MSU

Tenured faculty members dwindle

Vince Estes

November 29, 2000

For years, the age and experience gap between students and instructors in lower-level English and history courses has been closing.A report released recently by the Coalition on the Academic Workforce, an association of the leaders of disciplinary societies, only confirms the long-held belief that a large majority of courses are being taught by part-time and nontenure-track faculty.The report surveyed departments in 10 fields and found that those instructors make up almost half of the teaching staff in many humanities and social science disciplines.It also showed they received less pay and fewer benefits than their peers.“Tenure ensures you cannot be dismissed or fired without due process,” said Iris Molotsky, spokeswoman for the American Association of University Professors.

MSU

Ramp reconstruction could up parking woes

Sara Luneburg

November 29, 2000

On a campus where parking is scarce and finding cars parked on the grass and sidewalks is common, parking legally is about to become even more difficult.The parking ramp near Shaw Hall will close its gates for good at the end of the semester, shortly before being destroyed.“Engineering consultants tell us that it needs to be replaced because the foundations are no longer in good condition,” said Michael Rice, MSU police deputy chief.

MSU

DCL students win honors in moot court competitions

Sarah M. Emery

November 29, 2000

There is a sign that hangs in the MSU-Detroit College of Law Moot Court Board office that reads “Moot Court is not Life.” But, “the sign is a lie,” according to fourth-year law student Tom Wisehart. Wisehart is the captain of the moot court team that recently participated in the Pepperdine National Entertainment Law Moot Court Trials in Malibu, Calif.

MSU

Cloning, genetics highlight lecture

Vince Estes

November 28, 2000

Anne McLaren, a research associate on genetics, reproductive biology and developmental biology at Cambridge University, will deliver a free lecture at the Auditorium on Wednesday night. McLaren, the principal research associate at the Wellcome/CRC Institute of Cancer Research and Developmental Biology at the United Kingdom-based college, was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1993.

MSU

Mr. Black MSU pageant seeks role models, not beauty

Sheena Harrison

November 28, 2000

The application deadline to become a contestant in the 2001 Mr. Black MSU pageant is approaching. This is the second year that the Black Student Alliance will hold the event.

MSU

Group allocations go to fund games, gifts, rallies

Steve Eder

November 28, 2000

Student government groups have allocated several thousand dollars to student groups since Nov. 8: At its Nov.

MSU

Debate coach earns top recognition

Nicole Jacques

November 28, 2000

Moments before the announcement, the head coach of MSU’s Debate Team laughed at the thought of winning a top award.But his doubt quickly turned to astonishment.On Nov.

MSU

Businesses go online with help from U

Vince Estes

November 28, 2000

Several area businesses are entering the e-commerce arena thanks to some MSU students.As part of their senior design projects, students in this semester’s Computer Science and Engineering 498 course have developed Web sites as prototypes for what those businesses might want to create as their permanent home pages.“They do this on their own and we don’t tell them how,” said Bill Punch, a computer science professor who teaches the collaborative design course.“A customer who isn’t knowledgeable in the practical areas wouldn’t do this themselves.”Punch said the class is part of the department’s plan to have students do realistic software development work in a group setting with real customers on topical problems.Some of the businesses participating in the project are Evergreen Grill, 327 Abbott Road, Melting Moments Homemade Ice Creams, 313 E.

MSU

DCL hosts local Arabs, Israelis in discussion

Sarah M. Emery

November 27, 2000

Watching the news is becoming increasingly difficult for businessman Boulas Ghraib.A Palestinian, Ghraib said it saddens him to watch TV reports about the violence and conflict that continue between Israelis and Palestinians.Ghraib joined another Palestinian man and two Israeli men in a discussion at MSU-Detroit College of Law last week.

MSU

Muslim students begin celebration of holiest holiday

Heather Banks

November 27, 2000

MSU Muslim students will begin their holiest month today.Ramadan, a Muslim holiday observed through prayer and fasting - abstaining from food and drink - during the daylight hours, begins today.Umbrin Ateequi, a member of MSU’s Muslim Student Association, said the holiday is a time for personal improvement.“Ramadan is a time to reflect and be thankful for things we take for granted,” she said.

