Man arrested in stabbing
A Rensselaer student was stabbed multiple times on November 14 while sitting in his vehicle outside his 25th Street apartment.
Joseph Drexler ’10 was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital where he was being treated for multiple wounds including a punctured lung. His current condition is unknown but his injuries were reported to not be life threatening. No additional information was available on the student’s condition prior to publication.
Drexler was parked in a vehicle on 25th Street, near Park Ridge Apartments, and was approached by three white males. One suspect stabbed the student in the chest, arm, and leg.
Police made an arrest in the case on Monday evening. Raymond J. Yannick of East Greenbush was arrested at a Burger King on Columbia Turnpike in Schodack where he works. He was charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to police.
Police also reported that robbery seemed to be the motive behind the attack. Yannick was arraigned Tuesday and sent to Rensselaer County Jail without bail pending further court action.
Presidents’ pay analyzed
A recent article in The New York Times reported that presidents at public universities have salaries that are rising at a faster rate than those of presidents at private schools.
Median pay and benefits for presidents of public institutions rose 7.6 percent in 2007–2008 to $427,400. Over a five-year period, the public universities’ median compensation rose 36 percent, compared with 19 percent at private institutions.
The highest-earning presidents at private research universities were Henry S. Bienen of Northwestern University, $1,742,560 in total compensation; Lee C. Bollinger of Columbia University, $1,411,894; Shirley Ann Jackson of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, $1,326,774; and John Sexton of New York University, $1,324,874.
Proposition 8 protested
On Saturday, November 15, roughly 500 members of the Troy community protested in front of Albany City Hall against the passing of Proposition 8, an amendment to California’s Constitution outlawing same-sex marriages. This was a local section of the national “Join the Impact” protest, a nation-wide effort to hold protests simultaneously across the nation. The day remained peaceful, but those in support of Proposition 8 say some demonstrations have gotten out of hand.
Patrick Harkins, the organizer of the event, said that the local rally was to show that local citizens disagree with the California decision, but also that the residents of Albany want equal rights for everyone. Protesters held signs stating messages such as “No to P8,” “Marriage is a basic human right,” and “Love defines marriage, not sex!”
Alex Mena ’12, who supports gay marriage, believes that “the passing of Prop 8 in California was a good thing, as eventually the law will be challenged in the Supreme Court and the ruling will be overturned, along with amendments to the Constitution in favor of gay marriage.”
