Briefly

Tracking Cheaters
Sacramento's Granite Bay High School has implemented a system that tracks "cheaters." A computer file called "the cheaters list" is updated regularly with names of students that have been caught cheating. Teachers are notified when a new name has been added, and students are aware of the list. Students say that the file is ineffective. According to senior Matt Leatherman, "people who cheat a lot and get caught don't really care." Officials have yet to determine if the system has reduced the number of incidents of cheating. Granite Bay High School is currently the only institution with a file like this. Teachers and administrators will meet over the summer to discuss changes, such as degrees of culpability and the amount of time that a name should remain on the list.
Find more information at:
www.sacbee.com/content/news/education/story/6864557p-7814439c.html

Shortened School Weeks
A bill recently passed in Detroit allows for four-day school weeks. The bill still requires school districts to provide the standard 1,098 hours of instruction. However, the state's 180-day requirement would be dropped, enabling the class time to be spread over fewer days. Those who agree with the bill argue that it would "give districts flexibility on their school calendars and may save them money on utility bills, bus transportation and maintenance costs." Those opposed feel that a four-day school week will put extra pressure on working parents, and that a longer day would be a problem for younger children who have a hard time staying focused for that long. Union officials believe that most local boards will not take the step.
Find more information at:
http://www.detnews.com/2003/schools/0306/13/a01-192218.htm

Virtual Education
Virtual High School will expand this summer. Students outside of Prince William County, the county that first launched a virtual program in 2001, can enroll in classes offered by this program. A state grant provides the funding for this Virtual Classroom. The pilot program will allow 100 students to receive a state scholarship to cover the $750 tuition. Students who do not receive scholarships may pay in order to enroll. Classes offered include English 10 and English 11, which students can take through Prince William County or York County instead of their local school.
Find more information at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26181-2003Jun6.html

Taxing to Prevent Obesity
A bill about to be introduced in the New York State Assembly is aimed at battling childhood obesity. Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, a Brooklyn Democrat who is sponsoring the legislation, said the bill would tax TV commercials promoting non-nutritional food to children under 18. The funds would be allotted to organizations trying to prevent childhood obesity, which health experts say is a growing health problem, affecting one out of five children and leading to diabetes and high blood pressure. Clark Rector, Senior Vice President of State and Governmental Affairs at the American Advertising Federation, said that while the organization considers the issue of childhood obesity worth raising, the AAF doesn't think taxing advertising is the solution.
Find more information at:
http://www.mediapost.com/dtls_dsp_news.cfm?newsID=209741

Cheating and Technology
Authorities have recently found that cheating and plagiarizing have become very common in schools. Students seem to find reasons to cheat, including competition for grades, sports eligibility, time constraints, and most importantly, the absence of ethical training. Kathleen Foss, author of Student Cheating and Plagiarizing in the Internet Era: A Wake-Up Call, argues that "students see cheating all around them, and nothing seems to happen or the punishment is so mild" that students are not discouraged from cheating. Foss also feels that the prevalence of more advanced technology makes cheating easier and is also a major contributor to the problem with cheating in school.

Student Charged with Hacking
A computer science student at the University of Texas has been charged with unlawful access into the school's computer systems. School officials said Christopher Phillips stole Social Security numbers as well as other personal information from more than 55,000 students and faculty members. He told officials he had no intention of using the information to harm anyone. Phillips turned himself in, and was released without bail under orders not to use a computer without permission. If convicted, he could receive a sentence of up to eight years in prison.
Read more at CNN.com:
Student Charged with hacking his college

Binge Eating Linked to a Mutated Gene
A Swiss-German-American study held at the Hirslanden Clinic in Zurich claims to have found a link between binge eating and a mutated gene. The gene is known as the melanocortin 4 receptor gene and is responsible for making a protein that helps stimulate appetite in the brain's hunger-regulating hypothalamus. If this gene is mutated, it will not make enough protein, thus making the body feel hungry, researchers said. The development of new drugs that act like the melanocortin 4 receptor protein might compensate for the genetic defect, said Dr. Joel Habener, a diabetes expert involved in the study.

Special Education
House Republican leaders have presented a bill to Congress that could effectively improve and overhaul special education. The proposed changes to the Disabilities Education Act of 1975 would provide more accountability in special education, offer less paperwork for teachers and give students better access to the help they need. Thousands of students are misidentified strictly because of basic learning difficulties, said bill sponsor Rep. Mike Castle, R-Delaware, chairman of the House Education reform subcommittee. The bill addresses that problem, he said. The central focus of the bill is to keep more students in regular classrooms. It is aligned with "No Child Left Behind," the education law that demands better performance of students, teachers and schools. Federal special education spending would increase from 18 percent to 40 percent.
For more information, see:
Special education may get overhaul

Media Studies

Geneva Conventions
The treatment of prisoners of war (POWs) has been an important issue in the war in Iraq and its aftermath. The Geneva Conventions govern the treatment of prisoners, but they are long, tedious documents. To assist journalists and students of journalism, the Society of Professional Journalists created the "Journalist's Guide to the Geneva Conventions." Funded by a grant from the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, the work was authored by Maria Trombly, a freelance journalist, former war correspondent and now the chair of SPJ's International Journalism Committee. It was edited by former committee chair John Hopkins of the Miami Herald. This resource offers an easy-to-use alphabetical reference guide to the Geneva Conventions, as well as the full texts of the conventions themselves. The guide entries are cross-linked to the relevant portions of the conventions, providing an easy way to look up hundreds of topics, such as "orphans," "war crimes," and "wounded prisoners of war." Patterned after the AP Stylebook, the "Journalist's Guide to the Geneva Conventions" can be found online at no charge at www.genevaconventions.org. Printed copies are available from the Society of Professional Journalists by calling 317/927-8000. Paperback editions are available for $12; special waterproof editions are available for $25. Shipping is $6.

