Janitors union signs up for better hours, security A deal has been reached between the local janitor’s union and employers that will keep 10,000 janitors in the region, including Northeastern janitors, on the job, according to The Boston Globe. Officials from the union Service Employees International Union Local 615 secured several provisions, including an increase in wages, more full-time jobs and better job security. Employers will also have to contribute more to pensions and increase benefits in the future. -Kate Augusto, News Staff
Northeastern awarded grant for graduate program Northeastern will create its first interdisciplinary PhD program in Intelligent Diagnostics for Aging Civil Infrastructure Systems (ID-ACI), according to a press release from the university. ID-ACI will be funded over five years by a $3 million Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship grant awarded by the National Science Foundation. The program, which will include an education and research site shared with the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, will teach students to be diagnostic engineers who can apply their skills to help technical, societal and political aspects of areas damaged by natural and man-made disasters. ID-ACI will begin September 2008. -Kate Augusto, News Staff
Bush pushes to increase Pell funding, cut rates The US Education Department said Thursday that President George Bush will sign legislation to increase the maximum Pell Grant to $5,400 and reduce the interest rate by half over five years, according to the Inside Higher Education website. The legislation is a compromise that was written after versions by the House of Representatives and the Senate were criticized and not expected to pass. Both the House and the Senate are expected to pass the legislation, despite objections from some politicians that it is flawed and could have better provisions. -Kate Augusto, News Staff
Students, ready your paddle and play for free The Budget Review Committee (BRC) has approved funding that will allow students to play pool and ping-pong at the Curry Student Center Game Room for free. In the past, students had to pay $3. The fee helped to cover Game Room maintenance and charges for the equipment. The Game Room is located on the second floor of the Curry Student Center and is open from noon to 10 p.m. daily. Games include foosball, pool, ping png and Nintendo Wii consoles. -Kate Augusto, News Staff
