A significant percentage of patients who develop surgical site infections (SSI) after undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery will be readmitted to the hospital for further complications related to wound infections, new research shows. Preventing such readmissions could save the U.S. health care system as much as $65 million a year, according to research led by Dr. Keith Kaye, of the Detroit Medical Center and Wayne State University. Kaye's group presented its findings at the 2012 annual meeting of the Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. "The prosthetic joint population was important to study because these patients are particularly vulnerable to adverse events following SSIs, leading to unnecessary pain, suffering and medical costs," Kaye said in a statement. "Given the government's focus on reducing readmission rates, such complications could likely be a future target for decreased reimbursement."

Detroit's architecturally and spiritually uplifting houses of worship are highlighted in the recently published Detroit's Historic Places of Worship (Wayne State University Press, $39.95). Photographed by Dirk Bakker, the book includes photos and informative text on 37 edifices. In all, the project took 20 years and a Kickstarter campaign to complete.

Wayne State University law professor Peter Henning is one of 1,100 professionals selected to travel for the coming year after receiving a Fulbright Scholar Grant. Henning will teach at the University of Zagreb in Croatia for the coming school year, focusing on white collar crime with upper level students. The scholarship for Henning relates to white-collar crime, constitutional criminal procedure and attorney ethics. A photo of Henning is included.

Elizabeth Faue, professor of history at Wayne State University, wrote a commentary about the history of Labor Day and its current status. Faue wrote: "Today, the labor force is almost evenly divided between men and women. The wage labor force is ethnically and racially diverse and employed in a broad range of occupations, few of which are in manufacturing or agriculture. Information and service work, much of it requiring advanced, professional education and training, employs the vast majority of workers in the country. While the rate of unionization is now below 15 percent, unions continue to be a vital presence in our economic and political lives."

Nick Thomas was a leader for the Wayne State University football team last season, although he didn't play. Thomas, a senior linebacker, returns for the first time since October 2010 on Saturday when Wayne State opens the season at Ashland (Ohio). He missed last season with a knee injury. Thomas earned first-team All-GLIAC in 2010 based on his play in five games (41 tackles, four tackles for loss). He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a win against Northern Michigan and missed the remainder of that season and 2011. When Thomas returned to scout team duty the week of the title game last season, he already had made an impact during the season. "He showed quite a bit," Warrior coach Paul Winters said. "Under tough circumstances, he never wilted or went into the background. He always stood up and led, and the players had so much respect for him. It's incredible." Photos of Thomas are included.

A federal judge said Wednesday that he'll issue a ruling on a request from the state to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the ban on adoptions by unmarried couples, but suggested plaintiffs expand their fight to the state's marriage amendment. U.S. District Judge Bernard A. Friedman made the remark after a motion hearing in which the state asked the judge to toss out the case brought by a Hazel Park lesbian couple who are raising three children. April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse say the state law that prevents them from adopting as a couple is unconstitutional and violates their civil rights. Michigan's adoption law allows for married couples and single people to adopt children, but unmarried couples cannot. Robert Sedler, constitutional law professor at Wayne State University, countered on behalf of DeBoer and Rowse that the children are "suffering injury" with the provisions of Michigan law that deny them a second parent adoption solely because the parents cannot legally be married. "To deny this adoption harms these children," Sedler told Friedman.

Wayne State University has signed an agreement with three local community colleges to allow students who transfer to earn credits toward an associate's degree at the same time they're working toward a bachelor's degree. The "reverse transfer" agreement was signed earlier this week with Macomb Community College, Oakland Community College and Henry Ford Community College. It's significant because if students transfer to Wayne State and for some reason can't complete a four-year program, they'll at least have a two-year degree, said Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for educational outreach and international programs at Wayne State. "It's a credential that they've earned, so they might as well get it," Ezzeddine said.

An article examining the continued surge in food-based businesses throughout the Detroit area, notes that Wayne State business incubator TechTown has been hosting a nine-week program specifically geared toward food entrepreneurs, which attracted 22 participants.

