Committee searches internally to fill senior associate provost spot

A search is underway to fill the position of senior associate provost, with plans to have a candidate selected by the end of this semester, university officials said. The senior associate provost will assist Provost Kim Wilcox in implementing university initiatives and managing academic colleges, departments and units. A committee, comprised of three deans, one school director, a faculty member and an administrator, already has met once to begin looking at about 12 possible candidates, said Donna Zischke, MSU's associate director for academic human resources. But rather than looking nationwide, the search is only open to faculty and administrators within the MSU community, Wilcox said. "I'm interested in someone who understands Michigan State — understands the campus, the organization and the goals," Wilcox said. Qualifications for the position include effective communication skills, the ability to work collaboratively and having tenured status, which is an indefinite faculty appointment with MSU. "The person in this role needs a very broad view of the university and a capacity to learn and address issues across a broad scope," said Bob Banks, assistant provost and assistant vice president for academic human resources. Banks added that the candidates come from several different areas within the university. The search committee will continue to meet over the next several weeks to review candidates' credentials, including their strengths and weaknesses for the position, before submitting a report to Wilcox by the end of this term, Wilcox said. He then will make a recommendation for the position to MSU President Lou Anna K.

Student cures summer subleaser woes with Web site

When Anja Puumala graduates in May, she will switch area codes and move to Ohio, but she fears she could get stuck paying her lease for a house in East Lansing. The audiology and speech sciences senior decided to look for a subleaser for her house on M.A.C.

Bill quells funeral protests

Protests around the country at the funerals of American soldiers have prompted a strong reaction from legislators at both the state and national level. A bill introduced Wednesday by U.S.

Police briefs 03/30/06

Group rallies against 1996 Mich. drug law

About 80 protesters marched in front of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday afternoon, calling it the chamber of corruption and demanding prescription drug reform. AFL-CIO members from around the state marched from the Michigan AFL-CIO office, 419 S.

WEB EXTRA: Women's career equality still lagging

Driving along Grand River Avenue the morning of March 22, MSU police Officer Lorrie Bates typed the license plate number of the car in front of her into a computer in her police SUV. The plate had expired in January. Bates pulled the motorist over and wrote him a ticket.

ASMSU tax hike to fund new positions

Now that an additional $237,000 will be made available because of a student tax increase, ASMSU officials plan to expand their organization to compensate workers for their efforts during the year and create new jobs to equalize the workload. The funding was made available to ASMSU officials after voters passed a $3 tax increase in last week's student government election, but now a new budget must be passed and finalized by ASMSU's Student Assembly before any extra funding goes into effect. The extra money gives student government officials a cushioned budget of about $1.1 million to work with for the year. The tax increase, which raises the current tax from $13.75 per semester to $16.75 per semester, will be effective during the summer and is necessary to "enhance the characteristics and qualities" of the organization, said Meg Wolocko, ASMSU's comptroller. "(We want) to be able to give back to students," Wolocko said.

Faculty strives to improve anti-cancer drug

MSU researchers are working to develop a more potent version of a powerful cancer-fighting drug, while making its production more environmentally friendly. MSU Assistant Professor Kevin Walker is heading up research to develop a biosynthetic way of producing the drug Taxol — a popular anti-cancer agent — and make stronger versions of the drug that would reduce treatment dosages. Taxol is known as a "spindle poison" that targets quickly dividing cancer cells and prevents them from dividing, according to a University of Bristol Web site.

National day honors troops; license plates could raise funds for soldiers

March 26 officially became National Support Our Troops Day after a Waterford Township high school student started a grassroots campaign to recognize the troops. While watching the news late last year, 16-year-old Alexandra McGregor said she recognized the strength of the soldiers fighting in Iraq. During winter break, McGregor began writing letters to state and U.S.

More than 4K students given new SAT results

A scoring error in SAT exams administered in October has granted new scores to more than 4,400 high school students nationwide, including about 50 students who applied to MSU. After two high school students requested their exams be rescored by hand in December, the College Board, a New York-based organization that administers the test, stumbled upon a larger problem — student scores were both underscored and overscored, said Brian O'Reilly, executive director of SAT information services at the board. All 495,000 exams taken on Oct.

