Students could redevelop Traverse City

Students in MSU's Landscape Architecture program might soon get the chance to redesign the downtown area of a northern Michigan city. Traverse City, a community of about 15,000 people, is in the process of requesting help from the students as part of the Small Town Design Initiative, a program run by Warren Rauhe, an associate professor of landscape architecture and director of the initiative. In the project, the students would work with Traverse City residents to redesign a 2-mile stretch of land that runs alongside the Grand Traverse Bay, as well as attempt to better connect it with the downtown area, Rauhe said. "There's a lot of open space, a lot of green space there, a lot of opportunity to do something really special," he said.

1 million log in to LON-CAPA

A program formed in 1999 with courses mainly in the areas of math and science now has a course selection that spans campus and just reached another milestone - the millionth student login. The online course management program, LearningOnline Network Computer-Assisted Personalized Approach, or LON-CAPA, celebrated the 100,000th student to login last fall.

RHA wins multiple awards at statewide conference

The trophy case of the MSU Residence Halls Association just got a bit more crowded. At last weekend's annual conference of the Michigan Organization of Residence Hall Associations, or MORHA, MSU's RHA came away with multiple individual and group awards. MSU RHA President Ernest Drake was named president of the year.

Undergrads still waiting for election ballot count

Student government elections came to a close at 7 p.m. Thursday and ASMSU leaders did not have election totals available. John Sturk, who acts as a liaison for the student government and Academic Computing & Network Services, said proper personnel were not available to release voter turnout information. Election results are anticipated to be released before the weekend's end. And although the government is trying to fill empty seats, some candidates might now be disqualified. Officials said ASMSU's Elections Code "is not in its best form" and Tuesday it caused friction for the second consecutive year. In March 2003, about 28 undergraduates were disqualified when MSU College Republicans and MSU College Democrats endorsed running candidates on each group's respective listserv.

Group carries cross for Easter

With an about 7-foot wooden cross to bear, students from University Christian Outreach traveled along the Red Cedar River in celebration of the spirit of Easter. Today is Good Friday, which marks the beginning of the Easter holiday, the holiest time of the year for Christians.

Prof works to design Afghan vet laboratory

After helping design an MSU facility to help sick animals, associate Professor R. Mick Fulton is now trying to help animals thousands of miles away.

Wibert chosen as new E.L. police chief

Deputy Chief Tom Wibert has been appointed as the new East Lansing Chief of Police, City Manager Ted Staton released Wednesday. Wibert will fill the position May 2 when Chief Lou Muhn retires. Wibert joined the East Lansing Police Department in 1985 and was appointed Deputy Chief in 2000. He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, a master's degree in education and a master's degree in public administration. His father was an East Lansing Police officer and his grandfather was a Lansing Police officer.

Men charged in student death

Two men have been charged on multiple counts in the 6th Judicial Circuit Court in Oakland County in relation to a Jan.

Flyers raise awareness about riots

With both MSU basketball teams advancing to the Sweet 16, university and city officials are focusing on raising awareness about responsible celebration through flyers and meetings. The flyers, detailing the consequences of participating in or watching a riot and publicly consuming alcohol, were put together by Olin Health Center and distributed throughout the city and on campus. "We don't want people to think the norm is that everyone gets drunk and is out of control," said Dennis Martell, Olin Health Education Services Coordinator. The flyers use information from a 2003 survey of social and academic life, conducted by MSU's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.

Police briefs 03/24/05

Research shown at capitol

Undergraduate students from a number of universities across Michigan presented their research Wednesday at the Capitol for the Michigan Undergraduate Research Forum. More than 50 students from MSU, Wayne State University, University of Michigan, University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint were present at the forum. The event commenced in the Capitol rotunda with an opening speech by MSU President Lou Anna K.

ASMSU: More voters to turn out for election

Eight hours into ASMSU's election, 500 students - or about 1.4 percent - had logged onto the election Web site to vote, but student government leaders said that's not good enough. "It may be lower than what it was last year," Patricia Smith, Student Assembly internal vice chairperson said.

Proposed bill would streamline organ-donation process

People interested in donating their organs could have the front of their driver's licenses or ID cards stamped with a heart logo beginning in 2007 if a bill passed in the Senate is made law. Introduced by Sen.