Wayne State University's convocation and FestiFall events were covered in this story featuring a photo gallery. Taz Ahmed, president of WSU's Student Senate, was among several speakers who formally welcomed incoming students to the Midtown Detroit campus. John Corvino, chair of WSU's philosophy department, addressed the crowd urging the students to seek out those on campus with world-class expertise in areas they are excited about and learn from them. Following the event, the students and their parents moved on to a festival on campus. The marching band led a procession of the new students and their parents through a human tunnel of administrators, including WSU President Allan Gilmour, who were clapping and cheering for them. A luncheon served as an opportunity to meet leaders of various student organizations and members of the university's administration and faculty.

Representatives from Wayne State discussed the University's many positive attributes during an hour-long radio broadcast of "Your Voice With Angelo Henderson." Along with former WSU Board of Governors Chair Richard Bernstein, Ned Staebler, Wayne State's vice president for economic development; Monica Davie, associate director of undergraduate admissions; Patrick Lindsay, vice president for government and community affairs and Victor Green, director of community relations discussed admissions, the University's community involvement and the vibrant Midtown community.

The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance announces the President's Gala, to be held in recognition of the 50th season of the Hilberry Theatre, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8. The evening will celebrate the Hilberry's past 50 seasons and its founder, Leonard Leone, while honoring the present and embracing the future of the nation's only graduate repertory theatre. Hosted by Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour and The Understudies, the gala will feature a program of select scenes from past and upcoming Hilberry productions. President Gilmour and Matt Seeger, dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, will offer remarks. John Wolf, newly appointed chair of the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, will be introduced.

Wayne State University is one of five Michigan universities to make Washington Monthly's list of America's top 100 institutions of higher learning. The rankings are based on "contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), Research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and Service (encouraging students to give something back to their country). Detroit Free Press WJRT (ABC) Flint WJBK-DET (FOX 2)

While living in Dearborn some 30 years ago and working at Ford, Allan Gilmour was asked to get involved in the new Fairlane Medical Center of Henry Ford Hospital. Because the person asking was his boss, Gilmour didn't hesitate, he said with a laugh. From then on, he has been involved in metro Detroit, both in his professional life and in his volunteer efforts. "I've had a fascinating life," he said. "I've been very lucky in that I've been associated with consequential organizations." For his work to improve metro Detroit, Gilmour is this year's recipient of the Neal Shine Award for Exemplary Regional Leadership. "He has a uniqueness that few of us have," said Debbie Dingell, who in her role as a member of WSU's Board of Governors was influential in getting Gilmour to Wayne State. "He lived in Dearborn. He lives in Birmingham now. He works in Detroit. He has roots in all the regions that need to work together to improve the area." During his tenure at WSU, he has worked to retool admission standards and is in the midst of negotiations with the faculty union over a new contract and definitions of tenure. He also has overseen WSU's work in developing Midtown, efforts he was first involved with during his board service at the Henry Ford Medical System. "The three anchor institutions (WSU, HFMS and the Detroit Medical Center) are so important," he said. "When you're here physically, you want a good neighborhood." At his direction, the school also established an Office of Adult Literacy, working with nonprofit Reading Works to help adults across the region boost their skills. In 2013, WSU plans to host a national summit on adult literacy. A photo of President Gilmour is included. Detroit Free Press Mydesert.com

Wayne State University greeted a record number of students who moved into on-campus housing over the weekend. Students jam-packed the campus Sunday. Wayne State University, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary of on-campus housing, accepted a record-number 850 freshman into dorms. About 3,000 students now live in all six of the buildings, also the most since on-campus housing began, said Tim Michael, WSU's chief housing officer. "We are completely full. We are happy that people are responding," Michael said. "When they check out Wayne State and see what we're offering. … It's just more attractive for people when they live with us. It's easy just to drive in and drive out. (But) there's so much more to it if they stay with us and are more engaged in the city. This really is a university event." A photo is included.

