Wayne State University Police Chief Tony Holt has been working in law enforcement in Detroit for 40 years. He has worked in the city through the most turbulent decades this region has seen, and during waves of national dialogue about the relationship between police and community. Holt joined “Detroit Today” host Stephen Henderson to talk about how the department’s approach has changed over the years, as well as the benefits and challenges of policing a relatively small community within a large city. He stressed the importance of having a police force that reflects its community. “It’s not just African American officers in terms of diversity in the police department. We also have a large Middle Eastern population, and that’s reflected in the police force,” Holt said. He noted that public perception has played a big role in the department’s approach over the years. “Perception is huge,” he says. ”If you’re living in neighborhoods, data (that shows reduced crime in recent year) doesn’t mean much. It’s not what you’re seeing.”  

Aspiring teachers and education professionals are invited to join the College of Education for its annual Education Job Fair and Graduate Programs Showcase, held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today. This two-part event is for those considering the next step in their education and those prepared to step into the job market. These events will be held on Wayne State’s main campus in the Student Center Ballroom.Approximately 60 recruiters from the Midwest region, including out-of-state school districts, are scheduled to interview candidates for a variety of career placement options in education. Attendees should bring multiple copies of their resume and cover letter.       Other media mentionshttp://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=7785&DateTime=5%2F12%2F2016+7%3A49%3A10+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=7785&playclip=True&RefPage=http://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=4400&DateTime=5%2F12%2F2016+6%3A39%3A15+AM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=4400&playclip=True&RefPage=

Traffic experts hail the city's future superstreet as a silver bullet for clogged roadways and dangerous intersections, but some Port St. Lucie motorists unfamiliar with the seemingly complicated traffic pattern usually shudder at its mere mention. Port St. Lucie will have Florida's first superstreet intersection — also known as a "restricted-crossing U-turn intersection" — at Crosstown Parkway and Floresta Drive when the $150 million Crosstown Parkway extension project is completed, now set for 2018. Public perception, however, usually shifts when a superstreet is built, experts say. Motorists navigate its course with ease and swiftly acknowledge the benefits: faster-moving traffic, less waiting at signals, fewer crashes and virtually no fatalities if there is a wreck, said Joseph Hummer, a professor and chairman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Wayne State University. Florida will be the 11th state to use the superstreet design, according to the Federal Highway Administration. The design typically cuts travel time by 20 percent and reduces the number of collision points from 32 at a conventional intersection to 14, Hummer said. Although superstreets move their main-highway traffic faster, drivers wanting to cross Crosstown Parkway on Floresta actually would experience a slight delay, Hummer cautioned.  

Water has become the 21st-century equivalent of oil, and a plan to divert water from the Great Lakes to surrounding areas is raising questions about the possibility of future water grabs from far-flung water-sparse regions. Over the course of seven years, policy makers, lawyers, and elected officials from each of the Great Lakes states and provinces crafted the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. Passed by Congress and signed into law in 2008, it was lauded as a model agreement by industries and environmentalists alike. The Great Lakes compact expressly prohibits diversions out of the basin. But there are exceptions. According to the compact, water returned to the basin must be equal in quality to the water taken out; diverted water will be allowed only if there is no “reasonable” alternate water supply available; a comprehensive water-conservation program must be in place; and the diversion must not affect the “integrity of the Basin ecosystem.” Critics cite major flaws in the proposal: The congressionally approved Great Lakes compact could face future challenges, and even possible revisions, as issues of water quality and scarcity grow more critical, according to Nick Schroeck, director of the Transnational Environmental Law Clinic at Wayne State University. What’s to stop legislation to allow water diversions to entire states, or entire regions? “With slower population growth than other parts of the country, the Great Lakes states will have less power and influence in Washington, D.C., where Congress could potentially bend to the wishes of the more populous, and water-hungry, Southern and Western states,” Schroeck said.  

Detroit Ento, a sustainable protein R&D firm that focuses on locally reared insects, is offering a truly unique dining experience on May 26. Hosted by Salt and Cedar in Eastern Market, Detroit Ento describes the meal as "Detroit's first edible insect culinary event." The five-course dinner will consist of locally-farmed insects such as crickets and mealworms, "as well as other notable and unique species," according to the event notice. The dinner will also help kick-off the first edible insects conference in North America, hosted by Wayne State University and taking place from May 26-28.   

Some automotive industry professionals say American cars need a bit of European flash. The future of vehicle design, autonomous cars and even bio-medical engineering took center stage at the Italian Technological Excellence in the U.S event at Wayne State University’s McGregor Memorial Conference Center yesterday. Wayne State professor Giuseppe Santangelo said Fiat Chrysler is a good example of how Italian and American automakers can cooperate effectively. He says the Wayne State event is a good start to increasing such collaboration.   

