I want to give credit to the Muslim Student Association for engaging in a pretty clever 'bait-and-switch' strategy for Tuesday night's presentation. The presentation was promoted as a panel discussion on the situation in Gaza.

The Boston University Student Union may have been successful in increasing attendance for Monday's General Assembly meeting, but the fact that there was no mention of the Board of Trustees' decision to increase tuition and housing costs by a combined 3.75 percent is truly shameful.

The country may not be in a cheery mood given the current recession, but it appears that President Barack Obama is going to try to get Americans to lighten up a bit. On Thursday, Obama will be a guest on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,' marking the first time that a sitting president has taken part in a late-night talk show.

Another year, another tuition increase for Boston University students. The 3.75 percent increase, which will bring tuition to a staggering $37,910, is relatively low compared to previous years, and it is encouraging to see that the BU Board of Trustees took into account the harsh effects the economy has had on students and their families. Some sort of tuition increase was inevitable, considering BU's declining endowment and $10,000,000 budget gap.

Boston City Council President Mike Ross continued his crusade against college students living off campus during last Tuesday's City Council meeting as the council pledged to continue its efforts to force Boston-area universities to release the addresses of students living off campus in the name of preserving Boston's neighborhoods for families.

It's been a rough seven years and change since 9/11, hasn't it? Somehow, despite shooting innumerable brown people (just like the ones who flew planes into our nice buildings), terrorism has grown, anti-American sentiment has flourished and another Beatle has died (George, for my uncultured, music-hating readers).

Dear reader, usually I devote my column to all things bikes, but today I am compelled to use this space to discuss an issue that hits harder than a car door.

On Monday, Boston University Students enjoyed the university's first snow day in over four years (and no, that 'half snow day' on Valentine's Day two years ago didn't count, so please stop emailing us about it). We here at the 'ol Free Press wanted to know how the subjects of our news stories made the most of their snow day.

I wish a warm goodbye to all you lucky students heading to tropical, exotic locations this spring break. It must be nice to know that once you ace your midterms - I hope - you can break out the bikinis, Speedos, sunglasses, straw hats and SPF 30.

It amazes me sometimes that the large bulk of major taste-shifts in popular music come from media other than CD, vinyl or MP3. Feb. 9, 1964 - the Beatles appear for the first time on U.S. television on the 'Ed Sullivan Show,' causing the quantum shift in American music (effectively creating pop).

The portrayal of Boston University's School of Management and College of Communication in the article ('COM, SMG cut minors' services,' March 4), as well as in the accompanying staff editorial ('STAFF EDIT: More than a minor problem,' March 4), is unfair.

As Boston University students near the midpoint of the spring semester, their thoughts are turning to where they are going to find work this summer, or for seniors, what they are going to do career-wise.