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MSU

Officials: work and social life hard to seperate in social media

The scandal involving sexual photos sent by Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., has made national headlines over the last two weeks, culminating in his decision to take a leave of absence to seek treatment on Sunday. While many have debated whether Weiner should be forced to resign, the scandal has demonstrated the power of social media. The culture of social media fostered by websites such as Twitter and Facebook has resulted in people such as Weiner being unable to separate work from social experiences, MSU professor Bob LaRose, from the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, said in an email. “Problems arise from becoming overly involved at the expense of real world responsibilities,” LaRose said.

MSU

Students use summer classes to advance college progress

Many MSU students studying this summer have chosen to take advantage of online course offerings to give them an edge when they return to campus in the fall. With the onset of ANGEL and other digital communication methods, instructors are finding ways to provide education without having to convene on campus. Byron Brown, an economics professor and coordinator of instructional technology support for Libraries, Computing and Technology, said MSU has been offering online courses for more than a decade to provide a supplement for learning in a digital age. Any department on campus can develop an online course through MSU’s Virtual University, Brown said, but all departments are required to uphold the course’s objectives in a way that proves successful in an online setting. International relations and psychology sophomore Kanza Khan said she enrolled in an online class to get ahead in school while living at home in Troy, Mich., this summer.

MSU

MSU officials: Zipcar program a success

About five months after its implementation at MSU, campus officials said the Zipcar program has been successful. Jennifer Battle, assistant director of campus sustainability, said the car sharing program — originally launched in January through a partnership with Cambridge, Mass., company Zipcar — has been well-received among MSU students and faculty. “I would generally say we’re on a successful track,” she said.

NEWS

Pump breaks in Breslin Center

An ejector pump overheated at about 5 p.m. Monday in the mezzanine level of Breslin Center, East Lansing fire Deputy Chief Patrick Nakfoor said. An ejector pump drains water and waste from buildings.

NEWS

Summer classes begin at Hannah Community Center

Before Laura Wise became a yoga and Pilates class instructor at Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, she took fitness classes there herself. Wise said a good thing about the center is someone can try a class for six weeks without having to join an official gym, and the center is good at accommodating schedules.

Britteny Dee ·
NEWS

Lansing hosts weekend of LGBT pride

For Battle Creek, Mich., residents Angela Sisk and Patti Gazette, marriage is not an option, which is why they traveled to Lansing this past weekend. They were one of many same-sex couples to participate in the commitment ceremony held on the steps of the Capitol Saturday.

NEWS

Program lets parents prepay for college credits

For some students, as the years spent at MSU pile up, so does the mountain of debt stemming from tuition costs. However, helping students and their families manage that debt is something the Michigan Education Trust, or MET, program has been doing for 23 years.

NEWS

MSU to host music therapy camp

The MSU Community Music School will be hosting its annual music therapy camp this Thursday through Saturday. Music therapy is a form of treatment that often is used to relieve patients of their physical and mental symptoms through emotional, psychological and social expression.

NEWS

ROTC grows at MSU

Interest in MSU’s Army ROTC program is on the rise, statistics from department officials indicate. This year, 214 members of the incoming freshmen class at MSU have indicated their interest in the program, up from 188 the year prior, said Maj.

MSU

Graduate students create website designed to help graduate students share experiences

Graduate students navigating the world of higher education now have a forum for discussing their experiences, following the launch of an MSU-created website. Gradhacker.org — a site created by five MSU graduate students — was unveiled this past weekend at The Humanities And Technology, or THAT, Camp at George Mason University. The site hosts a blog that allows graduate students to both post and comment on the challenges of graduate school and their various experiences pursuing their degrees, said Katy Meyers, an anthropology graduate student who helped start the site. “The purpose of it is to kind of act as a digital roundtable for graduate students,” Meyers said.

NEWS

MSU Extension aids Michigan farmers

Officials with MSU Extension held an online seminar this past week in an effort to assist farmers affected by the state’s recent severe weather. Last Friday, farmers across the state could tune into an online webinar hosted by MSU Extension officials that explored options for farmers dealing with this spring’s heavy rains, said David Schweikhardt, a professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics.

NEWS

Students use summer semester to get ahead

The summer semester serves as an opportunity for students to accelerate their progress toward their degree, but with the semester divided into six-week sessions, the accelerated pace can make grasping course material especially difficult.

NEWS

Corporation offers money for student ideas

A Michigan corporation is sponsoring a competition that will give college students real-world legislative experience while providing the real world with a solution to a political problem. The Students Reinventing Michigan Corporation is asking undergraduate college students to submit proposals detailing how the state Legislature can best improve Michigan’s infrastructure with public support during the current tough economic times.

Rachel Jackson ·
NEWS

Residents explore what Greater Lansing has to offer

Though few people are aware of it, Lansing sits atop a legend. Nearly two decades ago, a foreigner allegedly stepped off a plane in Lansing, hailed a cab and asked what there was to do in the area. The cab driver, a longtime Lansing resident, replied that there was nothing to do, and the visitor should turn around and go home.