Innovations: Protein pressures

Name: Professor Donna Wang Department: Medicine Type of research: Studying a protein that could regulate blood pressure and heart disease Date of research: Wang has been studying this protein since 1998, and the project is ongoing. Basics of the project: The specific protein Wang is researching is present in sensory nerves, which allow people to feel pain, heat or cold. "What we are trying to define is (how) to assign a new role for this protein," Wang said. "We believe this protein plays a role in cardiovascular regulation or the control of blood pressure." Wang and six other MSU researchers from several fields of study across campus, including engineering, biochemistry and pharmacology, is developing molecular and animal models to research the protein, she said. With these models, the researchers can see the protein's effect at the cellular, tissue and organ levels of animals and humans, and they eventually will be able to study the effect on the entire body, Wang said. "Once we know more about the molecular structure of this protein, it might help the future design of a novel drug," she said. Social impact of research: Wang's research could lead to the development of a medicine that uses the protein to treat heart-related problems, Wang said. "It will certainly be conceivable that those drugs may be used for the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases," she said. Grants and funding: The project receives funding from MSU, the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the Michigan Life Sciences Corridor and various pharmaceutical companies.

Police briefs 03/29/06

Lively lifestyles

After losing 47 pounds while participating in the NBC weight-loss show "The Biggest Loser," Amelia Stephens said she hopes to inspire people to make their own lifestyle changes. "If I can inspire one person to change their life, to exercise and eat better, then it was all worth it," said Stephens, a communication senior. Stephens participated with her family on the show, which she said was scheduled to air this month but was postponed until summer. She said women tend to neglect themselves and are usually the ones taking care of others. "We can't take care of anyone else if we can't take care of ourselves," she said. Stephens attended the Women's Health Fair on Tuesday afternoon at the Union. The fair was organized by the MSU Women's Resource Center in honor of Women's History Month. Jodi Roberto Hancock, educational program coordinator at the Women's Resource Center, said the fair is a way to raise awareness about physical health, relationship health, stress management and balancing work and family. "This fair is a way to show the resources that are available to women," Roberto Hancock said. She said women's health is important because women often are the main source of health information for their families. Roberto Hancock added that women also have often been left out of major medical research. "I just recently heard there was a 20- or 30-year study just following women and really trying to realize that women's bodies are different," Roberto Hancock said.

Study: College faculty values own spirituality

Nurses work with people who are within inches of their lives on a day-to-day basis. That's why Mary Jo Arndt, an associate professor and director of undergraduate programs in the College of Nursing, said her students will encounter many instances that involve someone's spirituality. "People are very vulnerable when (nurses) work with them.

U-M professor, author will debate initiative

The Residence Halls Association, with help from other campus organizations, is sponsoring a debate on campus today about the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative. The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, or MCRI, is a proposal to amend the state constitution to ban affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes. Speakers will include activist and author Tim Wise and University of Michigan philosophy Professor Carl Cohen. The Residence Halls Association, or RHA, and ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, decided to take a stance against MCRI in December. Vic Maurer, director of Racial, Ethnic and Progressive Affairs for RHA, said he started to consider holding the event in November. "(RHA) represents student concerns, and this is obviously an issue students are concerned about," Maurer said, adding that the initiative clearly affects the campus and state. The event will cost close to $9,000, with speakers costing $4,000 each.

Congress could cut local grants

It's basic economics — the trickle-down theory. Congress is forced to make budget cuts.

Student bicyclist hit

Usually, you can't miss him. Erik Green rides a double-decker bike — a dark blue frame stacked on top of a copper-colored one.

Police briefs 03/28/06

Law course readies students for technology in courtroom

Many professionals in the law field, including lawyers and paralegals, are switching over to electronic evidence programs as courtrooms become more high tech. And MSU College of Law students are following suit. A new course, called the Courtroom Technology and Electronic Evidence Lab, is open to law students and practicing attorneys. This semester, two sessions of the course were offered to students, including one that is currently in session. The lab teaches students how to use a program called TrialDirector Suite, which is the most-used trial presentation software. Bonnie Dabb, a judicial assistant for Judge David McKeague of the U.S.

Mich. battles tree-slaying insect

Known as the "unwanted hitchhiker," emerald ash borer is emerging from its winter slumber to attack and kill millions of unsuspecting Michigan ash trees this year, unless proper funding is provided, MSU researchers said. "The outreach efforts are not funded at the level they need to be," said Deb McCullough, MSU forest entomology professor.