen at convocation
The Class of 2009 was officially welcomed to Northeastern University yesterday morning during the President’s Convocation. “You should be proud of yourselves for getting into the university,” President Richard Freeland said in his address to the freshmen. “It was hard to get into Northeastern this year.” For every seat in the freshman class there were nine applicants, President Freeland said. “Your presence in our student body strengthens Northeastern,” he said. The freshman class was formally introduced to the academic deans of the university during convocation, as well as addressed by Student Government Association President Andres Vargas.
