Sunday, December 21, 2025

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

News | Msu

MSU

Faculty hierarchy questioned

Laura Collins
October 28, 2005

As the acting chair of the Department of Family Practice, Linda French works in the clinic three to four days a week and spends other time teaching or in administrative meetings leading the department. But when French, a fixed-term faculty member in the College of Human Medicine, came to MSU six years ago, she tried to become involved in university decisions but could only participate in committees that dealt with naming buildings, not any council in the Academic Governance system. "To me, it didn't seem to be things of importance," French said.

MSU

Donors give $4M for salaries, scholarships

MSU College of Law President Clifton Haley and his wife Carolyn are committed to donating $4 million to the law college to fund full scholarships for students and to establish two endowed chairs. Haley, a 1961 graduate of the college, formerly known as the Detroit College of Law, has served as president of the law college since 2001. "I felt it was necessary to give back and show leadership," Haley said.

MSU

Action-minded students gather

Students at several Michigan colleges participated in National Take Affirmative Action Day on Thursday to raise awareness about affirmative action issues. At MSU, several students dressed in black, showing solidarity with affirmative action supporters, and handed out information at six locations on campus.

MSU

Global, area studies major to be added in fall

Laura Collins
October 27, 2005

As of next fall, students will have the opportunity to explore and study regional cultures and current issues weighing heavily on the globe as part of a new major offered at MSU. Global and area studies, a new undergraduate degree, was approved at Tuesday's Academic Council meeting as part of a report from the University Committee on Curriculum. James Madison College offers a major in international relations, and the interdisciplinary studies in social science major provides an international focus.

MSU

Survey: Female executives earn less than males

Top female executives in Michigan consistently earn less than their male counterparts — an average of 49 cents to the dollar — even though female representation on top companies' boards of directors has risen slightly since 2003. A study released Monday by the MSU Institute for Public Policy and Social Research shows women's hold on the top 100 largest publicly held corporations in the state is slipping. The Women's Leadership Index was the second study conducted by the group concerning women in top business positions, said Nat Ehrlich, a survey specialist. "It was started in 2003 to look at how women are doing in leadership roles," he said.

MSU

International jobs focus of fair

Melissa Domsic
October 27, 2005

More than 500 people visited the Union on Wednesday to find out how they can intern with the U.S. Department of State, volunteer at a local refugee center and set up sport and recreational programs in economically disadvantaged areas of the world. There were about 40 other programs included at the annual MSU International Opportunities Fair. The fair began two years ago after members of MSU's Office of Study Abroad organized it with the help of faculty at the University of Michigan, said Cindy Chalou, assistant director of the Office of Study Abroad. "By doing that collaborative effort, we've been able to draw in people from as far away as the (United Kingdom)," Chalou said. Last year's event featured more exhibitors because it included graduate schools with an international focus, but Chalou said this year's is more directed toward undergraduates. Yvonne Wood and Andrew Hewitt said they went to the fair to find something to do in their time between graduating from MSU and starting graduate school. "You don't have to rush into a cubicle job," said Hewitt, an international relations senior.

MSU

Day explores travel methods

Jennifer Toland
October 27, 2005

The third national Campus Sustainability Day was celebrated at MSU on Wednesday with a variety of events, including an information fair and a transportation study. Volunteers for the transportation study either drove a car, walked or rode a bicycle starting from five different locations on campus, said Terry Link, director of the Office of Campus Sustainability. The study was conducted to test how long it takes walkers, drivers and bikers to travel. At least one walker, one bike rider and one driver left from such campus buildings as the Clinical Center, the Nisbet Building, the Communication Arts and Sciences Building and the Student Services Building, before arriving at the Administration Building. "We operate under different concepts of getting from Point A to Point B on this campus in terms of time," Link said. Although the official results of the study won't be available until later in the week, Link said different modes of transportation proved faster depending on the starting point. But, he said, people might be surprised with how little the differences between the three modes turned out to be.

