This letter is in response to the column by Lana Ulrich, "Readers: Current events includes more than celebrity news" (Nov. 13).

I have no doubt that much of what Ulrich explains is true. Most people are greatly enthralled with some portion of celebrity news, and rightly so.

I know that when I heard that Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe were getting a divorce, my day was slightly dampened.

The problem lies more in students' apathy in current events than their interest in celebrities. An interest in celebrities is not bad as long as college students are still knowledgeable about the true news in today's world.

All students have to do to remain up-to-date with the news is read the newspaper or watch the news a few times a week. Maybe if an hour a week was taken away from reading US Weekly and was applied to USA Today.

After all, it is a shame that the majority of Penn State students have the power to vote, yet they do not even know the issues they are voting on. Ulrich's column explains that, as she states, "War in Iraq? Who cares! Nicole and Paris are friends again!"

I have no doubt that students are aware that the current events do extend beyond celebrity gossip. However, some students just do not care.

The higher interest in gossip over news is the problem we need to solve.