Vote allows assigned students back in Coventry
Northeastern students displaced because of a later-than-expected Boston Zoning Commission vote will be reinvited to reside in the newly-purchased Coventry Street building. The Zoning Commission granted a license last Wednesday to allow the university to operate the building as a residence hall. The license dictates more than half of the building can be filled with students, said Vice President for Student Affairs Ed Klotzbier. The students who were displaced for the first week of school have the option to either move back in or stay in their reassigned residence halls. The students already living in the building will receive full residence services now that their housing is permanent, Klotzbier said.
Renovated ballroom reopens
The newly renovated Curry Student Center Ballroom formally reopened on Sept. 3. Located on the second floor, the Ballroom may be used by any student group who puts in a request at the CSC Information Desk. Erin McFazden, Student Government Association vice president for student affairs, said the much-needed facelift came from the university’s acknowledgement that students need more space on campus for social gatherings. The renovations include new audio/visual equipment and a refinished wooden floor. McFazden said there were no major problems or setbacks during the brief reconstruction effort that lasted from the 2004 spring semester through the summer. McFazden also said the goal of this project was to provide an alternative to Blackman Auditorium. “This year I think there will be some big events held there,” she said.
Work study program goes digital
The work-study employment program has been run by hand for years, but the program has now gone digital. “[The new program] removes the labor-intensive project that had to be done in a day,” said Dirk Rodricks, assistant director of operation in the student center. The new system eliminates paperwork such as time cards, which can get lost easily, Rodricks said. It also “puts more responsibility on student employees, which is something work-study should teach them,” Rodricks said. The new digital process is also intended to make it easier for students to locate jobs and become hired. With almost 70 people hired to date, Rodricks said the new system seems to be working out well.
Kennedy assassination talk held at Snell
Max Holland, a distinguished journalist and a leading authority on the Kennedy assassination, spoke Tuesday about his new book, “The Kennedy Assassination Tapes.” The talk, held in the basement of Snell Library, was one in the “Meet the Author Series,” presented by the Northeastern Libraries and the NU Bookstore. Holland outlined his book, which chronicles President Linden B. Johnson’s reaction to the Kennedy assassination and the assembly of the Warren Commission. Much of the book is Johnson’s own words, taken directly from tape recordings. “This is history with the bark off — that’s what Johnson called the tapes,” Holland said. “It will give [readers] a very good sense of Johnson, and the nature of his presidency.” Roughly 51 people attended, and no seat was left unfilled.
Computer Science finds new home
The College of Computer and Information Science (CCIS) has moved from the brick walls of its long-time home in Cullinane Hall, located next to Hurtig Hall and the Gainsborough Parking Garage, to the new, mostly-glass structure of West Village building H. Now CCIS is reaping the benefits from an ambitious plan to improve the university, having moved into the new addition, said Agnes Chan, associate dean of the CCIS. Located on Huntington Avenue across from the Museum of Fine Arts, West Village building H offers a modern design, furnishing and technology within a 16-story glass tower. The glass casing offers a change of pace from the brick and mortar walls of the past. “Everyone is very happy with the new space and the sun light that we are getting,” Chan said.
Students crowd Curry for First Friday
To encourage substance-free fun, the Resident Student Association sponsored “First Friday” last weekend, an event meant to draw students off the streets and into the Curry Student Center. The event had live music, contests and prize giveaways. “We feel that it is important for students to have a fun and safe alternative to drinking on their first Friday night on campus,” said RSA President Margaret Horton. Over 200 students signed the waivers at the door agreeing to not partake in the use of drugs or alcohol for the duration of the evening’s events. “If even one student realized that you don’t have to drink to have fun on Friday night then I would consider it a success,” Horton said. First Friday was the first of a group of alcohol-free events RSA will be hosting throughout the school year.
