When one thinks of Jerry Springer, what might come to mind is a talk show notorious for guests getting into brawls and discussing topics not quite appropriate for children. However, for some graduating students at the Northwestern University Law School, this was not the picture what they wanted at their commencement celebration.

Springer, a 1968 graduate of the law school, confirmed Saturday that he will deliver the commencement address to the class of 2008. But students, such as Alex Aixala, were not pleased with the decision.

“I honestly feel like the purpose of a graduation speaker is to inspire you to make the world a better place,” Aixala said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.

Aixala was not alone in his frustration and joined several other students in signing a petition to protest the decision. They feel Springer is not suitable to deliver the commencement.

A mass e-mail was sent to law school dean David Van Zandt expressing “a deep sense of anger, embarrassment and surprise” that the speaker would be “the sensationalist, ratings-seeking, instigator of daytime television.”

However, the graduation committee overruled the petition, though Van Zandt added a second speaker, Martin Redish, one of the law school’s most popular professors.

Muslim Student Federation factions cause chaos at university

A protest that broke out at Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO College) in Lahore, Pakistan between the two factions of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) resulted in shootings and panic among students.

The protest erupted Monday between the Muslim Students Federation-Quaid-e-Azam (MSF-Q) and the MSF, the original group, which had been split by the former college principal Prof Maqsoodul Hassan Bokhari, according to the Daily Times, a Pakistani newspaper.

Students claimed that Tanveer Khakwani, former MAO student and member of MSF, initiated the protest by sending his accomplices and 25 armed men to the college. The group fired shots into the air and attempted to break the locks of union offices.

No students were injured during the protests.

Both the MSF and MSF-Q fired shots until the police arrived an hour later.

“We allowed the groups to escape because we did not want any bloodshed in the college,” said Rana Ahmad Hassan, superintendent of police.

UB basketball star suspended after soliciting homework help from Facebook

It is often used to keep in contact with friends, sell miscellaneous items, post pictures, and for some, it is a good tool to stalk that hot girl or guy from class. But for University at Buffalo (UB) junior Andy Robinson, Facebook was perfect for soliciting other students to complete his homework for him.

Robinson, who led the UB basketball team in scoring last season, admitted to posting a message on the social networking Web site.

“I am paying anybody who have read the book There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz $30-40 which in some classes you have to read at UB (even more money if you have to read the book a little more) to write a 3-4 page paper, on a couple questions which was assigned,” said the message, according to The Buffalo News.

The message was discovered by another student who reported it to the school’s newspaper, The Spectrum.

“Andy Robinson has been suspended from basketball-related activities for his actions last week in soliciting help to complete part of his course work,” UB coach Reggie Witherspoon said. “He has since taken corrective steps and is extremely remorseful for his actions and the appearance of impropriety that this incident has cast on all UB student-athletes.”