MSU

Charity to aid abused kids

A year and a half ago, Patti Roost went to work for three children she had never met.A 4-month-old infant, his teenage mother and her 13-year-old brother had been raised in a fatherless home by a drug-addicted mother who was so paranoid she didn't allow her children to attend school."Pretty much for their whole lives, these children have been with no real home, mainly taking care of their mother," said Roost, a volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Ingham County.The children were placed in foster care with a relative.

MSU

German author addresses 'War and Modernity'

Amy Bartner

February 17, 2003

MSU's peace and justice studies specialization program hosted its first lecture Friday, featuring author and teacher Hans Joas.Joas is director of the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt in Germany and a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago.

MSU

WEB ONLY: Speaker to address diversity

Harold Strong, an executive board member from the Philadelphia Boys and Girls Clubs, will be holding an interactive discussion on issues of diversity in the workplace. "We will be talking about the business aspects of diversity and how small businesses are affected by diversity," Strong said.

MSU

Dance honors oldest black fraternity

Aaron Foley

February 17, 2003

Sporting their black tuxedos with gold ties, the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity stepped in a circle around the dance floor while Benzino's "Rock the Party" blared from the speakers. "Stepping," a combination of stomps, claps and chanting, was one of the many dances performed at the fraternity's third annual Black & Gold Ball Saturday night in the Union ballroom. Jhamal Swift, the fraternity's president, said the dance was unique among other social events held at MSU. "It's a different type of social atmosphere for African Americans, as well as providing a professional and formal event where students can interact in a business-like and adult manner," the chemical engineering senior said. Swift said the dance gave students the opportunity to network. "It's one of the most important things in college," he said. The dance closed out "The Deep Phreeze" week, which was highlighted by community service and social events held by the fraternity.

MSU

Soul Nite brings in notable poet

Allison Lucy

February 17, 2003

Dana Hawes' emotional words echoed throughout the Wonders Hall Kiva on Saturday night as the crowd of listeners looked on, hanging on every word he read.

MSU

Ghost stories celebrate Chicano culture

White and red candles, laid out in a star shape on the floor, flickered in the dark Culturas de las Razas Unidas room, as no-preference freshman Maggie Pena told her story. "While my brother and I were admiring his car, in the corner of my eye I spotted a lady in white in the middle of the street, and he saw a lady in black run behind our house," she said.

MSU

Club's dress code irks students

Aaron Foley

February 14, 2003

Autumn Boggues didn't expect to be surrounded by security guards during her first visit to Sparty's Night Club last month."When we started to dance, we noticed about 12 security guards watching us, and they would not leave," the political science and pre-law freshman said.

MSU

Students wary of solicitors in dorms

Carrie Hoover

February 14, 2003

Sandy Mazzoni never worried about locking the door to her Mason Hall room."I feel relatively safe," she said.

MSU

Speaker encourages hope in pursuit of equality

The Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson said African Americans have a long way to go.The second speaker in the College of Osteopathic Medicine's Visiting Minority Faculty Lecture Series delivered the message of acknowledging all aspects of black culture and increasing opportunities for all disadvantaged people in the United States."We are a long way from where we should be," he said.

MSU

Trustees approve split of department

The breakup of the Department of Romance and Classical Languages was approved 7-1 at the MSU Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday.Trustee Donald Nugent voted against the proposal saying the project should be delayed for one year until the proposed $5-million state-funding cut can be resolved.The split restructures the current program into two new departments: one comprised of Spanish and Portuguese and the other of French, Italian and classical languages.MSU President M.

MSU

Seminar focuses on interviewing

Dick Gaither travels the country conducting seminars for students to improve their interviewing skills, and on Wednesday, he came to the MSU-Detroit College of Law.Gaither said he gets all sorts of questions."They will come and ask me 'I got that tattoo with the tongue of the snake going into my ear, will this stop me from finding work?'" Gaither, president of Job Search Training Systems Inc. "You're not going to be as valuable a candidate as opposed to someone without the tattoo."Gaither gives students advice on how to go into an interview prepared, confident and ready to answer tough questions.He explained if someone asks, "Why should I hire you?" a person answering they will be asset to the company is not enough.

MSU

Gay rights activist says gender identity 'got left behind'

Riki Wilchins says gender identity has been left behind.The executive director of the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, spoke on the importance of gender identity education Tuesday in Wells Hall.Wilchins, a gay rights activist, helped establish the Gender Identity Program of New York City's Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center in 1991 and authored many books, including "Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender," on gender identity."No one should be punished because of how they act," she said in her speech.

MSU

'U' to review dorm security

MSU has formed a group to review residence hall security measures on campus. Director of University Housing Angela Brown, Residence Halls Association President Tim Liss and MSU police Capt.

MSU

Iraq tensions topic of forum

The MSU Office of the President, the Office of the Provost and ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, are sponsoring a "Presidential Forum on Iraq" at 7 p.m.

MSU

New program to hold lecture

MSU's new Peace and Justice Studies program will sponsor a lecture at 3 p.m. Friday in B-104 Wells Hall. The keynote speaker is Hans Joas, director of the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, at the University of Erfurt in Germany. Joas also is a sociology professor at the University of Chicago and will speak on his book, "War and Modernity." "We hope to have an important scholar come every year," philosophy Professor Richard Peterson said.

MSU

Crime Stoppers investigates 'U' knife assault

Chad Previch

February 12, 2003

The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety will hit the airwaves tonight to help solve last month's assault of an MSU student held at knife point.On Jan.

MSU

McPherson says 'U' should focus on long-term goals

Amy Bartner

February 12, 2003

MSU needs to make long-term decisions that will help future students, rather than patching up small holes with short-term fixes, MSU President M.

MSU

ASMSU fires Web site developer

The ASMSU director of technology has been fired in the middle of a redesign of the organization's Web site. Officials for MSU's undergraduate student government said David Wilson was let go because he failed to show up for work at the beginning of the semester. Wilson was hired as the director of technology in October.

MSU

State News takes first in general excellence

The State News took first place in general excellence in Division I of the Michigan Collegiate Press Association's College Newspaper Contest. It's the second year the newspaper competed in the contest.

MSU

Chicano history issues discussed by activist

Activist Amado Balderas will be speaking about Chicano and Latino studies Thursday in Wilson Hall. Balderas, a high school history teacher in Texas, contributed to the creation of El Sexto Sol de MEChA at the University of Texas-Pan American. Balderas will be speaking from 7-8:30 p.m.