Shutterstock

On Monday, October 15, the Massachusettes Institute of Technology announced a new $1 billion commitment to “address the global opportunities and challenges presented by the prevalence of computing and the rise of artificial intelligence.”

According to MIT, the Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing will be the main part of this new initiative, which was made possible due to a $350 million donation from Stephen Schwarzman, the chairman, CEO and co-founder of Blackstone.

The construction of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing will be the most significant structural change to the university since the early 1950s. Additionally, as a result of the new school, 50 new faculty positions will be created.

Here is what  the Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing will do, via MIT:

• reorient MIT to bring the power of computing and AI to all fields of study at MIT, allowing the future of computing and AI to be shaped by insights from all other disciplines;
• create 50 new faculty positions that will be located both within the College and jointly with other departments across MIT — nearly doubling MIT’s academic capability in computing and AI;
• give MIT’s five schools a shared structure for collaborative education, research, and innovation in computing and AI;
• educate students in every discipline to responsibly use and develop AI and computing technologies to help make a better world; and
• transform education and research in public policy and ethical considerations relevant to computing and AI.

MIT President L. Rafael Reif released the following statement about the new Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing:

“As computing reshapes our world, MIT intends to help make sure it does so for the good of all. In keeping with the scope of this challenge, we are reshaping MIT. The MIT Schwarzman College of Computing will constitute both a global center for computing research and education, and an intellectual foundry for powerful new AI tools.

Just as important, the College will equip students and researchers in any discipline to use computing and AI to advance their disciplines and vice-versa, as well as to think critically about the human impact of their work. With uncommon insight and generosity, Mr. Schwarzman is enabling a bold agenda that will lead to a better world. I am deeply grateful for his commitment to our shared vision.”

The Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing is scheduled to open in September 2019 with the construction of a new building for the school scheduled to be completed in 2022.

MIT Police Investgating Alleged Rape At Fraternity House

Port Barre Police Department

Constance Robertson, a 25-year-old Port Barre High School substitute teacher in Louisiana, was arrested on Monday, October 15, due to allegations that she had a sexual relationship with an unidentified teenage student.

Robertson, from Washington, Louisiana, has been charged with felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile after she allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. Roberston claims she believed the student was 18-years-old at the time of the assault.

According to the Port Barre Police Department, the alleged incident happened in a Port Barre High classroom on the day of a pep rally at the school. Port Barre police say the 10th-grade student allegedly had a video of the incident on his cell phone and showed it to his peers. After school administrators received information about the incident on Thursday, October 11, they alerted authorities, who executed a search warrant that same day and reviewed the contents on the student’s phone.

Following her arrest, Roberston was booked into the Port Barre jail.

Port Barre Police Chief Deon Boudreaux said that there were no previously reported incidents involving Robertson and that she has since been removed from working as a substitute teacher in St. Landry Parish Schools.

The St. Landry Parish School System released the following statement about Robertson’s arrest:

“It has been brought to our attention that a substitute teacher is being investigated by the Port Barre Police Department and St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Department amid allegations of sexual misconduct with a student at Port Barre High School.

The substitute teacher in question has been substituting in the St. Landry Parish School System since May of 2017. There are no previously reported incidents involving this employee. She has been removed from working as a substitute teacher in St. Landry Parish Schools.

We are currently working with law enforcement as it pertains to this incident and are unable to comment further as this is a personnel matter and is under investigation.”

Robertson is just the latest teacher to be charged for inappropriate conduct. Over the course of just a few months, educators across the country were arrested for entering into an inappropriate relationship with their students, Tennessee teacher Janet Smothers, LaToya Parker, Florida teacher Caroline Lawson, 26-year-old Allyson Moran and Katherine Ross Ridenhour were all arrested on similar charges. A woman named Kayla Sprinkles was arrested in North Carolina for similar sexual crimes.

The list goes on to include 22-year-old Oklahoma science teacher Hunter Day, 28-year-old teacher Megan Kotarski, 23-year-old history teacher Michelle Schiffer, 29-year-old Alyssia Marie Reddy, special education teacher Jordan Ondish and 28-year-old Samantha Fitzpatrick have all been allegedly carrying on inappropriate relationships with their students.

