Sunday, January 12, 2025

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Campus

MSU

Family festival teaches diversity

For Robert Henderson, attending events with his family like the Fourth Annual Meridian Heritage Festival is a great opportunity. “I think it’s great that you can let people know the heritage of races,” said the Lansing resident, as his wife Taunya and daughters Alexis and Alana observed ducks nearby. “We try to go to at least one ethnic festival every summer.

MSU

Undercover procedure determined by board

The university’s policy on undercover police surveillance of student groups was established Friday by the MSU Board of Trustees.The resolution said undercover investigations can only begin under “extraordinary circumstances” and with the approval of the university president.Board members expressed an interest in reviewing guidelines to be set by the Task Force on Student-Police Relations, which was created following the investigation of the placement of an undercover officer into a student group last year.“This affirms the university’s commitment to invoke such procedure only in extraordinary circumstances,” Trustee Dee Cook said.

MSU

Campuswide e-mail causes concern among students

Tucked among the e-mail from Sara Makowski’s friends and family was an unfamiliar message that made the pre-med freshman worry a little Friday afternoon.MSU’s Department of Police and Public Safety sent out a universitywide e-mail asking students to help identify three Pakistani men who had been involved in an incident at the Business College Complex’s Eppley Center on Wednesday.“I was a little concerned at first,” Makowski said.

MSU

RHA conference gives government, caucus students ideas on leadership

On-campus student leaders gathered at Brody Hall on Saturday for the second annual Residence Halls Association Leadership Conference.Nick Kovacic, RHA president, said the conference was a training seminar to help student leaders from hall governments and caucuses become better leaders.“We wanted to give them helpful information they could use when they go back, and I believe we succeeded at that,” he said.The conference, which was also sponsored by Residence Life, consisted of leadership sessions presented by RHA executive board members about their positions.Jeff Donofrio, RHA director of public relations, discussed how to get a group’s name out by targeting student issues during his session.“These student leaders came out of my session with the skills and resources they needed, and hopefully, they’ll be back next year,” Donofrio said.Rodney Patterson, director of the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs who spoke at the conference, talked about leadership characteristics students need to excel in their various positions.“He said student leaders have to be able to understand the school system and administration - basically cutting through the red tape,” Kovacic said.David Demps, a psychology freshman and representative for North Campus Black Caucus, said he was surprised by the outcome of the conference.“I’ve been to conferences like these before, and I usually end up socializing,” he said.

MSU

Trustees challenge helps upgrade Madison library

Renovations to the library in James Madison College had Haley Sinclair saying the room may now be the most attractive place to study in Case Hall.A challenge issued by MSU Trustee David Porteous raised funds for $140,000 worth of library improvements.

MSU

Economics majors have new home; department moves

The Department of Economics has a new address. And students who wish to pursue their degree in the subject can take a new route.The department, which was formerly part of the Eli Broad College of Business, is now part of the College of Social Science.Charles Ballard, an economics professor, has been instrumental in “hammering the nuts and bolts out of the new curriculum.”“In terms of the curriculum, it changes things a little bit,” he said.

MSU

President to have final approval in extraordinary circumstances

A resolution regarding surveillance of student groups by MSU police is expected to come to a vote at today’s Board of Trustees meeting. The resolution was created based on a report from an independent panel investigating the placement of an undercover officer into United Students Against Sweatshops, now called Students for Economic Justice, beginning Feb.

MSU

Students distribute patriotic ribbons

Green and white took a second on campus when yellow began taking over last week.Students, faculty, staff members and their cars have been donning yellow ribbons since they were passed out by a group of three MSU students early last Friday.Kristen DeJardine, Sarah Palmer and Amber Johnson wanted to show their support for America and their grief for the lost lives.

MSU

Web site a forum for discussion

Students are getting a chance to point and click their way to the MSU police.The Web site created for the Task Force on Student-Police Relations, www.taskforce.msu.edu, features a forum for discussion about student and police issues, as well as an area to e-mail ideas, suggestions or complaints to administrators.“You can see that there’s two ways you can make your voice heard,” said Deb Pozega Osburn, director of Media Communications.

MSU

Teach-in hopes to educate U about terrorist tragedy

Citizens for a Peaceful Response, a group founded Sept. 11, is holding a teach-in to challenge racial myths, discuss alternatives to war and begin a public discussion regarding an appropriate response to the terrorist attacks on the United States. The event will be held at 6 p.m.

MSU

Students pack Union forum to learn more on Muslim faith

Paulette Granberry Russell knows the events of the last week have affected almost everyone she knows.She knew it had affected her 6-year-old son when he woke up one night with nightmares about being lost on a plane.And the senior adviser to the president for diversity knows it has negatively affected the MSU campus when she reads e-mail from Muslim students who are being harassed because of a perceived connection between the Islamic religion and Osama bin Laden, the man suspected of engineering the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington.In an effort to educate students about Islam and break stereotypes about Muslim students, the Muslim Students’ Association hosted an Open Unity Forum Wednesday night.“I can’t express the extent of the (impact of the) events in my life,” Granberry Russell said.

MSU

3-D products show rise in customer satisfaction

E-commerce sites may not collect commission, but virtual sales agents may be more effective in selling products than their real-life counterparts. MSU researchers have found adding electronic salespersons and 3-D product images to e-commerce sites creates better customer satisfaction.

MSU

Cycler goes coast-to-coast for pets

Driving across the country in a car can be a challenge in itself. But imagine riding a bicycle all the way from Santa Monica, Calif., to Washington, D.C. Lutrell Christian, a 1973 MSU graduate, is doing just than in an effort to raise $1 million for Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation in San Francisco.

MSU

U seeks students advice on energy problem

MSU administrators are asking for students’ help to solve energy problems facing campus. The Office of Campus Sustainability is seeking 60 students to participate in a Campus Energy Summit to be held in November. Terry Link, director for the Office of Campus Sustainability, said energy usage must be addressed. “We waste energy here left and right,” he said.

MSU

Discussion series clarifies meaning of on Alert for U

As the nation’s leaders continue to proclaim a “war on terrorism,” many students are wondering how they could be affected. Some of them received answers to their questions Tuesday during an informative session, “What Does It Mean for the Country to be on Alert?” presented by Lt.