Higher Ed NOTES

Texas A&M to end 93 year old bonfire tradition

Texas A&M students will not build a bonfire this year, a tradition dating back to 1907. Keep the Fire Burning announced last Friday it would not build an off-campus bonfire because of time restraints and insurance problems. KTFB formed after Texas A&M President Ray Bowen banned the Aggie Bonfire, an on-campus event, in May for two years.

Last November, the bonfire structure collapsed, leaving 12 students dead and more than 25 injured.

KTFB organizers said developing an insurance plan took longer than expected, adding that this left little time to safely build the bonfire.

NIU suspends 20 for alleged hazing

Northern Illinois University suspended about 20 students last week after a fraternity member was tied naked to a tree and rubbed with human feces and urine.

The university's judicial office banned students who took part or watched th incident. NIU Judicial Office Director Larry Bolles said many students suspended expected to graduate in December or had academic scholarships revoked.

Todd Mattran, a member of Kappa Epsilon Gamma fraternity, was found Wednesday tied to a tree, covered in waste, outside his girlfriend's sorority.

KEG members said they did not think their actions were wrong but part of a tradition of fraternity members showing their love for sorority members, called lavaliering. The sorority's vice president said Mattran agreed to participate in lavaliering.

Penn State forces removal of anti-Republican sign

A Pennsylvania State University student's sign was recently removed from her residence hall window after an administrator complained it was offensive.

Freshman Lavinia Lindsay said her sign, "The road to hell is paved with Republicans," should not have been taken down because of her First Amendment rights.

Lindsay's residential adviser Alicia Krupa said she was following orders when she told the student to take the sign down. Krupa said she personally had no objection to the message. According to an Penn State RA handbook, a special committee is supposed to decide when signs can be forced down. This particular case was not brought before the committee.

Penn State Director of Residence Life Gail Hurley said if complaints are made against a sign, it does not mean the university can take the sign down. She said further investigation was necessary to deem whether the sign would be returned to Lindsay.

UC-San Diego races for money monmoneyscholarships

The fifth annual Chancellor's 5K challenge brought about 1,000 participants looking to beat San Diego Chancellor Robert Dynes. Dynes and his wife, Frances Dynes-Hellman, donated $25 for every person who bested him and for every woman who beat Dynes-Hellman.

Dynes placed 123rd and Dynes-Hellman finished 22nd among women. The event raised about $178,000, an increase of $20,000 from last year.

--Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter Robert Gola

from U-Wire reports.