34-year-old Miranda Nicole Pauley was charged with similar crimes, Nancy Leigh Ann Brann, a former Christian school teacher, was arrested for having sex with a student, Coine Audiat pleaded no contest to having sex with a minor in 2016 and 23-year-old Darci Lake was arrested for an inappropriate relationship. 27-year-old Brittany Zamora from Arizona was arrested on similar charges. Keri Hoffman, 35, was also arrested for an alleged relationship with a student. Similarly, 29-year-old Tiffany Ranweiler-Oblander and 33-year-old Maren Oates were arrested on similar charges.

More recently, 29-year-old Haylie Smart, 25-year-old Alaina Ferguson, and 32-year-old Laura Bucy were charged with similar crimes.

Chrystal Vega Photos: Full Story & Must-See Details

Paul Allen, an American businessman who co-founded Microsoft alongside Bill Gates in 1975, has died at the age of 65 years old. Allen announced in early October that the canncer, which he had been previously treated for in 2009, had returned. Allen’s official cause of death was complications of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

According to CNN, Allen — who founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975 and left in 1983 when he was treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma — was treated for the cancer again in 2009 and had been in remission. However, in the beginning of October 2018, Allen announced that the disease had returned and that he planned “on fighting this aggressively” while continuing to work.

Prior to his death, Allen was estimated to be the 46th-richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $20.3 billion. Allen purchased the Seattle Seahawks in 1997 and the Portland TrailBlazers in 1988. In addition, Allen was the co-owner of the MLS’ Seattle Sounders FC. The Seahawks appeared in three Super Bowls while being owned by Allen.

Allen’s family released an official statement on the Microsoft co-founder’s passing:

This is a time of profound loss for Mr. Allen’s family. On their behalf, Paul’s sister, Ms. Jody Allen, has released the following statement.

“My brother was a remarkable individual on every level. While most knew Paul Allen as a technologist and philanthropist, for us he was a much loved brother and uncle, and an exceptional friend.

Paul’s family and friends were blessed to experience his wit, warmth, his generosity and deep concern. For all the demands on his schedule, there was always time for family and friends. At this time of loss and grief for us – and so many others – we are profoundly grateful for the care and concern he demonstrated every day.”

Paul Allen Cause of Death: Complications of non-Hodgkins lymphoma

Paul Allen, the co-founder of the computer company Microsoft and the owner of the Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trailblazers, and Seattle Sounders, died from complications of non-Hodgkins lymphoma on Monday, October 15. Allen was previously treated for cancer in 2009.

It’s Tuesday, Oct. 16, so the time has come once again to take a look around the college world and appreciate some of the standout students and rising social media influencers at various colleges in the country for the COED Girl of the Day which features a college student that stands out among their peers. Today, we feature Christine Geng, a student at Texas A&M University.

Christine is a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority on campus.

Alpha Chi Omega’s mission statement says the sorority is “about finding and developing real, strong women.” That has been the sorority’s slogan since 1885. Alpha Chi Omega is a member of the National Panhellenic Conference, a governing council of 26 sororities.

You can check out more photos of Christine in the gallery below or by heading over and clicking that follow button on her Instagram account.

If you or someone that you know wants to be featured as the COED Girl of the Day, find us on Twitter or Instagram and slide on into the DMs.

Top 25 Colleges With Hottest COEDs & Sororities

Shutterstock

Wake Forest University has suspended the school’s Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity chapter until 2022 due to multiple Student Code of Conduct violations.

According to a statement released on Monday, October 15, the university’ decision followed an administrative hearing that was held last week. The suspension was put into effect on Monday, October 15.

Wake Forest University cited the chapter’s failure to follow a mutually agreed upon social events risk-management plan, a decision to host an unauthorized party with a keg, and repeated lack of compliance with the directions of university officials as the reasons for their suspension.

The university says that the chapter may request an appeal of the suspension within 10 days. Additionally, Delta Kappa Epsilon will be eligible to apply for recognition on May 31, 2022.

“Following an administrative hearing last week, the university’s decision cited a failure to follow a mutually-agreed-upon social events risk management plan, hosting an unauthorized party with a keg, and repeated lack of compliance with the directions of university officials. The organization had been on deferred suspension following Code of Conduct violations from the previous year,” Wake Forest University said in a statement.

