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MSU

Chevy Tahoes possible replacement for 'U' police squad's Ford vehicles

MSU police officers might be sporting new rides next year if a possible deal to replace their current squad cars with Chevy Tahoes is worked out. The current fleet of 13 marked Ford Crown Victorias, have leases that expire at the end of the year, would be replaced by the larger sport utility vehicles when they become available.

MSU

'U' safeguards against risk

MSU police will conduct its second phase of emergency preparedness Wednesday morning during a full-scale mock disaster exercise on campus. About a dozen officials know exactly where the drill will take place - so responders such as MSU police, East Lansing Fire Department, the Office of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety and other local units will be able to test readiness. "We want to test our preparedness, response function and our ability to recover from whatever may happen so we can make sure we have the proper planning procedures," MSU police Lt.

MSU

Debate documentary to air Sept. 1

Based on the premise that a sport is defined as any type of intense competition, the College Sports Television cable network created a one-hour long documentary based on the 58th National Debate Tournament, which MSU won earlier this year. With CNN news anchor Aaron Brown as the host, the film premieres on Sept.

MICHIGAN

Former athletic director to speak at E.L. event

Former MSU athletic director Clarence Underwood will discuss academics and athletics in urban schools in light of recent scandals in the intercollegiate sports world as part of the East Lansing's Luncheon Speaker Series. Underwood will speak at 12:30 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Day promotes awareness of transgender concerns

In an effort to bring more attention to a part of society most people either don't understand or know exists, TransGender Michigan officials declared Sunday as International Transgender Awareness Day. "Some people will say, 'Your community is so new,'" TransGender Michigan executive director Rachel Crandall said.

MICHIGAN

Man drowns in Lansing river

Lansing - A man was found dead Tuesday afternoon in the Red Cedar River in Lansing, near Kalamazoo and Clippert Streets. Police were investigating the incident as "a suspicious death," and an autopsy performed Wednesday concluded with inconclusive results. Roberto Martinez, friend of the man he called "Ran Dan," returned after a brief trip Tuesday to the location they were living at - among the trees west of Kalamazoo Street and on the shore of the Red Cedar River - and noticed something wasn't right. Police had taped off the area and were investigating a body found in the water next to their campsite. Martinez said he and a group of men had been "kicking back" at the campsite, where "Ran Dan" had a tent, and "were all drinking." Multiple police and rescue teams swarmed the area after Lansing Police received an anonymous call at about 2:30 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Third annual folk festival expected to bring 80K people to E.L. streets

East Lansing city officials, along with MSU Museum employees and downtown businesses are getting ready for fun, folk music and food during this weekend's third annual Great Lakes Folk Festival. MSU Museum Communication Manager Lora Helou said the 80,000 expected at this year's festival - the same amount as at last year's event - can taste the flavor and cultures of different countries of the world. "Through music, food and arts, it's a chance to experience lots of different cultures in an accessible way," Helou said.

MICHIGAN

2 men die after separate events

Two East Lansing men died in the last two days in separate vehicle-related incidents. Nabi Aslani, 79, died Tuesday in a car accident at the corner of Coolidge and State Roads, and 22-year-old Alexander Zynda shot himself after a high-speed police chase Wednesday.

MICHIGAN

Lansing group to target low-income vote

The streets will be filled this fall with political activists, petitioners and advocates representing the presidential candidates of their choice. Lansing Voters Matter, a new non-partisan voter registration organization, will be targeting a group they say is often overlooked by many of the regular campaigns - Lansing's low-income population. "We realized that all of the 'Get out the vote' drives were politically motivated," co-founder Michelle Johnson said.

MSU

Enrollment down in business program

Enrollment in MSU's Executive Masters of Business Administration program has gone down over the last five years, while many of the nation's schools have seen steady enrollment, university officials said. MSU saw a drop of almost five students per year on average in its EMBA program. And nationwide, more than three-fourths of responding Masters of Business Administration programs reported a decline in applications, according to a recent Graduate Management Admission Council survey, although MSU's figures have remained relatively steady. Also, 25 percent less students took the GMAT test for admission into business school than in 2002. "Given that the number of people who've taken the GMAT is down, there is a smaller pool of students," said John Delaney, associate dean for MBA Programs with the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management. This limited number of candidates means universities in the top 10 of national business programs can syphon away students from MSU, he said.

MSU

Chemistry demos might suffer

Students taking chemistry classes this fall won't get to see as many demonstrations as their predecessors, because chemistry demonstrator Sheldon Knoespel will no longer be experimenting. Knoespel, who was in the position for 14 years, was responsible for doing all the demonstrations in different chemistry classes that emphasized what was being taught in the classroom.

MSU

Professor named to lead agricultural society

With farming converting into a type of corporate business from its past image of family driven manual labor, agriculture graduates with an economics and engineering background are farther ahead career-wise, MSU College of Agriculture officials say. Otto Loewer, a 1980 MSU alumnus, recently became the president-elect for the American Society for Agricultural Engineers, due in part to his dual background in those subjects.