Search committee narrows field of candidates Northeastern has cut its list of candidates for the university’s top position to six, down from as many as 16, and hopes to name a new president in May or June, according to a Boston Globe report last Saturday. The remaining candidates consist of a diverse group and include at least one woman and a member of a minority group, according to the report. The search is being conducted in secret because members of the search committee have signed pledges of confidentiality. Last December, the commitee hired a consultant and met with students to hear concerns, which were used to develop an “essential qualifications list,” Student Government Association President Ashley Adams said at the time.

– Ricky Thompson, News Staff

RSA elects alumni affairs coordinator, SGA rep. The Resident Student Association (RSA) elected Stefanie Montalto as its next Alumni Affairs Coordinator and former Vice President for Housing Services Christina O’Sullivan as its next Student Government Association (SGA) Representative at last week’s meeting. Montalto, a middler behavioral neuroscience major, who ran unopposed, cited her work on this year’s alumni banquet and her eagerness to make further connections with Northeastern alumni as reasons to elect her to the position. O’Sullivan, a middler finance major, defeated freshman information science major Matt Soleyn. She cited her three-year experience within RSA and her familiarity with SGA as reasons to elect her to the position.

– Jeff Miranda, News Staff

Students knock down symbolic wall of epithets Last week 10 student groups co-sponsored the “Writing on the Wall Project.” What started out as a blank white wall in the Snell Library Quad on April 10 was soon filled with words of hate and discrimination written by students over three days. The closing ceremony, where students wearing goggles and hard hats tore down the “wall of hate,” took place on the quad in front of a small crowd Thursday. The project was brought back after a two-year absence. Donnie Perkins, dean and director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Diversity, spoke at the event. Perkins said the purpose of the wall is to raise student concern and to force people to think about “those words, which should never, never, never be spoken on this campus again.”

– Jessica Torrez-Riley, News Staff

Budget Review Committee approves CUP budget In a Thursday night meeting spanning six hours, the Budget Review Committee (BRC) to approved annual budget requests from campus groups that receive operational funding. In addition to approving the Student Government Association, the Campus Activities Office’s Resource Room, Participation and Popular Programs and Homecoming, in its first year separate from the Council for University Programs (CUP), all received approval. The Major Event Fund, which CUP uses to finance Springfest, was granted a $6,970 budget increase, giving them a total of $249,620. For the second week the BRC tabled a program request for Northeastern University Huskiers and Outdoor Club’s planned Memorial Day weekend Acadia trip until the group submits a more complete inventory of equipment the members plan to bring.

– Stephanie Peters, News Staff

Alumna nominated ambassador to Pacific nations President George W. Bush announced last Thursday his intention to nominate Leslie Rowe, a Northeastern alumna, to serve in his administration. Rowe, of Washington state, is set to receive the nomination to become ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the United States to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Republic of Vanuatu, according to the Office of the Press Secretary. Rowe received her master’s degree from Northeastern. A career member of the senior foreign service, Rowe currently serves as deputy chief of mission in Nairobi, Kenya. She previously served as consul general in Bangkok, Thailand, and consul general in Lisbon, Portugal.

– Ricky Thompson, News Staff

Baking expert visits NU to celebrate Twinkies “Blue Ribbon Baking Expert” Theresa Cogswell will be on hand in the Xhibition Kitchen in Stetson West today at noon to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Twinkie. Cogswell is vice president of research and development for Interstate Bakeries Corporation, the largest wholesale bread and cake distributor in the United States, whose product line includes Hostess and Wonder Bread. The company collected recipes for a cookbook tribute to the iconic snack food, and some of these will be available for sampling today. The book was recently featured on NBC’s “The Today Show”. The event is free with entrance to Stetson West, and those present will be eligible to win one of 20 cookbooks given away during the event. Books will also be available for purchase at the event or in the campus bookstore. For more information, contact Senior Lecturer Thomas Fantasia at 617-373-2472.

– Ricky Thompson, News Staff