The suspension of Delta Kappa Epsilon at Wake Forest University is the latest major fraternity or sorority lawsuit, investigation, suspension or closure in the last year, as schools such as Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Texas State, Florida State, Ball State, Louisiana State and Penn State have all suspended fraternities in the wake of hazing and alcohol deaths.

These reports come amidst similar allegations that have been made against fraternities nationwide, including Sigma Alpha Epsilon at East Carolina University, who was shut down for hazing and the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at the University of Arkansas which has been accused of taking sexually explicit photographs of women without their permission.

In response to incidents like these, fraternities such Phi Kappa Psi have made numerous changes to their code of conduct in an effort to address the issues that have arisen. In addition, schools such as Texas State, West Virginia University, and Penn State University have introduced new Greek Life rules to try and prevent these problems.

University Of Iowa Suspends Nine Fraternities Due To Alcohol Violations

Shutterstock

Halloween is the time for scares and screams. Time for ghost and monster stories. And it’s also time for those long mazes of heart-pounding scare fests. Haunted corn mazes, haunted houses, and sometimes haunted hotels. Some cities can put on some of the scariest experiences that will leave you shaking at the very end, or have you crying to be let out early. And for the select few haunted houses, sometimes even waiting in line can be scary. For those who have your skin crawling in line and you close to peeing your pants inside the house, then that’s what we call the top scariest haunted house in the U.S.

Bennett’s Curse (Jessup, Maryland)

The haunted blood-sucking vampire escapes that most find themselves wanting sharp wooden sticks and garlic to keep whatever scares them at an arm’s length distance. Bennett’s Curse is one of the only medieval knight vampires-themed haunted houses in the world. With their special effects, lively actors, and different room scenes, Bennett’s Curse has turned into an evil fairytale.

Tickets here.

Erebus (Pontiac, Michigan)

Four stories of horror creating the largest haunted walk-through attractions in the world, Erebus. It’s so big, it held the Guinness World Record from 2005 to 2009. When entering this terrifying house of horrors, you will be chased by monsters and demons while also escaping cramped rooms and death traps. There have been stories of customers getting taken or swallowed up in the rooms, so be careful when entering this haunted attraction.

Tickets here.

Fright Factory (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Fright Factory makes your real life fears come face to face with you but adding a few twists. Do you hate the dentist? Be prepared to be locked in a room with clowns and psychopath dentists. This haunted house takes you through different themed rooms of pure terror, like doctor’s offices and butcher’s rooms.

Tickets here.

Nightmare New England (Litchfield, New Hampshire)

Nightmare New England invites Halloween fanatics and challenges the bravest heroes to attempt the walkthrough of their terrifying scream park. This haunted world has dozens of monsters and zombies lurking around ready to give you the scare worthiest heart attack for any Halloween. Get ready for New Hampshire to make your nightmares comes to life.

Tickets here.

The Beast (Kansas City, Missouri)

Would you enter a house of horrors called The Beast? A place that tracks your every move. You are hunted by animals ready to feast on your fears. This is no place for any young children. The largest haunted house in the country allows brave scare goers four levels of screams. Can you get through each one and reach the exit? Or will you chicken out? Put yourself to the test.

Tickets here.

Oklahoma News 4

Dakota Martin, a student at Murray State University in Oklahoma, has been charged with rape after he admitted to forcing himself on an unidentified woman in his dorm room.

According to the arrest affidavit, Martin, 20 says he was playing cards in his dorm room with a friend and a female student and admitted to investigators that he and the friend took the woman’s phone, wallet, keys and other belongings.

Police say at this point, Martin allegedly told the victim that she could only have her stuff back if she had sex with him. When she refused, the other student left with her belongings and Martin forced himself onto her.

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Martin on Friday, October 12. Following his arrest, he was booked into the Johnston County Jail and later released on bond.

Martin is facing one count of first-degree rape and expulsion from Murray State. His next court appearance is set for Monday, November 26.

via KXII:

“We have a very safe quiet campus and this just a shock to everybody,” President of Murray State College Joy McDaniel said.

“They came and did an investigation, charges were filed, and I believe arraignment has happened and bail has been posted,” McDaniel said. The young man is no longer on campus.”

