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MSU

Communication college celebrates 50th birthday

Laura Collins
October 7, 2005

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.

MSU

U.S. budget delayed, stalls appropriations talks for RIA project

Bob Darrow
October 7, 2005

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.

MSU

ASMSU reps held to more rigid office hours despite low demand

Melissa Domsic
October 7, 2005

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.

MSU

WEB ONLY: Anti-abortion group demonstrates cause at MSU

Jennifer Toland
October 7, 2005

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.

MSU

Labor leader discusses farm workers union, culture

Ken Osborne
October 6, 2005

In the 1930s, farm workers, many of whom were minorities, were treated as a separate division of labor in the United States. They were not included in labor laws and often faced a lack of basic necessities, such as toilets, said Dolores Huerta, who began the farm workers' labor movement with Cesar Chavez in the 1960s, during a presentation in the Main Library on Wednesday. Huerta was on campus as part of the "Our Daily Work/Our Daily Lives" series of brown bag lunch presentations, which promote the importance of work and culture. The union, part of a 1960s labor movement, was among the topics Huerta spoke about, along with ways to make a difference at the local level and how culture impacted the movement. "These are the most important workers - they put food on our tables," Huerta said.

MSU

Wireless spots, LBGT program discussed

Melissa Domsic
October 6, 2005

ASMSU's Academic Assembly voted Tuesday to support adding a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender academic program to the university's curriculum, as well as getting more wireless Internet nodes around campus. Assembly members plan to promote the LBGT specialization to the Academic Governance system, which makes decisions on curriculum, assembly chairperson Robert Murphy said. "This could turn out to be one of the fastest-growing fields of social science research," Murphy said.

MICHIGAN

Area businesses ready for Red Wings

Hockeytown is distant from East Lansing - ninety miles away in Detroit, according to maps. But reverberations from the yearlong NHL lockout were felt by local businesses. Sales slouched at East Lansing area sporting goods stores and bars lost some regulars, but most rejoiced Wednesday for the Red Wings' first regular-season game since April 2004. Reno's East Side Sportsbar and Grill, 1310 Abbott Road, primed for the upcoming season with a set of new high-definition televisions behind its bar and a hockey channel cable subscription, said general manager Jessie Stipcak.

MSU

Students fast for Sudan effort

Several MSU students will participate today in an International Solidarity Fast for Darfur - an effort to raise awareness about genocide occurring in the Darfur region of Sudan. Members of Spartans Taking Action Now: Darfur, or STAND, will set up informational tables in several residence halls for students to get information about the situation in Darfur. The group will be encouraging students to fast from a meal or luxury item during the day and donate the money saved to the effort, said Lindsey Hutchison, international relations junior and president of STAND. "The fast is not the standard fast you think of when you hear the word," Hutchison said.

MICHIGAN

Local eateries donate profits for hurricane relief

Corinne Devries
October 6, 2005

Almost 430 restaurants in Michigan participated in Dine for America on Wednesday, with each restaurant donating money to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts. Local restaurants joined the more than 17,000 national restaurants that participated in the event. Chris Simpson, a manager at BD's Mongolian Barbecue, 2080 W.

MSU

Researchers use grant to examine plant mechanisms

Jennifer Toland
October 6, 2005

MSU researchers believe if they can unlock the secret behind how simple plant mechanisms work, they can engineer almost anything for people - from vitamins to new bio-fuels. Last month, 10 MSU faculty members received a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study how plant genes make nutrients, said Rob Last, a biochemistry and plant biology professor.

MSU

MSU profs oppose intelligent design as science

Laura Collins
October 5, 2005

For the last 15 years, Robert Pennock has spent his time researching and exploring the controversial scientific theory of evolution, looking at its truth in comparison with the theories of creationism and intelligent design. As the debate has carried on about what topics are appropriate to teach in public schools, Pennock was recently called to testify as an expert witness in a Dover Area School District trial in Dover, Penn. The case concerns a decision the Dover school board made in October 2004, requiring the reading of a brief statement about intelligent design before any class teaches evolution. "Intelligent design is not science, but is a disguised religion," said Pennock, a professor in the Lyman Briggs School. Parents in the Dover school district were upset because they felt the policy didn't maintain the legal requirement of separation between church and state. The Pennsylvania court case is just a sampling of the controversy this area of science has caused in education. But MSU professors from both natural science and religious fields said the teaching of such theories as creationism and intelligent design in the classroom doesn't make sense. "Intelligent design is based on biblical faith rather than scientific," said Roger Bresnahan, acting chairman of the Department of Religious Studies.

MSU

PETA display riles some

Ken Osborne
October 5, 2005

Banners with graphic images of animals being mistreated stood alongside images of past human rights violations near Wells Hall on Tuesday. The pictures were an exhibit created by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, as part of a 28-campus tour, said Sangeeta Kumar, a spokeswoman for the group.

MICHIGAN

'Above normal' temps not record-breaking

Jennifer Toland
October 5, 2005

October has begun and students and Michigan residents have had to keep tank tops and sandals out longer than usual as temperatures reach the 80-degree range, which is warmer than usual for the month. This weather, however, is not record-breaking, said meteorologist Bob Dukesherer at the National Weather Center in Grand Rapids.

MICHIGAN

E.L. nonprofit group gives 'HOAP' to residents

Ken Osborne
October 5, 2005

For 13 years, a local nonprofit group has been working to help low- to middle-income families, including many recent MSU graduates, purchase homes in certain East Lansing neighborhoods. The federally-funded Homeownership Opportunity Assistance Program, or HOAP, has helped about 75 people who wouldn't usually be able to purchase homes in East Lansing, said Ruth Geller, program coordinator for HOAP, which is part of East Lansing Housing and Neighborhood Services Inc. "One of the program's goals is to promote a balance between owner and rental properties in the selected neighborhoods," Geller said.

MICHIGAN

Religious rite

Jeana-Dee Allen
October 5, 2005

As a part of Rosh Hashana, psychology sophomore Samantha Dresser throws bread into the Red Cedar River during a tradition called tashlich on Tuesday afternoon.

MICHIGAN

Campaign funds disputed

Kris Turner
October 5, 2005

Officials at the Michigan Department of State are investigating a complaint that Lansing Mayor Tony Benavides received illegal campaign contributions in excess of $7,000. The building in which the Benavides re-election campaign is located normally rents office suites for $1,200 a month.