The sights and sounds of Mardi Gras filled New Orleans once again this year, despite scattered and sporadic violence that served as a reminder of the city's continuing struggle against crime. The festival has always served as a celebration of the city's unique culture and eclectic heritage, and has come to serve as a symbol of the populace's recovery after Hurricane Katrina flooded most of the city. Several incidents of shootings were reported in the days leading up to the festival, but authorities said that the violence was not directed toward the revelers. "The violence that happens along the parade routes here and in the city [is] not surrounding parades, it's not surrounding parade goers," Sgt. Joe Narcisse of the New Orleans Police Department told reporters. He said that most of the violence is related to drugs or personal grudges.
ON CAMPUS Fulton Debate team defeats Vanderbilt to win division The Fulton Debating Society won the novice division at the University of Miami Tournament in Coral Gables, Fla. Michael Stork, A&S '10, and Kevin Walton, A&S '10, competed for Boston College. Stork and Walton also won individual speaking awards. Other teams competing in the tournament were from James Madison University, the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, and Vanderbilt University. The BC team will next travel to Binghamton University to compete in the qualifying round for the National Debate Tournament. Stork and Walton also won their division in the Patriot Debate Tournament at George Mason University in January.
Professor and student receive inaugural psychology award Dr. Belle Liang, associate professor of counseling psychology with the Lynch School of Education (LSOE), was awarded the Many Faces of Counseling Psychology award. The award is given by the International Counseling psychology conference. She was one of 14 people to receive the award. The award is given to both individuals and groups, and recognizes both creative and traditional approaches to the discipline. Liang started the GenerationPulse project on campus several years ago. The project provided a forum for young people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Both Liang and doctoral student Maryam Jernigan will be recognized at the conference in Chicago this March.
UNIVERSITIES Sallie Mae cuts back loans based on graduation rates Students at colleges with poor graduation rates may be at risk for losing their loans, as a result of a new policy adopted by Sallie Mae, the largest student- loan company in the nation. Sallie Mae is currently experiencing financial difficulties. "Sallie Mae has lent too much money to students who have gone to schools without very good graduation records," Albert L. Lord, Sallie Mae's chief executive, told reporters. The company has also decided to stop making private loans to students with below-prime credit ratings. Lord also told reporters that students attending colleges with consistently low graduation rates are responsible for more than 60 percent of the lender's credit losses.
Be the first to comment on this article!