McDaniel says Martin could face discipline including possible expulsion. McDaniel says victims of sexual assault are referred to resources outside of the campus and that employees and students are required to take a sexual assault education training.

McDaniel says they are continuing to provide support and security for the woman.

“What was mostly involved had to do with trying to keep her in class and helping her be successful,” McDaniel said.

The alleged rape on the Murray State University campus is just the latest sexual assault to occur on a college campus throughout the last couple of years.

Murray State University Investigating Death at Fraternity House

Florida authorities have released surveillance video footage that shows Michael Dunn — a city commissioner in Lakeland, Florida — fatally shooting 50-year-old Christobal Lopez, who was allegedly trying to steal a hatchet from Dunn’s Vets Army Navy Surplus store. The shooting happened around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, October 3.

Rusty Franklin, a lawyer for Mr. Dunn, says that his client was justified in the shooting Lopez because he was holding a hatchet during the incident and is protected under Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law.

While no charges have been filed against Dunn at the time of this writing, The Lakeland Police Department and the State Attorney’s Office continue to investigate.

Under Florida’s “stand your ground” law, the burden of proof is on prosecutors to show that a person was not justified in invoking “stand your ground” — not on the shooter to establish that he or she was justified.

via Tampa Bay Times:

Video from inside the Vets Army Navy Surplus store shows Dunn holding a gun in his right hand as Lopez tries to advance toward the door. Dunn pushes Lopez with his left arm, and Lopez goes for the door again.

Still pointing the gun at Lopez, Dunn tries to grab Lopez’s shoulder from behind with his left hand as Lopez makes it out the door, the video shows. Dunn’s hand slips off Lopez’s shoulder but Dunn is able to grab a fistful of the man’s t-shirt. Lopez raises his left arm in an apparent attempt to break free, and then Dunn appears to fire.

Lopez falls to the pavement just outside the door. He appears to shake for a moment, then lies still as Dunn keeps the gun trained on him.

At the moment Dunn fires, Lopez is holding the door with his right hand and appears to be holding an object in that same hand. It’s unclear if the object is the hatchet that Lopez is suspected of trying to steal when he was shot.

According to Florida’s self-defense law, a person can use deadly force “if he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.”

You can see the footage of the Christobal Lopez shooting that police released below (Warning — the footage can be considered graphic):

Khabib Nurmagomedov reportedly has a very specific plan about how he wants to end his carer. According to MMAjunkie.com, Alex Nurmagomedov, the uncle of the UFC lightweight champion, spoke about what his nephew has in store and it looks like we may only get to see Nurmagomedov in the cage one final time before he hangs up his gloves.

Alex Nurmagomedov says that Khabib has turned down a lucrative $15 million offer for a rematch with Conor McGregor and that his interest is in a bout with former interim lightweight titleholder Tony Ferguson.

After a prospective Ferguson bout, Khabib would call it a career.

“From the start, they offered him 15 million if he agrees,” Alex Nurmagomedov told Sport Express, via MMAjunkie.com. “But Khabib said no. Let Conor stand in line, let him fight with others. Khabib wants to fight Ferguson, and then finish his career.”

Nurmagomedov is fresh off of a fourth-round submission win over McGregor at UFC 229 in Las Vegas where he retained his title on Saturday, Oct. 6.

With his win, Khabib advanced to 27-0 in his professional career. His 27 consecutive wins gives him the longest winning streak in all of mixed martial arts. Khabib first won the vacant lightweight championship on April 7, 2018 at UFC 223 when he scored a dominant decision win over Al Iaquinta in Brooklyn, New York. He became the first Russian to win a UFC title. The submission victory over McGregor was his first title defense.

WATCH: Khabib Nurmagomedov Chokes Out Conor McGregor; Starts Brawl In Crowd

This Is What Was Said To Khabib Nurmagomedov To Spark UFC 229 Brawl

WATCH: Khabib Nurmagomedov Calls Out Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Shutterstock

Maya Little, a University of North Carolina graduate student, has been found guilty of defacing a public statue months after smearing blood and red ink on the Silent Sam statue.

Little was originally arrested for the charges in April and the Silent Sam statue was eventually knocked down by protestors on Monday, August 20.

