SGA pulls free Heralds from campus The Student Government Association (SGA) has discontinued its relationship with the Boston Herald, which provided free issues around campus, in protest of the graphic photos of dying Emerson College student Victoria Snelgrove. The photos, which ran on the front and inside pages of the Oct. 22 issue, showed the student lying on the sidewalk after being shot by a projectile being used by police to disperse the riots that followed the Boston Red Sox victory against the New York Yankees. “I am appalled that the Herald would show such a lack of respect for Victoria Snelgrove’s family and friends,” said SGA Vice President for Academic Affairs Bill Durkin. “The vulgar images of her dying on the sidewalk put knots in my stomach.” Last year’s SGA administration had approved of the Herald distributing free copies of the paper to students. Members of the organization said they will be working on making other newspapers, such as The Boston Globe, more available on campus.

Body of graduate student found in Maine A 21-year-old graduate student, Emil Lan of Hampden, drowned while trying to retrieve climbing gear from the ocean in Acadia National Park on Oct. 17. He was climbing with a friend at a popular area called Otter Cliffs when he dove into the 48 degree water, said Neal Labrie, a United States park ranger at Acadia. “In the course of their climbing he went into the ocean … and was unable to get back out of the water,” Labrie said. “The ocean basically pulled him back in and he drowned.” Although the area is a hazardous one, many people climb there every day without incident, Labrie said. He added that there were also very high seas that particular day and the ocean was at high tide at the time, which he said makes it dangerous at the base of rock.

Romney speaks on homeland security Gov. Mitt Romney used his experience from the Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, as the basis for his state homeland security plan, which he detailed to state and local authorities in the Ballroom Monday. Speaking at the Domestic Security Preparedness Conference, Romney said intelligence is the key to protecting the state, and it is imperative the information comes from one entity of the federal government. “We want to see information that paints a picture of the problem we need to address,” Romney said. He said it is important that state police assist in intelligence gathering so the state can deal with potential incidents before they occur.

ResLife sponsors week of political events The Department of Residential Life will be hosting a week of election-related educational events called “The REAL Electoral College.” The events began on Oct. 25 and will run through Thursday. After the kick off event held on Monday, a mock election was held Tuesday, with students casting their ballots at staff offices around campus. Professor of political science and former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who ran for president on the Democratic ticket in 1988, will be a guest speaker at the Living Learning Center in Stetson East Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. On Thursday, students are invited to attend a discussion sponsored by the department of political science featuring professors Alan Schroeder, Richard Katula and Michael Tolley in 135 Shillman Hall from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Panel discusses presidential race and religion “Religion at the Ballot Box,” held Thursday, was the third in a series of forums focusing on Campaign 2004. Sponsored by the Department of Political Science, the discussion panel featured Professors Michael Dukakis and William Miles. The speakers discussed the effect religion will play in the decision making process for voters this November. “Religion is a major factor in understanding American politics in general and affecting the upcoming presidential outcomes in particular,” Miles said. The next forum in the series will assess both the debates and the state of the election with only days left. “I’ve received a number of positive comments from students and faculty after the panels, and I think they have helped spark some discussion within classes,” said Professor John Portz, who organized the event. The upcoming forum is the final sponsored discussion before the Nov. 2