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MSU

New director for group wants to rejuvenate position

Vikas Menon is full of ideas.As the new director of human resources for ASMSU, the computer engineering junior said he plans to streamline the way MSU's undergraduate student government operates."I want a human resource department, not just a person who hires and fires people," he said.Menon recruits students, coordinates hiring committees and maintains a database of applicants."I just love human resources," he said.

MSU

Fieger to speak at DCL, reflect on career as trial lawyer to students

Attorney Geoffery Fieger will be speaking at 8 p.m. Thursday in Room 343 of the MSU-Detroit College of Law Building. The program, "Champion and Advocate: Reflections On My Life as a Trial Lawyer," is part of the Geoffery Fieger Trial Practice Institute lecture series. Fieger, a 1979 DCL graduate, ran for governor of Michigan in 1998 but lost to then-Gov.

MSU

ASMSU fights financial aid drug law

ASMSU is implementing a plan of attack against a federal rule which bans financial aid to students convicted of drug crimes.MSU's undergraduate student government condemned the drug provision of the Higher Education Act at its Thursday meeting.The provision states students convicted of a drug crime will not be eligible for financial aid for a minimum of one year, depending on the severity of the crime.The policy has been denounced by several universities and national organizations since it was added to the Higher Education Act in 1998."Judges punish people, not federal programs," said Andrew Banyai, representative for Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

MSU

'U' works to mend bones

When Ian Smith was 15 years old, his father gave him an article on bionic eyes - glasses that connected to the brain allowing a blind person a chance to see shapes and colors for the first time.

MSU

Professor's animal law site stirs controversy

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is up in arms over an animal law Web site created by an MSU-Detroit College of Law professor. Beth Ruth, a spokeswoman for the organization, said the DCL site is "anti-hunter." "I think it is OK to have your own ideas on things, but I don't think a public university should be supporting this sort of material," Ruth said. The site, created by Professor David Favre, has been available for public viewing since October.

MSU

Proposal could divide language programs in half

Amy Bartner
January 17, 2003

MSU's Department of Romance and Classical Languages could break into two smaller departments if a proposal is accepted by the Executive Committee of the Academic Council on Tuesday. The proposal, which has been in the works since last semester, calls for the department to divide into two programs.

MSU

Trustee to file police report over bowl rings found on eBay

MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson said his attorney will file a police report on two of his missing MSU bowl rings, which have wound up on an online auction house."We've got some criminals to chase," Ferguson said, adding he didn't remember how they left his possession.Ferguson received the 1990 John Hancock Bowl and 1993 Liberty Bowl rings for being an MSU trustee when the Spartans played in the two games.Angelo DiMeo, owner of two jewelry stores in Lansing, is selling the rings for $1,400 each on eBay.

MSU

Service offers online portfolios

Amy Bartner
January 16, 2003

MSU's Career Services and Placement is now offering a way for students to go online and retrieve portfolios of their work."It was kind of an archaic system," said Linda Gross, assistant director of Career Services and Placement.

MSU

U-M bans smoking in dormitories

Chrystal Liebold
January 16, 2003

The University of Michigan announced Tuesday that starting next fall, smoking will be banned in all university residence halls. Officials say the reason for the ban is to enhance overall public health and to prevent students from beginning to smoke after arriving on campus. U-M is one of several Big Ten universities who ban smoking in dorms and Lansing Community College banned smoking on its campus last year.

MSU

Class to help save retired greyhounds

Josey, a racing greyhound, broke one of her toes when she was a little more than 2 years old.Instead of taking her to a veterinarian, her owner decided the dog wouldn't be able to race anymore - or bring in any money - and wanted to have her put down.Josey would have joined the thousands of racing greyhounds killed each year through mistreatment or euthanasia, according to the Greyhound Protection League, had it not been for REGAP - Retired Greyhounds as Pets.Now, the 57-pound reddish animal has a new owner, her own backyard and a striped carpet bed the family calls "Tiger.""She's not so timid anymore," owner Patti Myers said.Myers adopted the dog through the program in June."Before, when you'd give her something to play with, she'd grab it and look at you," the Swartz Creek resident said.

MSU

Federal bank board takes on Porteous

MSU Trustee David Porteous was appointed to the board of directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank this week. "The opportunity to serve on a board like the Federal Home Loan Bank is a wonderful opportunity for me as well as the people of Michigan," Porteous said. The Indianapolis-based bank works with smaller banks and specializes in promoting home ownership. Porteous said a portion of the bank's earnings go toward grants for communities that want to increase housing through programs such as Habitat for Humanity. The Reed City Republican, who is chairman of the MSU Board of Trustees, also is chairman of the Michigan Strategic Fund, vice-chairman of the Michigan Economic Growth Authority and sits on the board of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Porteous is an attorney and president of Porteous Law Office PC, in Reed City. Melissa Sanchez

MSU

Gender report moves on

Amy Bartner
January 15, 2003

A report urging the university to include a gender-identity footnote in its anti-discrimination policy is closer to reality. The Academic Council's executive committee voted Tuesday to send the issue to the full Academic Council after hearing the recommendations of five smaller groups representing students, faculty and administrators. The report has been in the works since it was brought to Academic Council by ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, more than a year ago. A special committee was assigned to develop the argument in favor of the proposal which has been in the hands of the five smaller groups since November. Although three of the five committees said they had some uncertainties about the report, they voted to pass it to the full Academic Council anyway. "I am very happy that it was essentially accepted as we presented it, because we worked extremely hard on it," said Matt Weingarden, ASMSU student assembly chairperson. Weingarden served on the committee which oversaw the report. "There's got to be a push from the student body," he said.

MSU

AOP changes tours, activities

Beth Clute
January 15, 2003

The freshman Academic Orientation Program at MSU will undergo some changes this summer following input from students who participated in the overnight program.One of the major changes in the orientation will be the tour, which gave the participating freshmen a look at the university's campus, said Megan Bracket, assistant director of AOP."Surveys showed that the students thought a walking tour would be better than a bus tour," the journalism senior said.AOP, which takes place during the summer months, is required for all incoming students.

MSU

'U' reacts to clearing of death row

Chrystal Liebold
January 15, 2003

A recent decision by former Illinois Gov. George Ryan to commute the death sentences of 167 inmates has members of the MSU community talking. Ryan, who left office Monday, said the move was necessary because of errors in "trials, sentencing, the appeals process and the state's failure to reform the system." Bryan Crowe said he agrees with Ryan's decision. The engineering arts senior said the state was better off being cautious than wrongfully executing inmates. "My immediate reaction was 'that's ridiculous,' but he did the right thing in not allowing the state to execute innocent people," he said.

MSU

Council to see revised graduate student document

The University Graduate Council presented three years worth of revisions to the Graduate Students Rights and Responsibilities to the executive committee of Academic Council.The document sets academic regulations governing MSU graduate students.The graduate council will again present a list of the proposed changes at next month's Academic Council meeting.