GRE changes canceled unexpectedly

The Education Testing Service (ETS) unexpectedly announced Monday it has canceled plans to change the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). The new test was scheduled to be launched worldwide September. ETS began planning changes two years ago, which were said to be the biggest changes to the exam in its 55-year existence. The modified test would increase in length from two and a half hours to four hours and focus on advanced cognitive and reasoning skills. It also planned to reduce the administration of the test from every day of the year to about 35 times per year. “According to ETS [the] major reason [for the cancellation] is accessibility issues,” said Russell Schaffer, senior communications manager for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. In China, India and Japan, students were being locked out of test sites because registration was closed, he said. Students do not have to worry about being locked out and can now “breathe a sigh of relief,” Schaffer said. Schaffer said he does not think it will be difficult for students to adjust to the cancellation and encouraged students to continue on their planned timelines. “If you need an extra month to study, take it,” he said. More information about the GRE can be found at www.kaptest.com/gre.

– Sarah Clark, News Correspondent

Students arraigned on Nov drug trafficking charges

Two students who were charged with trafficking Oxycontin in November were arraigned Monday in Suffolk Superior Court. Peter Giannitti, a junior finance and insurance major, and Robert Quinn, a junior economics major, were indicted March 23 on charges of drug trafficking and conspiring to violate state drug laws, said Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley. The indictment has now been moved to the superior court level, and both students are due in court for pre-trial proceedings May 17. The men were initially charged after more than 100 grams of Oxycontin were allegedly delivered in Skittles bags to Quinn’s Gainsborough Street residence, where Giannitti picked them up. Both men were arrested at the scene by Boston Police, who had been tipped off after a routine inspection of the package at the delivery depot.

– Hailey Heinz, News Staff

RSA elects two more vice president positions

The Resident Student Association (RSA) finished electing its executive board at last Wednesday’s meeting. In the vice president for programming election, Cat Armato, a middler English and pre-law major, was elected over current alumni affairs coordinator Josh Minney, a sophomore psychology major. “I want to build and improve upon the programs [current vice president of programming] Smith [Anderson] developed,” she said in her speech. Later Hillary Bucklin, a sophomore athletic training major, was elected national communication coordinator over current RSA public relations officer Chris Brielman, a junior marketing major. “I’m organized, dependable, good at managing time and work well in teams,” Bucklin said, adding she immediately “fell in love” with RSA upon joining the organization. In addition to Bucklin and Armato, the new executive board consists of President Mark Epstein, Vice President for Housing Services Nicole Johnson, Vice President for Finance Jason Horton and Vice President for Administration Kristina Cecil.

– Brian Benson, News Staff