Brown and White Vol. 123 no. 20

              Vol. 123 No. 20
Friday, November 30, 2012
‘All the Lehigh News First’
THE BROWN AND WHITE
Lehigh University’s Student Newspaper Founded in 1894
SPORTS
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Page 12
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Page 5
LIFESTYLE
By MELISSA COLLINS
Neil deGrasse Tyson, renowned as­trophysicist, space exploration advocate, author and commentator, will deliver the keynote address at Lehigh’s 145th com­mencement in May 2013.
Tyson is well known for his strides to­ward making science accessible to many people. He serves as the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural His­tory in New York City. Tyson earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from Har­vard University and a Ph.D. in astrophys­ics from Columbia University.
“Neil deGrasse Tyson has a rare gift for communicating the excitement of basic science, and he is a tremendous ad­vocate for its importance to our nation,” President Alice P. Gast said in a Lehigh News Center story. “Neil inspires us to dream big and to think about our world and beyond. We are extremely excited to have someone of his stature share his pas­sion for science with us.”
At the commencement ceremony, Tyson will receive an honorary doctor of science degree from Lehigh. The degree will be the 15th honorary doctorate Ty­son has been awarded. NASA awarded Tyson with its Distinguished Public Ser­vice Medal, which is the highest award given to a non-government citizen by the program. In 2007, TIME magazine named Tyson one of the most influential people in the world.
Tyson has written 10 books, one of which is his memoir, “The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist.” He is also working on television series “COSMOS,” which will air 13 episodes on Fox in spring 2014. Tyson also had a hand in producing the “NOVA ScienceNOW” program for PBS.
In 2001 and 2004, Tyson was ap­pointed by President George W. Bush to serve on commissions to help determine the future of the U.S.’s aerospace indus­try. He was also appointed to NASA’s Advisory Board in 2006.
“I really look forward to having this renowned gentleman speak to my class­mates, and I am hoping to hear him tell us, in so many words, to reach for the stars,” Jarred Barnes, ’13, told the Lehigh News Center. Barnes is the president of the class of 2013 and a commencement speaker selection committee member.
Lehigh’s 145th commencement cer­emony will be held at Goodman Stadium May 20, 2013.
Astrophysicist to speak at graduation
By CONNOR TAIT and
MELISSA COLLINS
Early Tuesday morning, Brian Hzura, ’14, was watching television on the third floor of his off-campus apartment when fire alarms sounded.
Hruza moved quickly to wake his sleep­ing roommates, but one friend’s door was locked as flames were spreading quickly in their home on Montclair Avenue.
“I woke up everyone else and told them to get out of the house,” he wrote on his Facebook wall. “Luckily my banging and shouting woke my roommate who was asleep where the fire was growing around him.”
Andrew Douglas, ’13, who was asleep in his locked room, was hospitalized with non-life threatening burns Tuesday. He was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Al­lentown, to treat the burns on various parts of his body.
“I wasn’t really thankful for anything in particular on Thanksgiving,” Hruza wrote, “but now I can say I’m thankful for my friends being alive and well.”
At the time the fire alarms went off, Co­rey Hernandez, ’14, said he and his room­mates were asleep in their house at 447 Montclair Ave., where the fire ignited.
“I woke up to hear one of my room­mate’s yelling, ‘Fire,’” he said.
By the time the Bethlehem Fire Depart­ment arrived, all the students had evacu­ated on their own.
Fire Commissioner George Barkanic said the department received a report that
B&W photo by CAYLA MILLER
Police tape blocks off entry to 447 Montclair Ave. after a fire charred the interior of the house. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but it is under investigation by the Bethlehem Fire Department.
LU students safe after house fire
See FIRE Page 2
By JACKIE LYONS
The distribution of complimentary copies of The New York Times resumed Nov. 7, providing students with the papers at various locations around campus.
The service, which was sponsored by the Provost’s Office, the Office of Inter­national Affairs, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Dean of Students office for the past two years, was discontinued at the start of the semester.
According to Jack Lule, chair of the Department of Journalism and Com­munication, it costs between $6,000 and $7,000 a year to provide copies of the Times to four or five locations on campus.
Lule said The Brown and White front-page article about the discontinuation of the Times alerted a variety of university parties about the situation and helped get the newspaper back on campus.
“Soon after the original Brown and White story, the Provost contacted me to see how we could resolve the situa­tion,” he said. “We found that, essential­ly, the delivery of the Times was discon­tinued because there is not a permanent budget line, and so numerous people and departments have to scrape togeth­er the money. That communication did not happen in time for fall 2012.”
Patrick Farrell, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, was originally skeptical whether the school would provide the papers again depend ing on costs, partner agreements and
Free copies of New York Times return to campus
Photo courtesty of Lehigh Communications
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will speak at the 2013 commencement.
See TIMES Page 4