Wednesday, February 25, 2026

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

Campus

MSU

Hidden treasures

Corinne Devries
April 21, 2006

Tiny toys on fishing wire hang down from the ceiling. The cash register has a small fortune from a fortune cookie taped to the front of it that reads, "You love Chinese food." Tucked away in Kresge Art Center, the Spartan Art Store, also known as the Kresge Art Store, has been a crucial part of art students' lives since 1969. Much like an MSU book store sells everything a student could need, the Kresge Art Store sells almost everything artistic, from canvas to paints to sketch pads. "They have most everything you'll need for class in stock," art education senior Arielle Popkey said. Popkey said she comes into the store a few times every day and gets coffee every morning. Last year, she bought her roommates toys from the store for a gift exchange, Popkey said.

MSU

Pushing for change

About 20 MSU students wearing blue shirts gathered in and near the public bathrooms in Wells Hall on Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to raise awareness about transgender issues on campus. The students — members of TransAction, a discussion group for transgender individuals and allies, and Phi Tau Mu, an organization for female-to-male transgender students — were part of a "bathroom crawl." They traveled to a number of bathrooms across campus spreading information about such issues as creating gender-neutral bathrooms in university buildings. Mathematics senior Courtney Couvreur helped spread pamphlets at the event.

MSU

WEB EXTRA: Committee to combine task forces' recommendations

Kristen Daum
April 20, 2006

The final reports of five committees looking to increase faculty input in university decisions will be assessed by one new committee — lengthening the amount of time before the committees can impact the Academic Governance system. Faculty Council approved the formation of an integration committee Tuesday, which will begin looking at reports released this week from four of the committees. The five committees, called the Faculty Voice Task Force Groups, were created last fall to address faculty's role in specific issues — such as restructuring the Academic Governance system, reviewing administrators and academic programs, defining the role of fixed-term faculty and improving communication within the system. Four committees presented their final recommendations at Tuesday's meeting, and the task force looking at the structure of the Academic Governance system is scheduled to issue its final report in October. The proposal of an integration committee came on behalf of the Executive Committee of Academic Council, which now has the responsibility to form the new committee. Although the proposal passed without any formal discussion, several faculty members voiced their concerns throughout the meeting about having an integration committee. "Having an integration committee is counterproductive," said Wolfgang Bauer, chairperson of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and chairperson for the communications task force. "We have an opportunity to occupy a leadership position here, so let's not send it to another committee," Bauer said of his task force's recommendations. The integration committee will look at combining the task forces' various recommendations into a single package and assess the costs of carrying them out.

MSU

WEB EXTRA: Event to create discussion on extending MSU's international reach

Holly Klaft
April 20, 2006

In 1855, MSU helped to define what it meant to be a land-grant institution, teaching agriculture, technical skills and a variety of other studies to the working classes. Now, more than 150 years later, members of the MSU community are looking to extend the university's international reach, and are attempting to define what it would mean for MSU to be a world-grant institution. "We've built a university to serve not only Michigan, but the world," said Jeffrey Riedinger, acting dean of International Studies and Programs.

MSU

Students dance for awareness

By Toshira Johnson For The State News A day of swing dancing got the Comm Arts Dance-Nic celebration off on the right foot by wowing the crowd with jumpin', jivin' and swingin' routines.

MSU

Innovations: Freedom of the press

Lindsay Machak
April 20, 2006

Name: Assistant Professor Eric Freedman Department: Journalism Title of research project: After the Tulip Revolution, Press Freedoms, Constraints and Competition in Kyrgyzstan Date of research: Freedman has been researching journalism-related topics involving Central Asia since 2002 after he returned from teaching in Uzbekistan. Basics of the project: Freedman is looking at how the press environment has changed in Kyrgyzstan after the Tulip Revolution in March 2005, during which the president of the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan was overthrown. Freedman will be studying press coverage and press freedom as some of the topics for the project. Since the Tulip Revolution, the government in Kyrgyzstan has become more democratic, he said.

MSU

MSU 'TransGeneration' star wins award

April 8 was an important day for MSU graduate student T.J. Jourian. The advocate for transgender awareness was in Los Angeles accepting an award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD, for his involvement with the documentary "TransGeneration." During the acceptance speech in the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, he knelt down to one knee and proposed to Staci Gunner, his girlfriend and MSU student. Charlize Theron and the cast of "Will & Grace" gave the couple a standing ovation as Gunner accepted the proposal. "We were looking at each other and there was yelling and clapping and screaming," Gunner said.

MSU

New steps

Beneath the large garage doors backstage in the Breslin Center, Nicole Mancuso restarted Aerosmith's song "Dream On" on her iPod and began practicing a dance routine again. With intense concentration, the communication freshman punched her arms outward before throwing her body into a graceful spin on tiptoe to the music as she and 26 other women warmed up for the MSU Dance Team tryouts last week. Moments later, each would perform before a panel of judges at center court. Each would have a chance to dance alongside others, and, finally, by themselves. "I've done everything I can, so hopefully I have a good one," Mancuso said before the tryouts began. It was the second round of tryouts hosted by the student-managed MSU Dance Team, an about 15-member team that has performed routines to music at all football and men's basketball games and some special events for four seasons, team captains Jennifer Chiroyan and Justine Richards said. The team has no coach, no official choreographer, no home-practice area and no official sponsor to send them away to competition, although it does receive money for uniforms and training camps from the athletic department, Richards said. Captains and current team members managed the tryouts and gave team-hopefuls a day to learn two routines and a day to practice before putting each dancer to the test. This year was the first time incoming freshmen were able to audition for the team. "It's very stressful," Chiroyan said.

