A story highlights Wayne State University grad David Robert Mitchell, director of the recently released film \"The Myth of the American Sleepover.\" The film, which was mostly filmed in Detroit, has played the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France, won a special jury award for ensemble acting at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin and was featured at film festivals in New Zealand and Munich. The film also has garnered praise from many of the nation\'s top film critics.

A $3 million grant will help fund a program that Wayne State University students say helps prepare them for careers in research. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a five-year grant of more than $3 million to support the Wayne State University Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program. WSU's IMSD program, established in 1978 as the Minority Biomedical Research Support program with NIH support, "aims to provide undergraduate and graduate students with a more personalized experience to foster career development while enhancing persistence and success in science majors."

The Michigan Democratic Party Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Caucus announces the addition of Debbie Dingell to the caucus\' executive board. \"In my many years as a Michigan activist, in the long fight for LGBT civil rights, I have rarely found an ally so compassionate for our issues as Debbie Dingell,\" said caucus chair Phil Volk. Dingell currently serves on the Wayne State University Board of Governors and is married to Congressman John Dingell, D-MI.

Magistrate Judge Steven Whalen blasted the City of Detroit and its former Law Department chief Wednesday for failing to preserve e-mails that may have shed light on the slaying of an exotic dancer said to have performed at a long-rumored party at the mayoral Manoogian Mansion. He urged U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen to tell the jury -- should the lawsuit ever go to trial -- that the city \"intentionally, willfully and recklessly\" destroyed potential evidence. The jury will decide how much weight to give to the instruction in deciding whether to award damages to Greene\'s family. Advising a jury that the city failed to preserve e-mail is \"something that puts a thumb on the scale in favor of the claims of Tamara Greene\'s family, but whether it\'s enough of a thumb to establish their case remains to be seen,\" said Wayne State University law professor Peter Henning. \"There are a lot of issues yet to be decided, including the motion to dismiss the family\'s lawsuit.\"

Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour commented during an interview with The South End about the appointment of Harvey Hollins III, WSU vice president of government and community affairs, to director of the Michigan Office of Urban and Metropolitan Initiatives. Hollins accepted an offer by Gov. Rick Snyder to become director earlier this week and will begin his new position September 1. Gilmour said he sees the new appointment of Hollins as an honor for the university. "Harvey will do a first-rate job," he said. "Harvey is an asset. His experience, relationships and judgment are very valuable. It is a loss but also a great honor for the university to have Harvey take the position with Gov. Snyder's administration."

Wayne State University Daunte Akra, former Wayne State University Warrior, is interviewed by Fox 2 sports reporter Woody Woodriffe during the Detroit Lions full squad practice session yesterday. Akra signed with the Lions for the linebacker position.

An insurance company, Safeco, has told a Wayne County judge that it wants no part of trying to finish the long-delayed Gateway project at the Ambassador Bridge, further complicating efforts to finish the work. Last month, Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards ordered Safeco, which had issued a performance bond for the project, to report how it would take over the work to finish it. John Mogk, professor of law at Wayne State University specializing in land use, said in a case like this, the insurance company\'s obligation would depend on what was written in its original contract. \"If all they\'ve contracted to do is provide funding, then it seems to me that they\'ve got a decent argument that they themselves are not responsible for managing the work,\" Mogk said.

Biology textbooks maintain that the main function of sex is to promote genetic diversity. But Henry Heng, Ph.D., associate professor in WSU\'s Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, says that\'s not the case. Heng and fellow researcher Root Gorelick, associate professor at Carleton University in Canada, propose that although diversity may result from a combination of genes, the primary function of sex is not about promoting diversity. Rather, it\'s about keeping the genome context - an organism\'s complete collection of genes arranged by chromosome composition and topology - as unchanged as possible, thereby maintaining a species\' identity. \"If sex was merely for increasing genetic diversity, it would not have evolved in the first place,\" said Heng. This is because asexual reproduction - in which only one parent is needed to procreate - leads to higher rates of genetic diversity than sex.

Commenting on former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's release from prison and upcoming federal corruption legal challenges, Peter Henning, a criminal law professor at Wayne State University, comments. He said that Kilpatrick faces hurdles, but the case is winnable -- especially if Kilpatrick can get some of the wiretap and text message evidence suppressed over the next several months.

Wayne State University President Allan Gilmour is featured in a front-page profile highlighting his plan to advance the mission of the university beyond its current confines. Gilmour discussed strategies to improve customer service, retain and graduate students and increase awareness about Wayne State's assets. He also commented on the university's relationship with the city of Detroit and collaborative efforts in the community. "I think we are a big asset to the city. I think the mayor and City Council believe this," Gilmour said. "We want to be a good neighbor and a good neighborhood." The first task in making that happen, he pointed out, is to do a good job of educating children in Detroit to ensure a meaningful future for the city. Secondly, he said it is neighborhoods like Midtown that exemplify Detroit's potential in numerous and varied ways. "We are integral to that. We want to be sure that our place is safe and is attractive to live. Our safety reputation is a good one." Photos of President Gilmour are included.

Matthew Seeger has been appointed dean of Wayne State University's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. Seeger began his new role this week. He previously served as interim dean of the college and has been a faculty member and administrator at Wayne State for 26 years. Seeger\'s teaching and research interests are in the areas of crisis and emergency risk communication. He is the author or co-author of seven books, including "Communication and Organizational Crisis" and "Crisis Communication and the Public Health." Other positions Seeger previously held include chair of the Department of Communication, graduate officer and associate dean of the graduate school. He also has worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Food Protection and Defense.

