Yale sued over death of graduate student
Vivian Le is suing Yale over the murder of her daughter Annie Le, a graduate student at the university, the Yale Daily News reported Friday. Annie Le's body was found in the wall of a university laboratory in September 2009, and Raymond Clark III, a former technician in the lab, admitted to her murder last spring. The wrongful death lawsuit, according to a Sept. 6 article in the Chicago Tribune, was filed on behalf of Annie Le's estate, but her family has supported it. Vivian Le spoke out about the suit on Friday's Today Show, expressing her desire to help protect Yale students from a fate similar to her daughter's. She said Yale should have responded to complaints filed against Clark by others prior to her daughter's death and suggested these complaints may have been ignored due to his close relationship with his superior at the time, who was his brother-in-law. According to the Tribune, a Yale statement said "there is no basis" for the lawsuit.
Columbia to offer FemSex workshop
Starting this semester, Columbia is joining the ranks of Brown and other universities who offer FemSex, a student-led, not-for-credit course in female sexuality, according to the Columbia Spectator.
The course resembles Brown's own FemSex workshop and will give students a forum in which to "explore issues ranging from body image to masturbation," the Spectator reported.
"It is bringing Columbia the chance to explore the momentous charge of challenging the social dynamics of the spaces that once resisted feminism," FemSex facilitators Kia Walton, Andrea Folds, Sarah Camiscoli and Lauren Herold wrote in an opinion column in the Spectator.
Cornell president calls for end to pledging
"Pledging as we know it has to stop," Cornell President David Skorton declared to leaders of the Greek community Aug. 23, according to the Cornell Daily Sun. His announcement comes after the hazing-related death of George Desdunes last winter, the Sun reported.
In an op-ed in the New York Times, Skorton described pledging as "a vehicle for demeaning activities that cause psychological harm and physical danger."
Cornell has since accelerated the implementation of planned changes to the Greek system which restrict recruitment, including a prohibition of organized contact between houses and freshmen during the first quarter of the semester, according to the Sun.
Dean of Columbia resigns over changes to U.
Michele Moody-Adams left her position as dean of Columbia Aug. 22, according to a statement by Columbia President Lee Bollinger.
According to an August article in the Columbia Spectator, Moody-Adams wrote a strongly worded email in which she accused the university of planning changes that would "ultimately compromise the college's academic quality and financial health."
Though Moody-Adams planned on leaving her position in June 2012, Bollinger requested she step down as soon as possible, according to an article in the New York Times.
James Valentini, professor of chemistry, has been named the interim dean of Columbia, according to the New York Times.
