MSU
Independence workshop to be held in Nov.
The MSU Product Center will sponsor a Road to Independence workshop Nov. 7 at the Jackson County MSU Extension Office, 1715 Lansing Ave.
MSU
RHA to remove channels from graduate housing, university apartments this semester
Residents of Spartan Village, Cherry Lane Apartments and Owen Hall will no longer receive Residence Halls Association channels because they don't pay RHA taxes. Channels 11 and 12 will be broadcast through RHA exclusively to undergraduate residence halls on campus. "Our primary focus is undergraduate halls.
MSU
WEB EXTRA: 2002 grad named second-youngest of '15 to Watch' in public relations
Jim O'Leary, a 2002 MSU graduate, was chosen as the second-youngest member of PR News Online's "15 to Watch" award for his work in the public relations department. "He's got not only the work ethic, but the self-confidence and the passion, which are all critical to being a leader," said Michael Holland, director of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, and O'Leary's supervisor.
MSU
Simon to speak at university program
MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon will speak at noon today at the State of the Public Universities Program at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The program was organized by the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan — a Lansing-based nonprofit organization that serves Michigan's 15 state universities.
MSU
Campus traffic circle to be remodeled
One of the last traffic circles on campus is set to transform into a four-way intersection by August. The reconstruction of the traffic circle at Red Cedar and Wilson roads is part of the 2020 Vision plan — an outline for campus development until 2020 — and is necessary to handle increased traffic on campus during the construction of the Farm Lane underpass, university officials said. The MSU Board of Trustees approved construction on the traffic circle at its Sept.
MSU
Candidates attend tailgate, campaign with student fans
Gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis were a few of the high-profile Michigan Republicans who came to campus Saturday for the football game against Notre Dame. At a booth set up near the entrance to Spartan Stadium, students got a chance to voice their concerns and ask questions of candidates and active politicians. "It's a chance to talk to a candidate that was walking around," said John Knowles, who helped organize the event and is running for the 69th District seat in the state House of Representatives against Democratic opponent Mark Meadows.
MSU
Student tells of Lebanon travels
Thursday night was the first time Waleed Brinjikji, an MSU physiology senior, shared his story on campus about how his family's trip to Lebanon turned into a fight for their lives. In mid-July, Brinjikji and some of his family, including his mother, visited Lebanon in hopes of seeing some of their family's heritage. When fighting began between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, a political and military group stationed in Lebanon, he sensed the danger of the situation. Brinjikji and his family were forced into hiding, spending countless nights fearing for their lives as bombs were dropped near the home in which they were living. With the help of others, Brinjikji and his family were finally able to escape to Syria and return to the United States. The night began with Yusuf Begg, an economics senior with the MSU Muslim Students' Association, who said the event was not meant to place blame or decide who was right or wrong, but instead to strictly focus on this family's tough journey. Begg, who had known Brinjikji from a local Mosque near their hometowns, said he was alarmed when he heard what happened to Brinjikji but was hopeful of what people could take away from the presentation. "Now that he is back, I hope people can go on with an open mind and become more aware of the events going on around them," Begg said. After Begg finished speaking, Brinjikji began vividly describing what he and his family went through, including witnessing building and car explosions. "I wanted to go into this talk with a nonpolitical outlook," Brinjikji said.
MSU
Simon pushes for MSU's role to expand in bio-economy
Michigan needs to focus on building research, agriculture and manufacturing assets to be successful in a global economy, MSU President Lou Anna K.
MSU
Wharton to offer free theater workshop
The Stratford Festival of Canada is coming to Wharton Center from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. The event will feature nearly a dozen actors and provide students with participatory learning activities, including lecture demonstrations and master classes.
MSU
Profs earn international accolades
The French government honored two MSU professors for their work in the humanitarian studies of French culture. Anna Norris and Ehsan Ahmed, professors in the MSU French, Classics and Italian department, were named Chevaliers dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, or Knights in the Order of Academic Palms — one of the oldest and most-honored awards a person can receive from the French government. MSU professors previously have been recognized four other times. Professor and department chairman John Rauksaid said both professors are great representations of what the department and university want out of their teachers. "We, as a department, are very honored by two of our professors receiving this title," Rauk said.
