Enrollment figures show increase in minority students

Total minority enrollment at MSU is estimated at about 16 percent of the student body, or 7,110 - up from 6,771 students a year ago.

Volatile market rebounds

The market has risen from the ashes, but experts are still warning about the possibility of getting burned.The Nasdaq composite index rose about 5.3 percent, or 76.21 points, and the Dow Jones industrial average grossed 368.05 points or about 4.5 percent.Lyle Schonberger, director of research for H&R Block Financial Advisors’ Detroit office, said the rise is from when a couple major brokerages announced positive comments about the market Monday morning.“I think stocks last week fell farther than they should, so that led to some buying,” he said.Schonberger said there is potential for a couple of days when the market might rebound, but there may be some problems.“I think there is still too many uncertainties to upset the market at this point,” he said.Vic Loomis, senior vice president and senior leader for National City Bank of Michigan/Illinois, said the rise could be attributed to a number of reasons.Loomis, an East Lansing City Council candidate who is also chairman of the city’s Downtown Development Authority, said the market is still subject to volatility and hopes the market will establish a base.“I hope what we are seeing today is an expression that the economy is still in pretty good shape,” Loomis said.But some experts feel airline stocks are still unstable.Donna Majauskas, an investment representative for Edward Jones, 1200 Michigan Ave., said she directs her clients toward more stable stocks such as medical and Wal-Mart.“All of the analysts are saying no, that it is just too volatile of an industry,” she said.But Charles Ballard, an MSU economics professor, said airlines are still a worthy investment.“The airlines were up today, and the only reason they can be up is that some people were eager to buy those stocks.

Police briefs 09/25/01

Wealth of career workshops available

As the semester gets underway, career fairs, workshops and interviews aim to draw students of all majors to get acquainted with recruiters of their desired professions. “We’ve done really well with our workshops,” said Lenroy Jones, career services coordinator for Career Services & Placement.

Internet tax may level playing field for businesses, but might be unconstitutional

Gov. John Engler wants Michigan at the forefront of a project to streamline Internet sales tax collection nationwide.Engler wants Michigan to join a national coalition of states developing methods for collecting taxes on Internet purchases, said Matt Resch, an Engler spokesman.

ASMSU ends search, names chief of staff

ASMSU has been looking for the right person to fill its chief of staff position for three months.They finally found her.Ashley Grieve, a packaging junior, was officially hired as the new chief of staff of MSU’s undergraduate student government Thursday, beating out five other candidates.

Crime drops over chiefs 15 years

For the last 15 years, Melinda Benson has spent many birthdays celebrating within the walls of MSU’s Department of Police and Public Safety.With her September birthday falling right when students return to campus, it’s the only way she has the chance to see her husband, MSU police Chief Bruce Benson, on her special day.“He’ll always say ‘I know how to show my wife a good time,’” she joked.

Patriotic plates popping up for proud people

Lansing - Secretary of State Candice Miller said she hopes the Legislature will approve plans for a new license plate to benefit the American Red Cross’s relief efforts in response to the Sept.

Haley takes position as DCL board president

Clifton Haley, a 1961 graduate of the MSU-Detroit College of Law and board member since 1997, was unanimously elected president of the MSU-DCL Board of Trustees on Friday.Haley has served as vice president of the board under the leadership of Judge Richard Suhrheinrich since 1998 and since then has helped to increase the academic standards and enrollment at the law school.Haley said he has wanted to give something back to the university for some time.“It’s a tremendous honor to be elected by the same school that I graduated from,” he said.

Case Hall hosts discussion on terrorist attacks today

A panel of faculty from James Madison College will lead a discussion today about the probable effects of the U.S.

City, county officials dedicate new courthouse to veterans

Lansing - Two years ago Monday, 313 W. Kalamazoo St. was a pile of dirt with a silver shovel in it. After 22 months with an average of 42 workers on the site per day, the Ingham County/City of Lansing Veterans Memorial Courthouse, which grew from the pile of dirt, was dedicated Tuesday. “I know that there were many that questioned whether this could be done,” said Mayor David Hollister, who had discussed the idea as early as 1969.

Levin and other senators visit N.Y.; says site triggers WWII blitz images

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, was among 40 U.S. senators who toured the devastation in New York on Thursday in the wake of Sept.

New fiber optic sign saves local business money, energy

It isn’t a Lite-Brite but East Lansing will be turning on the magical color light.Urban Options, 405 Grove St., has installed a new energy-efficient sign using fiber-optic light.By using fiber optics and a light pipe design system, energy is saved by using one bulb that transmits light over the distance of the outdoor sign.This is a more efficient use of energy because neon signs involve heating up neon gasses and keeping them lit.

Family festival teaches diversity

For Robert Henderson, attending events with his family like the Fourth Annual Meridian Heritage Festival is a great opportunity. “I think it’s great that you can let people know the heritage of races,” said the Lansing resident, as his wife Taunya and daughters Alexis and Alana observed ducks nearby. “We try to go to at least one ethnic festival every summer.

Say Huh? Karaoke rocks International Center

Hitting those high notes and flaunting slick dance steps was all the rave Friday at the International Center.The annual event, Say Huh?

Undercover procedure determined by board

The university’s policy on undercover police surveillance of student groups was established Friday by the MSU Board of Trustees.The resolution said undercover investigations can only begin under “extraordinary circumstances” and with the approval of the university president.Board members expressed an interest in reviewing guidelines to be set by the Task Force on Student-Police Relations, which was created following the investigation of the placement of an undercover officer into a student group last year.“This affirms the university’s commitment to invoke such procedure only in extraordinary circumstances,” Trustee Dee Cook said.

Police briefs 09/24/01

Campuswide e-mail causes concern among students

Tucked among the e-mail from Sara Makowski’s friends and family was an unfamiliar message that made the pre-med freshman worry a little Friday afternoon.MSU’s Department of Police and Public Safety sent out a universitywide e-mail asking students to help identify three Pakistani men who had been involved in an incident at the Business College Complex’s Eppley Center on Wednesday.“I was a little concerned at first,” Makowski said.

RHA conference gives government, caucus students ideas on leadership

On-campus student leaders gathered at Brody Hall on Saturday for the second annual Residence Halls Association Leadership Conference.Nick Kovacic, RHA president, said the conference was a training seminar to help student leaders from hall governments and caucuses become better leaders.“We wanted to give them helpful information they could use when they go back, and I believe we succeeded at that,” he said.The conference, which was also sponsored by Residence Life, consisted of leadership sessions presented by RHA executive board members about their positions.Jeff Donofrio, RHA director of public relations, discussed how to get a group’s name out by targeting student issues during his session.“These student leaders came out of my session with the skills and resources they needed, and hopefully, they’ll be back next year,” Donofrio said.Rodney Patterson, director of the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs who spoke at the conference, talked about leadership characteristics students need to excel in their various positions.“He said student leaders have to be able to understand the school system and administration - basically cutting through the red tape,” Kovacic said.David Demps, a psychology freshman and representative for North Campus Black Caucus, said he was surprised by the outcome of the conference.“I’ve been to conferences like these before, and I usually end up socializing,” he said.

Public Response provides E.L. residents with voice

Sometimes a silenced voice can become the loudest of them all. In 1998, Jim Cuddeback was tired of citizens’ concerns falling on what he considered to be deaf, indifferent ears and made it his personal job to have those voices heard in the East Lansing community. He began a grass-roots Internet newsletter and Web site called Public Response, providing an open forum for discussion among its subscribers.