For 50 more cents, shoppers can purchase fair trade bananas, ensuring that the banana farmer who supplied the fruit was justly paid. A pound of regular bananas costs 49 cents at an East Lansing Kroger supermarket, located at 1550 W.
Turnout at last weekend's sesquicentennial events was mixed, and might have been limited by cold weather, organizers said. The weekend's events — which included the revival of former campus tradition Water Carnival, the sesquicentennial parade and a show by comedian Jay Leno — were held to commemorate MSU's 150th anniversary, which is beginning to wind down, sesquicentennial committee Chairwoman Sue Carter said. The weekend's celebration marked the last major push planned by the committee, Carter said. Organizers estimated about 3,500 people watched Water Carnival, which was held for the first time in 36 years.
It's time to take a look at the United States' effect on the rest of the world and the consequences of globalization, said Professor David Stowe, director of the American Studies Program. The program is hosting "America and the Problem of Empire," a four-day conference that begins today at Wells Hall with the presentation of the documentary film, "The Corporation," which focuses on the global effects of big business.
When nominations were collected last week for five task forces aimed to look at faculty's role in university decisions, Executive Committee of Academic Council Chairperson Jon Sticklen said he noticed a problem. At Tuesday's executive committee meeting, Sticklen informed the committee that there weren't enough nominees to fill the largest task force, which will be looking at restructuring the Academic Governance system. Last month, Faculty Council ruled that each task force requires a certain amount of nominees before they can be approved. These task forces are a result of last year's Faculty Voice report, compiled by faculty members who made recommendations that would give them more of a presence in administrative decisions. Other task forces will be looking at the process for reviewing administrators and academic programs, general communication procedures in Academic Governance and the role of fixed-term faculty. Judith Andre, philosophy professor and member of the Center for Ethics and Humanities in the Life Sciences, said she was hesitant to postpone all work with the Academic Governance reorganization task force.
Every month, an alarm blares throughout the residence halls - another fire drill. But following Friday's fire at Bryan Hall, several students said they first thought alarms were only signaling a fire drill, and the majority of the residents were in no hurry to exit the building. Many students only knew it was a real fire once they saw the smoke rising from a third-floor window. "They think they are invulnerable, and therefore 'It's not going to happen to me,' but it does happen," said Paul Goldblatt, director of Residence Life.
Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns said his films have a running subplot of race, but his main focus in creating them is to remind people of how history and culture unite us. Burns drew from his experiences making documentaries in two campus addresses on Monday. "We live in a society where everything is divided," he said.
A group of about 25 MSU community members marched Monday evening to the rock on Farm Lane, some wearing T-shirts that accused Christopher Columbus of genocide, racism, rape and torture. Instead of celebrating the man recognized throughout history for discovering America, during Columbus Day on Monday members of several cultural student groups observed Indigenous People's Day - which honors those who lived in the Americas long before Columbus set foot on the continent. About 50 people in all attended Monday evening's events, which included a prayer, music and speeches from several group members at the rock. Those who participated in Indigenous People's Day events - including members of the North American Indigenous Student Organization and Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan - said they hold different views than those traditionally taught in U.S.
While many students were still sleeping on Saturday morning, a group of students and faculty members met to mark storm drains in an outreach project aimed to raise awareness about water quality. The group of about 20 people met at Spartan Village and separated into different groups to go around the apartment complex and campus to put signs on storm drains that said "No Dumping.
Scorch marks stain the outside edges of a Bryan Hall door, and the stench of smoke lingers in the hallway, after an entire room was destroyed by flame and smoke. An unattended candle was responsible. Candles in dorm rooms are not allowed, according to University Housing rules.
Instead of observing Columbus Day, some American Indians on campus are honoring their ancestors through Indigenous People's Day today. There will be a march from South Complex to the rock on Farm Lane at 5:45 p.m., followed by a prayer and drum performance. More than 100 people showed up for the event last year, said Don Lyons, hospitality business senior and co-chairman of the North American Indigenous Student Organization.
An open forum will be held today to discuss the impact of Hurricane Katrina on human health. The public talk will begin at 5:30 p.m.
The Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station recently named Steven Pueppke as its new director. Pueppke, who also will be MSU's assistant vice president for research and graduate studies, currently works at the University of Illinois, where he has been the associate dean for research in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences since 1998. His appointment will take effect on Jan.
MSU alumni crowded around the Red Cedar River on Friday evening to witness the return of Water Carnival after a 36-year absence. What they saw in a roughly hour-long procession of 18 floats was a departure from the extravagant tradition many of them remembered. The chilly October weather gusted wind and mists of rain on the hundreds who attended Friday's event.
The Michigan Battered Women's Clemency Project is holding a rally at noon today on the front steps of the Capitol in Lansing. The rally is to raise awareness for female prisoners who have not received fair trials, according to the group, which supports clemency and human rights for women in prison.
A memorial service will be held in honor of Arthur Athanason at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Riverwalk Theatre, 228 Museum Drive in Lansing. Athanason was a professor of English and theater at MSU for 35 years.
In the middle of former MSU President John Hannah's 28-year reign, the College of Communication Arts and Sciences was just one more addition to his list of firsts. A desire for education from soldiers returning home after serving in World War II and a rapidly changing society led to the need for the college - which became the first communication school in the nation when it opened in 1955. "The change was an industry-led and community-led initiative," said Kirsten Khire, the college's communication manager.
Americans don't often think about their relationship with neighboring Canada - a relationship that has been bruised in recent years by national political disputes, former Michigan Gov.
Appropriations for continued research on the proposed Rare Isotope Accelerator are tied up in federal budget talks. RIA has been identified as a top priority in research funding in previous years, but recent budget woes have cast doubt on the viability of the project. MSU had been one of the main contenders for the site of the accelerator, along with Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago. The federal budget was supposed to be completed by Oct.
ASMSU members announced they would be more strictly enforcing representatives' attendance at office hours, even though students rarely visit representatives. "People don't really know that they can talk to their representatives," said Elizabeth Lostracco, College of Arts and Letters representative for ASMSU's Academic Assembly.
With posters of bloody, dead fetuses and pamphlets describing their cause, members of Missionaries to the Preborn were stationed at different areas on MSU's campus Thursday. The group's main goal was to teach MSU students "the truth about abortion," said James Soderna, spokesman to the group. "We should work to get that outlawed," Soderna said. The group also stopped at Wayne State University, the University of Michigan-Flint and Central Michigan University as part of a four-day Michigan campus tour, Soderna said.