Organ donation registry events spread information, awareness

About five years ago, Darwin Esson couldn't walk without stopping for breaths. After a lifetime of smoking cigarettes, the 67-year-old Lansing resident was forced to live on a 3-liter oxygen canister 24 hours a day - until he got a new pair of lungs. "Before I couldn't barely walk without huffin' and puffin,' now I can do anything I want to, like I was 40 years old," Esson said.

Officials: Admission rates for minorities consistent

By the numbers, minority student enrollment is down slightly at MSU, but according to the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance & Monitoring, the university's minority retention rate is above the national average. Each year, MSU publishes a report on the progress of initiatives that support diversity.

Police briefs 04/12/05

E.L. council to discuss its budget at meeting

The East Lansing City Council will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall, 410 Abbott Road, to discuss the city's proposed budget.

Marrow drive today at Union

By all rights, human biology senior Tom Mikulski said he shouldn't have survived the initial medical treatments for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma his mother received when she was pregnant with him 21 years ago. But a little more than a year ago, Mikulski was able to return the gift of life to his mother, Ellen Mikulski, by donating stem cells for a bone marrow transplant that was needed to cure her lymphoma. "I was awestruck and unbelieving that I could have a good, strong donor so close to my heart," said Ellen Mikulski, 58.

Police briefs 04/11/05

MSU programs listed in U.S. best

Thirty-two MSU programs were ranked among the best in the nation in U.S. News & World Report's yearly evaluation of graduate programs. The elementary and secondary education programs ranked first in the nation for the 11th consecutive year. One reason for the high score is the faculty research done at the college, said Cassandra Book, associate dean of the College of Education. "Faculty brings cutting-edge knowledge to the students," Book said.

ASMSU creates survey about April 2-3 events

Following the events of April 2, ASMSU officials sent out e-mails to residence hall directors asking students to fill out a survey about their experiences with the disturbances.

WEB ONLY: Multicultural Xtravaganza features poetry, song

The fifth-annual Multicultural Xtravaganza, was presented by the Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority Inc., to a packed audience at Fairchild Theatre on Saturday night.

Book characters visit area library

By Maggie Lillis Special for The State News Characters from popular literature were set free from the pages of books Saturday. The Capital Area District Library in Lansing kicked off National Library Week with "Characters Come Alive at Your Library," in which staff members dressed up as characters from popular books.

Board approves dorm price hike

It will cost students an extra $286 to live in residence halls next school year. Those who choose to reside in University Apartments will have to pay either $29 or $32 more per month depending on the number of bedrooms.

Worker rights battle reaches board of trustees

Student groups addressed the MSU Board of Trustees on Friday, urging trustees and MSU President Lou Anna K.

MSU hosts dodgeball tourney

Only one Kent State player remained. He clung to his red rubber ball like a life preserver, quivering nervously as the half-dozen remaining MSU players danced around him like wolves ready to pounce. On some unspoken signal, the Spartans players fired in unison on their helpless target, knocking him to the ground in a flurry of red rubber, giving MSU a victory during this weekend's Spartan Dodgeball Invitational. Teams from DePaul University, The Ohio State University and Delta College also traveled to MSU for the event, which was the nation's first-ever intercollegiate club dodgeball tournament. MSU's win over Kent State turned out to be one of few bright spots for the team, as it came in last place in Sunday's tournament.

WEB ONLY: Greek Week to begin with dance show

Greek Week 2005 will kick off with a bang - and possibly a few high-leg kicks - at MTV Night at 7 p.m.

Cancer patients honored at relay

Hugging his parents, MSU Student Cancer Support Network student coordinator Jeremy Koenemann fought back emotions after looking at hundreds of luminaries honoring cancer patients at the MSU's Relay for Life. Luminary bags with the names of people who have battled cancer were lit to honor those people. "Everyone has been affected by cancer in some way," he said. Koenemann attended the American Cancer Society fund-raiser Saturday with the MSU Student Cancer Support Network - a group that offers support to students who have either had cancer or have known someone with cancer. At the relay, the network's presence served as a wake-up call to how real the disease is on campus, said Relay for Life event chairwoman and political science and pre-law senior Dana Dzwonkowski.

Towering tree to reclaim top title

On the front lawn of the state Capitol, a 110-foot catalpa tree towers over the competition of other trees.

Library to host book characters dress up

Employees of the Capital Area District Library will celebrate National Library Week by dressing up as characters from popular literature for the "Characters Come Alive" day.

Group pushes Simon to recognize code

In a final push to get MSU to finalize a student-drafted code of conduct for joining the Worker Rights Consortium, members of Students for Economic Justice, or SEJ, and Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan, or MEXA, staged a "die-in" protest Thursday afternoon in front of the Administration Building. Last week, the student groups were informed that MSU President Lou Anna K.

Sign changes led to tickets

Changes made to parking in the Cedar Village area left some students without a place to park following Saturday's disturbances. Students have been allowed to park from 6 a.m.

Munn to host Relay for Life this weekend

Right after his mother had been diagnosed with cancer, social science senior Steve Wolbert accidentally walked into a Relay for Life event. Five years later, he is helping prepare MSU's fifth Relay for Life event for the American Cancer Society, which will be held at Munn Ice Arena on Saturday and Sunday. For Wolbert, finding out about his mother was a huge blow, particularly because his uncle had recently died from cancer. "It was like, 'Wow, we have to go through this again,'" Wolbert said.