MSU

Council approves 18 changes to majors

Laura Collins
October 26, 2005

As of fall 2006, the university will offer a bachelor's degree in Global and Area Studies, a new major in the College of Social Science. The news of this major was part of the University Committee on Curriculum's short report presented and approved at Tuesday's Academic Council meeting. James Madison College Professor Michael Schechter presented the short report at the meeting. Retailing is another new major at MSU, which will be a doctorate program and become effective in spring 2006.

MSU

Enrichment seminar begins Thurs. night

Jennifer Toland
October 26, 2005

Starting on Thursday, a three-week self-enrichment seminar will begin to teach personal leadership, management and motivation. Motivational speaker Keturah Jones will teach the seminar. "It will give tools to work with for reaching your goals," Jones said. The seminar is from 7-9 p.m.

MSU

ASMSU still lobbying for lower rates

Melissa Domsic
October 26, 2005

Following a bill from ASMSU's Student Assembly that looked into lowering parking meter rates on campus, representatives are still working to get support from the university. The initial bill was approved Sept.

MSU

Fashion show raises fair labor issues

Members of Students for Economic Justice, or SEJ, held a fashion show featuring MSU apparel Tuesday in front of the Administration Building. The event was meant to show students and staff that merchandise bearing the MSU name and logo might possibly still be made in sweatshops. The group also wanted to push university officials to strengthen their role in the Worker Rights Consortium, or WRC, said Courtney Couvreur, a mathematics junior and SEJ member.

MSU

MSU community reflects on Parks' life, death

Although Rosa Lee Parks made history after refusing to forfeit her seat on a bus in 1955, many in the MSU community view her recent death as equally notable. Parks died of natural causes in her home Monday at the age of 92. History professor Maureen Flanagan said Parks' long life shows what advances have been made and where society is in terms of civil rights. "It reminds us how long the civil rights struggle has been since the '50s," she said.

MSU

Muslim convert faces lingering stereotypes

When David Stepien converted to Islam in September, he knew it would raise a few eyebrows in his hometown of Pinckney, Mich. "I can tell you the number of Muslims there and it's zero," he said.

MSU

6 MSU students in running for awards

Kristen Daum
October 25, 2005

Six MSU seniors and a 2005 graduate have been nominated for the Marshall, Rhodes, and Mitchell Scholarships. Physiology and political science senior Farhan Bhatti, environmental sciences and management senior Jacob Phelps, and 2005 graduate William Sulton are being considered for the Rhodes Scholarship, which awards its recipients a chance to study at Oxford University in England. Marshall Scholarship nominees are chemical engineering senior Tim Howes, statistics senior Karl Rohe, history senior Shanti Zaid and Sulton.

MSU

Students deep clean Red Cedar

Laura Leebove
October 24, 2005

Dressed in a full-body wetsuit, neon green board shorts and flip-flops, zoology freshman Ryan O'Hagan heaved out the first of 28 bikes salvaged from the Red Cedar River during the fall river cleanup event hosted by the Fisheries & Wildlife Club on Sunday. The bike O'Hagan found was falling apart, its wheels had no spokes and it was covered in mud. Other items found in the river include thong underwear, three tables, a Target shopping cart, a bike rack with two bikes attached, a fire extinguisher, three purses, two vacuums and two wallets. One of the purses was still intact with everything in it, so someone called the owner and she came to pick it up, said fisheries and wildlife junior Chris Homeister. "You never know what you're going to find," said Homeister, also a member of the Fisheries & Wildlife Club and an event coordinator. Students started arriving at around 9:30 a.m.

MSU

See City Council hopefuls tonight

Melissa Domsic
October 24, 2005

With about two weeks left to decide who to vote for during the Nov. 8 East Lansing City Council election, the four candidates will meet on campus tonight to answer questions at a student-organized forum. ASMSU is hosting the event, which is at 7 p.m.