When classes begin this fall at the new Southfield High School for the Arts & Technology — which will combine Southfield High School and Southfield-Lathrup — all students will have access to the school district’s trio of college preparation programs. Southfield Public Schools is branding this group of programs as the FasTrack to College. FasTrack includes Dual Enrollment, Advanced Placement and the International Baccalaureate Diploma programs. Dual Enrollment allows students to earn six credits per year at Oakland Community College, Wayne State University or University of Michigan-Dearborn with all fees — including books and tuition — covered by the school district.  

Wayne State University will host the first Italian Technological Excellence in the U.S., a symposium to promote business between U.S. and Italian companies. The event, organized by Southfield-based nonprofit Leonardo International Inc. and The Consulate of Italy in Detroit, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center at WSU. The agenda includes seminars on autonomous vehicles, robotics and advanced medical technologies from companies like Brembo North America Inc., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV,Comau LLC, Comerica Bank and St. Joseph Mercy Health System, among others. Seven companies from Italy are expected to attend the event. The conference will also include an expo, career fair and Italian art exhibit.  

First you raze a building, then you raise a building. That's what appears to be happening soon with the rundown property at 33 Temple St. just west of Woodward Avenue to make way for the Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business. The 60,000-square-foot factory building — which is owned by a subsidiary of Ilitch Holdings Inc., parent company of Olympia Development — sits right in the footprint of the planned business school, which is to be built just north of the newly minted Little Caesar's Arena for the Detroit Red Wings. And Dean Robert Forsythe told us in the fall that a building west of the Woodward and Temple intersection would have to be demolished. Officials at Wayne State hope to break ground on the new 120,000-square-foot building this summer. The majority of the new business school is being funded with $35 million of a $40 million donation from the Ilitch family; the remaining $5 million is for an endowment for the school itself. Construction is expected to cost approximately $50 million in all. The university hopes to move most of its business school there by the winter semester of 2018.  

An extensive photo gallery captures the 4 p.m. commencement ceremony held yesterday at Ford Field.  

Suzanne Walsh has done a lot in her 45 years. She has an MBA, has worked at the university level and in New York public schools, and even lived in Turkey. But there’s one thing the Ann Arbor woman has wanted since she was about 16: to get her doctorate. Walsh said she just never knew what field to purse. Flash forward to 2013. Walsh had a young daughter and had just gotten a divorce. She was at a crossroads. Walsh said she wondered, “What’s my next step? Here I am in my 40s. I always wanted to do my PhD. I have a young child.” It took some courage, but Walsh applied and was accepted to the Anthropology program at Wayne State. “It’s been a very important dream for me and has taken me so many years to even get to the point where I was not afraid to get my neck out there to even apply.” Walsh received her master’s degree at Wayne State’s spring graduation ceremony at Ford Field. She said that will put her more than halfway to her dream. “This is a wonderful Mother’s Day gift,” said Walsh. “And it’s a wonderful Mother’s Day gift for my child.”  

Keiara Bell made national headlines at age 13 when she scolded then-Detroit councilwoman Monica Conyers for being disrespectful toward a fellow council member. Reporter Charlie LeDuff caught up with the former Detroit Public Schools student who grew up on Detroit’s west side. "I have been preparing for graduation this year," Bell said. "I have been a major for political science, pre-law, with a minor in music. I have been elected to student senate for the upcoming fall. I am going to pursue my master’s degree in urban planning with a concentration in housing and community development. And I recently just got engaged." LeDuff observed: “Keiara Bell is 21 now, living proof that the best among us can be found in most any neighborhood in most any town if given the chance to flower.” Bell was chosen to deliver a commencement address to her fellow graduates May 5 at Wayne State University.  

Infant mortality among African Americans in Wayne County is three times higher than that among their white neighbors, according to data released Tuesday at the inaugural Mayor’s Summit on Health Equity in Detroit. Led by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggen and Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson, the summit focused on how social inequities such as poverty, crime and blight affect the health of Detroit residents and how best to improve public health. “There is a tie between health and revitalization of any city,” Wilson told the gathering of about 100 that included researchers, public health workers, foundations and community groups. “Together ... we want to come away with something that’s tangible, and we can build on. This is about coming up with action plans.” A new report, called “A Data Snapshot on Health in Detroit 2016,” was unveiled at the summit and includes data on preterm births, diet and exercise, lead exposure and other health issues. The event brought federal and state officials, community leaders and health advocates together with Detroit public health officials and Wayne State University researchers to brainstorm ways to improve the health of Detroit residents.        

