2 U. THE NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWSPAPER
News Features APRIL 1988
CALFORNIA
Defense research cut ... A cap on Defense
Department research funding through its University Re-
search Initiative (URI) program promises to cut U. of
California, San Diego's (UCSD) share of that program's
budget by 40 percent. The results will include a discon-
tinuance of summer salaries for15 faculty members as well
as the cancellation of three research programs, visitor's
programs and funding for seminars and summer schools,
unless alternative funding is found. Legislation was passed
in December by a joint committee of the U.S. House of
Representatives and Senate to enact a 14 percent limit on
URI funds available to any one state. Prior to the legislation,
UCSD and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography received
25 percent of URI funds available to California.
* Cynthia Chesy, The UCSD Guardian, U. of
California, San Diego
HITS gives island students access to de-
grees ... The Hawaii Interactive Television System
(HITS) has begun to broadcast classesfrom Manoa to other
campuses with receiving links, and it will soon link up the
university statewide. Hae Okimoto, coordinator for the
Manoa campus part of the system, said that since the outer
island campuses, with the exception of Hilo, do not go
above the community college level, students living on
those islands who want bachelor's or professional degrees
have to relocate to Oahu, which can be inconvenient,
especially economically. HITS will allow these students to
attend classes with those at Manoa. They will be able to see
the teacher and all instructional material and ask questions
over an open television link. The system is already in use
by the nursing department. .Dave Stroup,Ka Leo O
Hawaii, U. of Hawaii, Honolulu
It's Daaaaavid Letterman ... Late night talk
show host and Ball State U. graduate David Letterman
donated $75,000 to make the school's carrier current radio
station possible. The new radio station, which will operate
at 540 AM, should be completed by the beginning of the
1988-89 academic year. But when it came into existence on
Jan. 26, one student broadcast the first message: "This is
Robert Ludwig, and now let's have a party." He then played
"Paper in Fire" by Indiana native John Cougar Mellen-
camp. Letterman's only condition in donating the funds
was that the station be operated, managed and staffed
entirely by students. Letterman's attorney relayed a mes-
sage from the TV host to the students to "take advantage of
this opportunity" and "don't screw it up." Corri
Planck, The Ball State Daily News, Ball
State U., IN
Sigma Nu draws the line ... In response to
the growth in liability suits against fraternity members,
which can affect their families as well, Sigma Nu fraternity
has implemented a comprehensive risk-reduction policy.
One clause which has drawn the greatest attention reads:
"No alcoholic beverages may be purchased through the
Chapter Treasury . . . or coordinated by any member ..
in the name of or on behalf of the chapter." This means that
social functions are now BYOB, saysJeffrey Lawton, former
president of Sigma Nu, Purdue U. "In concept, this policy
places the responsibility upon the shoulders of each mem-
ber of the fraternity, not just the officers." Sigma Nu social
chairman Jeff Brady says, "In the past, the keg was the
center of attention. Now we are back to the reason behind a
party, where you have fun with good friends." *Brad
Klosinski, The Purdue Exponent, Purdue U.,
IN
Sign of the times ... Eastern Kentucky U. has the
only sign language interpretive program in the state. Dahlia
Haas, project employeefor special education and instructor
for many of the interpreting classes, said, "The purpose of
the training program is for the prospective interpreters to
get an idea of relative strengths and weaknesses.. . It's a
new field." This year there are 10 full-time students and
seven part-time students in the program. "The program will
continue if the funding comes from the federal source,"
Haas said, which it has from the start. "Interpreters are
unique," she said. "It involves the entire person." .Sheri
Sparks, The Eastern Progress, Eastern Ken-
tucky U.
MICHIGAN
'CASHE' available at WMU ... Western
Michigan U. (WMU) students may be finding new sources
of 'cashe' to pay for their college education, thanks to a
nationwide computer bank that can now be accessed from
the WMU campus. WMU-CASHE (Computer Assisted
Scholarships for Higher Education) can match individual
students with more than 180,000 sources of financial aid
from around the country, said John A. Kundel, WMU
director of student financial aid and scholarships. WMU-
CASHE's offerings, part of a national program run by
National College Services, Ltd. of Maryland, marks thefirst
time such a service is available in Michigan on a non-profit
basis. "We've known that private companies have been
offering this service for some time," Kundel said, but often
charge a substantial fee. Thereare no guarantees of actually
receiving a scholarship, but studentswill comeaway with a
list of possibilities tailored to their background and in-
terests. . Staff Writer, The Western Herald,
Western Michigan U.
NEW YORK'