The verdict was handed down to Little on Monday, October 15 — a day after testimony from Chapel Hill and University of North Carolina campus police officials.

Little, who testified in her own defense, previously said that she poured the red paint and blood on the statue to provide “contextualization to what she views as a racist statue.”

At this time, the presiding judge is assessing how much Little can afford to pay in fines and court costs.

via ABC:

At the time [of her arrest], she expressed frustration with UNC Chancellor Carol Folt about the statue’s continued presence on the campus.

“These last five years Carol Folt has been chancellor and she has not taken a single step towards removing Silent Sam,” Little wrote in a prepared statement. “The armed, Confederate soldier dedicated and built by racists during Jim Crow has remained. However, the dedication and courage of each successive group of students fighting for racial equality at UNC has made our message louder and clearer. The threat of Neonazis and white supremacists marching on our communities has made it more urgent.”

The polemical statue was erected in 1913 and was located on the north side of UNC’s campus facing Franklin Street, before it was knocked down by protesters in August.

A rally for Little and her supporters happened near the pedestal of the Silent Sam monument on Monday, October 15.

WATCH: Protestors Tear Down Silent Sam Statue At UNC

A former college football standout who briefly signed with the Atlanta Falcons was arrested Saturday, October 13 by police in Columbus, Georgia. Crawford was accused of having sex with a 12-year-old girl.

Justin Crawford, 23, who played running back at Georgia’s Hardaway High School and West Virginia University, faces charges of incest, sodomy and enticing a child for indecent purposes, according to Muscogee County Jail records.

What Happened?

23-year-old Justin Crawford, a former college football star, was recently dropped out from the Atlanta Falcons and arrested after he allegedly had sex with a 12-year-old girl.

The Ledger-Enquirer reported that at a preliminary hearing on Monday, October 15, Columbus Detective Mark Scruggs said it was Crawford’s wife Chakeya who caught him around 5 A.M. on Saturday morning. She woke up and walked into her living room to find her husband with an erection as he stood over the child.

However, Chakeya objected to Scruggs’ account, saying her husband’s penis was exposed but not erect. She said she confronted her husband about it but he denied any wrongdoing and she decided to go back to bed.

“I did not see anyone having sex, or I would have called police right away,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer.

She took the 12-year-old to the child’s mother later and that was when the girl said she had been asleep in the living room when Crawford came in and had her perform oral sex on him before they had intercourse, Scruggs said.

The 12-year-old was taken to the hospital, where doctors administered a rape kit to collect any DNA evidence.

Crawford is now charged with aggravated child molestation, sodomy and enticing a child for indecent purposes. He admitted to police that he had oral sex and intercourse with the girl and claimed the sex was her idea.

Crawford remains in the Muscogee County Jail without bond, according to jail records.

Who Is Justin Crawford?

Facebook

George Labecki, a former teacher at Cedar Cliff High School in Pennsylvania, learned that he would be receiving a kidney donation from a former student in a heartwarming viral moment that saw the student — 34-year-old Lindsay Arnold Wenrich — dressed up as Penn State’s Nittany Lion.

The 63-year-old Labecki, who had been on a transplant list for over a year due to stage IV kidney disease and organ failure, learned that he would be receiving a new kidney from Wenrich, who was dressed as a Nittany Lion, the mascot for Penn State University. Labecki is a massive Penn State fan.

After posting to social media in search of a donor six months ago, his Facebook post was eventually seen by Wenrich. Despite never having Labecki as a teacher, Wenrich told Good Morning America that she “felt compelled to help” because it “hit close to home”:

“It’s not super often that I see someone I know who needs an organ donor and even though I never had him, Cedar Cliff is a close-knit community, Wenrich said.

via ABC News:

In April, Labecki’s wife convinced him to take his search for a donor to social media. The Facebook post was shared by some, including Kathy Young, Labecki’s former colleague, and Wenrich’s former gym teacher at Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Wenrich attended Cedar Cliff where Labecki taught English for 34 years. As a student, Weinrich didn’t have Labecki as a teacher, but when she saw his post on Facebook, she felt compelled to help.

Wenrich was tested in May and learned in September that she was a match. This month, Wenrich surprised Labecki, a big Penn State Nittany Lions fan, at his home while wearing the Penn State University mascot uniform.

