Carter on campus

Former President and noteworthy guests to visit campus and host talks

Thirty years after his inaguration into the Oval Office, President Jimmy Carter will be returning to his home state to help moderate a three-day symposium that begins Friday at the Georgia Center of Continuing Education.

Its focus is to look back at issues that were imperative during Carter’s administration and find lessons that can be used by current politicians. The guest list reads like a ‘Who’s Who in Washington?’ Madeliene Albright, Walter Mondale, Brian Williams, as well as other noteworthy politicians, professors and scholars will speak and moderate throughout the event.

The conference will be divided into breakout panels to discuss specific topics concerning the Carter Presidency, and will include members of the Carter administration. The Secret Service, U.S. Marshalls and C-SPAN are expected to cover the conference.

President Carter also will be hosting a Town Hall meeting Saturday at 4 p.m. to discuss issues with the public. The meeting, which will be free and open to the public, will be held in the Georgia Center. Additional seating will be held throughout the Georgia Center and Stegeman Coliseum.

This is a can’t-be-missed opportunity to not only meet the President, First Lady and other political powerhouses, but also gives students and Athens citizens a chance to ask about past initiatives from the Carter era. At the very least, you can check out the Secret Service in action.

Pray for snow day

Georgia is always just a few frozen raindrops from a student holiday

We hope you are not reading this right now. We hope you are snuggly tucked in your bed, laughing as you look out your window, thinking to yourself, “I’d have to be stupid to go out in this weather.”

However, this largely depends on whether or not today has been declared a snowday by the University powers that be, because we here at The Red & Black in no way condone skipping class.

With an opportunity such as last night, we hope that Old Man Winter came through and delivered a treacherous sheen of ice upon all of Riverbend Road, incapacitating the busses for the day.

In the event that you aren’t reading this, hopefully you will use your day productively.

Catching up on studying, finally getting organized after winter break or hosting a keg party all are tried and true ways to spend a “snow” day.

Then again, wouldn’t braving an ice storm be the very definition of academic rigor? Trudging to school in the snow, uphill both ways? Everyone already has their North Face jacket and Mountain Hardwear climbing backpacks and it’s high time students used these products to their defined purpose – hiking in truly ruthless conditions.

That said, if you are sitting in class, shivering as your soaking wet jeans are clinging to your frozen flesh, we hope you are slightly satisfied that you have shown your commitment to academic rigor for the day.