College Clips
Published Aug. 24, 2007
Kansas State University college goes paperless
Students of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine are transitioning to a paperless curriculum starting with the class of 2011.
The new system eliminates paper notes and textbooks to theoretically save time, money and effort for students and professors alike. Using Microsoft Office OneNote technology, students are able to take notes and search for audio and visual materials on the Web.
The new system also has disadvantages. Students are required to purchase Toshiba tablet notebooks, financed at a rate of $300 each month for the entirety of their four-year program. In addition, the laptop purchase includes a service warranty.
Kansas State University is not the first to move toward a paperless curriculum. Other medical and nursing schools have adopted this earth-friendly approach, as well.
— The Kansas State Collegian
(Kansas State University)
University of Arkansas to be
tobacco-free by July 2008
University of Arkansas officials decided to ban tobacco use on campus, effective July 8, 2008.
Following a two-year debate, the smoking ban grew from its original restrictions placed in 2001. Currently, smoking is banned in all buildings and within 25 feet of entrances.
The new policy resulted from growing concern for the overall health of the campus.
"Over the years, we have had an interest in the overall health of people associated with the University of Arkansas," Pat Walker Health Center Director Mary Alice Serafini said. "We see a tobacco-free campus as a health benefit for the entire campus community."
Serafini received mostly positive feedback from students, and she said she feels confident that the change will be positive. There are no penalties in place for students who break the anti-tobacco policy, but there are plans to draft one in the near future.
— The Arkansas Traveler
(University of Arkansas)
University of Utah course
examines swear words
@#$!: Bad Words and Taboo Terms, a new class offered through the linguistics department at University of Utah, explores the use of foul language across the world.
The course, which is taught by Randall Eggert, aims to explore the linguistics of profanity, blasphemy, racial and ethnic slurs, as well as their use and meanings in different cultures. Eggert said he does not intend to offend students with his use of expletives, but he said students who are sensitive to such words should consider that before they enroll.
Eggert said the results of an informal survey showed that students who took the course began to monitor their language, possibly because they understand the way their language affects others.
— The Daily Utah Chronicle
(University of Utah)