MSU

ASMSU gains power to select representatives

Kristi Jourdan
April 18, 2006

The power to elect undergraduate students to academic committees is now in the hands of student government officials. The MSU Board of Trustees approved a proposal Thursday transferring power from faculty to ASMSU members to select student representatives to the Academic Governance system. The proposal amends the bylaws of the Academic Governance system that affect ad hoc committees, which are temporary committees formed by administrators to discuss specific issues that arise throughout the year. The Academic Governance system reviews university legislation and takes action on issues, such as adding academic minors to the university's curriculum and other academic issues. This proposal should "strengthen the hand of students in governance," said Jon Sticklen, chairman of the Executive Committee of Academic Council. "Like every other part of governance, it really is dependent on the grassroots folk to let their representatives know what they think," Sticklen said.

MSU

Group to announce initiative to help create Mich. jobs

Josh Jarman
April 17, 2006

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon will join Gov. Jennifer Granholm and others today to announce a new federally-funded, $15-million plan to create more jobs in Michigan. Simon and the governor will be joined by former Lansing Mayor David Hollister and Emily Stover DeRocco, U.S.

MSU

Residence Halls Association seeks PR director

Fredricka Paul
April 17, 2006

The Residence Halls Association, or RHA, is looking for a Director of Public Relations and Advertising. Duties include, but aren't limited to, serving as RHA's spokesperson publicizing all RHA meetings, hall government events and caucus events as well as preparing press releases, talking with the media and designing advertisements.

MSU

MSU law clinic to expand services with grant

Holly Klaft
April 17, 2006

When Lansing resident Mike Salim needed help with contracts for his small business he sought the advice of the MSU Small Business & Nonprofit Law Clinic. Salim, the owner of three stores, has sought legal advice from the clinic regarding contracts and claims for his businesses on three occasions. "They have wonderful services and have always guided me to the right directions," said Salim, who owns Gold Touch, 5330 W.

MSU

Program may relocate to Arts & Letters

Kristen Daum
April 14, 2006

MSU's apparel and textile design program could find a more permanent home in the College of Arts & Letters beginning next fall. A proposal in the Academic Governance system would move apparel and textile design from its present location in the College of Human Ecology, but officials are not sure yet if Arts & Letters would be a good fit for the program. "This could be a wonderful match, but how the major fits in — we don't know yet," said June Youatt, dean of undergraduate studies and acting dean of the College of Human Ecology.

MSU

Mixed-race conference planned

When international relations senior Jaime Chao applied to MSU, she had to choose the race with which she identified, she said.

MSU

RHA works to end racism

Fredricka Paul
April 13, 2006

Racism — not in their halls. Officials from the Residence Halls Association, or RHA, have created a campaign called "Not in Our Hall" to help fight racism in dorms. The program aims to include residence hall student governments to convey the same message — that racism and discrimination won't be tolerated. Vic Maurer, RHA's director of Racial, Ethnic and Progressive Affairs, said the idea came from something Wilson Hall's student government did last year to help stop discrimination against black students. "We decided to make it campuswide," Maurer said, adding that RHA officials wanted it to reflect the different incidents that happened all over campus. Maurer said RHA officials made the program optional for hall governments because it would be more valuable if student leaders took the initiative to start it.

MSU

Cutting out calories

Holly Klaft
April 13, 2006

Students didn't seem to notice the physical changes in cafeteria cook Gilbert Manuell until they saw the picture posted on his sandwich station. "Some students, because they've seen me every day, never paid much attention (to my weight loss) until they saw my picture," said Manuell, who works in Landon and Yakeley halls.

MSU

Board to consider student selection for committees

Kristi Jourdan
April 13, 2006

The MSU Board of Trustees will decide today whether or not to transfer power from faculty to student government officials when selecting undergraduate students to serve on academic committees. Robert Murphy, former chairperson for ASMSU's Academic Assembly, said the proposal would amend bylaws of the Academic Governance system that affect both standing committees and ad hoc committees, which are temporary committees formed by administrators to discuss a specific issue that arises throughout the year. Currently, MSU faculty members possess the power to assign students to Academic Governance committees, such as the Executive Committee of Academic Council, which schedules agendas for Faculty Council and Academic Council as well as reviews university legislation. "It's merely correcting a small oversight in the bylaws," said Murphy, of MSU's undergraduate student government.

MSU

Student group reaches out to Muslim faculty

Holly Klaft
April 13, 2006

The Muslim Students' Association is trying to raise awareness in the MSU community that there are numerous Muslim professors on campus because their achievements often go unnoticed among the larger community, members said. The group will bring together more than 20 Muslim professors Friday for an honorary dinner to build support in the Muslim community and to recognize the professors' academic achievements. "We're trying to show the community that Muslim professors are amongst us, teaching and making contributions," said Abdulahi Sufi, a business administration and prelaw junior and member of the association.