Campus briefs

Safeway lot scene of domestic attack

A non-affiliate woman was sent to the hospital Sunday night after being attacked by her boyfriend in the parking lot of Safeway across the street from the university, police said.

It was "an argument between the boyfriend and girlfriend that escalated into a fight," said a Santa Clara police officer who responded to the site of the incident, directly across the street from several Santa Clara residence halls.

The couple was separated by bystanders, said the officer, but not before the woman sustained injuries to her mouth. Among those who intervened were the on-duty Safeway manager, who has declined to comment on his role in the incident, as well as another employee.

Police arrived on the scene at 6:22 p.m. to find that the boyfriend, who has been identified as Jonathan Martinez, 25, of Santa Nella, had fled, said Patricia Lynch, a Santa Clara police spokeswoman.

Lynch said police are still actively looking for Martinez, also non-affiliated with the university, and have no information about the charges he may face.

Anyone with information regarding the incident may call Santa Clara police at (408) 615-4700.

Sociology professor one of 25 in Calif. honored as Carnegie Faculty Fellow

Lauren Nichols, associate professor of sociology, was one of 25 faculty members from public and private universities throughout California to be selected as a faculty fellow for the California Campus Compact-Carnegie Foundation.

For the next two years, Nichols will work on "Service Learning for Political Engagement Programs" with colleagues that span a broad range of disciplines, including art, chemistry, computer science and Spanish.

The fellowship is aimed at "bringing tenure or tenure track faculty together to design and implement a service-learning course geared towards increasing students' understanding, skills and motivation for political engagement," according to the California Campus Compact Web site.

Nichols' participation in the program will begin with a three-day institute at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching this summer.

From staff reports. E-mail news@thesantaclara.com.