Four pieces of Michigan’s heritage will dangle from the White House Christmas tree over the holidays.Each state donated four ornaments to adorn the tree for this year’s theme, At Home for the Holidays, which was chosen by First Lady Laura Bush.
A group of Upper Peninsula residents gathered for the first time as a community to celebrate Christmas on Saturday.The party included their first Christmas tree lighting and Danielle Bammert, community coordinator for the Sawyer Community Association, hopes it isn’t the last.The community association is located at the former site of K.I.
Officials of Western Michigan University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School announced a partnership that will combine the two schools’ resources.Western Michigan President Elson S.
The questioning of 5,000 Middle Eastern men by the U.S. Department of Justice for information about Osama bin Laden’s al-Quaida terrorist group. MSU will be hosting a forum today for those who are seeking information about the governmental questioning. The forum will be held at 8 p.m.
Heather Fisher returned from Tokyo last month with authentic green tea, blueberry bubble gum and a dedication to work on international food issues. Fisher, an MSU dietetic intern, attended the International Students Summit on Food, Agriculture and the Environment in the New Century at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, a sister school of MSU. “Many of the issues they deal with (in Japan) we are also concerned with in the United States and at Michigan State University,” Fisher said. Genetically modified foods and animal diseases such as mad cow and foot-and-mouth were international concerns discussed at the conference. Students from countries such as Korea, China and the Netherlands attended the summit, which recognized the 110th anniversary of the Tokyo university. Upon closing the conference, Fisher said the students adopted the Tokyo Declaration and began work on an e-mail network. “The deceleration says we as students and future professionals in our field will work together to solve some of these issues,” she said.
Families of Pentagon and New York rescue personnel might find delight from branches of green on Christmas night.Michigan Christmas tree farmers are donating 750 trees to Pentagon military rescue personnel and to surviving family members of New York firefighters, police and rescue personnel killed in the Sept.
Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, new classes and an MSU Web site have been popular among faculty and students.Some classes being offered next semester, which are sponsored by the Center for Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities, involve issues brought up since the attacks.IAH 211B, Area Studies and Multicultural Civilizations: Asia Focus on India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is the only new IAH course being offered.
A recent strike by graduate assistants at the University of Illinois has brought more attention to MSU’s Graduate Employees Union, which is in the process of bargaining for its first contract. The Graduate Employees Organization at the Urbana-Champaign campus of Illinois voted early last week to have a two-day strike as a protest against union constraints. Todd Mireles, organizer of MSU’s union, said a similar strike at the university is unlikely but not out of the question.
Congress passed legislation Friday that would hand over about $6.3 million to improve Lansing transportation.The bill gives the city $3.33 million for reconstruction of the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge, $750,000 for the Intelligent Transportation System and $2.25 million for Capital Area Transportation Authority.If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law by President Bush, CATA’s portion of the money will be used to buy new buses, update equipment and fix fare boxes onboard.“We are very pleased,” said Brad Funkhouser, director of service development for CATA.
The Lansing Community College Board of Trustees will meet at noon today to ink out some familiar ground rules.The group has been operating without bylaws for several years after changing to more of a forum type of governing body.
State House Democrats will elect a new leader today.With Minority Leader Kwame Kilpatrick, D-Detroit, packing his bags for his new job as mayor of Detroit, the Democrats will fill the void of his departure.State Rep.
The job market after college hasn’t been looking so good, and it’s not going to get much better - at least not right away - the 31st annual Recruiting Trends survey found. The survey of more than 280 employers, conducted by MSU’s Collegiate Employment Research Institute, found graduates with bachelor’s degrees could see a 6 to 13 percent decline in hiring.
Lansing - MSU greeks pulled out all the stops and threw a party too big for any house last week. Representatives from MSU’s Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils joined members of the university’s greek system in Lansing for dinner, awards ceremony and celebration on Thursday at the Greek Excellence Awards Gala to wrap up the fall semester’s greek activities. More than 300 members of MSU’s sororities and fraternities filled the banquet hall at the Lansing Center to acknowledge greek men’s and women’s achievements in academics, community service and philanthropy. This years gathering marks the first time the Greek Gala and Presidents’ Ball, to honor chapter leaders, were combined into one event, said Kate Luick, president of the MSU’s Sigma Kappa chapter. Rachel Kuchar, an executive vice president of the Panhellenic Council, said the awards gala exemplifies academics, community and greek relations.
As the Graduate Employees Union bargains with MSU administrators for a contract, strong leadership is a necessity - one that was provided Thursday when a new president was chosen.Jessica Goodkind, who ran for the position unopposed, was elected at the membership meeting.“I’m really committed and I really believe in what we’re doing,” the psychology graduate student said.
The American Civil Liberties Union is offering assistance for Middle Eastern men being asked to participate in the Department of Justice’s terrorism investigation.The Know Your Rights telephone hotline, (313)578-6806, was initiated Friday.
Lansing - Robert Anselmo didn’t know for 13 years that he was HIV positive. Since being diagnosed with the disease in July 1998, Anselmo said there is not a day he looks in the mirror and doesn’t realize he is living with AIDS. Anselmo spoke about his difficulties and the dangers associated with AIDS and HIV for World AIDS Day on Saturday at the Impression 5 Science Center, 200 Museum Drive. As part of observance of the national event, Anselmo and others were present for panels of the NAMES Project Foundation’s AIDS Memorial Quilt being put on display at the science museum for the public. On display were 16 panels of the quilt, which has more than 44,000 pieces. “I am honored to be here and I hope I am here next year,” Anselmo said before the group attending the ceremony. Patrick Lombardi, director of volunteer services for the Lansing Area AIDS Network, 4660 S.
Blizzard and Rudy are booked solid between Halloween and Christmas every year - and Sunday was no exception.
Connecting Michigan communities with MSU’s campus is the goal of Hiram Fitzgerald, assistant provost for University Outreach.Fitzgerald, a university distinguished professor of psychology, starts his new position today.
Santa Claus stood quietly as the masses viewed his facial features and caressed his clothing. Santa, who was made of porcelain, was one of thousands of crafts and artwork available for purchase at the Union for the 38th Annual Holiday Arts-N-Crafts Show this weekend. More than 200 booths ranging from knick-knack items and jewelry to holiday ornaments and decorations were set up on three floors of the building. The show was a fund-raiser put on by the University Activities Board, which helps organize events for students on campus, including concerts and speakers. Jodi Roberto Hancock, associate director of the University Activities Board, said the timing for the show is perfect. “It’s kind of a kickoff for the holiday and it’s a very festive atmosphere,” she said.