Your editorial on the Academic Senate meeting ("In session" SN 2/28), which appears to criticize faculty for their lack of participation in governance, reflects a lack of understanding of the circumstances and importance of the meeting.
Editors of The State News on Monday took note of the failure of the university's Academic Senate to have a quorum, and remark that "faculty should take advantage of the opportunity to make this university a better place." MSU students will be pleased to know, if they don't already, that their faculty have important work to do: teach, research (so our teaching is the best possible), and do service to the public, their profession and the university. If faculty are to accept attendance at an Academic Senate meeting as a responsible use of their commitment to university service, they must expect such a meeting to have a useful function. Functions of the senate are described in university bylaw 3.1.2: to act on amendments to the bylaws referred to it by Academic Council, to act on other matters referred to it by Academic Council and Faculty Council, and "to serve as a forum for the dissemination and exchange of ideas and information between the faculty and the administration." Actions of the senate, indeed, are "restricted to approval of the recommendation or referral back to the originating council for further deliberation." The only action on the agenda for Friday's Academic Senate meeting was a routine and uncontroversial matter, indeed of doubtful propriety as it had not been referred by either Academic or Faculty Council.
I was listening to the radio a couple weeks back, and there was a clip of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan talking about how grateful he was for the support from the United States and other countries in the aid to tsunami victims. But he didn't stop there. He went on to say that he hopes the tragedy opened people's eyes to situations across the world and that, in the future, it won't take a natural disaster like a tsunami to move people to give their time and money to those who are being victimized around the world. The movie "Hotel Rwanda" tells the story of a hotel manager whose hotel was transformed into a refugee camp for Rwandans during an intense time of rebellion and genocide in 1994.
The Academic Senate met Friday to discuss university issues that affect faculty members. I was the body's first meeting since April, when 700 senate members convened for the first time in eight years. The Senate failed to reach a quorum, making it impossible for anything beyond discussion to take place.
David Thompson has had some bad columns before, but his Feb. 25 "Conservatives, liberals both have their fair share of shortcomings" is a poorly reasoned piece.
In your editorial "Poor reception" (SN 2/24), you have misrepresented the situation surrounding Channel 12 and the role of the Residence Halls Association.
I am writing in response to your editorial "Two's company" (SN 2/22) on the proposal Rep.
Although affirmative action might be helping black students and other minorities get in to institutions of higher learning, it isn't necessarily keeping them there. For a variety of reasons, less than half of black students in the nation aren't making it through college.
Aaron Foley's column in Wednesday's The State News entitled "Hackers create headaches, celebrity break-ins" (2/23) was the most hateful piece of juvenile trash I have ever read in The State News.
Chalk one up for the MSU women's basketball team. With at least a share of the Big Ten Championship under their belts, the Spartans head to Indianapolis March 4 to compete in the Big Ten Tournament.
It is with my deepest regret that I learned this weekend of 1st Lt. Adam Malson's death. Adam was not only a fellow soldier, but a best friend. I first met Adam four-and-a-half years ago as a freshman at MSU.
A note on the political climate in the United States: None of us have it right. Don't assume from this sentence that I think I do, but it serves well to reflect time and again. Since the election last November, liberals have complained and conservatives have rejoiced. Liberals think the world is going to hell and that America is largely responsible.
Your "The face of poker" article (SN 2/23) just cost us our life savings.
The "Where do we put our trash?" dilemma faced by U.S. states and Canadian provinces is a game where the outcome is always undesirable for someone.
What an excellent article ("Learning mother" SN 2/22). As I read it, the only thing I could say is "wow." It's about time a single mother's voice was printed in The State News, instead of the usual football, basketball or tailgating "dilemmas." I am also a single mother, full-time student and part-time employee at a bookstore.
MSU head coach Izzo celebrated his 50th birthday on Jan. 30, the same day I turned 25. Do the math; I popped out nine months after Magic Johnson brought home our first title.
I sang the national anthem for the Lions in 1998, where I made eye contact with Barry Sanders. We gave each other the "cool" nod just before I sang.
The "Point Counterpoint" (SN 2/22) doesn't work in this situation. Matt Bishop (SN2/22) and Esther Gim (SN 2/22) both have good points as to the problems leading up to the lockout.
In regards to Kris Turner's excellent article ("The changing face of a college town" SN 2/22), here's an interesting thought experiment: Pick up MSU - the whole thing - and take it far away from East Lansing.
Something must be done about faculty, teaching assistants or whoever wants to teach who are not fluent or proficient in English.