SGA and Public Safety distribute safety whistles The Student Government Association (SGA) collaborated with the Department of Public Safety to give out 4,000 safety whistles to students. The red plastic whistles have both the organizations’ logos and the SGA Web site address, as well as the number for safety escorts and the university’s emergency number. The whistles also have a small hole at the end so they can be attached to students’ keychains before they head out for the night, said Sen. Rogan O’Handley, who worked with Vice President for Student Services Nikki Martino on the project. “We had two rapes in the Mission Hill area last semester, and [SGA] is trying to keep students as safe as possible,” he said. O’Handley said both the Boston and the Northeastern Police Departments have a rule that states if a whistle is heard, police respond to where it is coming from. He added that the funding for the project was split three ways between SGA, Public Safety and private funding, and that the whistles are intended as “more of a preventative thing.” Students can pick up a whistle in the SGA office in the Curry Student Center, as well as in the Lane Health Center, Public Safety and the Sexual Assault Counseling Office in 301 Ell Hall.
Tsunami relief asks students to ‘bring a buck’ The Spiritual Life Office is asking students to “bring a buck” to their housing selection night from March 8 to 17 in SpeareCommons. The event aims to raise more money for the Northeastern Tsunami Relief Fund, said Shelli Jankowski-Smith, director of spiritual life. “One of the last big events this semester is the lottery. We thought that would be a really great opportunity,” Jankowski-Smith said. “We don’t want students to think ‘If I can’t give $50 it’s not worth it,'” she said. The drive will continue until “Indonesia Night,” on March 20, an event scheduled as part of the International Student and Scholar Institute’s International Carnevale, Jankowski-Smith said. Total funds raised by students during the drive will be matched by President Richard Freeland and distributed among four tsunami charities.
Rally scheduled to save Night Owl bus service A protest will be held Thursday at 10 Park Plaza at 11 a.m. to support the Night Owl Bus Service, an attempt to prevent the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) from eliminating the late-night transportation option. The MBTA is continuing to examine the Night Owl as a program which could be cut to help bridge the almost $16 million budget gap the transportation agency is facing. However, community members as well as students, who rely on the service as a cheap form of transportation after the T has closed, are organizing efforts to save the Night Owl. City Councilor Michael Ross has continued his support of keeping the system available, citing the prevention of drunk driving and the importance of public transportation to people who work late-night shifts as reasons the service is not expendable. The Student Government Association is also encouraging students to attend the rally.
Queer Caucus to hold transgender issues forum Northeastern Law School’s Queer Caucus will be holding a transgender issues information session next Wednesday at 2 p.m. in 97
