Meat permitted during holiday
Catholics can celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Irish stew and corned beef hash today without breaking the Lenten tradition of not eating meat on Fridays. Bishop Carl Mengeling, of the Diocese of Lansing, announced that Catholics could eat meat on St.
Med center opens in Fee Hall
A new academic center on campus is a place for students in four different medical disciplines to practice the same basic clinical abilities — from communicating with a patient to gathering data and documenting their experiences. The Learning and Assessment Center, a collaborative project of the colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Human Medicine, Nursing and Osteopathic Medicine, opened for business Thursday in Fee Hall. The new center offers a number of practice rooms loaded with equipment to allow students to practice the skills they will use in their future medical careers. Some labs, such as the simulation laboratory, have an array of "partial task trainers," or plastic models of body parts where students can practice inserting IVs, performing spinal taps and administering injections to joints. The "Sim Man" room is completely outfitted like a modern emergency room, which features a lifelike, computer-controlled mannequin that can be programmed to simulate a variety of symptoms and conditions, including a full heart attack. The center's director, Ruth Hoppe, said another important aspect of the center is its evaluation function. "It allows us to assess whether our students are ready to go into a real patient setting," Hoppe said. "This makes us more accountable to the community as well, because we know our students are not only knowledgeable, but able to perform the necessary tasks." College of Human Medicine Dean Marsha Rappley said the partnership between the four schools is a unique one in the nation. "It allows for an interdisciplinary team-learning model that is so critical in health care," Rappley said. "This is a critical resource for our students who will apply this knowledge soon in practice." Nursing junior Markia Jones was on hand for the grand opening to help demonstrate some of the training simulations that will take place in the center. She said the opportunity to practice in the lab environment was good because of how nervous most students feel when they go into the real world of hospital work. "It's great because you're more familiar with the skill that you get checked off in the lab," Jones said.
WEB EXTRA: Word on the street
What are you planning on doing for St. Patrick's Day? "I'm most likely going to start the day at Crunchy's and bar hop through East Lansing.
WEB EXTRA: E.L. residents discuss future of city parks, recreation programs
Gathered around tables in groups of five, armed with markers and paper, East Lansing residents discussed, brainstormed and even fantasized. More than 50 community members attended the interactive community forum Wednesday night at Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbott Road, to discuss the future of parks and recreation programs in East Lansing.
Ribbon-cutting today for new MSU center
A grand opening ceremony and tour of MSU's new Learning and Assessment Center will begin at 3 p.m.
WEB EXTRA: Meeting to address dorm renovation schedule
An informational session about the renovation of Snyder and Phillips halls will be held at 4:30 p.m.
Incoming students lack basic skills
College officials across the country have some stern advice for high school students preparing to enter the world of higher education — take college prep classes. A survey released by The Chronicle of Higher Education last week reveals that significantly more university professors think incoming freshmen are unprepared for college level course work than their high school teachers. According to the report, 84 percent of college instructors surveyed said incoming students did not have the study skills needed to be successful in college upon entrance.
Free show could be reward for volunteers
Students who volunteer time for community projects could soon turn their hours into free tickets for a concert. Student government officials discovered The 10,000 Hours Show, a concert celebrating students who volunteer at least 10 hours per year, and are working to bring the project to East Lansing. ASMSU officials attended a conference in Iowa, which is where the show originated in 2002.
Election results declared official; Whitmer wins
Tuesday's election results — in which Rep. Gretchen Whitmer defeated Vince Green to win the 23rd District state Senate seat — became official Wednesday. The board of canvassers met Wednesday and approved the results, in which Whitmer received 80 percent of votes, said Ingham County Clerk Mike Bryanton. According to the county clerk's office, 17,981 ballots were cast across the county out of 184,621 registered voters, for a turnout of slightly less than 10 percent, about 3 percent higher than last month's primary. Turnout in East Lansing slightly exceeded the county's at about 10.1 percent. The city has 26,855 registered voters and 2,722 ballots were cast. On campus 153 ballots were cast — an improvement from the 35 cast in the primary.
Jewish Studies to gain new prof
A Columbia University senior associate is joining the Jewish Studies Program next fall as the program's first Michael and Elaine Serling and Friends Israel Studies Chair. Yael Aronoff will serve as an assistant professor in James Madison College when she begins her appointment Aug.
Patch treats depression
Patients now have more options to treat major depression after federal officials approved the first antidepressant skin patch. The Food and Drug Administration approved the once-a-day skin patch — expected to be available to consumers in April — that delivers Emsam, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, through the skin and into the bloodstream at a constant rate. Greta DeWolf, National Alliance on Mental Illness of Michigan vice president, said the patch offers another option for patients who are resistant to other antidepressants.
Groups report on faculty issues, will vote in April
Five task forces charged with improving faculty input in university decisions updated members of Faculty Council on their progress Tuesday, in preparation for the council's final vote on some of the recommendations next month. The committees, called the Faculty Voice Task Forces, started looking this semester at five issues — restructuring the Academic Governance system, reviewing administrators, reviewing academic programs, defining the role of fixed-term faculty and improving communication within the system. The task forces were formed after the Faculty Voice report was released last year, which was written after some faculty members felt left out of important university decisions.
Mayors adjust to new roles
Virg Bernero is the first to admit he's not one to mince words. Speaking to a group of public relations professionals in late February, he called Republicans "nonsensical" and then confessed that running a city has made him more Republican. He drew laughs apologizing for a clash he had with Lansing's City Council, blaming his temper on his Italian heritage. "Do I have a temper?
Bursting its banks
Students returning from spring break this week were welcomed back with warm temperatures and muddy, flooded sidewalks.
Student's U.S. court date adjourned to April 18
MSU student Brandon Yuille's March 7 court appearance on charges of computer hacking and copyright infringement was adjourned to April 18, according to the U.S.
Granholm signs waste dumping legislation
Michigan residents, environmentalists and lawmakers said they're tired of waiting for the federal government to stop international trash invasion. "Michigan cannot sit back and wait on Congress," Gov.
Senate OKs pay increase
The Senate passed a bill last week which would incrementally increase Michigan's minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.40 per hour by July 2008. Senate Bill 318 was passed March 9 by a unanimous vote.
WEB EXTRA: LCC president declines labor department position
Paula Cunningham, who left her post as president of Lansing Community College last month, said she will not pursue a position as the director of Michigan's Department of Labor and Economic Growth.