When television screens are filled with bombs flying over Iraq, children need to know why their favorite cartoon show isn't on for them to watch.

Linda Derscheid, associate professor in family, consumer and nutrition sciences, said parents need to take the initiative to talk to their children about war. The amount of information they give them should depend on the child's age, as younger children will have more difficulties understanding.

In some cases, preschool-age children may act up based on violence they see on television. At such a young age, they cannot process or make sense of what they see, so parents need to be cautious of what their child views, Derscheid said. As they reach ages 7 to 9, children realize that it is not so much pretend, but it is real and it becomes scary.

"Kids are going to personalize things," Derscheid said. "They will be worried about their own safety and the safety of their family."

Daryl Bettcher, a senior English major and mother of three, said her children are not necessarily worried about their own safety, but they have asked if their uncle, who is overseas with the American troops, is going to die. She said her 8-year-old son asks the most questions about the details of the war.

"I try to be honest with them without giving them too much information," Bettcher said.

Derscheid said parents need to be careful in responding to their child's questions about people being killed in the war.

"I think there is always a caution that we want to have about talking about killing anyone, evil or not," Derscheid said.

Her suggestion is to tell children we are working to put evil people away so they cannot harm other people.

Algonquin resident Connie Ramirez said her three children, ages 5, 7 and 10, have seen some of the war coverage on television, so she and her husband talk with them almost every day about what is going on. Like Bettcher, her 7-year-old son asks the most questions about why everything is happening.

Ramirez said her children had more of a surprising reaction to the Sept. 11 attacks, probably because she has reiterated to them that the war that is happening right now is far away and they knew that the Sept. 11 attacks were in New York.

All three of her children have participated in practice disaster drills at their schools, and while they have wondered why they did that, they all have expressed to their mother they feel safer because they "have a plan" in case something bad were to happen while they were in school.

The Student Association Senate, in one of the quickest meetings of this year, rejected a proposed organization that advocates free speech.

FreeSpeech Spot, which originally had come up for recognition in November, is an organization based solely on opening the free speech bulletin boards to the students.

Anna Schaber, a second-year history graduate student, spoke on behalf of the group. She expressed her concern over the requirements for posting on the board.

Schaber said that University Programming and Activities only allows student organizations to post messages on bulletin boards.

"The individuals are not just there for the organization," Schaber said. "They're self-interested."

Schaber said she thought the students should have the ability to post whatever they wanted, within UP&A guidelines, on the boards.

Some senators expressed concern over potential problems rising from the proposal.

Senator Eric Youngquist said he thought Schaber's group was "opening a Pandora's Box" by allowing students to post whatever they wanted.

The senators failed to pass the motion to recognize the new organization.

A last-minute addition to the senate agenda by Senator Jeff Meyer was the inclusion of SA Supreme Court nominations.

He said that according to the SA constitution, the senate can open the floor to nominations for justices.

During the open nominations, Meyer nominated Senator Andrew Nelms, to which he declined the nomination. Meyer later nominated Joshua Blakemore, a junior political science major and, which Meyer pointed out, his former running mate in the recent SA executive elections.

Senator Phillip Stroud nominated Senator Billy Nickol, to which Meyer seconded. Senator R.J. Gravel nominated Erik Benbennick, a junior political science major, who attended the meeting.

NIU students and local residents are invited to a public auction that will provide NIU law students with stipends for their summer interests jobs.

The Public Interest Law Society will hold its eighth-annual public auction Friday.

"We have been working on this event all year, I remember starting on this in early fall," said PILS President Rachel Mcintyre. "I know from being at the auction last year that this is going to be a good time."

Last year's auction provided stipends for eight students who worked for several organizations such as the Cook County Office of the Public Guardian, Journey of Hope and DuPage County Public Defender's Office. Each year, the society receives donations from alumni, local businesses and anyone else willing to donate.

"This year, there are very gracious donations from city business," Mcintyre said. "But, our hottest items so far are cruises on Lake Michigan, one of them valued at $3,000, and a hot air balloon ride for two."

The auction will be held in the Thurgood Marshall Gallery, located on the upper level of Swen Parson Hall. The doors to the event open at 5 p.m. The second table will open 30 minutes later. Once every table is closed, the hot items are placed together for a live auction at the end of the night.

"The live auction is so much fun," said Greg Anderson, director of career opportunities and development. "It brings together alumni, lawyers, judges and law students. It gives everyone a chance to mingle."

The auction is just one of the events the College of Law is having that day.

"The auction is held on the perfect day," Anderson said. "We are also having our Riley lecture and there will also be a board of visitors meeting. So, the auction is just a good end to an overall exciting day."

The Riley lecture is a lecture on professionalism that will be given by Thomas L. Kilbride, Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. This will be the College of Law's 10th-annual Riley lecture.

