Washington University students studying in Japan are all safe, according to an e-mail from Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton to the University community on Thursday afternoon.

President’s Day is coming up and I think it’s time to reflect on an experience common to almost all non-local Wash. U. students. After the initial excitement of getting into Washington University, one of the nation’s most highly ranked universities, it’s natural to want to share the excitement with your friends. Unfortunately for you, your friends aren’t quite sure how to respond to your enthusiasm. I mean, Washington State isn’t that good.

Washington University, with the exception of the School of Medicine, will remain closed through Feb. 1 in response to the severe weather threatening the area. All non-essential services on the Danforth, North, South, West and Tyson campuses will be suspended, including classes. Essential services, which include the Washington University Police Department, Dining Services and certain personnel in Facilities Planning and Management, will remain operational. The medical school remains open. Per University policy, individual employees must decide for themselves whether it’s safe to travel to and from work.

Washington University, with the exception of the School of Medicine, will close at 3 p.m. on Monday, the administration announced. All non-essential services on the Danforth, North, South, West and Tyson campuses will be suspended. Essential services, which include the Washington University Police Department, Dining Services and certain personnel in Facilities Planning and Management will remain operational. It is unclear whether the University will close any or all services on Feb. 1 in response to the severe weather. Closures will be announced on a daily basis on the University website and through the usual communication channels.

The proposed speaker that had Washington University students in an uproar for nearly two days is no longer scheduled to appear on campus. Bristol Palin, 20, was expected to be the keynote speaker at this year’s Sexual Responsibility Week. But her $20,000 price tag led students to contest Student Union Treasury’s funding decision, arguing that she is unqualified to speak about the subject of abstinence on a college campus.

Bristol Palin: An abstinent mother?

Bristol Palin has been selected as keynote speaker for this year’s Sexual Responsibility Week at Washington University. Student Union Treasury approved a $20,000 appeal by the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) to sponsor a four-person panel featuring Palin. The appeal was initially set at $25,000 and renegotiated. While Palin has not formally agreed to the appearance yet, she is expected to do so shortly.

Following the town hall forum on the Mothers bar incident held two weeks ago, student group Connect 4 hosted a roundtable on Monday to create task forces for addressing racial discrimination and profiling on campus and to bring greater awareness of diversity issues to the student body. The student group hoped to focus the current energy sparked by the Mothers bar incident on creating long-term action plans for making positive change on campus and in the surrounding community.

In spite of President Obama’s calls for bipartisan health care reform, only one Republican congressman—Rep. Anh Cao of Louisiana—voted for the House’s sweeping health care overhaul bill on Saturday.

Student Union Senate and Treasury voted on several SU election reforms, which were proposed by the election commissioners. The reforms aim to make elections more competitive, open and fair. Proposals ranged from new systems of voting to more minute details about qualifications and definitions of positions.