To some, spending more than $100 per month on books is a college obligation. But for classical studies senior Matt Chaldekas, it's an obsession. And Chaldekas used his book collection to pocket cash — $250 of it — at the 2006 MSU Student Book Collection Competition.
Local police agencies are going to gain the ability to snoop through each other's police files and records. The East Lansing Police Department has teamed up with Williamston, Mason, Meridian Township, MSU, Ingham County and Lansing Township to use a software system enabling them to share information. The data-sharing system, which is being installed by the North Carolina-based VisionAIR, will give the municipalities the opportunity to view files on arrests, 911 calls and criminal investigations. "It's almost like all the clouds are blowing into place and we're taking advantage of a lightening strike," said East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert at the March 28 contract signing. Sharing information between departments isn't a new practice — the departments have been doing it for years, East Lansing police Capt.
Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republicans John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are the presidential favorites in Michigan, according to a poll released March 23 by www.newsmax.com. Of 454 Democrats polled, 45 percent said they would vote for New York Sen.
The T.B. Simon Power Plant on campus recently conducted an experiment using biosolid waste to generate electricity as an alternative to burning coal. The experiment was conducted by MSU and N-Viro International Corp., a company that works with recycling and alternative fuels. The power plant burned a mixture of biomass and coal in a standard boiler, generating enough electricity to power campus for two days. Burning the biomass and coal mixture yielded a similar energy output as burning coal.
The MSU Student Alumni Foundation will hold an outdoor movie night at 7 p.m. Friday at field next to the Auditorium to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network. Two movies will be shown: "Happy Feet" at 8:30 p.m.
By Ken Chester For The State News While snow swirled outside East Lansing High School on Saturday evening, a warm atmosphere of diversity, tolerance and brotherhood filled the cafeteria inside. "There are five words: Accept people as they are," said Tammam Alwan, president of MSU's Muslim Students' Association, introducing the evening's speaker. It was MSA's second annual Diversity Dinner, where mostly members of MSU's Muslim community shared traditional food, prayed and discussed race, diversity and religion. During the dinner's keynote speech, MSU visiting religion Professor Mohammad Khalil touched heavily on the subject of Muslim/non-Muslim community. "My hope is that we can open up lines of communications between various Muslims, and between Muslims and non-Muslims," he said. In harmony with Khalil's message, premedical freshman Garrett Nelson, who is Christian, attended the event because most of his friends are Muslim and he wanted to learn more about Islam. "All their moral values are like mine," he said.
Thirteen MSU students carried a 12-foot cross weighing more than 50 pounds across campus on Friday. They carried it one at a time on their shoulders, re-enacting Jesus Christ's journey to crucifixion. "When I was carrying it, I can't imagine him carrying his own cross and putting the weight of the world on his shoulders just for us," said Stella Bunn, a kinesiology junior and member of His House Christian Fellowship.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm's imposed a moratorium on all state grants, stunning arts and cultural organizations throughout the state. The moratorium, which took effect Wednesday, will delay $7.5 million in promised payments to arts and cultural groups until the end of the fiscal year, according to ArtServe Michigan. This moratorium is one of 10 issued by Granholm this week to deal with the state's immediate cash-flow crisis and force further efficiency in the government's overall operation. Michigan is facing a $940 million budget deficit this fiscal year.
And then there was one. When Pierce Company officials left East Lansing five weeks ago, they said they'd return after narrowing down five preliminary design concepts for the East Village project. The San Diego-based master developer plans to unveil one design concept based from the original five when they visit in 10 days, said Theresa Nakata, vice president of marketing and communications for The Pierce Company Inc. "We're moving forward, and we're excited," Nakata said. City officials want the East Village redevelopment to bring a mix of retail, residential and entertainment properties to the area bounded by Hagadorn Road, East Grand River Avenue, Bogue Street and the Red Cedar River. Nakata said at the end of February that the representatives planned to bring back at least two or three concepts, which would take into consideration feedback from East Lansing residents. But Thursday, Nakata said architect David Moreno of Hollywood-based 5+Design was able to incorporate all the feedback from the numerous officials, property owners, students and community members into a single design.
Oakland University and Beaumont Hospitals announced Thursday they will construct a new medical school in Rochester. Oakland has withdrawn its proposal to become the new satellite location for MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine. MSU Trustee Colleen McNamara said Oakland University officials are attempting to become the state's fourth research university, joining MSU, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. "Oakland is very savvy about how they pushed and looked at what the top three universities have," McNamara said.
Researchers at MSU are working toward a new method of diagnosing the causes of neck pain by using 3-D imaging. In the past, doctors have not been able to easily diagnose and treat neck and back pain because measuring progress in patient cases is difficult. Using "advanced motion measurement" computer technology, researchers at MSU are tracking head and neck movements in 3-D.
The MSU Muslim Students' Association will have its annual Diversity Dinner from 6—10:30 p.m.
The topic of whether affirmative action is reverse discrimination or equal opportunity has been debated for years. "Many people think of this as a racial issue, and it is not a racial issue," said Anton Woods, a computer engineering freshman.
Across campus, in dorm rooms and computer labs, students are hunching down at computer screens to complete that all-too important spring ritual — signing up for next year's classes.
Last week, students were playing catch and laying under the sun studying. Now they are running from class to class, trying to keep warm. "It's been quite back and forth — too much for my liking.
Officials at a national First Amendment organization say they could list MSU as a place where constitutional speech isn't protected — unless the university responds satisfactorily to their demands. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or FIRE, wants MSU to dismantle a disciplinary seminar it says stifles students' constitutional rights. The possible placement on the list "sounds to me like a threat," said Lee June, MSU's vice president for Student Affairs and Services.
Michigan landfills are charged with the duty of storing more than 42 million cubic yards of garbage every year.
"Every three minutes, a woman is beaten; every five minutes, a women is raped." As temperatures dropped and snow swirled outside, about 40 people packed into the warmth of Green River Café, 211 M.A.C.
The East Lansing City Council is recognizing National Community Development Week from April 9-15. The city annually receives more than $600,000 in funding from federal Community Development Block Grants, which supports down payment assistance for new homebuyers, infrastructure improvements in low-income neighborhoods and housing projects, such as the Virginia Avenue development.