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MSU

Prof vaccinates animals to prevent Lyme disease

Almost two years after human Lyme disease vaccines were pulled from the market, MSU fisheries and wildlife Professor Jean Tsao said immunizations might soon be given to animals instead. Traditionally, the disease has been treated by vaccinating humans, but Tsao decided to try a vaccine on wild mice in the hopes it would reduce the proportion of infected hosts. According to the Michigan Department of Community Health Web site, Lyme disease is transmitted through the black-legged tick.

MSU

Sustainability focus of speaker series

Nhia Lee
January 19, 2005

MSU's Community and Economic Development Program will hold the second of six seminars in the "Sustainable Development: Concepts & Practices" series at noon on Thursday at the International Center.

MSU

MSU, U-M set to donate blood, win competition

Kristin Longley
January 19, 2005

The American Red Cross hopes students will bleed green to save lives during the 2005 Basketball Blood Battle against the University of Michigan. This is the fourth year the two rival schools have competed to donate the most pints of blood.

MSU

History, future focus of 150th birthday events

After months of planning, it's finally arrived. On Jan. 1, the 150th year of MSU - also known as its sesquicentennial - officially began, bringing new meaning to upcoming events and the future of MSU, university leaders say. "As a child might anticipate a birthday, when the day finally arrives, it's very significant," said Sue Carter, chairwoman for the sesquicentennial.

MSU

Fraternity holds tractor pull for charity

Tom Keller
January 18, 2005

The Humiliator didn't scare Matt Munsell. Munsell, a dairy production sophomore, was one of more than two dozen students that tried to pull The Humiliator - a weighted sled hooked to the back of a toy tractor - at the inaugural FarmHouse Tractor Pull. At Saturday's competition, students took turns pedaling the four-foot-long toy tractor, which had about 250 pounds of weight attached to it.

MSU

Trustees focus on open discussion at first meeting

MSU President Lou Anna Simon led the MSU Board of Trustees for the first time in her presidency during the board's first meeting of the semester on Friday. It was also the first meeting for Trustee Melanie Foster, who was elected to the board in November after serving on the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees. As part of conducting the meetings, Simon said she would like to encourage open communication and discussion. By keeping the table open to discussion, it would allow for members of the MSU community to communicate issues they are working on to the entire board, Simon said. "I think that there's a way to have dialogue that is transparent, but at the same time be reflective of the institution," she said. Foster said returning to the board will allow her to contribute to the university's issues, such as the reorganization of the liberal arts college, which was discussed at the meeting. "I believe I had some good input," Foster said.

MSU

MSU prof. weighs in on year's best word

Tom Keller
January 14, 2005

The winner of the 15th annual Word of the Year contest was definitely not too close to call, an MSU linguistics professor said. The American Dialect Society voted "red state, blue state, purple state" as the most prominent phrase in the country's vocabulary in 2004. "You think back on the year, and what was the most engaging, nauseating, delightful for some, sickening for others experience?

MSU

Events to focus on King's life

Amy Davis
January 14, 2005

A weekend of events to honor Martin Luther King Jr. kicks off tonight with a talent show featuring MSU students at the Union Ballroom. "Showtyme at MSU" is a free event sponsored by the University Activities Board and the MLK Student Committee. "We wanted to give students an opportunity to show their talents," UAB event coordinator Sveta Desai said.

MSU

Changing temps could cause flood

A torrential downpour became a mid-winter snowstorm in a matter of minutes Thursday, as the National Weather Service placed the areas surrounding the Red Cedar River under a flood warning. After temperatures came close to reaching 60 degrees this week, numbers on the thermometer will plummet this weekend, deep freezing MSU's campus and parts of the state into next week, said Mark Walton, hydrologist at the Grand Rapids National Weather Service station. Since December, the jet stream has been unusually active and it's been noticed by everyone, said Jeff Andreson, MSU geography associate professor and state climatologist.

MSU

Building begins on $3.5-million vet center

Ground broke today on a $3.5-million addition to the College of Veterinary Medicine meant to help prevent infectious diseases from spreading in animals. The new facility, called the Matilda R.

MSU

Simon heads revamped MSU Board of Trustees

At Friday's MSU Board of Trustees meeting, a new leader will be at the head of the board table for the first time in 11 years. MSU President Lou Anna Simon will conduct the meeting. "I eagerly await the meeting, because having worked with Dr. Simon for the last about seven years that I've been on the board, I am very confident that she knows and understands the many issues that we face at Michigan State," Trustee David Porteous said.

MSU

Simon visits Academic Council meeting, urges committee to address MSU's broader issues

Margaret Harding
January 12, 2005

MSU President Lou Anna Simon made an unscheduled, but not unexpected, appearance at the Executive Committee of Academic Council meeting on Tuesday. "I am trying very hard not to be provost, but I still had 3:15 open on Tuesday," Simon said. She said she wanted to see the executive committee have conversations about the bigger issues the university faces. "I see ECAC as an important group that works with specific proposals, but that hasn't been the case with broader policy issues," Simon said. The office is continuing to work with the MSU College of Human Medicine Oversight Committee on the relocation of the college to Grand Rapids, she said. MSU has joined a group of stakeholders in the move based in Grand Rapids. "MSU decided - while the decision-making process is unique to each institution - it is best to be part of the dialogue," Simon said.

MSU

Winter sports offer icy workouts

Almost every weekday afternoon, a handful of MSU students take the ice at Munn Ice Arena during the rink's open skate hours and begin their winter workout. "It's like exercise, but its fun," accounting senior Jake Tech said.

MSU

New med school head meets college dean

The dean of MSU's College of Human Medicine and the new discussion facilitator for the college's move to Grand Rapids met Monday. Dean Glenn Craig Davis and Steven Heacock, currently chief administrative officer and chief legal officer of IdeaSphere Inc., in Grand Rapids, met for the first time since Heacock's appointment last week. Sherry Tompkins, spokeswoman for the college, said the meeting was positive. "The dean is very pleased about the formation of this group and the appointment of Steve," Tompkins said. Heacock said the entire committee of stakeholders for the move will meet Wednesday.