The Jambar

Youngstown State University's Kilcawley Center is "comedy central" this week for the International Society of Humor Studies' 17th annual conference on humor, featuring speakers from YSU and more than 20 different countries. With open mic comedy night, scholarly projects, wings and research papers, the ISHS brings a unique brand of humor research to Youngstown State University with its annual conference. The event has been held in France, Italy, England, Japan and Hawaii. ISHS members traveled from around the world to YSU for the gathering, which began Monday in Kilcawley Center and will run through Friday.

With their contracts set to expire in August, Youngstown State University's Ohio Education Association and the Association of Classified Employees at YSU are negotiating their future contracts with the university. A hearing is set for June 29 to determine whether the contract proposals should continue to be released to the public. The ACE union met with university negotiators on May 25 and again on June 7. Christine Domhoff, the union's president, said there had not been any real negotiating talks as of yesterday. She said the two sides were scheduled to meet again yesterday afternoon.

The doors of the Wick Pollock Inn must stay locked a bit longer after university talks with Cleveland developing company Paran Management were broken off last week. The company was negotiating with the university over redeveloping the inn that has been closed since 1998. John Habat, Youngstown State University's vice president of administration, said talks with the company had come to a standstill because the university wished to negotiate a better deal. Habat said the university may pursue talks with other developing companies, but in the meantime the inn would have to be put on hold.

Imagine a long-awaited trip to Italy. Romantic rides on gondolas, beautiful architecture, gorgeous blue skies, delicious food, the chance to study Bembo. It sounds like the perfect vacation, right? Well, maybe up until the part about Bembo. Most people don't know who - or what - Bembo is, and studying isn't something a person usually wants to do on vacation. But for Youngstown State University professor Eleanor Congdon, it sounds like a great trip. Researching Bembo is the most exciting and important part of her trip to Venice and Florence, and Bembo is actually the reason she is able to go to Italy.