Kerr Hall reopens after April explosion After a gas explosion last spring, Kerr Hall is now refurbished, improved and has become a desirable freshman housing option, said Ed Klotzbier, vice president for student affairs. “I think the residents who are assigned there really feel like they got lucky in the assignment process,” he said. “It gives the effect of a hotel when you’re getting off the elevator, with the bright doors and the ID cards used as keys.” The renovations also include new and refurbished bathrooms, laundry facilities on every floor and all new carpeting. The building, which housed some of the first female college students in Boston when it was built in 1914, sits along the Fenway near Melvin Hall. “I think for a first-year student living in Boston, living on the Fenway, it’s such a neat address, and such an old historic building,” Klotzbier said. “It’s not a traditional residence hall.”
Commencement speaker nominations due Sept. 15 The president’s office is accepting nominations for commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients through Sept. 15. According to the guidelines on the nomination form, the president’s office is looking for nominees who have made valuable contributions to society and exemplify the values of Northeastern. The candidates will be reviewed by subcommittees of the board of trustees before a final list is approved by the entire board, said Kay Onan, special assistant to the president. The speaker and honorary degree recipients will then be chosen from that list by the president, in consultation with the chair of the board of trustees. Onan said there is not a set number of honorary degree recipients, but there are typically one or two at the law school graduation, none at fall commencement and three or four each at the morning and evening commencement ceremonies in May. Nomination forms for commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients are available in the announcement archive on myNEU and can be submitted to the President’s Office.
Asian American Center seeks logo submissions The Asian American Center is seeking submissions for a logo for the center. The design must either include the words “Asian American Center” or AAC, and must include no more than two colors. If color is used, a black and white version of the design must also be submitted. Submissions are due Sept. 30, and the student whose design is chosen will receive a $50 gift certificate to the Northeastern Bookstore. “In some ways, we wanted to do something beyond the generic Northeastern branding,” said Andrew Shen, director of the center. “I figure in some ways it’s also a way to get the community involved and include people more graphically-oriented than me.” Shen said he plans to consult the Asian American Center’s board of advisors in choosing the winning design.
Center of Community Service offers $1,000 scholarships The Center of Community Service is accepting applications for community service scholarships. There are 20 scholarships of $1,000 each, funded through the Massachusetts Campus Compact. If selected, students must complete 300 hours of community service between Oct. 3 and May 30, 2006. If students have federal work-study jobs that qualify as service, their work-study hours can be counted toward their total. Kristen Simonelli, associate director and service learning coordinator of government relations and community affairs, will choose 20 students to participate. She said preference will be given to students with an ongoing connection to a service organization, because those students are more likely to complete the 300 hours. “If they don’t fulfill the commitment, that money is essentially lost,” Simonelli said. “In the past, students who don’t fulfill it have been the ones who find their service as they go along. It makes it much more work for them to actually fulfill the requirement.” The deadline to interview with Simonelli is Sept. 15. To participate or for more information, e-mail Simonelli at [email protected].
Information Services warns of Katrina computer scams In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Northeastern Information Services is urging students to be aware of possible malicious Internet activity. Potential problems include fraudulent e-mails that solicit charitable donations but are actually attempts to collect personal information and spread viruses. Glenn Hill, manager of Information Services, said he hasn’t heard of any problems on campus, and the alert is simply a preventative measure. He said students could get malicious e-mails through their myNEU addresses, depending on their web surfing habits. “It’s hard to control the digits once they get out there,” Hill said. He urged students to only donate money to reputable organizations, and to check the myNEU announcements for suggested charities. He also said students should avoid opening any unsolicited e-mails regarding Hurricane Katrina to protect their computers from viruses, worms or other harmful software.
— Compiled by staff writer Hailey Heinz