“I think I’m prepared and knowledgeable and know what to expect,” Weinrich said. “Luckily my work and my family has been really supportive. George [Labecki] and I became instant friends. I think we are going to be a really big part of each other’s lives.”

Wenrich delivered the news to Labecki at his home on October 6 and the surgery is scheduled for Friday, October 26.

Andi Matichak is an American-born actress who is best known for her television roles in shows such as 666 Park Avenue, Blue Bloods, and the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black.

In 2018, Matichak had a mainstream breakthrough when she starred as Allyson Strode in the horror film Halloween, a direct sequel to the original film from 1978. In Halloween, Matichak played Allyson Strode, the daughter of Judy Greer’s character Karen Strode and the granddaughter of Jamie Lee Curtis’s Laurie Strode, who starred in the original movie.

Halloween, Matichak’s breakout film, is set forty years after the original film and follows Laurie Strode as she prepares to face Michael Myers in a final confrontation when he returns to Haddonfield, Illinois to finish her off for escaping his killing spree on Halloween night in 1978.

In addition to Halloween, Matichak has also appeared in the films Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List, Miles, Evol, and Replicate. She has also appeared in multiple TV series, such as Underground, Blue Bloods, Making It: The Series, 666 Park Avenue, The Boonies, and Bathroom Talk.

Shutterstock

According to reports, various police departments in Pennsylvania have responded to a bomb threat at Mars Area High School.

Mars Area High School students have been evacuated from the premises as authorities investigate the scene.

At this time, there is no word on who placed the bomb threat or how the threat was placed.

Mars Area High School is a high school located in Mars, Pennsylvania, that offers a full program of courses that includes more than 120 selections plus a wide variety of extracurricular activities and interscholastic sports.

The reports of a bomb threat at Mars Area High School in Pennsylvania is just the latest in a string of evacuations, lockdowns, bomb threats, and shootings that have plagued the United States.

Over the course of the past few years, shootings and lockdowns such as these have been a scourge upon the country and people have struggled with coming up with a solution. Lockdowns have become all too common as a means of protection when students and faculty are in danger and today is no different.

This incident follows similar incidents at Dodd Middle School in Connecticut, Windham Public Schools also in Connecticut, Pacoima Middle School in Los Angeles, Millennium Middle School in Florida, and US Grant High School in Oklahoma, which are just some of the places where events such as this have occurred.

Refresh this article for the latest updates and information.

Shutterstock

Boston University ordered a shelter in place at two university buildings — one at 610 Beacon Street and one at 481 Commonwealth Avenue — after police chased a man into the Kenmore Square tunnel. Some reports indicate that the man had a gun.

According to the Boston Police Department, two Boston University buildings near Kenmore Square — one of which was Myles Standish Hall — were put on lockdown on Tuesday afternoon after police chased a man into the MBTA tunnels.

Police described the suspect as a white male with a beard, curly hair, long sleeve shirt with black sleeves with some red and black, blue jeans.

The school alerted students with a BU Emergency Alert that was posted on the school’s website by the BU police department. According to the alert, the man from the previous incident is running in the train tunnels through Kenmore Square.”

As a result, the MBTA Green Line was delayed in both directions.

The reports of a shelter in place at Boston University is just the latest in a string of evacuations, lockdowns, bomb threats, and shootings that have plagued the United States. Over the course of the past few years, shootings and lockdowns such as these have been a scourge upon the country and people have struggled with coming up with a solution. Lockdowns have become all too common as a means of protection when students and faculty are in danger and today is no different.

This incident follows similar incidents at Dodd Middle School in Connecticut, Windham Public Schools also in Connecticut, Pacoima Middle School in Los Angeles, Millennium Middle School in Florida, and US Grant High School in Oklahoma, which are just some of the places where events such as this have occurred.

This story is developing. Please refresh for the latest updates and information.

Students at Cornish College of the Arts walked out of class on October 15, 2018, in protest of their school allowing perpetrators of sexual assault to stay on campus.

For about 90 minutes, around 70 protestors stood at the intersection of Lenora Street and Terry Avenue to raise awareness of their concerns to the school administrators. Students were heard chanting, “Protect victims, not predators.” Some walked to the President of the school’s office.

