Â鶹ÒùÔº

University of Colorado at Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano today announced the findings of a preliminary review of allegations concerning the conduct and scholarship of Professor Ward Churchill. The review team, led by DiStefano, found that ChurchillÂ’s controversial essay on 9/11 and other public comments are protected by the First Amendment, but that other allegations of plagiarism, misuse of othersÂ’ work and fabrication may constitute research misconduct. Research misconduct, if proven, is subject to university sanctions.

A five-student team from the University of Colorado will travel to Salt Lake City to compete for a $50,000 prize in a national urban design competition against three other schools on April 1. The four finalists were selected from 81 submissions to the Urban Land Institute Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition, which is open to graduate students in real estate-related areas of study at universities throughout North America. The CU team has already won $10,000 in the competition for advancing to the final four.

Segments of a new documentary, "The History of Black Achievement in America," featuring African American faculty and students at the University of Colorado at Boulder will be filmed in Boulder March 29-30. Prominent Hollywood actors serve as hosts for the documentary, including James Avery, who will appear in the Boulder segment. Avery, a classically trained actor and scholar, is best known for his role as the uncle, patriarch and attorney "Philip Banks" on the popular sitcom "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" starring Will Smith.

Nobel laureate and Stanford physicist Robert Laughlin will give a free talk at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Fiske Planetarium on Monday, April 4, at 7 p.m. Laughlin, whose writing has been compared to that of the popular physicist Richard Feynman, will discuss his new book "A Different Universe: Reinventing Physics From the Bottom Down." The talk is free and open to the public.

The University of Colorado at Boulder has finalized a new Registered Fraternal Organization Agreement that spells out campus expectations for Greek organizations, including deferring rush activities until the spring semester, according to Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs. Starting the week of April 14, Stump and Greek Adviser Laura Strohminger will begin meeting with individual fraternal organizations to discuss the final document and ask for signatures. The agreement incorporates suggestions by many Greek leaders provided over the last several weeks.

The Robert H. and Beverly A. Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business has appointed George Deriso and Tim Connor as new members of its board of advisers. Deriso is a consultant to small and mid-sized companies on business and technology strategy. He has held executive positions in both large corporations and technology startups including AT&T, Apple Computer, Requisite Technology, Insession Inc., Intermezzo Systems, Solista Global LLC and Gartner Inc.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Colorado at Boulder has been awarded a $190,061 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to train journalists from the West Bank. The project, "Commitment to Peace through the Fourth Estate," will provide intensive, hands-on journalism skills training for 15 members of the West Bank media in a six-week training course from April 4 to May 13.

Senior Bryn Weaver, whose research at the University of Colorado at Boulder commenced before she ever set foot in a classroom, is hoping to be awarded a Fulbright grant next month as the capstone to a stellar educational career that brings a whole new meaning to scholarship.

Editor's note: Reporters and photographers can watch the CU Solar Decathlon team as it builds about 20 Bio-SIP wall panels for the solar home. Construction is scheduled for March 21 or March 22 at the CU Distribution Center, 3300 Walnut St. in Boulder. Call Professor Julee Herdt or student project manager Jeff Lyng for specific times and details.

University of Colorado at Boulder scientists will hold a free public program about the sun and space weather at Fiske Planetarium in celebration of Sun-Earth Day, to be held the evening of the spring equinox on Monday, March 21.