Approximately 35 non-profit organizations are scheduled to participate in the upcoming St. Edward’s University non-profit internship fair, but each group is in danger of being overshadowed by the one that will not be there.
The recent revelations in the European Catholic Church have left the papacy with its second widespread sexual abuse scandal in less than a decade. The church can no longer claim that the abuse of childrenby priests is just an American phenomenon.
Last week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) had limited power to control the actions of Internet service providers. The decision reversed an earlier FCC ruling in August 2008 that had promoted net neutralit.The earlier ruling declared it illegal for Comcast Corp. and other Internet service providers to restrict or block content online. The issue arose after Comcast was caught blocking users that where using file sharing programs to download big movie files.
For the first time, Hilltop Views will weigh in on the Student Government Association elections by endorsing a vice presidential and presidential candidate.We believe that both sets of candidates were able to highlight students’ concerns and offered valid ways on how to help alleviate them. All four candidates presented impressive resumes of service and leadership in both SGA and other St. Edward’s endeavors. For the 2010 SGA Elections, Hilltop Views has chosen to endorse the ticket of Blanca Garcia and Krista Heiden.
Whether liberal or conservative, St. Edward students should be aware of how this new bill will affect them and ultimately benefit them once they graduate from college. As college students, we will soon face the task of purchasing our own health insurance. For many graduates, this will be a daunting task, given the current state of the economy and the difficulty of obtaining an entry-level position after graduating with a bachelor’s degree. The bill will allow graduates more time to accrue the funds necessary to afford health insurance.
The highly-anticipated day is finally upon us. Capital Metro announced its commuter rail line, MetroRail, will open to the public March 22. The rail line, unveiled in 2004, was originally set to open in the of fall 2008. But this date was pushed back numerous times due to construction delays and safety concerns. Capital Metro initially estimated the new rail line would cost around $60 million to complete, but as construction progressed and various costs went up, the construction has cost closer to $105 million.
The recent arrest of a St. Edward’s University police officer for secretly photographing women in a dressing room at a Barton Creek Mall department store was worrying enough for the women who attend classes here, many of whom live in campus residence halls. That arrest and the serious questions raised by the NPR/CPI report highlight the need for quality and reliable on-campus policing, along with transparent, effective policies for dealing with allegations of sexual assault and rape. We wonder how well St. Edward’s is doing on both fronts.
In a proposed plan to take effect in the fall of 2010, every undergraduate student at St. Edward’s University will be required to purchase a $100 meal plan per semester, regardless of whether they live on or off campus. This new mandatory fee is a result of Bon Appétit’s inability to balance its books.
The clear focus of the March 2 primary is the gubernatorial races in both parties, but the elections that should draw equal attention are those for the Texas State Board of Education. The board has been an embarrassment for the state, with jumbled priorities and more than questionable decisions. In this election, voters have the opportunity to correct the problem that is plaguing public schools in this state. The issue is not under-funding, poor teachers, or overcrowding.The issue is the incompetent members of the Texas Board of Education
Happily, the university has made strides to improve on-campus parking in recent years. The 2009-2010 changes to the parking policies have been the most effective changes so far, but they must be enforced to remain effective. Eliminating curb parking has improved campus safety, and the consolidation of parking lots and permit categories has made it easier to discern what permits are required in which lots.
The University of Texas has announced that, after more than 25 years as one Austin’s most beloved musical landmarks, the Cactus Cafe is closing its doors. The closing of the Cactus Cafe is part of a series of cuts that UT officials announced Friday, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Although the university’s overall budget has increased 2.8 percent since Sept. 1, state officials including Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst urged state agencies to reduce their budgets by Feb. 15.
The start of a new semester is normally a reality check for students – requiring re-adjustment to planned schedules and preparation for weeks of studying. The beginning of 2010 brought another reality check however as the world read reports of the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 12. Sure, standing in line at the bookstore is irksome. Imagine living in the darkened rubble of what was once a grocery store, eating only dried fruit rolls for five days as a seven-year-old girl did, according to a Jan. 17 New York Times article. Every day, articles tell of survivors pulled from the city’s collapsed infrastructure.
After Peter Austin, assistant professor of University Programs, completed a study that found that more than 80 percent of surveyed schools employed a plus/minus grading scale, the St. Edward’s University Faculty Senate began deliberating the implementation of such a system on campus. If a plus/minus system can be applied and used fairly across the entire university, then it should be implemented.
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