The lecture begins at 2 p.m. in the Riley Courtroom, located on the lower level of Swen Parson Hall. There will be a reception immediately following the lecture in the Thurgood Marshall Gallery.

"It is always an honor to have a speaker for the Riley lecture," Anderson said. "This year will be no exception with having Justice Kilbride here."

The board of visitors is a group of people from the community, as well as judges and lawyers who provide a connection between the college and the legal community of Illinois.

"The auction is a wonderful way for students to see the faculty outside of the classroom structure," said LeRoy Pernell, dean and professor of the College of Law. "This is an important event for students to support. The auction is the highlight of the year, and it can begin relationships for students that will benefit them through their entire lives. It is so beneficial for the students and for the community to interact with the board of visitors, the staff and each other in such an informal and comfortable way."

The auction is open to all students and to the general public. For information, call (815) 753-0589.

Although some students may dread a group project, chances are they may learn something.

David Henningsen, an assistant communication professor, said he has taught group communication classes, researched decision making in groups and has published articles on group decision making.

He said group projects are very beneficial for students to partake in.

The learning involves time coordination and preparing students for the advantages and pitfalls of working in a group, he said.

"Better to learn that in school than to learn that in the job where you're blindsided by it," he said.

It seems students also recognize the advantages to working in groups.

Chris Parker, an associate psychology professor, said group projects can help students learn the concepts being taught in the class.

He also said students can talk to each other about what they don't understand. But he said one of the drawbacks is a group member who doesn't carry his or her own weight.

Joanne Castro, a senior health administration major, said she enjoys group projects because she can get other people's input and learn time management skills.

Junior marketing major Joslyn Miller said she thinks group projects are OK, but it depends on how the group members work with each other.

"[The hardest part] is people who don't do their fair share and having a time when everyone can get together."

Mary Kay Meegan, a junior physical therapy major, said she likes group projects, but they do have pitfalls.

"[The pitfalls are] when people don't contribute when one person takes on most of the work and other people take credit for it," she said.

Castro thinks that group projects are a good idea.

"It's gonna help you in the future," she said. "I know a lot of companies do a lot of group work."

Today marks the first day of Greek Week in which Greeks will participate in a variety of charitable and social activities each day dedicated to different issues and events.

Today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Greeks will host a community blood drive, which will take place at Neptune Hall in the Southeast Meeting Room. Anyone who wishes to contribute is encouraged to attend.

The opening ceremony will open at 7 p.m. today with an awards presentation at the Holmes Student Center's Carl Sandburg Auditorium.

A new speaker, Curtis Zimmerman, will headline the event.

One of the biggest charity events this year, Relay for Life, will take place at 6 p.m. Friday at the Student Recreation Center.

The event is expected to go all night until about 6 a.m. Saturday.

Members of Sigma Kappa look forward to a night of walking until the sun comes up.

"Our girls are really pumped," said Natalie Anderson, vice president of recruitment of Collegiate Pan-Hellenic Council and Sigma Kappa member.

The relay will consist of an organized walk for cancer, in which walkers will group together in teams to walk and raise money for the event. Candles can be purchased for lost loved ones.

SAE president Paul Dobbelhoff anticipates the event will bring a great turnout.

"Everyone is really looking forward to it," Dobbelhoff said.

Members of Sigma Kappa actually are planning on putting on pajamas, taking turns napping and trying to walk through the whole night, Anderson said.

The entertainment-event, Showtime at the Apollo talent show, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday. Students who wish to attend will be admitted with one non-perishable item.

The whole week, each house will get graded on a point system for how well it does in each event.

"The winners basically get the bragging rights and the honor of doing well in Greek Week," Anderson said.

Greeks hope the events will further the image of service and community involvement the Greeks are striving to implement.

Anyone who wishes to attend the events or who has questions should call co-chair Crystal Hoppe at 753-5541 or Darnell Bradley at 753-1421.

NIU third baseman Rob Marconi took the good with the bad this weekend as the Huskies took three out of four from Toledo.

On Saturday, Marconi began by hitting two home runs, one in each game and combining for four hits, three RBI's and four runs scored in the two games.

"Well, we knew coming in that Marconi had been swinging a pretty hot bat," Toledo coach Joe Kruzel said. "He's a very good hitter, a very good third baseman and he's a gifted player."

Marconi also did it in the field as he made a diving catch and threw back to first for a double play in the seventh inning of Game 2. NIU had a 4-0 lead at that point and the play helped pitcher Zach Minor finish his day unscathed.

"That was something I needed to do because the play before I made an error," Marconi said. "I needed to help out my pitcher and he gave me another chance to make the play."

Even though Saturday was good to the Huskies and Marconi, Sunday wasn't quite as pleasing.

Marconi combined to go 1-for-8 with five strikeouts as the Huskies split Sunday's twin bill.

Marconi said he takes pride in being a consistent player. But in baseball, an off day will happen.