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NEWS

Police had plans set for melee

Lauren Phillips
April 27, 2005

Police had a plan prepared for the April 2-3 disturbances more than a month before the actual event occurred, according to internal documents. More than 3,000 people crowded the streets of East Lansing after the men's basketball team lost to North Carolina, setting fires in streets and causing some injuries and minimal property damage. A total of 247 tear-gas canisters were used by eight police agencies during the disturbances to break up large crowds on April 2-3, East Lansing Deputy police Chief Tom Wibert said via e-mail on Tuesday. These numbers come more than three weeks after an April 3 press conference, at which East Lansing police said an estimated several hundred to 1,000 canisters were used.

NEWS

Trustees' help sought in secretary selection

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon wants help from the MSU Board of Trustees to select the next board secretary. The new secretary and executive assistant to the president will be selected by both Simon and the board - a change from previous years. Past procedure has been that the university's president would personally choose, but Simon said she wants more input. "It's typically been a decision by the president without taking recommendations and applications," Simon said.

MICHIGAN

Mich. pushes alternative sentencing

Melissa Domsic
April 27, 2005

With U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reporting the number of United States prisoners surpassing more than 2 million people, Michigan judicial departments are working to offer more creative sentencing. Some states have been pushing judges, prosecutors and community members to create community program alternatives for would-be prisoners who are nonviolent and first-time offenders.

COMMENTARY

Schools should teach evolution argument

I find it interesting that John Bice is completely opposed to any mention of creation science in schools but not to the sole teaching of evolution ("Creationism in schools at fault for nation's dwindling science skills" SN 4/25). Indoctrinating students to believe in evolution is OK, but even hinting that there are other options is causing students to be "poorly informed." How about teaching the evidence for and against evolution, thereby allowing students to decide for themselves?

COMMENTARY

Due north

To many students, an apartment nestled in the heart of the Northern Tier might be the perfect living option.

COMMENTARY

Not all Christians are supportive of Bush

Frankly, after reading the column by John Bice concerning creationism being taught in schools ("Creationism in schools at fault for nation's dwindling science skills" SN 4/25) I was shocked - appalled, even.

MSU

GEU rallies for contract changes

Margaret Harding
April 27, 2005

Days away from their last scheduled meeting with university officials, members of the Graduate Employees Union and the MSU community rallied outside the Administration Building on Tuesday. The rally was meant to demonstrate awareness of the union's quest for a new contract from the university.

MSU

Main Library showcases MSU history with exhibits

In the Main Library, MSU's 150-year history is displayed in three glass cases. Books written by and about influential campus figures, maps from before the existence of many residence halls and sheet music to the MSU fight song sit in the cases, providing insight into the people and places that helped shape the university. The three exhibits run through May and are part of MSU's sesquicentennial celebration, a yearlong event that marks the 150th birthday of MSU. "We are celebrating the sesquicentennial campuswide, so it's only natural that the library would want to be a part of that," said Anita Ezzo, a food science and technology librarian and library exhibits coordinator. Ezzo produced the exhibit called "MSU 150: People, Places, Publications," which is located on the second floor of the Main Library's west wing.

MICHIGAN

2004 sees rise in anti-LBGT crimes

Jennifer Toland
April 27, 2005

A report released Tuesday by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs reports that, although crime rates in general are declining, violence against lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender people are still on the rise. Both nationally and in Michigan, the number of anti-LBGT crimes increased by 4 percent in 2004.

MSU

Committee's report focuses on faculty voice

Margaret Harding
April 27, 2005

Means to improve faculty participation and power in the university were the focus of discussion at the Academic Senate meeting on Tuesday. The Faculty Voice Committee, a group created at last year's senate meeting to make recommendations on faculty involvement, presented its final report to a crowd of 142 faculty members.

MICHIGAN

Legislators attend Capitol rally

Rebecca Mcnulty
April 27, 2005

A year after one of the largest pro-choice rallies was held in Washington, D.C., pro-choice groups from across Michigan gathered at the Capitol to urge legislators to support women's reproductive rights. Women and men spent the day speaking to their legislators and making signs and then joined a rally where they listened to speakers talk about pro-choice issues. "We need to reach pro-choice candidates and get them to run and send anti-choice legislators back to their districts where they belong," said Rebekah Warren, executive director of MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan. The master of ceremonies for the rally was Nancy Skinner, a self-proclaimed liberal radio host from Illinois.

BASEBALL

MSU's offense runs in 14 in victory

Matt Bishop
April 27, 2005

It was a career day for MSU sophomore catcher Kris Morris. Morris hit his first two career home runs and drove in six runs in the MSU baseball team's 14-7 rout of Indiana Tech on Tuesday afternoon at Kobs Field. "It was probably one of the best offensive days of my life," Morris said "It was great." Morris' big game came in the wake of a season-ending arm injury to Sean Walker. MSU's offense was on fire in the first three innings, scoring eight runs and driving Indiana Tech pitcher Marc Caban out of the game. In the first inning, MSU sophomore left fielder Ryan Basham's double drove in sophomore right fielder Adam Tripp to give MSU (16-18 overall) a 1-0 lead. MSU scored two in the second on Morris' first career home run, a bomb to center field, but the Warriors cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third on an RBI single by second baseman Adam Storms. But the Spartans exploded in the bottom half of the inning, as RBI singles by designated hitter Alan Cattrysse and third baseman Oliver Wolcott put up two more runs before Morris connected on his second home run of the game, an opposite field shot to right field, putting MSU ahead 8-1. "He's been getting better, he's swinging the bat better," MSU head coach Ted Mahan said of Morris.

COMMENTARY

Column's message not conveyed in title

I've taken quite a bit of grief over the title of my last column, "Creationism in schools at fault for nation's dwindling science skills" (SN 4/25). The title, unfortunately, was misleading and has caused a great deal of misunderstanding.

NEWS

Trace evidence

Melissa Domsic
April 27, 2005

Her composite drawings of criminals have led to arrests throughout Mid-Michigan for five years, but before she became a forensic artist, Heather Johnson had never sketched a human face. "I took art all through high school, but then after high school ... I just kind of doodled," Johnson said.