The winner of the 15th annual Word of the Year contest was definitely not too close to call, an MSU linguistics professor said. The American Dialect Society voted "red state, blue state, purple state" as the most prominent phrase in the country's vocabulary in 2004. "You think back on the year, and what was the most engaging, nauseating, delightful for some, sickening for others experience?
A weekend of events to honor Martin Luther King Jr. kicks off tonight with a talent show featuring MSU students at the Union Ballroom. "Showtyme at MSU" is a free event sponsored by the University Activities Board and the MLK Student Committee. "We wanted to give students an opportunity to show their talents," UAB event coordinator Sveta Desai said.
A torrential downpour became a mid-winter snowstorm in a matter of minutes Thursday, as the National Weather Service placed the areas surrounding the Red Cedar River under a flood warning. After temperatures came close to reaching 60 degrees this week, numbers on the thermometer will plummet this weekend, deep freezing MSU's campus and parts of the state into next week, said Mark Walton, hydrologist at the Grand Rapids National Weather Service station. Since December, the jet stream has been unusually active and it's been noticed by everyone, said Jeff Andreson, MSU geography associate professor and state climatologist.
MSU students now have the opportunity to voice their campus concerns to administrators and the MSU Board of Trustees. The Academic Council of the university's governance has 26 seats available for students to join.
Students went to more University Activities Board events last semester than in the history of the program.
MSU Board of Trustees member Colleen McNamara was appointed Monday to the Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority by Gov.
Ground broke today on a $3.5-million addition to the College of Veterinary Medicine meant to help prevent infectious diseases from spreading in animals. The new facility, called the Matilda R.
At Friday's MSU Board of Trustees meeting, a new leader will be at the head of the board table for the first time in 11 years. MSU President Lou Anna Simon will conduct the meeting. "I eagerly await the meeting, because having worked with Dr. Simon for the last about seven years that I've been on the board, I am very confident that she knows and understands the many issues that we face at Michigan State," Trustee David Porteous said.
MSU President Lou Anna Simon made an unscheduled, but not unexpected, appearance at the Executive Committee of Academic Council meeting on Tuesday. "I am trying very hard not to be provost, but I still had 3:15 open on Tuesday," Simon said. She said she wanted to see the executive committee have conversations about the bigger issues the university faces. "I see ECAC as an important group that works with specific proposals, but that hasn't been the case with broader policy issues," Simon said. The office is continuing to work with the MSU College of Human Medicine Oversight Committee on the relocation of the college to Grand Rapids, she said. MSU has joined a group of stakeholders in the move based in Grand Rapids. "MSU decided - while the decision-making process is unique to each institution - it is best to be part of the dialogue," Simon said.
The Academic Assembly of ASMSU is getting back into the swing of taking care of business. Tuesday the assembly went into committee planning for the spring semester.
Almost every weekday afternoon, a handful of MSU students take the ice at Munn Ice Arena during the rink's open skate hours and begin their winter workout. "It's like exercise, but its fun," accounting senior Jake Tech said.
The dean of MSU's College of Human Medicine and the new discussion facilitator for the college's move to Grand Rapids met Monday. Dean Glenn Craig Davis and Steven Heacock, currently chief administrative officer and chief legal officer of IdeaSphere Inc., in Grand Rapids, met for the first time since Heacock's appointment last week. Sherry Tompkins, spokeswoman for the college, said the meeting was positive. "The dean is very pleased about the formation of this group and the appointment of Steve," Tompkins said. Heacock said the entire committee of stakeholders for the move will meet Wednesday.
Members of the MSU community have until the end of this month to nominate those who help broaden society's view of diversity. The Excellence in Diversity Recognition and Awards program, or EIDA, created in 1990, promotes and encourages diversity by recognizing people in the MSU community who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and creativity in that area, said Office for Affirmative Action, Compliance and Monitoring Director Paulette Granberry Russell. "It gives us an opportunity to distinguish efforts of those who have supported issues around diversity broadly defined," Granberry Russell said.
Students taking a Catholic theology course at a local church can receive three MSU credits this semester.
Alex Gottschalk recently received what his colleagues call one of the most prestigious awards in nuclear medicine.
Medical technology senior Judith Njogu won first place in the second Annual International Student Essay Contest sponsored by MSU's Office for International Students and Scholars. Njogu, of Kenya, will receive the top prize of $1,000. Like many participants, Njogu wrote about her experience in the United States, describing her shock from cultural differences.
A vigil at the rock on Farm Lane for an MSU student who died in a car accident during winter break was not as peaceful as was hoped for, participants said. The vigil, held Sunday at 4 p.m.
It's been more than two months since the passage of Proposal 2, but Jon Hoadley, chairman for the MSU Stonewall Democrats, said the fight for equal rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has only just begun. MSU students and representatives from several local and statewide LGBT and allied groups will hold a rally on Wednesday in opposition to the proposal. "Proposal 2 should be interpreted as narrowly as possible," said Hoadley, a social relations senior. Hoadley said the months of opposition to Proposal 2 have been "a difficult battle," but the MSU LGBT campus groups have been meeting regularly to discuss legislative ways to protect their rights. The rally will include speeches from families who are directly affected by the amendment and Rep.
Researchers at MSU have created a compound that could make cancer medication more effective and possibly even cure the disease. "This could potentially mean big things," said Jezte Tepe, the chemistry professor who led the cancer research team.
It's been two years since ASMSU has had a working Web site. But MSU's undergraduate student government changed that on Friday with the launch of a new site. The Web site - www.asmsu.msu.edu - has several links that define various branches under the ASMSU governance.