Women leaders meet at Kellogg to discuss higher-ed challenges

Some of Michigan's top women leaders in higher education met Wednesday in the Kellogg Center to address the challenges facing today's colleges and universities. The roundtable discussion was sponsored by the Council of Graduate Students to give students a chance to hear how the leaders were facing today's problems, such as state funding and the challenges for women in leadership roles. Martha Smydra, president of Oakland Community College's Royal Oak and Southfield campuses, said things have changed significantly since she began her career 30 years ago. "Back then, some women would get positions based on their minority status," Smydra said.

Union Video To Go owner: Store closed after months of slow business

Video To Go has checked out of the Union. The movie rental store, which opened in September, closed during spring break, said Tom Leach, Video To Go owner. The store's roughly 2,000 movies were taken to the Video To Go location at the Frandor Shopping Center in Lansing, Leach said. Leach said the store struggled to maintain a steady stream of business, partly due to the presence of another Video To Go location a few miles away. "We were kind of competing with ourselves," Leach said.

ASMSU Election Candidates

Academic Assembly Candidates College of Natural Science Matthew Hovey Lyman Briggs sophomore One open seat College of Arts & Letters Two open seats Eli Broad College of Business Jordan Catrinefinance junior Karen Guzdzial marketing sophomore Anna Petrovich hospitality business junior College of Communication, Arts & Sciences Kristen Ditta advertising junior One open seat College of Education Two open seats College of Engineering Two open seats College of Human Ecology Two open seats James Madison College Jessica Garry international relations junior Alex Plum political theory and constitutional democracy and international relations sophomore Ian Mattoon political theory and constitutional democracy and international relations freshman College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Lauren Polinsky park, recreation and tourism resources sophomore One open seat College of Social Science Raman Agrawal psychology junior Nicholas Romley political science sophomore Robert Murphy political science senior College of Nursing Two open seats College of Veterinary Medicine Two open seats Undergraduate Division Two open seats Student Assembly Candidates College of Natural Science Matthew Hovey Lyman Briggs sophomore Timothy Jordan premedical sophomore College of Arts & Letters Erik Green English junior Eli Broad College of Business Yusaf Sumbal supply chain management junior Steven Holben finance sophomore Scott Lachman general business administration and pre-law sophomore Tahera Sakarwala supply chain management junior Harry Wang finance freshman College of Communication, Arts & Sciences Kristen Ditta advertising junior Derek Wallbank journalism junior Jessica Kunnath advertising junior College of Education Two open seats College of Engineering Ryan Blair computer science junior College of Human Ecology One open seat James Madison College Garret Bowman political science freshman Ian Mattoon political theory and constitutional democracy and international relations freshman Steven Irlbacher political theory and constitutional democracy freshmen Jacob Tornga James Madison College freshman College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Lauren Polinsky parks, recreation and tourism sophomore Lauren Olson environmental and economics policy junior College of Social Science Katie Derthick political science junior Roger Ludy economics junior Hallee Winnie interdisciplinary studies in social science junior Raman Agrawal psychology junior Nicholas Romley political science sophomore Robert Murphy political science senior Mike Leahy political science junior College of Nursing One open seat College of Veterinary Medicine Two open seats Undergraduate Division Two open seats

Police briefs 03/23/05

Teen fights for free speech

A censorship debate sparked by an underground, conservative newspaper at East Lansing High School continued Tuesday when the editor said he will distribute the paper against school policy. The administration halted distribution of the independent newspaper last week and said it stands behind a district policy requiring all publications to be approved by the principal as official organizations with adult advisers.

Prof helps Rwanda's coffee trade

During the last three years, Professor Dan Clay, director of the Institute of International Agriculture, has helped triple the price Rwandans receive for coffee, one of the country's main exports. Clay's Project PEARL (Partnerships to Enhance Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages) was launched in 2001 "Coffee has been grown there for generations," Clay said.

Man charged in fatal car accident

A Marshall man is held in jail with no bond after he was charged Tuesday in East Lansing's 54-B District Court with murder, stealing a motor vehicle and drunken driving in relation to an accident early Friday morning that killed an Okemos resident. Alexander Hamil, 19, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in front of Judge Richard D.