RSA, Husky Hunt win program of the year award The Amazing Husky Hunt won the Resident Student Association (RSA) Program of the Year from the North East Affiliate of College and University Resident Halls (NEACURH), according to an RSA press release. To win the award, RSA submitted a 20 page report on the various aspects of the hunt to NEACURH, and a delegation traveled to Ithaca College in November to give a presentation on the hunt to 30 other NEACURH school leaders. RSA beat out New York University’s “Two Birds, One Stone,” State University of New York at Onetona’s “Got Red?” and State University of New York at Geneseo’s “Turn off the Lights!” programs. RSA plans to submit the hunt for the National Program of the Year this May at Oklahoma State University, according to the statement. – Anne Baker, News Staff

BRC budgets allots more than $84,200 for events The Budget Review Committee (BRC) allocated funds to three student groups for upcoming campus events. BRC allocated more than $21,000 to the Islamic Society of Northeastern University (ISNU) for its Islam Awareness Week. From March 14 until March 21, ISNU will host four events to spread Islamic awareness. Sigma Sigma Sigma was allotted $61,000 for its comedian show with Lisa Lamponelli and Joel McHale. The show will take place Feb. 27. Sigma Sigma Sigma was also allocated more than $1,100 to show three different episodes of “Planet Earth” at afterHOURS March 22. BRC allocated Anime of NU more than $1,100 for its Morlock Enterprises Speaker event Feb. 28. Morlock Enterprises is a costume and prop manufacturing company and James Brown will give a lecture on teaching students how to get started on their own costumes and props for Anime and scifi conventions. – Michele Richinick, News Staff

Google responds, denies copyright allegations Google recently filed a response to the Jarg Corp and Northeastern allegations that Google copyrighted its material, according to recent media reports. The response denies the allegations of infringement and said all of Jarg’s requests are invalid. In the response, Google requests a statement from a judge saying such and asking the judge to award attorney fees. Google is seeking the right to a jury trial if the court does not grant this demand. – Kate Augusto, News Staff Whole Foods Market to cease use of plastic bags Whole Foods Market announced last week that they will stop using single-use plastic grocery bags at each of their 270 stores in the United States, Canada and the U.K. by Earth Day, April 22, 2008, according to a press release. The goal is to encourage shoppers to choose reusable bags, like paper or fabric. Whole Foods will offer reusable bags with a recycling refund for each bag bought, according to the release. Shoppers can use these bags or bring their own reusable bags. Americans waste 100 billion plastic bags a year, while only 0.6 of them are recycled, according to the release. – Kate Augusto, News Staff