Faculty members seek explanations for study abroad cuts

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About 30 faculty members gathered Friday afternoon to learn more about the recent reduction in J-Term study abroad courses for 2011 and express their concerns.

“There are a lot of issues to discuss,” business professor Dawn Swink said. “I’m concerned because it seems like we are cutting out international study abroad opportunities.”

Joseph Kreitzer and Angeline Barretta-Herman, associate vice presidents for Academic Affairs, discussed the factors that led to the administrative decision to allow fewer J-Term study abroad courses this coming year.

Budget concerns mean fewer J-Term courses abroad

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Senior Hannah Forstrom thinks other students should have the same opportunity she did to study in Italy over J-Term as part of the “Pilgrimage in Italy” theology course.

“It was such an enriching experience,” Forstrom said. “The benefits are endless.”

But students won’t have that chance in 2011 because “Pilgrimage in Italy” is one of several J-Term courses the university won’t offer for financial reasons.

Solar panels finally atop Brady Hall

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One year after a group of St. Thomas students envisioned placing solar panels atop Brady Hall, their wait is finally over.

Twenty solar panels, which are intended to reduce energy costs by $500 a year, were installed on the roof of the residence hall by late Wednesday evening.

Winter weather and questions about Brady’s structural stability delayed installation, which was planned for Dec. 19, according to junior David Hackworthy, who was a part of the student group.

Moving out of O’Shaughnessy Hall

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Athletic staff and Health and Human Performance faculty are moving out of O’Shaughnessy Hall to make way for construction of the Anderson Athletic Complex, which opens next August.

“People were asked to have their stuff packed up and ready to go when we returned on Jan. 4,” said Linda Halverson, scheduling manager.

Text messages raise $4 million for Haiti relief

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Disaster struck Haiti as an estimated 50,000 people were killed from a 7.0 magnitude earthquake Tuesday.

Although no members of the St. Thomas community were in Haiti on Tuesday, an estimated 45,000 Americans were in the country at the time of the earthquake.

Student offers fish-sitting services

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Cory Brathall knows people love their pets.

That’s why the senior has been spending the early part of his January Term taking care of St. Thomas students’ pets and even plants while the owners are away from campus.

Even though he accepts payment, it’s not about the money for Brathall.

New jobless claims rise less than expected

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people claiming unemployment benefits for the first time barely rose last week, after two weeks of sharp drops, further evidence that layoffs are easing. The Labor Department said Thursday that first-time claims for jobless benefits rose by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 434,000 last week. That’s lower than the 447,000 that analysts expected, according to Thomson Reuters. The four-week average of claims, which smooths fluctuations, fell for the 18th straight week to 450,250. That figure is nearing the roughly 425,000 that many economists say would be a sign the economy will start creating jobs.

Minnesota judge opens way to rejected Senate ballots

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Six months after Democrat Al Franken tardily joined the U.S. Senate, a Minnesota judge has declared that uncounted absentee ballots from the drawn-out 2008 election should be open to public inspection. The New Year’s Eve ruling from Ramsey County Judge Dale Lindman granted a media outlet’s request to inspect absentee ballots rejected as flawed, potentially giving a new glimpse into a Senate race that stretched well into 2009. Franken outlasted Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in a recount and court battle and won by 312 votes.