Letters to the editor:

Dear CT,

Remembering advice my  mother gave me before I left  for VCU, I decided to pick up  the student paper. My mom  had said that it is the best way  to tell what is going on around  campus, and I am very glad I  took that advice.  I was really impressed  by your paper’s articles, my  favorites being “Weird news  is good news” by Rachel  Vamenta and “Shameful  court decision strikes down  student speech” by Rebecca  Landau. I also found the new  student guide really helpful,  especially the listing $10 and  under. College students aren’t  known to be rich, and I am no  exception.  Though I am a freshman, I  would love to know how to get  involved in the paper.  Thank you for your time, Rebekah Jones

Editor’s Note:
Thanks, Rebekah!

We’re always  looking for contributors at the  CT. All you have to do is stop  by the Student Media Center at  817 W. Broad St. and fill out an  application.

Thanks for the coverage  of the two VCU music-based  articles in Spectrum this  past week — well done! I am  pleased that the CT has hired  Roberto Curtis, who I’m sure  has a stack of potential topics  to explore.

Best, Professor Antonio J. Garcia  Director of Jazz Studies  Coordinator of Music Business

I was surprised and more  than a little disgusted to  learn that Ward Churchill has  been invited for a speaking  engagement at VCU. As a  student (albeit in the Northern  Virginia program), I am deeply  concerned that my tuition will  help to pay an honorarium  for a professor who was  fi red from the University  of Colorado at Boulder for  academic misconduct less  than one month ago. His facile  and sophomoric political  commentary aside, Churchill  was found guilty by his  colleagues of plagiarism and  fabrication.  Either one of these offenses  would rightly result in the  expulsion of a student and  the dismissal of a professor  from this institution. So what  message does it send to the  academic community to allow  someone who has been found  guilty on seven counts of these  and similar misdeeds to speak  on campus? Are there no  other academics of indigenous  descent (beyond Churchill’s  alleged one-sixteenth  Cherokee bloodline) qualifi ed  to speak about the issues of  Native Americans?  Inviting Churchill to speak at  VCU reinforces the stereotype  that professional academics  and students will embrace  any idea and the person  who presents it if the idea is  controversial and “subversive,”  regardless of the inherent  absurdity of said idea.  I am not contesting  Churchill’s First Amendment  rights to say what he wishes  to say; I am pleading with  VCU to protect its academic  reputation by not providing a  forum for a fraud with an at  best questionable standing.  I strongly encourage the  leadership of the University  Student Commons and  Activities to reconsider their  invitation.

Mike Miller

Corrections from Aug. 23 CT:

On the front page, Norwood  Teague was described  erroneously as the new athletic  director.  He has held the  position since July 1, 2006.

The story “Sirens, text  messages among security  measures to be tested” said  VCU will test its new security  plan Sept. 14.  The actual test  date is Sept. 19.

The story “Tom Remembered”  said Thomas Keller took his  own life. The circumstances  surrounding his death are still  under investigation. Detectives  have not officially determined  whether it was a homicide or  suicide.