By Emily Howland

Brown University

University issues grant to Katrina stricken schools

Brown University’s President Ruth J. Simmons announced that the university would send a grant of $1.1 million to three schools in the Gulf Coast that were hit by Katrina. The scholarships were allocated depending on the degree of damage, to Dillard University, Xavier University and Tougaloo College. Over 300 students from these schools received portions of the grant, which was nick-named “recovery semester” scholarship. A member of the class of 1942 donated $5 million dollars to the relief effort, a fraction of which the university designated for “recovery semester” scholarships. The university is awaiting approval from the donor to determine how the rest of the money will be distributed.

Bowdoin College

College expands wireless Internet to surrounding areas

In a recent agreement with a local Internet provider, Bowdoin College plans to bridge the college and the town with a wireless network available to students and surrounding residents alike. The pilot project, which is planned to last six months, will spread through the downtown area of Brunswick, as well as to nearby towns, Fort Andross and parts of Topsham. The project was originally inspired by students and faculty who live and work off campus and lack wireless Internet access. But some students view the project as unnecessary and a waste of money. The college still awaits approval from the Brunswick Town Council before the project can be underway.

Williams College

Drug use leads to students’ dismissal

Three male sophomores were asked to leave Williams temporarily after a campus wide investigation of illegal drug use. Several others were questioned because they were suspected of using cocaine and dealing marijuana. Campus Security found facebook.com, the ninth most visited site on the Internet, a big help in their investigation. Members of the Facebook groups “Puff, Puff, Pass” and “Phyllis Chandler Bong” were easy to target in the investigations. Unbeknownst to many students, Facebook is accessible to anyone with an “.edu” email address, making the site a not-so-private social forum. Williams’ Associate Director of Security, Dave Boyer has a profile on Facebook and was surprised when students befriended him.