College Briefs
By Daily Bruin Staff
June 6, 2001 9:00 p.m.
Fed to cut student loan interest rates
AUSTIN, Texas “”mdash; The cost of financing a college education
for approximately 15,000 University of Texas-Austin students could
get less expensive when the Federal Reserve Board slashes interest
rates on student loans July 1, the Daily Texan reported.
The Fed, which sets the federal student loan rate each May, has
announced it will cut interest rates on federal student loans by
2.2 percent, the largest cut in several years.
The current interest rate is 8.25 percent, which is the maximum
allowed by law.
“This rate decrease is very significant,” said Ann
Fairchilds, student loans manager of UT Student Financial Services.
“The interest rate has been near the 8.25 percent cap for the
past several years.”
The U.S. Department of Education must approve the interest rate
decrease.
Affirmative action in admission approved
NORMAN, Okla. “”mdash; The Supreme Court ruled in favor of
affirmative action last week when it upheld a previous appeals
court ruling that allows diversity to be an adequate justification
for college to consider race in admissions, the Oklahoma Daily
reported.
Several universities in the past few years have come under fire
for their support of the 1978 landmark ruling of the Regents of the
University of California v. Bakke. The Supreme Court’s ruling
stated that institutions could use race as a factor in admissions
but could not set aside specific numbers of places for members of
minority groups.
Affirmative action is banned in Cailfornia’s public
institutions because of Proposition 209, the 1996 voter initiative
that banned the consideration of race, gender and ethnicity in
admissions and hiring.
Mascot debated at University of Illinois
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. “”mdash; With new action from the University of
Illinois Board of Trustees and the creation of a citizen group in
support of Chief Illiniwek, the years-long debate over the
university’s controversial mascot is still alive and kicking,
the Daily Illini reported.
At its May 23 meeting, the board voted to continue exploring the
Chief debate by appointing a single member to look at possible
options for dealing with the embattled mascot. While the board had
suggested forming a committee at its March meeting to look at the
issue, chairman Gerald Shea switched tracks and proposed that the
board choose an individual for the task.
“I believe that having a single board member offers
advantages, including flexibility and expedience,” Shea
said.
Former professor sentenced in porn case
MINNEAPOLIS “”mdash; Richard Ivan Pervo, a former University of
Minnesota professor, pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing more
than 4,200 images depicting children in sexual acts, the Minnesota
Daily reported.
He received eight years probation and one year in a state
workhouse for one count of distribution and five counts of
possession of child pornography. Pervo, 59, taught courses in the
New Testament until mid-February. In an agreement with the regents,
he resigned as chairman of the department of classical and Near
Eastern studies and agreed to sever all ties with the
university.
“I do want to express I have always been opposed to any
exposure of minors to sexual acts,” Pervo said at the
hearing. “I deeply regret any involvement I had to perpetuate
that.
Compiled from University Wire reports.
