Although its curriculum dates back centuries, the Department of Religious Studies is giving itself a facelift with help from a noted religious scholar. This week, Charles Long, retired professor of the history of religions and former director of the Center of Black Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, will present lectures on the study of religion.
Friday's dedication of a new campus veterinary facility was punctuated by swanky jazz, distinguished guests and a photo-friendly ribbon-cutting. It was an elegant ceremony for a center that will soon house critically ill and contagious large animals. "The animals we get to see here are particularly ill, often critically ill," said Fred Derksen, large animal clinical sciences professor.
MSU administrators are spearheading an initiative that could lead to the creation of two new organizations that aim to spur economic development in the Lansing area. On Sept.
As ASMSU members met with city residents on their front porches - or even inside their houses - they reminded people to be responsible this weekend during the University of Michigan football game. "We need to explain to people what it means to be a Spartan," said Andrew Bell, vice chairperson for external affairs for ASMSU's Student Assembly. Members of ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, went to neighborhoods off Grand River Avenue on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, talking with residents and passing out fliers from Olin Health Center about partying safely.
Bridging the awareness gap between students with disabilities and their peers was the focus of this week's MSU Disability Awareness Week on campus. The Council for Students with Disabilities sponsored several activities this week, which were aimed toward informing people of the disability issues prevalent on campus and in society. Next week, a national Disability Awareness Week will be observed. Val Erwin, history junior and president of the Council for Students with Disabilities, said the week shined light on issues many don't know about. "A lot of people on campus feel students with disabilities are nonexistent," she said.
Jeff Wilson had spent years trying to convince MSU officials to join the Worker Rights Consortium. Yet Wilson, a December graduate, left one semester before MSU President Lou Anna K.
Provost Kim Wilcox is still new to his job - he admits he doesn't know everything about MSU - but plans to learn more about students' issues, Wilcox told ASMSU's Academic Assembly on Tuesday. This is the first time Wilcox has attended a meeting of ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government. "It gave me a chance to appreciate the breadth of concerns students have, and gave me some direction on things I need to be following up on," he said. Academic Assembly Chairperson Bob Murphy said he regularly meets with Wilcox, who Murphy said is receptive to students' interests. Wilcox provided detailed answers to some of the questions ASMSU representatives raised, such as the issue of academic minors or how the university will spend money to improve education. But when Wilcox wasn't familiar with an issue, such as ASMSU's interest in a student fee for IM facilities, he told the representatives what he knew based on past experience and said he would look further into each issue. "I liked the fact that when he didn't know the answer, he just said he didn't know and said he would follow up with that person later," said Steven Ambrose, the assembly's representative for the Alliance of Lesbian, Bi, Gay and Transgender Students. The addition of academic minors has been on the forefront of assembly discussions.
The committees have spoken and a new residential college for the arts and humanities that has been in draft stages for the past year will now move on to becoming a reality. Committee members in the Academic Governance system have expressed support for the college, slated to make its debut in fall 2007, after the proposal was approved by Academic Council on Tuesday. MSU President Lou Anna K.
Andrea Amalfitano said he bleeds green and white. "Heck yeah, I'm glad to be back," he said. Arriving at MSU on Sept.
One month after Hurricane Katrina approached the Gulf Coast, MSU academic leaders are holding a public forum to discuss the social implications of the disaster. Today's seminar, titled "The Cost of Marginalization: Place, Race, Class and Media in the Katrina Catastrophe," is the first in a series of three talks scheduled for the next three weeks. Each of the forums, which are open to the public, will feature a faculty panel to initiate discussion. Panelists will be given time to explain their expertise, and then will be asked several questions by the forum's moderator, said Janet Lillie, an assistant dean in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and a coordinator of the event. "What we really wanted to do was serve the audience's needs," she said.
Several MSU officials and students will gather tonight to celebrate the affiliation of MSU with the national Worker Rights Consortium, or WRC - an organization that monitors and helps eliminate the production of university apparel in sweatshops. The reception, which will take place at 7 p.m.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced last week that all high school students will take a standardized college-entrance exam in place of the MEAP test. Starting the spring of 2007, the ACT and WorkKeys, a work skills assessment, will be implemented for all high school students. "The new testing puts all Michigan students on the path to college," Granholm's spokeswoman, Liz Boyd said.
A project created by MSU students about the Cherokee Nation now appears on the American Indian tribe's national Web site. As part of the class WRA 417: "Multimedia Writing," about 12 students researched and created a project focusing on the Allotment Era - a period between 1887 and 1934 when all of the land owned by U.S.
Annie Dalby wiped away tears as she hugged her sister, Lyndsay Dalby, after Lyndsay handed her a bid card, or invitation, to join Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority Monday afternoon. The Dalby sisters, who are now also sorority sisters, are among the women who participated this past week in the greek system's Recruitment Week - the process of becoming an active sorority member - that culminated in invitations to join different houses Monday. "We're sisters and now we're in the same house, so it means a lot," Annie Dalby said.
The Main Library is holding a contest to help students learn about its services. The winner will receive a free Apple iPod. Students must go to the library and fill out an entry form by 5 p.m.
More students have been using ASMSU-sponsored services - such as legal counsel, copying and fax machines and interest-free loans - since last year, but student government leaders say they are still working to get the word out. "The more people we can service the better," said Andrew Schepers, chairperson of ASMSU's Student Assembly.
As part of East Lansing's International Students and Scholars Week, the Kiwanis Club of East Lansing and Circle K International of MSU will be holding a reception to welcome foreign students. The reception is planned for Wednesday evening from 4-6 p.m.
Business students looking to get involved in on-campus groups will have an opportunity to explore a number of options today at the Eli Broad College of Business Student Organization Fair. The fair will be held tonight from 7-9 p.m.
On Wednesday, MSU will host an immigration forum for students, faculty and community members. The event will take place from 4-6 p.m.
Kristin Frey stood to the side, watching her younger sister display her moves in a big-screen version of the game Dance Dance Revolution. Frey, a predental sophomore, said she doesn't think she could play the video game, but enjoyed watching her sister dance to the music. "I have never tried it," she said.