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Primary Points - First and foremost, at CU-Boulder, we are deeply concerned about the health and safety of our students. - Alcohol abuse and underage drinking are long-term societal problems that require long-term educational and social initiatives. - For universities, each year is a challenge with a new wave of students coming to campus, bringing a new set of experiences and issues.

For the first time ever, incoming freshmen at the University of Colorado at Boulder this fall are required to complete an online alcohol education course before classes begin Aug. 23. The three-hour "AlcoholEdu" course, created and administered by a private company, is intended to address alcohol abuse and related problems not by preaching but by focusing on educating students to make informed decisions.

The University of Colorado at Boulder is making solid progress on implementing the action plan for oversight and reorganization of its intercollegiate athletics program, according to CU-Boulder Provost Phil DiStefano. DiStefano presented a report on the most recent implementation steps during a study session by the CU Board of Regents Wednesday, Aug. 11, at the Fitzsimons campus in Denver.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, City Auditor Dennis Gallagher, City Councilwoman Rosemary Rodriguez and Lakewood Mayor Steve Burkholder will be among the featured readers during the eight annual "Words to Stir the Soul: Readings from the American West" events presented by the CU-Boulder Center of the American West.

A University of Colorado at Boulder science policy center has received a $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study the process of decision making in uncertain situations as part of the U.S. Climate Change Research Initiative. Awarded to the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, the five-year grant will focus on improving the connection between the nation's multi-billion dollar investment in climate research and those making climate-related decisions, said Director Roger Pielke Jr.

Lorrie Shepard, dean of the School of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder, announced the school has issued a clarification of registration guidelines via email for a class that last week raised questions about the possibility of discrimination.

Jim Fadenrecht, chief of the CU-Boulder Police department since 1991 and a 30-year veteran of the department, has announced his retirement effective Jan. 31, 2005. In a memo to Paul Tabolt, vice chancellor for administration, Fadenrecht said, "My employment at CU has now spanned over three decades and I've decided it's time to transition into another phase of life." Fadenrecht praised the public safety staff, which he called "a committed and talented work force" and said the announcement was made "with mixed emotions."

Editors: Doug Duncan is available for interviews. For visuals, Fiske Planetarium has a large meteorite on display and Duncan also has a portable, baseball-sized meteorite. Call Duncan at (303) 492-5003 or Mike Liguori at (303) 492-3117 to arrange an interview. University of Colorado at Boulder astrophysicist Doug Duncan says this year's annual Perseid meteor shower and its natural nighttime light show will be particularly good as the display becomes visible over Colorado Aug. 10-13.

Editors: Contents embargoed until July 29 at 2 p.m. EDT. A new study of California's southern Sierra Nevada range by a University of Colorado at Boulder research team has located a massive body of rock that sank into Earth's mantle some 3.5 million years ago, allowing the mountains to pop up. Undertaken with a high-tech suite of instruments designed to probe the geology to roughly 125 miles below Earth's surface, the study illustrated the mountain building process in the southern Sierras with unprecedented detail.

An internal investigation of financial transactions in the linguistics department at the University of Colorado at Boulder has led to the arrest of a staff member on charges related to alleged misappropriation of university funds. Ruth Ann Cameron, an administrative staff member in the department since 1995, was arrested by the University of Colorado Police Department Tuesday, July 27, on the Boulder campus. She was arrested under a warrant following a meeting at the university internal auditor's office.