**Blogging study shows it may decrease stress levels**

OHIO UNIVERSITY —- Stress balls, nail-biting and meditation might be stress relievers of the past after a study showed blogging is a form of therapy for college-age students.

A recent study found bloggers receive positive psychological effects — similar to those of keeping a diary — from journaling their inner thoughts, but the engagement found in the online format offered even more benefits than the traditional pen-and-paper diaries.

Online blogging offers a method of organizing and condensing the writer’s thoughts that can often be beneficial said Hans Meyer, an Ohio University journalism professor.

In the study, 161 students were divided into six groups, two of whom blogged about emotional problems and two who blogged about whatever came to mind; the other two groups kept a print diary as a control group.

Psychologists analyzed the blog entries and determined that the greatest improvement in relative mood came from the group that blogged about their problems and had commenters respond.

— The Post
By Joshua Jamerson

**New CSUF projects help in fight against obesity**

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, Fullerton — In recognition of Cal State Fullerton’s proactive stance on childhood obesity and health education, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has recently awarded CSUF more than $800,000 in grants.

It is the first time the USDA has helped fund the school. The grants will go to three new programs starting up on campus that will help promote nutrition education and the fight against childhood obesity.

Archana J. McEligot, associate professor of health science at CSUF, is the director of two of the new programs. The first project, Nutrition for a Changing World (NCW), is a joint collaboration with University of California, Davis, a premier nutrition institution.

The project will train 80 diverse students in nutrition and childhood obesity.

“The nice thing about it is the students will get exposure to leading scientists in the field through our collaboration with UC Davis,” said McEligot.

—The Daily Titan
By Danny Chau

**Penn State spends millions in response to Sandusky scandal**

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY — Penn State has spent more than $3.19 million in fees for legal counsel and public relations in the first two months after the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case came to light.

Of that roughly $3 million, a little less than $2.5 million went toward funding Judge Louis Freeh’s independent and internal investigation of the university’s actions surrounding the Sandusky sex abuse case, according to a website launched Monday by the university to follow through on plans on increasing transparency. The website, openness.psu.edu, will serve as a portal for information on the ongoing investigations surrounding the scandal, as well as other information about the university.

The university is also paying $210,309 for the legal defense of former President Graham Spanier, former Athletic Director Tim Curley and former interim Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz, according to the website.

Curley and Schultz have both been charged with perjury in connection with the case; Spanier has not been charged. Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon did not comment on why Spanier has legal fees allocated for Spanier.

The university spent $467,940 on university legal services and defense, according to the website. Of that, $395,735 went to university legal defense, according to figures provided by Mahon — the remaining $108,205 went to legal fees to contract negotiations.

About $50,000 went toward externally initiated investigations, according to the website.

—The Daily Collegian
By Megan Rogers and Danae Blasso