Professor John Michael Bailey of Northwestern University has been under a bit of heat the last few weeks. Known for his controversial classes on sex education, Professor Bailey has always walked the line of taboo subjects. As he puts it, “…I do not wish, to surrender to sex negativity and fear… thoughtful discussion of controversial topics is a cornerstone of learning.” Although his students find his approach to be groundbreaking and admirable, he seems to have gone a bit far on the afternoon of February 21st.

Prof. Bailey teaches a 600 person class on the science and psychology of sexuality. After class, he often organizes “optional events” which provide the students with a more in-depth educational experience. This year alone he has had guest speakers such as, “a panel of gay men speaking about their sex lives, a transsexual performer, two convicted sex offenders, an expert in female sexual health and sexual pleasure, a plastic surgeon, a swinging couple” and others. After his February 21st lecture, which was focused on female arousal, Bailey invited his students to stay for an optional presentation by Ken Melvoin-Berg. The presentation was to continue the scientific conversation of female orgasm and dig further into sexual diversity, which seems to be a gentler way of saying kinky sex. The students were told what to expect and were asked, numerous times, to leave if they felt uncomfortable or did not want to witness the graphic presentation.

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Living off campus in Evanston has gotten harder for Northwestern University students, who may lose housing next year due to the town’s “brothel law.” The zoning ordinance, which has not been enforced for many years, states that no more than three unrelated people may live together. Students living off campus who have more than two roommates will face eviction starting on July 1st, 2011.

The university says it will not lobby for Evanston to reconsider the ordinance, but instead is encouraging students to “think outside the box.” Assistant Dean of Students Betsi Burns recommends that students “go along the shuttle lines and the El to look outside this very small geographic area that students think they need to live in and explore their options.”

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More professors are handing out hand-held devices at the start of lectures, in a effort to foster class participation. The small, wireless “clickers” are reminiscent of a remote control, but only feature a few buttons. Professors can get immediate feedback, and see who’s paying attention, by asking students to respond to a question with the device.

More than half a million are using clickers this fall, reports The New York Times. Some professors ask students to use the clickers to see if they understand a concept. The clickers also make it harder for students to snooze or get distracted, when they know that a failure to participate will be registered.

Many students resent the devices, it makes them feel overly monitored. “I actually kind of like it,” said Jasmine Morris, a senior at Northwestern. “It does make you read. It makes you pay attention. It reinforces what you’re supposed to be doing as a student.” Harvard, Vanderbilt, and the University of Arizona are among the many other colleges capitalizing on this technology.

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Penn State Coach Joe Paterno

Some big games in the Big-10 stole the spotlight in college football this past weekend. For games involving the national championship picture, check the “BCS Reactions” post.

1. A Living Legend— There’s really nothing new that can be said about Penn State’s Joe Paterno, but that’s because he’s done the same thing for over 40 years: Win football games in a classy manner. No matter who you root for, you have to love it when a great man like Paterno reaches an accomplishment like 400 wins. With the Nittany Lions down 21-0 at home to Northwestern in the 2nd quarter, it looked like the milestone victory would have to wait a week, but Penn State reeled of 35 straight points to make Paterno the only coach in D-IA football history with 400 career wins. Read the rest of this entry »

For one week at least, the roles in college football are switched. Instead of the non-BCS teams having an easy game while the teams from power conferences navigate a tough opponent, the traditional powers have a relaxing week while the party-crashers may struggle. Highlighting week 10:

#3 TCU at #5 Utah— If TCU wins this game, it may be in the driver’s seat for the top BCS buster. They already rank ahead of Boise in the computers, and that edge will only increase this week. A solid win might push them past the Broncos in the human polls as well- but Utah’s been down this road before. It was just two years ago the Utes knocked off TCU at home while running the table and beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. A win by Utah probably won’t get them pass Boise, but it would help. Read the rest of this entry »

The star of Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place announced that she’s working on a new project: a college degree. Selena Gomez, age 16, will be taking time off from her acting career to focus on getting into her “dream” school, Northwestern University. “I think this’ll be the last series that I do,” she said.

Gomez is studying for the SATs, and is currently home-schooled. She hopes to study acting and journalism. “I would love to do [news reporting], go overseas or something.”

Gomez doesn’t want to quit her acting career altogether in college. “I’m going to try to pull a Natalie Portman,” she explained. “Natalie went to Harvard while shooting Star Wars. I don’t know how she did it. I want to have lunch with her and ask her — that seems like a bunch of stress right there.” Read the rest of this entry »