JEA Advisor's Institute
This workshop/retreat for all journalism teachers is designed as a hands-on experience to help teachers become a better instructors. It occurs in three sequences. Sequence I addresses advising, law and ethics in Nashville, TN June 16-20. Sequence II addresses student publications and will be held in Manhattan, TX July 20-25. Sequence III is on desktop publishing July 25-30. It is also in Manhattan .
For registration information, visit:
The Advisers Institute

NMEC 2003
The National Media Education Conference will hold workshops June 28-July 1, 2003 at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor in Baltimore, MD. NMEC attracts pre-K to 12th grade educators, students, media professionals and media arts instructors. With a theme of Literacy and Liberty, organizers also expect participation from public health and prevention professionals, youth workers, and religious and community leaders.

Journalism Code of Ethnics Online - RTNDA
The Radio-Television News Directors Association Code of Ethics offers guidance to journalists on the rules of the road in news. The code is available online at The Association of Electronic Journalists.

Convention News

AEJMC Summer Convention
The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) will "Jazz it up" in Kansas City, Mo. this summer July 30 - August 2. The Hyatt Regency Hotel and Westin Crown Centers are the host hotels. For registration information, visit the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

NMEC Meets in Baltimore
The 2003 National Media Education Conference (NMEC) will be held June 28-July 1 in Baltimore, Md. NMEC is one of the largest gathering of media education professionals, attracting K-12 educators and universities, technology specialists, school and public libraries and community production groups. For more information, contact the Alliance for a Media Literate America toll free at 888-775-2652 or email Joan Keane at ktes@qwest.net

NMEC 2003
The National Media Education Conference will be June 28-July 1, 2003 at the Wyndham Baltimore Inner Harbor in Baltimore, MD. NMEC attracts preK-12th grade educators, students, media professionals and media arts instructors. With a theme of Literacy and Liberty, organizers also expect participation from public health and prevention professionals, youth workers, religious and community leaders.

CMA Convention
College Media Advisers (CMA) will hold its fall convention Nov. 6-9 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dallas, TX. More than 1,200 college print, broadcast and online journalists and student media advisers are expected to attend. Web resource: www.collegemedia.org.
Future dates include:
March, 2004
The spring National College Media Convention in New York City.
November 4-7, 2004
The fall National College Media Convention sponsored by CMA and the Associated Collegiate Press at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, TN.

Job Related

CNN Journalism Internships
Work at CNN
CNN is accepting applications for winter internships. Successful applicants become on-the-job volunteers for three to four months. Apply online at Turner Jobs.com.

2003 Summer Jobs
College juniors and seniors can apply for a summer job as a Summer Project Assistant (SPA) at CNN's New York Sales office. For information, contact Gabrielle DeSantis at 212-852-6904. For other Turner Broadcasting employment opportunities, visit: Turner Jobs.com.

Editorial Internship, UN Wire, Washington, DC UN WIRE (www.unwire.org), a National Journal Group daily online publication covering United Nations-related news, is seeking an intern interested in writing about international affairs. Schedule is flexible, up to 15 hours per week. Sundays are required. Email or fax resume and cover letter to Angela Stephens at astephens@nationaljournal.com or call 202-454-8917. Pay rate: $10 per hour.

Summer Intern, NationalJournal.com, Washington, DC.
NationalJournal.com provides Washington insiders with news, analysis, polls and resources on both politics and policy. The organization is seeking college students or recent college graduates for the summer who want to strengthen their journalism and on-line publishing skills as well as their political knowledge. Candidates should have solid writing skills, journalism course work or internship experience, and a working knowledge of both AP style and HTML. An hourly wage or academic credit is available. Send a resume and cover letter detailing why you would be a great addition to NationalJournal.com's team to Drew Sullivan, either by e-mailing dsullivan@nationaljournal.com or faxing 202-454-8940.

Public Relations Intern, Virginia Tourism Corp.; Richmond, VA
VTC's Public Relations department has a limited number of intern openings for public relations/journalism students throughout the year. While the positions are unpaid, the internship can be structured for course credit if desired; and flexible hours are available for interns who also hold other part-time jobs. Interns can expect a variety of both public relations and basic office experience, including the opportunity to work on at least one long-term/ongoing public relations project. For more details, contact VTC's Julia Scott at 804-371-8165 or jscott@virginia.org or send to:
Virginia Tourism Corporation
901 East Byrd Street
Richmond, VA 23219
San Francisco, CA 94103