Grain & Chaff

MIT professor Theodore Postol (right), a leading critic of the proposed National Missile Defense program, chats with Physics professor Jon Machta before presenting a departmental seminar on the topic on Feb. 13. (Stan Sherer photo)

New horizons

Professor emeritus of Education Pat Crosson (right) has been appointed to the Greenfield Community College board of trustees by Acting Gov. Jane Swift. Crosson brings some tools to the job: a specialist on higher education, she served here as deputy provost and later as acting provost. Her appointment at GCC runs through March 2004.

Bottoming out

Massachusetts now ranks last in the nation in legislative support for public higher education, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. According to statistics compiled for fiscal year 2002, the Bay State cut funding for higher education by 6.2 percent, while the other New England states all boosted support for their public colleges and universities. Vermont upped its funding by 8 percent and Connecticut increased spending on higher education by 7.9 percent, followed by Rhode Island (7.4 percent), New Hampshire (6.9 percent) and Maine (4.8 percent). Texas led the nation in increased spending, with funds for higher education going up by 13.1 percent over the past two years.

Husky ambitions

Watch out BC and BU, Northeastern University has big plans and the cash to finance them. Two weeks ago, Northeastern officials outlined an $18.3 million effort to enhance the school's image nationally and help it compete for top-quality students and faculty. President Richard Freeland said the school plans to hire 20 new faculty next year, raise the salaries of top scholars and expand into bioscience research as part of the campaign to vault Northeastern into the nation's top 100 universities before the number of high school graduates begins to decline in 2007. To help support the initiative, Northeastern is raising tuition by 9.9 percent for next year's entering class and 5.5 percent for upperclasses. Annual student costs already top $30,000 at Northeastern.

Grand finale

It was another tough basketball season for the Minutewomen, but they sure ended it on a high note last Sunday, upsetting undefeated conference leader George Washington University by 9 points. Junior Jennifer Butler led the team with 14 points and also pulled down 12 rebounds in the game. Under coach Joanie O'Brien, the squad finished the regular season at 10-14, 8-8 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team faces LaSalle on Saturday in the opening round of the A-10 Championship Tournament in Philadelphia.