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MICHIGAN

E.L. officials discuss future of East Village

The East Village Master Plan Team has invited the residents of East Lansing to come forward with their own vision for the Cedar Village area. Residents can show up and speak their mind regarding the city's proposed $16.3 million transformation at 5:30 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Credit union to add branch

The MSU Federal Credit Union broke ground on a new branch in southern Lansing last month, which is slated to open in late summer 2005. Builders started developing the site at 200 E.

MSU

ASMSU addresses fair labor practices

ASMSU joined part of an ongoing battle between students and administration officials Thursday when it passed a bill calling for MSU to join the Worker Rights Consortium, a nonprofit international group that monitors labor practices. MSU's undergraduate student government requested the MSU Board of Trustees to allocate one percent of its profit from licensed apparel, up to $50,000, which is required to join the consortium. The WRC would report on factory conditions overseas where some MSU apparel is manufactured to ensure fair labor practices. Nine of the 11 Big Ten universities belong to the WRC, including 120 other colleges and universities across the country. Lauren Olson, a representative for the College of Natural Science, introduced the bill to Student Assembly and said petitioning ASMSU to join the WRC was one of the major reasons she became a representative. "We should be perpetuating the idea of fair labor as we go into the real world," she said.

MSU

Bioethics discussion to focus on social, medical intersex issues

The issue of medical and social treatment of intersex individuals will be addressed today during a discussion hosted by the Undergraduate Bioethics Society. Intersex individuals are people with a wide variety of physical abnormalities that cause the genitals to differ from the "normal" conception of male or female anatomy, said Alice Dreger, a Lyman Briggs associate professor. "We like to increase awareness about some of the ethical issues concerned with reproductive health in this society," said Annika Storey, chairwoman of the society and a physiology senior. Dreger will lead the discussion, "Gender, Sex and Ethics," at 7:30 p.m.

MSU

Poetry kicks off heritage celebration

A poetry collective called Batey Urbano excitedly warmed up in a back room of the Erickson Kiva before several Latino and Chicano urban poets hit the stage to perform poetry with a purpose. "Is-La Mind," or "Ease The Mind," showcased the Batey Urbano poets as part of Puerto Rican Culture Week, put on by the Puerto Rican Student Alliance this week. "Our performances are a collaboration of our culture and hip-hop," Chicagoan group member Jiovani Vargas said. Batey Urbano is an outlet for people to express themselves, Vargas said.

MICHIGAN

E.L. officials to address property designation

City officials hope to bulk up their financial toolbox for redevelopment by redesignating a section of the city as "blighted," but not before East Lansing residents weigh in on the matter. Citizens will have the chance to share their views on designating East Village as a blighted zone at the East Lansing City Council meeting today at 7:30 p.m.

MICHIGAN

Officers train for chaos

In two single-file lines, police officers raced up to demonstrators, dragging them away one-by-one and placing their hands in zip ties to keep them restrained. Protesters continued to scream in windy weather as officers arrested them and took their mugshots. This was not a group of workers fighting for a new contract or a better benefits package - they were members of the MSU community, acting as rioters and protesters to help police officers during their Small Squad Tactics training program. Friday marked the last day of the training, in which officers from local and Big Ten university police departments came to learn maneuvers on how to deal with civil disturbances.

MSU

McPherson to speak at Penn State Friday

MSU President M. Peter McPherson will speak about Africa's agriculture production and rural income on Friday at Penn State University. The speech, entitled, "Progress Can Be Achieved in Africa," is part of Penn State's lunchtime speaker series. McPherson said the presentation will give him an opportunity to give back to the university. "Penn State is our sister university because they came into existence around the same time MSU did," McPherson said, adding Penn State's President Graham Spaniard asked him to give the speech about a year ago.

MSU

Women's conference focuses on leadership

Women on MSU's campus have gone from protesting in the streets to using the support of successful women to gain powerful positions. The second annual MSU Women Students Leadership Conference allowed those in attendance to spend Sunday afternoon equipping themselves with the tools necessary to become successful in a male-dominated society.

MSU

LON-CAPA software wins Sloan award

Award-winning online software is now being recognized after MSU's online teaching and learning software system, the LearningOnline Network Computer-Assisted Personalized Approach, or LON-CAPA, won an award from the Sloan Foundation. The system will also be the first American program introduced into the German-based CampusSource software exchange, which helps educational institutions create the infrastructure necessary for new media in teaching. "This is very nice, but not the greatest thing since sliced bread because we are one of five schools awarded," said Gerd Kortemeyer, LON-CAPA director and an assistant professor in the Lyman Briggs School.

MICHIGAN

Libertarians celebrate awareness, progress

Former Democratic candidate John Kerry wasn't the only one who lost the presidential election to President Bush. Behind the limelight, third party candidates fought the same fight and suffered the same loss as Kerry, and among them was Michael Badnarik of the Libertarian Party. Members of the Libertarian Party met Saturday night to celebrate what they described as a success. "We are the new refounding fathers and mothers and we will restore liberty," Badnarik said during a speech given to about 50 Libertarians gathered at the Hampton Inn & Suites, 2200 Hampton Place in Okemos.

MSU

ASMSU uses extra funds to study student opinion

To determine changes in how student taxpayer money is used and the effectiveness of its internal structure, ASMSU allocated almost $7,000 on Thursday to gather student opinion. Student reactions will be gathered through a survey of undergraduates for its Constitutional Convention Committee, which will review ASMSU's constitution and might propose changes such as combining the two assemblies into a unicameral body.

MICHIGAN

Festival displays women's art

By Mara S. Deutch Special to The State News As festival-goers perused through rows of handmade crafts, the muffled sound of a folk song filled the hallway of a festival that has progressed into almost two decades of female appreciation. The 19th annual Women in the Arts Festival was held Friday and Saturday at Edgewood United Church, 469 N.