Short Takes & Updates
YOUR DREAM SCHEDULE
Bored with Biology 101? Here's a sampling of America's strangest class offerings:
- "Magical Plants." Kansas State U.
- "Dog Mushing 126," U. of Alaska, Anchorage
- "Anthropology of Tourism," U. of California, Berkeley
- "Madonna Undressed," U. of Colorado
- "The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence," Pennsylvania State U.
- "Homemade Lotions," U. of California, Davis
- "Elvis as Anthology," U. of Iowa
RED ROVER, RED ROVER... SEND A MEDIC RIGHT OVER
LAWRENCE, KAN. - For Rod Jones, the starting left tackle on the U.of Kansas football team, the hazards of the gridiron are nothing compared to the perils of kids' games.
Jones injured his shoulder in a theater and film class during a game of "red light, green light." The injury sidelined him for the team's game against the U. of Utah.
"When it was first told to me, I said, 'He did what?' " Coach Glen Mason told the Daily Kansan. "I thought it was some kind of theatrical act, but as I kept asking questions, it came down to 'He was playing red light, green light.'"
I'M TOO SASSY FOR YOUR SCHOOL
Sassy, Sassy on the stand, who's the foulest in the land?
Sassy magazine recently released its list of the top 10 "unsassiest" schools in the country, and leading the pack was the U. of Alabama. The university was picked because of its "terrorist Greek system." All the lucky, albeit unsassy, schools were awarded the label for being immoral, fetid, nasty, rotten, foul," and just plain "objectionable."
The writer of the story, Diane Paylor, attended Florida A&M U. "It's sassy 'cause it's got a great band," she told us from Sassy headquarters in New York.
Other unsassy schools, according to the teenybopper publication, are the Citadel and Virginia Military Institute ("testosterone-filled"), Boston U. ("such an intolerable Prez") and Yale U. ("repulsive list of alums").
TESTOSTERONE RUN AMOK
UNIVERSITY PLAZA, GA. - From our Weil Duh department comes a ground-breaking scientific study, which blames testosterone for the "rowdy" behavior of some fraternity members.
James Dabbs Jr., a psychology professor at Georgia State U., conducted the study at an unidentified university. The results suggested that testosterone levels were higher in three "rowdy" fraterni-
continued on next page
PHOTO COURTESY NEBRASKA SPORTS INFORMATION
1972 Heisman trophy winner gives it another college try
In 1972, Johnny Rodgers was more concerned with football greatness.
Twenty years after leaving the U. of Nebraska in search of "money, fortune and fame," college football legend Johnny Rodgers is back in school. But this time instead of a Heisman trophy, Rodgers is after a diploma.
In 1972, as a wingback for the Cornhusker football team, he earned the coveted Heisman trophy. In 1973, the San Diego Chargers picked Rodgers in the first round of the National Football League draft, and he left college 45 credits short of a diploma. Although he chose to play his first four seasons in the Canadian Football League, he finished his career with the Chargers in 1977 and 78.
Rodgers, 42, says he regrets not finishing college earlier.
"It would have been a lot easier getting a degree at 22 than 42," he says.
It will take between a year and a half to two years for
Rodgers to earn the credit hours he needs to complete his bachelor's degree in broadcasting. This semester, he took 12 hours — the minimum needed to be considered a fulltime student — while he continues his job in sales and television work at an African-American television station in Omaha. But there's still time for football — he goes to some of the Nebraska games and attends a study hall with the team.
The Northeastern U. Center for the Study of Sport in Society, an organization for former athletes, is paying the bill for Rodgers' education. In return, Rodgers will make speaking appearances and do other work for Nebraska.
Rodgers says his children influenced his decision to return to school — his son Terry graduated from Nebraska in 1991, and his daughter LaTonya will graduate from the university in May. "My successes influence them, and their successes
influence me." he says.
He would like his example to inspire other former professional and college athletes. "Hopefully this will influence others to get a quality degree. That dictates what they can do after football," he says. "I think a college degree is necessary for anybody who wants to survive in the 21st century." Tim Pearson, Daily Nebraskan, U. of Nebraska
In 1993, academics have taken priority.
You just can't beat those sorority sisters at U. of North Texas
Ah, the joys of visiting your old sorority. Paddling pledges, forcing them to eat hot peppers, breaking eggs on their heads... all in good fun. At least, that's what five alumni sorority members at the U. of North Texas may have thought.
But they've probably changed their minds since they were convicted of hazing, a misdemeanor, in a Denton County court.
Justice came swiftly and painfully for the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and five of its alumni who were convicted of hazing pledges on a May visit to the university.
In September, the court gave the five alumni probated sentences of 90 days in jail, and $500 fines were levied against two of them. Cases are still pending against two additional members.
"They were hitting them with eggs, breaking raw eggs
The university sent convicted sorority members trespass notices and said the women could be arrested if they
over their heads," Phil Reynolds, Denton County assistant district attorney, told the Associated Press. "It was verbal, mental and physical hazing."
Susan Rogers, public affairs director at the university, says the chapter has a "record of violating the rules," but thinks national representatives for AKA have "made a real effort to change the way people get selected" to
were caught on campus.
join fraternities and sororities.
UNT banned the chapter for five years, and its members have been suspended from group activities since the incident was reported in April.
North Texas will allow the sorority to regroup in 1998, operating under tight surveillance for the next five years.
"I don't feel good about [the penalty] at all," says Mary Shy Scott, national president of the 85-year-old sorority. "But right now, I just feel that's what we had to do. Every young lady knows up front that we are not going to allow hazing." Christopher Brick, The Daily Texan, U. of Texas
6.
U.Magazine
DECEMBER 1993