Energy Awareness Week reminds U to conserve

Next week, cars without gasoline and machines powered by wind instead of electricity will become the norm at MSU. Beginning Monday, the Office of Campus Sustainability and MSU’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America will host Energy Awareness Week. Students, faculty and staff will have the chance to check out the future, including solar-powered cars and the newest in computer technology. “This is one way we can highlight some of the things we are suggesting,”said Brenda Wrigley, assistant professor of public relations and public relations society adviser.

U irked by hall damage rule

Min Cho doesn’t smoke, but he might have to pay $100 for the nearly 50 cigarette burns that cover the blue carpet of the fourth floor study lounge in West McDonel Hall.“I realize that I have responsibility because I live here, even though I don’t smoke, but $100 is just too much to pay,” the computer science freshman said.Floor residents received a notice that they each would have to pay $100 - about $4,000 total - to replace the carpeting.The common-area damages clause of the residence hall handbook states that residents all will be held equally financially responsible for destruction to their floor, unless someone comes forward and confesses to the damage.

Police briefs 03/14/02

Surveys ask U about off-campus living

Jonathan Rosenthal knows students have housing concerns.Rosenthal, the director for community affairs for ASMSU, is using his time to pass out surveys he hopes will open up communication between residents and the city of East Lansing.The program is designed to define the top three issues students face living off campus.“The new breed of student at MSU we are seeing wants to get involved,” the business administration junior said.Rosenthal distributed the surveys in two lecture classes Monday, totaling more than 450 students.The target number of students to be reached is 2,000.The survey comes as a portion of Rosenthal’s attempt, with the cooperation of the city, to open up communication with students.Earlier this month an e-mail address was introduced, but a lack of response has compelled Rosenthal to use another method.The survey is also asking for students to list their address in the city.Each student given the survey is asked to describe the quality of life issues, they would like to see the city improve.Some of the top responses on the survey have been city ordinances, the quality of housing available to students and the cost of rent, Rosenthal said.On Monday, Rosenthal will distribute the survey to another lecture class of 230 students.“The end result is going to be to have an elite university and an elite community,” he said.Deputy City Manager Jean Golden said this is an excellent way to recognize it is up to both students and landlords to solve the problems together, she said.“The landlords were very clear they see students as customers,” she said.

GEU steps up plans to secure contract

With fewer than two months remaining in the semester, graduate employee unions throughout the state are changing their battle plans. “I think members are getting frustrated that we don’t have a contract,” said Jessica Goodkind, MSU’s Graduate Employees Union president.

Court hears case for releasing police files

The Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on whether police departments must release documents about internal investigations to the public.In 1998, the Lansing State Journal requested files concerning any complaints investigated by the Lansing Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau from 1997 under the Freedom of Information Act.

Union rallies for more benefits

Lansing - About 2,000 union members stood at the steps of the state Capitol on Wednesday in support of unemployment benefits. A large truck painted with the word “Teamsters” circled the block honking its horn in support of the rally, organized by the Michigan State AFL-CIO.

Commission on election expresses voting worry

Although the All University Election Commission recommended for this week’s universitywide elections to be postponed, the five-member student group didn’t have the final decision.Lee June, vice president for student affairs, approved the recommendation Wednesday.ASMSU elections have been delayed until Tuesday after members of the election commission called into question language on the ballot and technical malfunctions with computer voting.The University Apartments’ Council of Residents election has also been postponed, but it is not related to the election commission’s recommendations.A $1 tax referendum for The State News tax will continue as scheduled.

Online problems postpone election

Changes in the universitywide student elections ballot already are being made by MSU’s Computer Center, Student Life officials said Wednesday.ASMSU representative elections, constitutional changes and a $3 tax increase referendum all were recommended to be postponed Tuesday night by the All University Election Commission.

Bill calls for emergency coordinator

Fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and smoke detectors aren’t free. Personnel to plan for emergencies don’t work without pay either.As part of the anti-terrorism package of bills in the state Legislature, public colleges and universities with more than 25,000 students are required to appoint an emergency management coordinator.

NPR journalist visits campus for science lecture

Ira Flatow, a veteran science correspondent for National Public Radio, will broadcast his weekly “Talk of the Nation: Science Friday” show from the new Biomedical and Physical Science Building this week. This week’s show will deal with the food industry and alternative fuel technologies in the automotive industry. “Whenever we go on the road, we try to pick up local issues,” Flatow said. Flatow is visiting MSU this week as part of the McPherson Professorship. “I’ve never had a warmer welcome anywhere else,” he said.

E.L. police use sports to build youth relations

East Lansing police officers are taking youths to court - where the biggest offense is a double dribble.Basketball season began last week for the Police Athletic League, a program designed to help relations between youths and the East Lansing Police Department.The league was started in 1998 when Officer James Campbell grew tired of watching East Lansing children getting into trouble.“There were kids in the community that didn’t have anything constructive to do,” he said.

Campus briefs

MSU Museum talk details digital art With a storage of artwork moving from dusty galleries to memory chips, MSU Museum officials are addressing the preservation of digital artwork.

Community security depends on relations

Lansing - Jay Leno’s jokes were falling on silent ears the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “If you don’t laugh, the terrorists have won,” Leno jokingly said to the silent audience. This story was told by David Carter, professor of criminal justice and director of the National Center for Community Policing at MSU, on Tuesday during the Homeland Security Seminar. Carter, who put the seminar together, discussed the future of community policing and the importance of maintaining a working relationship with private individuals to fight crime and terrorism. “It’s important to get this message across to the community,” he said.

Test scores fuel charter school debate

State education officials disagree about the significance of Michigan Educational Assessment Program scores released from a group of charter schools. National Heritage Academies released an analysis of MEAPscores by the Hillsdale Policy Group showing students who attend an academy school for two or more years score higher than students entering an Academy school for the first year.The report said charter school students improved more than their public school counterparts in six of eight test categories and performed better than the state average for fifth and eighth grade writing and eighth grade science.“You’re seeing the evidence that charter schools, being a new public school, are getting dramatic results in education,” said Dan Quisenberry, president of Michigan Association of Public School Academies.But Margaret Trimer-Hartley, director of communications of the Michigan Education Association, disagrees.“There are many other indicators besides the MEAP,” she said.

Police briefs 03/13/02

Student government supports U building recycling center

ASMSU officials might support the university building its own recycling facility on or close to campus. At the undergraduate student government’s Academic Assembly meeting on Tuesday night, a report compiled by Steve Lovelace, the assembly’s internal vice chairperson, said a new facility would be the best option.

Bills would ban commonly-used chemical

A couple of state bills would prohibit businesses from producing a chemical commonly used in upholstery, appliances and plastics. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are useful as a flame retardant.

RHA looking for new leadership as elections continue

Elections for the Residence Halls Association’s executive board will continue tonight at the general assembly meeting. President-elect Tim Liss could be joined by Case Hall Rep.

Baby steps help improve health and overall wellness

Every day Emily Eshenroder tries to walk a little bit farther.The 2001 MSU graduate parks farther away in the grocery store parking lot and walks around her office a few times a day.