On a sunny Friday morning, a diverse group of volunteers, including more than 100 college students, gathered to clean up some west-side neighborhoods. The Greater Detroit Restoration Project, a collection of grassroots organizations, joined forces with Wayne State University students to tidy up blighted, deserted, fire-damaged houses that sit among 5-foot-tall grass and loads of garbage from illegal dumping. Volunteers boarded up nine abandoned houses, cut grass and picked up trash in vacant lots and fields near Nolan Elementary-Middle School. Project organizer Barry Ross, founder of the Detroit Coalition Against Violence, said more than 300 Wayne State students have signed up for the cleanups through classes that offer credit for volunteering.

Chris Collins, professor and director of jazz studies at Wayne State University, is also the newly minted artistic director of the 33rd annual Detroit Jazz Festival, which takes place Labor Day weekend in downtown Detroit. As a tenor saxophone player and clarinetist, he's toured with the Phil Collins Big Band, Doc Severinsen, Mel Torme, Michael Feinstein, Lou Rawls and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. His latest album is "Electo-Monk, Acoustic-Funk." A photo of Collins is included.

Forbidden Art, an exhibit coming to Wayne State University September 7-28, includes 20 photographs of artwork created in secret by prisoners of Nazi concentration camps. The powerful exhibit originated at Poland's Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in late 2011 and is now traveling to four U.S. locations including Wayne State. "While imprisoned in horrible conditions by the brutal Nazi regime, artists continued to produce the works of art that are represented in this exhibit," says Mike Smith, Jewish community archivist at Wayne State's Walter P. Reuther Library. "It is an honor that Wayne State was selected as one of the chosen venues in the United States." Matthew Seeger, dean of Wayne State's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, says Forbidden Art is a unique opportunity to make important images accessible to students and the community at large. Event sponsors from WSU include the Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Dean of Students Office, the Department of History, the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History, the Walter P. Reuther Library and the Wayne State University Press.

Barbara Redman, Wayne State University College of Nursing dean, opined about the Affordable Care Act and the need to increase the availability of primary care - such as preventive and routine health care. It is expected that millions of uninsured Americans will gain health insurance, many who have low incomes and typically receive care only when experiencing a severe problem or medical emergency. With health insurance, many are likely to seek primary care. Redman suggests expanding the number and role of advanced practice registered nurse (APRNs) on the health care team to meet the need for primary care professionals. She writes: "However, growth of the nursing workforce is hampered by insufficient funding for nursing education and outdated, ambiguous state regulations. Many qualified applicants are turned away from nursing schools across the country due to a lack of space, faculty, laboratories and clinical placements. The Affordable Care Act includes provisions to increase nursing faculty and scholarships for nursing students and these programs need to be fully implemented."

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights recently released a study which shows continuing disparities between educational opportunities for White students and students of color. Among other things, the Title VI Enforcement study shows that schools serving mostly African-American and Hispanic students are twice as likely to hire teachers that are new to the profession, African-American students are more than three and half times more likely and Hispanic students are over one and a half times more likely to be suspended or expelled than White students. Additionally, elementary school teachers who serve primarily African-American and Hispanic students are paid on average $2,200 less per year that their colleagues who serve mostly White students. Craig Fahle was joined by Ethriam Brammer, associate director of the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies at Wayne State University, and Sandra Gonzales, professor of bilingual/bicultural education at Wayne State University, to discuss the impact of the study and the civil rights in public education work they are currently working on in Southwest Detroit.

Fourteen school districts -- including three in metro Detroit -- will be part of a closely watched pilot program that is aimed at beefing up teacher evaluations, improving the quality of teachers and helping schools dismiss poor teachers more effectively. The districts -- which include Garden City Public Schools, the Gibraltar School District and Farmington Public Schools -- will spend the 2012-13 school year testing four national models for evaluating teachers. But Tom Pedroni, associate professor of curriculum studies at Wayne State University, who tracks these issues, questioned whether a stronger evaluation system is needed, saying the urgency is "part and parcel of an attack on teachers and public education" and ignores the impact childhood poverty has on student achievement. He said a more effective way to boost student achievement is by investing in adequate health care, nutrition and housing for children. "Unless we do that, we will continue to be trounced by nations that have worked to reduce and eliminate childhood poverty."