Reading about the "Booty Wall" at Howard University last week sent one regular City Paper reader on a trip down memory lane. A graduate of Virginia Tech, she wrote in to share some of the particulars of her time living in that school's "Virgin Vault."

Read More "Enter at Your Own Risk: A Tale from Virginia Tech’s “Virgin Vault”" »

Redecorating? Try the "Funny Pirate Booty Wall Clock"!

Note: This item is not affiliated with the Booty Wall at Howard University (as far as we know).

To anyone who is continuing to question the existence at Howard University of the so-called "Booty Wall," please stop. Or at least direct your questions to Marquis Barnett, the nation and world editor at the campus' own Hilltop newspaper, who just interviewed me for a story he's writing about me having written about the Booty Wall.

Read More "A Howard University Student Editor on the “Booty Wall”" »

It's a big week over at Howard University, what with homecoming festivities and all. There's all kinds of stuff on tap: the Homecoming Fashion Show, the Homecoming YardFest, the Homecoming R&B Concert, the Homecoming Step Show, the Homecoming Kings and Queens Reception (IMPORTANT NOTE: Unlike its rival among historically black institutions, Hampton University in Virginia, which recently picked its first non-black Miss HU, Howard has an African-American queen, Kendall Isadore. Phew!).

But really, one need not attend any homecoming events at Howard to have a good time. There's always the Booty Wall. Available year-round, if you don't mind the cold.

Read More "Who Needs Howard’s Homecoming When There’s the “Booty Wall”?" »

Since its founding last year, the Amethyst Initiative, a campaign to initiate a public debate about the merits of a 21 year old drinking age, has been growing every day.  The Initiative, started by John McCardell, President Emeritus of Middlebury College, now boasts the support of the Presidents and Chancellors of a whopping 135 colleges and universities across the country.

But where do local schools stand on the initiative's goal of lowering the drinking age?

Read More "Where Do Local Schools Stand On the Amethyst Initiative?" »

Michael Steele wasn't exactly feeling the love last night at Howard. A group of young black Republicans at the historically-black university hosted the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee on his so-called "Freedom Tour," a series of town hall meetings on health care and other topics of the day. Yesterday, those topics included hip-hop, "bling-bling," and how "our country can afford more than one Oprah Winfrey."

Read More "Michael Steele Visits Howard, Gets Heckled, Heckles Back" »

Marion Barry, former mayor, current Ward 8 councilmember, and political legend, is awake and resting comfortably at Howard University Hospital this morning after six-hour kidney transplant surgery.

Said Barry spokesperson Natalie Williams, "I think of only two words: true soldier."

The surgery, which began shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday and ended around 11 p.m., has been thus far judged successful by doctors, though the possibility of rejection still exists. Scarring from previous surgery for prostate cancer complicated the procedure somewhat, doctors said, but not usually so. Chief Surgeon Clive O. Callender said that per usual procedure, Barry will get out of bed briefly today for routine exercises.

This morning, according to Williams, Barry slowly raised his hand, touched thumb to forefinger, and said, "I am A-OK." Bishop Glen Staples, pastor of Ward 8's Temple of Praise, said Barry was "in good spirits" and had an appetite this morning. He was given broth and tea.

Read More "Marion Barry After Surgery: “True Soldier”" »

The Green Line is really taking some hits lately. First there were the incidents this past weekend. And now a man was fatally shot yesterday afternoon near Howard University.

WJLA reports that the shooting took place at 4th and W Streets NW. The location is about a block from Howard University's campus:

"The shooting happened around 4:30 p.m. Shortly afterward, police officers from the Third District arrived at the scene and observed a black male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

D.C. resident Theresa Price heard the commotion, rushed out of her apartment and saw what appeared to be a male teenager wounded in a nearby alley. 'All I heard was boom, boom, boom, boom,' Price said."

On Saturday it was the ice pick incident. And now a murder. This is ridiculous.