On Friday a spokesman for Wayne State University stated that the school has had to cut a total of 200 employment positions, 80 of which are currently filled, although the exact numbers are due to be released when the union bumping procedures are finished. Matt Lockwood went on to explain that one clinical faculty position has been closed and the rest are administrative job cuts. Alan Gilmour, president of Wayne State University, emailed staff on Thursday explaining the move. He wrote; "This note is to inform you that today we began a reduction in force and have notified most of the affected employees. This difficult decision was necessitated by a $32-million reduction in our (fiscal year) 2012 state funding, the largest cut in our history."

Gov. Rick Snyder has named Harvey Hollins III as director of the Michigan Office of Urban and Metropolitan Initiatives. Hollins currently is Wayne State University's vice president for government and community affairs. His appointment is effective Sept. 1. Hollins will serve as a principal advisor to the governor on matters related to urban and regional economic initiatives that contribute to job growth. While based in Detroit, he also will establish offices in Grand Rapids and the Flint-Saginaw area. "The governor's un¬wavering commitment to our cities is both welcome and inspiring," Hollins said. "His vision of strong, energetic urban centers that attract entrepreneurial investment and exciting young talent is the right one, and it is achievable." A photo of Hollins is included.

The Medical News Neural implants have the potential to treat disorders and diseases that typically require long-term treatment, such as blindness, deafness, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, and Alzheimer\'s and Parkinson\'s. However, implantable devices have been problematic in clinical applications because of bodily reactions that limit device functioning time. Mark Ming-Cheng Cheng, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Wayne State University, is out to change that. He recently received a five-year, $475,000 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant from the National Science Foundation to study the potential of graphene, a novel carbon material, in the development of a reliable, high-performance, long-term implantable electrode system to improve quality of life using nanotechnology. Cheng is collaborating with colleagues in the School of Medicine, in biomedical engineering, and in WSU\'s Smart Sensors and Integrated Microsystems and Nano Incubator programs.

The Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index dropped in July to 51.7, suggesting the start of an economic slowdown in Southeast Michigan. Wayne State University School of Business Administration faculty members and the local chapter of the Institute for Supply Management administer a monthly survey to purchasing managers to calculate this composite index of local economic activity. The index largely serves as an early indicator of what is coming in the economy. \"It is possible that this slowdown can be attributed to a temporary summer slowdown in manufacturing,\" said Nitin Paranjpe, an economist and global supply chain management faculty member in Wayne State\'s business school, who analyzed the survey results. \"While it is still too early to say whether this is the start of a slowdown, the signs are not good,\" he said.

Media Genesis President Antoine Dubeauclard was recently nominated as an entrepreneurial coach for a new program aimed at Michigan economic revitalization. The Blackstone LaunchPad program was established in Michigan in 2010 by the Blackstone Charitable Foundation and in partnership with the New Economy Initiative for Southeastern Michigan, Wayne State University, University of Miami, Walsh College and Automation Alley. LaunchPad strives to foster entrepreneurship through higher education and in turn spur economic growth. The program will arrive at the campuses of Wayne State and Walsh in order for students to learn practical skills from seasoned professionals and have the opportunity to grow their creativity and innovation into vital businesses.

Wayne State University law professor Greg Fox is profiled in a story about his efforts to lead the Program for International Legal Studies. Fox, who joined Wayne State's Law School in 2002, says teaching at WSU allows him to pursue all the things he loves. \"As director of the Program for International Legal Studies I can bring in speakers on international issues of interest to me and the larger Wayne community, organize conferences on cutting edge topics and create opportunities for students that, I hope, creates an enthusiasm for international law,\" he says. \"Wayne students are extraordinarily receptive to these efforts and grateful for the opportunities they create.

A recent study from Wayne State University has revealed that one in three Michigan seniors have trouble affording basic necessities such as food, housing and transportation. Additionally, the study showed that one out of every three seniors ages 65 and above living in Macomb County are at or below poverty levels. The study, conducted by the WSU Institute of Gerontology\'s \"Seniors Count!\" project in conjunction with Wider Opportunities for Women, states that 37 percent of Michigan\'s senior citizens are at or below economic security. \"This is specifically geared toward senior living expenses versus a generic poverty measure,\" said Jason Booza, faculty member of Wayne State's Department of Geography and Urban Planning and co-author of the study. \"In Michigan it takes a look at the actual costs in each geographic area, so it looks at all 83 counties.\"

Wayne State University's School of Business Administration is featured in the 2012 Edition U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools. The report lists Wayne State among the top schools for the specialty "part-time M.B.A." programs. Of the 165 colleges and universities from across the country recognized for their part-time M.B.A. program, two are in Michigan. WSU's part-time M.B.A. program placed second in the state behind University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Wayne State University medical school professor Dr. Michael Stellini, an expert on death and dying, commented about "No One Dies Alone," a program offered through the St. John Health System to assist terminally ill patients. Stellini said the program is really a \"humane and good thing.\" He said although there is a no scientific certainty whether the dying person is cognitively aware of their surroundings but having family and friends at bedsides serves a purpose. \"The idea of someone dying alone is a sad one,\" said Stellini.