'U' switches online program

Students and professors who use the course management system Blackboard will notice a change after MSU announced Tuesday it will switch to a new program. ANGEL, or A New Global Environment for Learning, is similar in appearance and will provide many of the same services as the 4.0 version of Blackboard MSU uses. "Version 4.0 reached the point where we couldn't make it hold as many users as MSU needed," said David Gift, vice provost for libraries, computing and technology.

City, school board work to solve budget issues

The East Lansing City Council and school board members are looking to unite - hoping to soften the blow of budget troubles. Members of both groups met and discussed possible collaborations including sharing mowing and plowing services, human resource and auditorium staffs and pool management expenses. "I can say that I don't know any other place in Michigan that's working together like this," Mayor Mark Meadows said. Officials say they plan to find ways to combine city and school district staff positions. East Lansing lost nearly $720,000 from state revenue funding and fire protection grants in December after an executive order by then-Gov.

Fieger makes inagural lecture series speech to DCL students

Attorney Geoffery Fieger reflected on a long career at the MSU-Detroit College of Law Building on Thursday. Fieger, who gave a $4 million donation to DCL in 2001, was the inaugural speaker in a lecture series that bears his name. "He is wonderfully inspiring," DCL Dean Terence Blackburn said.

Police briefs 01/24/03

Police briefs 01/23/03

Students lead commission to review city noise policies

Student leaders are recommending several initiatives to expand prevention and enforcement activities to the city in hopes of reducing noise violations.At East Lansing's University Student Commission meeting members discussed making changes to East Lansing City Council's noise reduction recommendations Tuesday for residents before a policy is implemented.

Lecture to discuss bioethics

MSU's Department of Political Science will host their 14th annual lecture series, "Biotechnology and Modern Democracy" beginning at 8 tonight in the Kellogg Center Auditorium.

Trustee's bowl rings go unsold

Angelo DiMeo is wondering what to do next with Trustee Joel Ferguson's old MSU bowl rings.The Lansing-based jeweler put Ferguson's 1990 John Hancock and 1993 Liberty bowl rings up for auction on eBay, but did not draw any bids.DiMeo was asking $1,400 for each ring in the Internet auctions, which ended Wednesday night."Most people are afraid of the media attention," DiMeo said, adding 200 potential buyers courted him about side deals - with $1,200 as the highest offer per ring.Ferguson declined to comment the night of the auctions' close, but said last week he didn't know how DiMeo got ahold of the rings.He said he may have given them away and didn't think they were stolen.About eight people visit DiMeo's two jewelry stores each day to look at the rings, DiMeo said.

'U' research funding might be slashed

An MSU pesticide research program could lose $210,000 if Gov. Jennifer Granholm follows budget cut recommendations from a Midland-based think tank.According to a report by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research group, Michigan can save $34 million by eliminating programs in the state's Department of Agriculture.But Chris DiFonzo, MSU's pesticide education program coordinator, said a cut wouldn't have a big affect on the university.The Department of Agriculture gets federal funding to run the pesticide certification program, and MSU is contracted to make educational material for people who use the chemicals.

State considers Web tax

Microbiology junior Jonathan Lenz knows the taxes he owes Michigan from Web purchases could start piling up. Six percent sales and use taxes are levied on Internet and mail-order purchases made in Michigan, but little of it is collected, according to the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency.

United Way scandal worries local charities

The ripple effect of the $1.88-million Capital Area United Way embezzlement scandal fuels the trend of less trust in charities, local charity officials say.Since the Sept.

Students to vote on $5 energy fee

Fossil fuel energy on University Farms might be history if students decide to front the money to make the transition to environmentally-friendly energy.Students will vote in March on whether to add a $5 student tax to fund environmental initiatives.ASMSU passed a bill allowing students to vote on the tax after the environmental organization ECO proposed the bill to MSU's undergraduate student government in November.The farms purchase fossil fuel energy from Consumers Energy, but would start shifting to solar and wind turbine energy if the tax passes, said Terry Link, a representative for the University Committee for a Sustainable Campus."There's only so much fossil fuel we can burn," he said.

Residents choose where to work out

With a variety of fitness options available, students and city residents can take their pick among apartment centers, professional gyms and campus intramural centers.

Basement cafe caters to patrons

People in business attire sit at tables in the Union basement, quietly chatting with one another over their food.Servers in white aprons distribute helpings of roasted turkey and potatoes onto plates.It's just another day in the Heritage Café.From 11 a.m.

DCL professor's site opposed by state rep.

State Rep. Susan Tabor, R-Delta Township, is speaking up against an MSU-Detroit College of Law professor's animal law Web site, claiming it provides support to anti-hunting views."In a time of tight budgets when Michigan schoolchildren are being asked to do with less and MSU students are seeing steep tuition hikes, the last thing we need is a new, highly controversial program of dubious practical value," Tabor said in a statement. The site, www.animallaw.info, includes information about 120 statutes and 100 cases involving animal rights.

'U' outperforms colleges in endowment return

MSU gained money from endowment investments during the 2001-02 fiscal year, while many universities around the United States spent the year trying to recover losses.Glen Klein, director of investments and financial management for MSU, said the university saw a 2.3-percent return in 2001-02, compared with the national average college endowment loss of 6 percent, as surveyed by the National Association of College and University Business Officers.Endowments are funds donated to the university but not spent all at once.

Panel to discuss diversity with 'U'

The MSU and East Lansing communities are invited to speak out in a panel discussion about a variety of issues at 8 p.m.

New state labor head hoping for more jobs

During their first session of the year Tuesday, the state Senate made two unanimous approvals. Lansing Mayor David Hollister was one of two department heads to be approved - he will serve as head of the new department of labor and economic issues.

Corps fosters youth volunteers

Lansing - Brothers Corey and Rudy Robinson waited in anticipation to begin their jobs at the Youth Service Corps. The two Lansing residents are students at Pattengill Middle School and are signed up to visit Allen Neighborhood Center, 1619 E.

MSU plant curator to speak at a meeting for state botany club

Those interested in the Red Cedar Chapter of the Michigan Botanical Club can attend a meeting at 7:30 p.m.