Red Cross to sponsor disaster relief training
A student chapter of the nationwide group, Physicians for Social Responsibility, is sponsoring a Red Cross Disaster Relief Training session from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in E105 Fee Hall.

Co-chairwoman of the groups and second-year MSU medical student Heather Costelloset up the event to provide a chance for medical students to practice and make use of their skills.

“As medical students, the base motivation is to help people who are in need,” Costello said. “We are a group with a committed desire to help. It feels like we’re getting one step closer to being useful.

“The training session will augment medical school training.”

Ray Thibeault, disaster services coordinator for the American Red Cross Mid-Michigan Chapter, said this is the first course in a series that are required for all local and national Red Cross volunteers.

“It is a very general, overall view of the services of the Red Cross,” he said.

Anyone is welcome to attend. For more information, e-mail Costello at reaheath@msu.edu.

Megan Frye

Civil liberties to be discussed today
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the United States, the MSU community will have a chance to express concerns regarding civil liberties during an open panel discussion from noon to 1 p.m. today at 101 Student Services.

The forum, “What are the Civil Liberties Implications in the Current Crisis,” will consist of panel members from the Lansing branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.

“Following the tragedies, security has been beefed up and policies made by politicians regarding security measures are worthy of scrutiny because they affect one’s civil liberties,” said Henry Silverman, an MSU professor of history and event facilitator.

“With Ashcroft’s proposal that suspicious immigrants should be detained even though they haven’t been charged with anything and people should undergo full body searches at airports, it is evident that these are contradictory to civil liberties and constitutional rights.”

Chris Bombardo, president of the ACLU chapter at the MSU-Detroit College of Law, said the forum will give students a chance to talk to other students about civil liberty issues.

“Although President Bush has handled the situation pretty well until now, it is still important for us to discuss the racial and social problems that will certainly arise in the aftermath of this crisis,” he said.

Okey Umelo

Weekend ceremony to remember Gandhi
The Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students is sponsoring a day of volunteerism and community service to celebrate the life of civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi.

This is the second year the group has held the day-long event, called Gandhi Day.

The event will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and will offer various sites for students to come and perform volunteer activities such as yard work, painting, and other repairs.

Some of the sites for the event will be Lake Lansing Park and Ballentine Stepping Stones, 825 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

Interested volunteers may register beginning at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in the Erickson Hall Kiva.

For more information, call Manish Shah at (517)353-6301.

Camille Spencer