Raymond Tymas-Jones, President of the Cornish College, listened to the student’s pleas while taking notes and asking questions in hope to improve the school’s response to sexual assault.

“You’ve had to contend with situations that sound intolerable,” he said to Seattle Times.

During the meeting, students cited negative experiences and their goal of making the college more transparent on how sexual assault cases are handled. They wanted the school to take a more definitive role in preventing sexual assault from happening, such as a providing clear explanation of consequences and better training for resident advisers.

President Jones called for an investigation into what causes sexual assault at Cornish in reply to the protest and would work to form a student committee.

One of the student’s main concern is with the aftermath of a reporting.

Rachel Pacelli is a senior majoring in theater and has once reported a student for sexual misconduct. The school found the student she reported and was placed on probation. The perpetrator was then required to take an online anti-harassment course and meet with a student success coach. Despite that, Pacelli claims that she saw him again in her class for the past month, even when school administrators promise that it wouldn’t happen.

“Every single time I see him, my stomach drops,” Pacelli said. “It’s not about revenge, it’s about holding people accountable.”

Spokeswoman Rosemary Jones said that this “no contact” policy is indeed an order that is given to Cornish students, but it doesn’t mean that students will not share the same class.

School administrators say that Cornish has many classes where students must be open and intimate with each other, such as theater. Also with the fact that the college is rather small, the chances of students who have had traumatic experiences with another would run into each other are high.

President Jones told students he took their concerns seriously.

“I don’t want this to go on another year,” he said. “It’s going to take us a moment or two to get this solved, but I’m going to work on it.”

Cornish is a private art college that currently enrolls around 628 students. It has campus buildings in Capitol Hill and Seattle Center, with its main campus and administrative offices located in South Lake Union.

Boston University Shelter In Place: Full Story & Must-See Details

Shutterstock

A Michigan State University medical resident is accused of sexually assaulted two women at the university health center and forced them to watch videos of him pleasuring himself, according to Lansing State Journal.

Michael Phinn, 32, a graduate of the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and was serving a post-graduate neurology residency under the supervision of the college.

What Happened?

32-year-old Michael Phinn is accused of using his fingers to penetrate the women and groped their breasts from underneath their bras, according to MSU Police Detective Sam Miller.

Miller also stated that Phinn forced the victims to watch videos of him mas******ing as his genitals exposed. Detroit Free Press reported that when one of the women tried to get up and leave, Phinn held her down by her shoulders and continued showing her the photos and videos.

Phinn is charged on Tuesday, October 9 with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of assault with the intent to commit sexual contact, two counts of gross indecency and four counts of aggravated indecent exposure.

MSU Police Chief Jim Dunlap said on Friday, October 12 that the reported victim was not a patient at the Clinical Center.

Phinn was suspended from clinical duties after the allegations surfaced, university spokeswoman Emily Guerrant said. MSU’s Title IX office also is conducting an investigation.

Along with working on MSU’s campus, Phinn also treated patients at Sparrow Hospital and has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, according to spokesman John Foren.
“These are serious and concerning allegations, and Sparrow Health System pledges its full cooperation with law enforcement authorities. The resident has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, pending results of the investigation underway,” Foren said Friday afternoon.

MSU’s online crime log showed three separate reports for sexual assaults at the clinical center. Two were for incidents that occurred on September 25, and one was for an incident on September 27.

Who Is Michael Phinn?

According to an archived MSU profile, Phinn graduated from MSU with a bachelor’s degree in physiology in 2008 and with an osteopathic medical degree in 2016. His recent profile has been taken down from the website by MSU.

Phinn worked in the MSU Neurology Clinic and is married to wife Elizabeth. They also appear to have a child together.

He has a valid educational medical license in osteopathic medicine and surgery in Michigan, according to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

He has no open complaints and has not received any disciplinary actions.

The Grand Junction Jury came to a decision on October 15th, 2018, to provide over $400,000 as student scholarship to Colorado Mesa University. This amount is calculated to be $150,000 more than what the city’s budget is. This extra money is being taken out of the city’s surplus funds of $222,000.

What Happened?

