Professor from Virginia to head up new Environmental Sciences, Policy program

In an effort to make multi-disciplinary environmental science missions across campus more visible, MSU's Board of Trustees approved the Environmental Sciences and Policy program at its February meeting. The program will be headed by Thomas Dietz, an environmental science and public policy professor from George Mason University in Virginia. "Michigan State does world-class research, education and outreach in environmental science and policy," Dietz said in a written statement. "Our new program will make the work more visible, make it more easily available to those who have to make decisions about the environment and, by making links across the field, lead to better science and better decisions," he said. Currently, MSU's classes, research and outreach programs in environmental science are spread throughout several departments and colleges in the university, including the colleges of social science, natural science and agriculture and natural resources. The new program will allow undergraduate and graduate students to specialize in environmental science and policy. Provost Lou Anna Simon said the new program will allow the university to focus and align its environmental science strengths for the advantage of students and faculty. "MSU has an enormous amount of strengths around the university in environmental science," Simon said.

Police briefs 02/26/03

Student charged in racially charged flier faces pre-trial

The pre-trial of the MSU student accused of posting a racially offensive flier in Shaw Hall will take place at 9 a.m.

Speaker addresses 'anti-American' sentiment, war with Iraq

Conservative speaker Daniel J. Flynn is bringing his message on "Why the Left Hates America" to MSU today. Flynn will speak at 7:30 p.m.

Cuts to life sciences might hinder research

After last week's $12.5-million cut to Michigan's Life Sciences Corridor, MSU researchers competing for grant money from the program are worried about their research.The cut, which is part of Gov.

Activists to receive LBGT awards

History junior Ebon Pinson said a lot of people don't tend to understand lesbian, bisexual, gay or transgender people. "They have their own biases and prejudices," Pinson, founder and president of MSU Same Gender Loving Students of Color, International students and Allies said, adding the misunderstanding is the reason he spends so much time trying to straighten out misconceptions. "Many people don't understand that LBGT is a culture," he said.

Schools embrace B.R.A.D.'s message

In about four years, an alcohol abuse awareness program that originated at MSU has spread to 73 schools nationwide.

Survey: greeks succeed

A survey of 500 of the Forbes Super 500 showed almost a quarter of its CEOs were members of greek organizations in college.MSU Greek Life adviser Amy Radford said when most students join a fraternity or sorority, they might not realize the benefits it might offer in the long run."Students tend not to see beyond MSU," she said.

ASMSU honoring late director

ASMSU is moving forward with plans to establish a scholarship and to rededicate its conference room in honor of the late Charles Beachnau.Beachnau, who was the MSU undergraduate student government's association director, died in June of a heart attack.

City council to discuss liquor licenses, violations

A track record of the city's liquor-selling establishments will be discussed at a East Lansing City Council work session 6 p.m.

eBay criticized for offensive language

The world's largest online auction house is coming under fire for allowing some racially offensive language to remain in its item listings.Last week, the National Alliance for Positive Action protested Internet auction site eBay and asked the company to stop listing items they believe are racially offensive and degrading to blacks.The alliance is opposing eBay's decision to continue to sell a number of books, card games, prints and musical compilations listed with or including racially offensive titles.Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the National Alliance for Positive Action, said he and several other groups are planning rallies to protest eBay and are requesting the company to either remove all offensive items or provide disclaimers on the Web site.Hutchinson said those items include cast-iron banks that are caricatures, described on the Web site using a racial slur and shown with large red lips, dark skin and rolling eyes."No response has been made from eBay," Hutchinson said.

Researchers to discuss bioethics, cloning at Wharton forum

A panel of researchers and medical ethicists will convene for an animal biotechnology forum to discuss cloning at 7 p.m.

Lansing City Council picks new member

Lansing - The Lansing City Council appointed Randy Williams on Monday to fill its empty third ward seat. The position was vacated when Tony Benavides became mayor last month.

Proposed student greenhouse model to be displayed in Union

A model of the proposed student greenhouse project will be displayed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday on the first floor of the Union. The model is five feet in diameter, said Philip Lamoureux, director of the Student Greenhouse Project, and includes running water, benches and lights.

Computer science sees decrease in enrollment

Enrollment in computer science classes is declining at MSU.George Stockman, a professor of computer science and engineering, said in his 20 years at MSU, he's seen waves of student demand in the field."When I came here in 1982, we were graduating a lot of bachelor's degree students, and not so many graduate students," he said.

Police briefs 02/25/03

Mock trial team heads to Iowa for competition

The MSU Mock Trial Team will be heading to a national competition in Iowa. The team won a bid to the American Mock Trial Association Grand National Tournament, which will take place April 4-6 in Des Moines, Iowa. "I couldn't believe it," international relations sophomore Justin Kuxhaus said.

Student with illness out of intensive care

The female journalism sophomore diagnosed with a meningitis-like disease last month has been moved out of intensive care, a source close to the student said Sunday. The student, whose identity and condition are being withheld at her family's request, is recovering at Lansing's Sparrow Hospital, where she was previously in a medically-induced coma. Hospital officials confirmed the student is still in the hospital's care. The student will undergo rehabilitation at the hospital and doctors are not certain when she will be released, the source said. The student, who is a resident of the ninth floor of South Hubbard Hall, was diagnosed with meningococcemia on Jan.

Event unites native students

More than 50 students came to hear actor Wes Studi speak on the parallels between the Iraqi people and Native Americans at the first annual North American Indian Student Organization conference this weekend.Four schools - the University of Michigan, Northern Michigan University, Lansing Community College and MSU - were represented at the two-day conference in the Union and attended workshops about leadership and affirmative action.The conference didn't draw as many people as the group had hoped, NAISO Co-Chairman Bryan Newland said."There wasn't as much as we were expecting, but I think the weather caused some problems," he said.

RHA debuts updated interactive Web site

Students have a new way to keep up-to-date with the MSU Residence Halls Association. RHA has developed a new, more interactive Web site to make it easier for students to get information, RHA technology director Nick Clark said. Clark said he has been working on the site since last summer, but it is now easier to use. The site sports the group's new logo and many Web forums. "The site that they had last year was really bad because it was just one page of text that didn't get changed, ever," Clark said.