Quick Takes
Penn and Emory Chiefs Will Advise Obama on Bioethics
President Obama on Tuesday created a new Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, and named two university presidents to lead it. Amy Gutmann of the University of Pennsylvania will be chair and James W. Wagner of Emory University will be the vice chair. “As our nation invests in science and innovation and pursues advances in biomedical research and health care, it’s imperative that we do so in a responsible manner," said Obama in a statement. "This new Commission will develop its recommendations through practical and policy-related analyses."
Challenging Kirk Cameron on Evolution
An anti-evolution group -- backed by the actor Kirk Cameron -- has been spending time this week handing out copies of The Origin of Species that feature an introduction that undercuts Darwin's analysis. Cameron helped with the effort at the University of California at Los Angeles, but some students there challenged him, questioning whether the project was deceptive and whether there was scientific validity for his views. And this being a college campus, students filmed the discussion and posted it online.
Foundation Pledges $20 Million to Boost College Going in Idaho
The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation announced a $20 million plan this week to bolster college going and success in its home state of Idaho. Foundation officials plan to distribute $11 million -- in $1 million increments to 11 colleges in the state -- for scholarships, $6 million to the Idaho Education Network to increase access to relevant data, and $3 million to bolster the state's piece of the national KnowHow2Go campaign, that helps inform students about their postsecondary possibilities.
An Inspiring Freshman at George Washington U.
Mario Rocha, a freshman on a scholarship at George Washington University, is the subject of a profile in The Washington Post -- and this isn't your standard "frosh adjusts to college" story. Rocha was wrongly convicted of first degree murder and spent 10 years behind bars before his appeal won his freedom and he was able to pursue a higher education.