"None of us is as smart as all of us." While it's easy to look inward for answers, Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson shows us the critical importance of collaboration, thought diversity and listening. Daily FUEL provides inspiration and practical learning, all in two minutes or less. Learn directly from some of the most successful people in the world – celebrity entrepreneurs, captains of industry, top performers. You’ll hear inside secrets, behind-the-scenes stories, and even learn from their failures.   

There have long been disparities when it comes to life expectancy, infant mortality, and other health indicators between racial and ethnic groups in America. Despite recent improvements, those disparities persist. That’s according to a recent study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While White Americans’ life expectancy today is age 79, African-Americans on average live 75.6 years. The city of Detroit and Wayne State University are partnering to hold an invite-only summit on health equity. Mayor Mike Duggan and Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson will lead discussions on how to address the city’s health disparities. Wilson says Detroit faces major hurtles with infant mortality, and other childhood health concerns such as asthma. “Unfortunately, Detroit is among the worst” of major U.S. cities with health issues,” says Wilson. And he says it’s important for the city to address those disparities as it rebuilds. “There’s a tie-in between the health of a city and the revitalization of a city,” he says.     Other media mentionshttp://mms.tveyes.com/Transcript.asp?StationID=2980&DateTime=5%2F2%2F2016+12%3A23%3A50+PM&LineNumber=&MediaStationID=2980&playclip=True&RefPage=

Tucked inside the building that houses TechTown Detroit is the office of Wayne State University’s Front Door for Business Engagement program, which connects local companies to WSU’s various resources—research assistance, access to cutting-edge or highly specialized equipment, student interns, and more. Established in 2012, the Front Door program is designed to be a public-facing entity that works to “create interactions between the local business community and the university,” said Dennis Atkinson, the Front Door’s director of corporate engagement. “We’re here in TechTown to be a resource for the small-business community.” The Front Door offers different levels of engagement, which Atkinson describes as something like a concierge service. “We can also lend expertise,” he said, adding that the Front Door works with the University Research Corridor and the Michigan Corporate Relations Network (MCRN) to find those experts at the state’s other major research universities. “They can consult with faculty or we can help with sponsored research projects for companies at a certain point in their commercialization process.  

Tim Gritten was recently named associate dean of the Wayne State University Libraries. The appointment was announced by Dean Sandra Yee, who oversees the Wayne State University Libraries and School of Library and Information Science. Gritten joins the libraries from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, where he was the assistant director of libraries for user services. Gritten has more than 20 years of experience in libraries, serving in escalating roles within circulation, collections, acquisitions, technology and administration.    

A group from Wayne State University met in Bay City yesterday to gather local input on the muck fouling Saginaw Bay shorelines and the effort to control it. Headed by Wayne State Associate Professor Donna Kashian, the group is putting together a report called "Where people meet the muck: An integrated assessment of beach muck and public perception at the Bay City State Recreation Area, Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron -- Management options." Muck has been a perennial issue for years at the state park, where local people have battled federal and state regulators to allow them to clean muck from the beach. Bay County Board of Commissioners Chairman Ernie Krygier, a leader of the beach-cleaning effort, was one of the people to meet with the Kashian and study co-author Darrin Hunt at the Delta College Planetarium and Learning Center in downtown Bay City. Krygier said after the meeting that federal and state regulations about muck removal and beach cleaning need to be relaxed. Kashian acknowledged the tension between regulations intended to protect the environment and the desire for clean, sandy beaches free of muck. "Any time you are cleaning up anything in the water, there are state and federal regulations," she said.  

Financial support for homeless college students varies wildly among Michigan campuses, and among low-income students raised by relatives. The patchwork system of aid allows some of Michigan’s most vulnerable students to attend college for free, while others attend universities where no staff member is assigned as a point of contact for homeless students, who like others in extreme poverty are far less likely to complete their degree. Wayne State University founded the HIGH program in 2013 to help homeless students, when Jacqueline Wilson, wife of Wayne State President M. Roy Wilson, discovered that a Wayne State student was living in a car. Both the EMU and Wayne State programs offer assistance to homeless students, but both are dependent on donations. Neither programs receives institutional support.  

Peter Lichtenberg, director of the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University, worked with Kay Malek, director of the doctoral program in physical therapy at DeSales University in Allentown, to measure the effectiveness of neurocognitive engagement therapy (NET). He said he was most impressed by how it kept people with cognitive problems on task. "It's very hard to get them motivated. . . . This did that." Wheelchairs are discouraged on the unit, which also offers more social activities than usual to keep patients active. Therapists tend to work in quiet rooms rather than a physical therapy gym, which can be too distracting. The staff creates a written history for each patient that describes what he or she likes to do.