College Clips
Published Aug. 28, 2007
Playboy launches Facebook-like site
Playboy has launched a new social networking Web site for college students called PlayboyU.com.
Although the new site is similar to Facebook.com, only students with a college e-mail address are allowed to register. High school students will have to wait until after graduation to join.
Playboy U director Chip Ross said the Web site is not for nudity, but rather it is designed for students to create conversations with other students from across the country. It is also being sold as a less cluttered version of Facebook.
Ross also said they are in the process of planning Playboy U parties to be thrown at campuses across the country.
Playboy U is not designed to be in competition with Facebook.com but could be an alternative to students looking for an escape to a new social networking site.
— The Crimson White
(University of Alabama)
Flooding forces Northern Illinois
University campus to close
Record flooding in DeKalb, Ill., has forced Northern Illinois University to close its campus.
The Northern Illinois University campus has been closed to all non-essential personnel. DeKalb Mayor Frank Van Buer is in the "process of declaring a state of emergency" in the city.
The administration is urging students to vacate campus and find housing elsewhere.
According to DeKalb fire chief Lanny Russell, this is "unprecedented flooding."
There are 300 people taking shelter with aid from the American Red Cross. The flooding damaged several landmark buildings on the campus.
— The Northern Star
(Northern Illinois University)
Multicultural housing falls
short at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is making changes to its housing for the 2007-2008 academic year.
The university has created a new themed housing program called Multicultural Opportunity and Social Awareness Interest Community. This new co-ed program is housed at Slusher Tower, a previously all-female residence hall. Although the university was optimistic about the new program, realities have fallen short of expectations.
MOSAIC Coordinator Ray Plaza said he hoped to have 200 people enroll in the program and occupy eight floors in the hall. But only 44 students are currently participating, and only two floors have been filled, one for females and one for males.
Assistant Director of Housing Management Kenneth Belcher said the decision to make Slusher Tower a co-ed residence hall was a carefully planned one. The program has not reached expectations, but there is still the possibility of making Slusher fully co-ed to accommodate the program.
"It is not going to be this year, but I wouldn't rule it out," Belcher said.
— The Collegiate Times
(Virginia Tech)