Councilors of the Grand Junction City came together to discuss and come to a decision on whether or not more fundings should go towards a scholarship for their local college. Councilors Bennett Boeschenstein, Chris Kennedy, Duke Wortmann, and Rick Taggart said they supported the decision to provide extra funds to the university for scholarships, while Mayor Barbara Traylor Smith and councilors Duncan McArthur and Phyllis Norris disagreed.

Councilman McArthur vehemently disagree with extending funds to the university for scholarships on the ideology that the city should not fund be responsible to fund education, citing that the city should not be “the college’s piggy bank” to the Daily Sentinel.

On the contrary, Councilman Taggart and the others who advocated for extra funding believed that the extra funds are a necessity and should be considered part of economic development that will benefit in the long run.

Councilwoman Smith also voiced that councilors should revisit their policy of funding nonprofits, as they will continue to ask for and expect more funding into the future. Instead, she thinks the extra money should go towards hiring more first responders. That is already a pressing issue that the Grand Jury has decided to raise the sales tax to compensate for it.

Councilwoman Smith said “I think when we go to the public and ask you to raise the sales tax, the public is going to say there’s $2 million going out of the general fund,” Smith said. “Why aren’t you using that?”

In the past five years, the city has funded more than $2.2 million to nonprofit groups.

Michael Phinn: Full Stor & Must-See Details

Debby Ryan is an American actress and singer who is best known for starring as Bailey Pickett in The Suite Life on Deck.

Ryan began acting professionally since the age of seven. In  2007, she appeared in the Barney & Friends straight-to-DVD film Barney: Let’s Go to the Firehouse, which led to her being discovered in a nationwide search by Disney. After being discovered by Disney, Ryan appeared in the Disney Channel original series The Suite Life on Deck and starred on the Disney Channel original series Jessie from 2011 to 2015.

In 2018, Ryan began starring as Patty Bladell in the Netflix original series Insatiable. Ryan also appeared in four films in 2018: Cover Versions, Every Day, Life of the Party, and Grace.

Ryan is also a musician. In 2013, she formed the band The Never Ending, and in July 2015, Ryan performed with The Never Ending as an opening act on the North American leg of Fifth Harmony’s Reflection Tour.

Shutterstock

In today’s society, where students are competing against each other to get into the college of their dreams, an ethical question arises. That question is, in the midst of that, are schools allowed to use financial aids and grants to try to get more students to apply to their school? This is an ongoing issue that has been lurking around unnoticed.

What’s Going On?

Shutterstock

As tuition costs at four-year private and public colleges are rising, many schools are also offering higher grants and aids that don’t need to be repaid. For example, at George Washington University, almost 50% of the undergraduate students receive the schools’ Presidential Academic Scholarship that awards students of $5,000 to $30,000.

Awards such as that help campuses lure students into their school by easing their concerns on student tuition.

David Strauss, a principal at a higher-ed consulting firm Art & Science Group LLC, says that schools are using retailing strategies: “Shoppers generally prefer to buy a $60 shirt at 50% discount than a shirt originally priced at $30.”

Sandy Baum, the co-author of the 2018 Trends in Higher Education report said that tuition rose rapidly between 2007 and 2011, but federal expenditures on scholarships and financial aid also increased dramatically, helping student finance their education. Increased grants and federal aid from schools give students the financial freedom to borrow less from banks or any loaners.

Grants, tax benefits, and federal aid for private institutions have risen up to $21,220 this year, a steady increase of $7360.00. For public institutions, that number is $1520.00.

Ironically, this poses a problem.

Because of the lowering prices of tuition in many colleges, this puts many lower-quality colleges at risk, driving the enrollment numbers down. Around 1 out of 5 small private colleges in trouble according to Wall Street Journal.

This has become a battle between colleges to try to get more students to enroll using financial aid to gain an edge on each other.

Shutterstock

This isn’t something that has been happening recently. Since 2017, reports of colleges luring students have been reported as they would use enticing methods such as telling them that they would give them a discount in their tuition, with goals of prompting them to apply. Hampshire College, Elizabethtown College, Washington & Jefferson College, and Ursinus College, all private liberal arts schools, relied on this tactic.

“In just trying to talk about how competitive and cutthroat this business is right now, this has brought it up to another level that I have never seen before,” said James A. Troha, the president of Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa.

MIT Opening The Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing