MSU
Work continues on campus accessibility
It's the seemingly little things. A toilet paper holder at the proper height. Door signs with Braille. Or it's the big things.
MSU
Swing Society hosts dance lessons
More than 60 people concentrated as the smooth sounds of jazz rhythmically pulsed throughout the MSU Union Ballroom on Tuesday night.
MSU
Planetarium to hold astronomy lecture
The MSU Department of Physics and Astronomy will present a lecture titled "Black Holes, Quasars and the Birth of Galaxies," at 7:30 p.m.
MSU
Simulation Day depicts life with a disability
Matthew Clark said it was difficult to use the bathrooms in Wells Hall while he was in a wheelchair.Clark, a landscape architecture senior, participated in a simulation, one of the many events planned for Accessibility Awareness Week.
MSU
Proposal to integrate departments heads to Trustees
A proposal to integrate three departments within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources was approved by the Executive Committee of Academic Council on Tuesday.
MSU
ASMSU drafts amendments to change 6-week-old noise law
In the week following an ASMSU-sponsored forum for student input on the East Lansing party-noise ordinance, officials from MSU's undergraduate student government have been drafting amendments to the policy using concerns addressed by students at the meeting.Lynsey Little, ASMSU director of community affairs and chairwoman of the University Student Commission, said both student organizations will create a proposal to amend the six-week-old ordinance.
MSU
Visa requirements may hinder 'U'
There are more international students at MSU this year, but it's becoming more difficult to come to the United States and stay at the university, students and administrators say.This year, MSU has 154 new International students, bringing total enrollment to 3,277.
MSU
Trustees approve 2 renovation projects
The MSU Board of Trustees passed two renovation projects at its meeting Friday.The board unanimously voted to establish contracts to renovate the Clinical Center and the Life Sciences Building, as well as replacing the electrical station that generates power throughout the Brody Complex. University Engineer Bob Nestle said the contracts will be signed within a week and construction should begin shortly after.Gunthorpe Plumbing and Heating Inc. of East Lansing was appointed to replace the coils in air units at the Clinical Center and to replace heat and ventilation systems at the Life Sciences Building.The contract is worth $462,000.Nestle said there are additional costs for design and inspection fees, along with a contingency charge to cover any unforeseen costs, bringing the total costs of the project to about $720,000.Kares Construction Co. of Charlotte was awarded a contract of $373,000 for the replacement of the electrical transformers that serve the Brody Complex.
MSU
Students apologize to 'U'
Two students involved in selling anti-University of Michigan T-shirts said they apologized to the campus groups they offended but will not stop selling the shirts.The flier distributed across campus last week bore the phrase "Wolverines Pack Fudge" above an explicit drawing as an advertisement for the shirts sold online.Biomedical science junior Carmen Peter and economics junior Charlie Peck said they created the shirts just to make money and weren't expecting the negative backlash they received from Residence Hall Association and the Alliance of Lesbian, Bi, Gay and Transgender Students."I'm sorry people took this the wrong way," Peter said.
MSU
Pease and justice film shown tonight
The third video in the Students for Peace and Justice Film Series will be shown Wednesday night in Wells Hall."Mumia: A case for reasonable doubt?" will begin at 8 p.m.
MSU
NAISO embraces indigenous heritage
Instead of sharing stories about the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, MSU English Professor Gordon Henry talked about Rose Cree of the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota. Henry talked about how Cree and other indigenous peoples have a different tradition than Christopher Columbus - one of hospitality, respect and unity rather than conquest and imperialism. "Our legacy is not one of conquest or oppressing other people," he said, standing in front of the rock on Farm Lane painted with "Columbus Day: Celebrating 511 years of terrorism.
MSU
Vigil to be held for violence survivors
A candlelight vigil will be held tonight in remembrance of victims and survivors of domestic violence for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Several galleries in the area will open at 5 p.m.
MSU
'Bond' brings animal lovers out in packs
Melissa Domsic Special for The State News The bond between a human and an animal is like love, veterinarian and author Marty Becker said in his presentation during the third annual Human-Animal Bond Initiative's Conference held Friday and Saturday at the Kellogg Center. "It's nebulous but easily understood by any of us that share our lives with pets," he said. Becker was one of many professionals that spoke at the conference on this year's theme, "The Science Behind Our Relationship With Animals: Cuddle a Critter and Call Me in the Morning." Lana Kaiser, a professor in the College of Nursing and of Human Medicine, is the coordinator of the Human-Animal Bond Initiative, an MSU-based group that brings people from on and off campus to study the human-animal bond. "Our goal is to enhance the understanding of the relationship between humans and animals," Kaiser said.
MSU
NAISO celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day today
Members of the North American Indigenous Student Organization will celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day on campus today. From 11 a.m.
MSU
Local rivers 'not so bad'
Jen Veenstra held a small mason jar filled with water and debris from the Grand River to the light Saturday afternoon, carefully examining it for creatures, trying to determine the health of the water. The Lyman Briggs no-preference freshman spent the day with 17 other volunteers at various sites along the Red Cedar and Grand rivers collecting water samples.
MSU
Colleges vie for Olympic title
The winner of the competition gets to keep the trophy for a year.But this isn't the Stanley Cup - it's the first Lyman Briggs-James Madison Olympic Showdown."It's kind of like the Stanley Cup," said Jack Dodd, chairperson of the 14-member Lyman Briggs Student Advisory Council.
MSU
Students volunteer in 'the streets'
Armed with rakes, cleaning supplies, paint brushes and children's books, nearly 200 students went to the streets of Lansing and East Lansing on Saturday to volunteer.The kickoff of "Into the Streets," an MSU student-run community service organization, helped about 20 different nonprofit organizations.
MSU
Enrollment data finalized
MSU's enrollment decreased slightly from the 2002-03 year, despite an almost record level of applicants. The university received about 25,000 first-time undergraduate applicants for fall 2003, but the 44,542 students currently attending MSU are almost 400 students less than last year's total enrollment. Despite the decrease, David Byelich, MSU's director of the Office of Planning and Budgets, said this year's enrollment remains at a level where the university can optimize students' academic performance. "What we tried to do is remain stable at the 44,000 to 43,000 level," he said. MSU's enrollment has fluctuated between 43,000 and 45,000 students for the past five years. The enrollment figures were released to the public late last week. Pamela Horne, assistant to the provost for enrollment management and director of admissions, said university officials had planned on decreasing enrollment to about 44,000, but the state's budgetary problems might affect MSU's long-term enrollment planning. "All of this has to be looked at in terms of the budget and what the balance is going to be between tuition revenue and state revenue," she said.
MSU
Week raises disabled awareness
Many campus bathrooms aren't large enough for a wheelchair to maneuver, and none of the campus pay phones are equipped with Teletype, according to the The Council of Students with DisabilitiesAnd the council wants MSU students to understand the challenges they face on campus during Accessibility Awareness Week, which runs from today through Friday."It's a good way to get people to draw attention to the inaccessible areas on campus," said Melinda Haus, vice president of the council and organizer of the week.
MSU
Diversity sought in science
Lloyd Douglas said he thinks a band with only trombones would be dull.Similarly, the program director for the National Science Foundation said diversity is key to making scientific advances."Have you ever looked at the sheet music for West Side Story?" the former trombone player asked a group of MSU students and faculty Thursday night.