For a few weeks in April, the ordinary dynamics of college admissions are stood on their head. High school seniors who spent a year or more trying to attract the attention of college admissions officers - and who by early April have been offered admission to a fistful of prestigious institutions - suddenly find themselves being recruited aggressively. This article explores some of the recruitment efforts, including Brown’s Day on College Hill, and follows one student who has been admitted to four universities, including Brown. This article appeared in other papers around the country.

For the past 20 years, Brown has reserved cars on an East Coast Amtrak train so that students who have been accepted can spend a day there. The reporter interviews a number of students aboard the train, and takes a look at how Brown and other universities woo admitted students and their parents. Jim Miller, dean of admissions at Brown, is interviewed as well.

Advances in movie special effects can seemingly bring dinosaurs to life, but their onscreen movements are more speculation and artistry than hard science. Because there are no living dinosaurs to observe, or soft tissue to dissect, paleobiologists must rely on a variety of indirect methods to try to describe how dinosaurs walked. A new approach by Brown Professor Stephen M. Gatesy and collaborator John Hutchinson uses computers to rule out movements that would be impossible in a living animal.

Professor of Anthropology William Beeman is interviewed about the international response to Iran as a nuclear power. Streaming video and audio of the segment can be downloaded from this URL: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june06/iran_4-14.html#

Verner Wilson, a Yup'ik Eskimo from Dillingham, Alaska, who now attends Brown University, is leading five other Alaskan teenagers to Washington, D.C., this week to present a message to Congress: Do something to combat the effects of global warming in the 49th state.

Obstructive sleep apnea is surprisingly common in youngsters. Michael S. Schechter, assistant professor of pediatrics, discusses the condition in this article.

Like many players for whom the later rounds of the NFL draft are the only lifeline to a pro football career, Nick Hartigan has a fallback. The career leading rusher at Brown and the most prolific scorer in Ivy League history, Hartigan’s Plan B is following through on his acceptance to Harvard Law School. For now, though, he is running, lifting weights and hoping to hear his name called during the draft this weekend.

Here's a look at six intriguing prospects who live to prove that anyone can reach the NFL from anywhere: RB Nick Hartigan (6-2, 225), Brown University, Providence. Hartigan demands so much of himself and others that he once fired his younger brother, Andy, from a house-deck cleaning business he started after his high school graduation. The Rhodes scholar finalist is accustomed to setting his goals high and meeting them. On the field, he surpassed Ed Marinaro (Cornell, 1969-71) with an Ivy League-record 52 rushing touchdowns. Off it, the double major in political science and history achieved a 3.91 grade-point average.

Brown University basketball coach Glen Miller, who won more games over seven seasons than any coach in Bears history, will become the new basketball coach at the University of Pennsylvania.

Professor of Pediatrics William Cashore comments about a finding, published earlier this week by researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston, that is opening the door to new understanding of newborn immunity. This wire service story was sent to media outlets throughout the country.

An unprecedented salvo of international probes will soon shoot for the Moon, all equipped to signal that a new era of lunar exploration has begun. Geological Sciences Professor Carle Pieters is the principal investigator for the Moon Mineralogy Mapper, which will be aboard India’s Chandrayaan-1, planned for launch in late 2007-08. Pieters describes her enthusiasm for lunar exploration.

Author Charles Rappleye speaks at Brown about his new book that explores the relationship of brothers Moses and John Brown, their effect on the slave trade, and their ties to Brown University.

The Roman Catholic group Opus Dei runs an MBA program that seeks the best and brightest students, including those from Brown. One of its recruiting techniques: It runs off-campus housing and centers.

A U.S. study shows deep brain stimulation, or DBS, to be a potentially effective treatment option for people with major depression. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic and Brown University's Butler Hospital say that preliminary research indicates that DBS holds promise for the treatment of intractable major depression, as well as obsessive compulsive disorder. This wire service article was distributed to media outlets around the country.

Political Science Professor Darrell West notes that” the fate [of each member of Congress] depends on whether he can insulate himself from the president." He was interviewed for an article about President Bush’s job approval rating in Connecticut.

Their public appearances are statesmanlike, but the mail campaigns conducted by Sen. Lincoln Chafee and opponent Stephen Laffey are “down and dirty.” Political Science Professor Darrell West, who has written extensively about advertising in political campaigns, calls this the good cop/bad cop routine: "In the public campaign, you are polite and maintain good behavior" while "behind the scenes you act like a maniac criticizing the opposition."

Non-graduates play an important role in the fundraising efforts of many colleges and universities. This article includes Sidney Frank’s $100 million gift to Brown University as an example of such gifts.