MSU

Child development center to get face-lift

Vince Estes

November 27, 2000

The Spartan Child Development Center doesn’t look like a place that would house 90 children each day.Put together by five white trailers and covering about 6,800 square feet, the nearly 30-year-old facility near Spartan Village apartments sees children from 60 different countries within its cramped walls.“It was started in response to a need for child care for university employees,” said Robin Zeiter, the center’s executive director.

MSU

Hubbard to serve Native American meal

Nicole Jacques

November 27, 2000

Students can savor a sampling of Native American culture Tuesday. Hubbard Hall is offering a Native American dinner, the second of four culinary events focused on bringing diversity to residence hall dining rooms. “It’s to give the students on campus the ability to experience authentic cooking from various cultures,” Food Services Coordinator Bruce Haskell said.

MSU

U ceremony honors donor

Pamela E. Spence

November 27, 2000

For Delia Koo, supporting international programs at MSU is more important than all the money in the world.Koo, who received a master’s degree from MSU in 1954, donated an undisclosed sum for the addition of a third floor to the academic wing of the International Center.

MSU

Caucus to hold Kwanzaa event

Sheena Harrison

November 27, 2000

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, North Complex Black Caucus will host its second annual Kwanzaa Program on Tuesday. The program will feature a keynote speech by Kimberly Ellis, author of the “Kwanzaa Song,” as well as a rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” - also known as the “Black National Anthem” - various cultural performances and an appearance by Amka Afrika dance troupe. The event is scheduled for 6 p.m.

MSU

University governments meet in Ann Arbor

Steve Bossi

November 22, 2000

Student government representatives from all but one of Michigan’s publicly funded universities journeyed to Ann Arbor last weekend in hopes of re-establishing ties between their institutions. Delegates from 14 schools, including MSU, met at the University of Michigan for the first official Association of Michigan Universities session.

MSU

Commencement speakers chosen

Sheena Harrison

November 22, 2000

Three high-profile men were selected to give commencement speeches to MSU’s graduates for December’s ceremonies.Raymond Kurzweil, developer of the world’s first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind, Alejandro Junco de la Vega, a journalist and newspaper publisher from Mexico, and Jeffrey N.

MSU

Museum displays St. Nick exhibit

Pamela E. Spence

November 22, 2000

A Santa Claus collection is coming to town.The annual exhibit of Val Berryman’s expansive Father Christmas collection will go on display at the MSU Museum today.“I started picking things up in 1983,” the curator of history for the MSU Museum said.

MSU

Offender Web site may benefit students

Nicole Jacques

November 22, 2000

Some university officials wonder: Are students concerned about receiving public information about sexual perpetrators at MSU? A small group of students and staff met last weekend to discuss whether students need to be better informed about the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry, a Web site that lists the names of convicted sexual offenders in Michigan. The information is organized by ZIP code and includes an offenders’ address, physical description, date of birth and some data about the type of crime committed. Ann Bolger, director of Residence Life, said the university’s current policy is to make MSU staff members aware that the site can inform students.

MSU

U lands portion of grant for African American studies

Sarah M. Emery

November 22, 2000

As MSU joins the ranks of universities that are paving the way in African American studies, the journey will now be made a little easier.The university is slated to share a $600,000 grant from the Ford Foundation - an organization committed to providing grants and loans to projects that advance human achievement - with four other universities that are part of the Midwest Consortium for Black Studies.The consortium consists of a group of research and teaching faculty at MSU, the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.MSU will use its share of the grant to develop undergraduate- and graduate-level African American studies programs.“African American studies is a growing dynamic field of academic inquiry,” said Curtis Stokes, a James Madison College professor.Stokes is one of the project directors who will be overseeing the use of the grant.

MSU

Council chooses speakers

Steve Bossi

November 21, 2000

With their undergraduate careers drawing to a close, MSU seniors Eric Stoddard and Ben Kronk figured they had been through it all.That is, until they were selected as the student speakers for their Dec.