MSU
Pimpology
Mattresses lined the floor of Wonders Hall Kiva on Thursday night as part of a program teaching students about maintaining healthy sexual relationships. "Pimpology: It's About the Relationship," a program initiated by Case Hall resident mentor Evan Fowler-Guzzardo, is designed to teach students how to carry on healthy, meaningful relationships — including sexual ones. "It's about the relationship between you and your significant other, you and your roommate and even how you understand yourself," Fowler-Guzzardo said. Using the word "pimp" in the event's title puzzled some students who attended, but Fowler-Guzzardo said the reason for it was simple. "I chose the name Pimpology because I wanted to show that being a player or being a pimp isn't constructive to the kinds of relationships that are so meaningful in college.
MSU
Focus on bioeconomy
When Mariam Sticklen watched gas prices nearly quadruple during the oil crisis of the 1970s, the then-Ohio State graduate student knew she had to do something to help. "Back in the '70s, we didn't do anything to start solving problems, and that was the time to start," Sticklen said. Sticklen then moved to Michigan and into the emerging field of biotechnology to research ethanol production.
MSU
Study: U.S. sex assault programs inadequate
A study conducted by an MSU professor revealed that sexual assault educational services across the nation need improvement.
MSU
Dean: College's future looks high tech
After spending more than two decades at MSU, Marsha Rappley said she's still learning. The MSU College of Human Medicine graduate and former nurse has been an MSU faculty member since 1988 and was named dean of the college Friday. "My learning curve was very steep and continues to be very steep," said Rappley, who served as acting dean of the college for the past year. Rappley said there will be a lot of hard work ahead, as plans for the college's expansion to Grand Rapids move into the final stages, and she begins collaborating with other MSU colleges. "It's a challenge to keep movement on all fronts, and it's important in research and clinical enterprise," Rappley said. The medical college is looking at creating joint-degree programs with other colleges, such as the College of Engineering, and integrating more technology into classes, she said. "The synergy between engineering and medicine is enormous," Rappley said.
MSU
Innovations: Tomatoes
Name: Robert Last, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and other researchers from MSU, the University of Michigan and the University of Arizona Department: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Date of research: Last has been working with tomatoes for about six months. Type of research: Plant biology and genetics Basics of research: "We are interested in finding the genes that are involved in making trichomes, the little hairs on plants, and the chemicals involved in making the chemicals in the little hairs," Last said.
MSU
Comforting cotton
Victims of Hurricane Katrina will be warmer this winter as a result of a clothing drive that collected denim for insulation on Tuesday in front of Shaw Hall. Cotton Inc. and the MSU Public Relations Student Society of America, or PRSSA, hosted Cotton's Dirty Laundry Tour, which is a 14-stop nationwide event to educate students about cotton clothing. MSU is the second stop of the tour. The event served as an outlet for the "Cotton.
MSU
Simon visits Capitol to discuss economy
MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon will meet with industry and university leaders from the U.S. and Mexico for a conference in Washington, D.C., today. The conference will be held by the Council on Competitiveness and the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness to talk about obstacles both countries face in a global economy. The groups will discuss forming strong links between higher-education institutions in the countries and workforce training.
MSU
Free poetry event to be held on campus
The University Activities Board will be hosting an MSU Def Poetry Jam at 9 p.m. on Friday in the International Center.
MSU
U-M president faces MCRI
Lansing — As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to allow the consideration of race when admitting students, University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman visited Lansing yesterday, encouraging high school students to apply for colleges within the state. Since lawsuits were filed against U-M because of the possible use of race as a factor to determine admission, the university has experienced a decline in applicants, particularly minorities. "We experienced a significant drop around 2002-03 as the case became more visible and national," said Veronica Johnson, director of the University of Michigan-Lansing Service Center.
MSU
Pro-life rally features speakers, musicians
College students from across the state gathered on MSU's campus Saturday afternoon for an annual pro-life rally. The event was sponsored by MSU Students for Life, a pro-life group that educates the MSU community about abortion.