This story about a new, low-cost bus service from Detroit to other Midwest cities includes a photo of passengers boarding a bus at the Wayne State University stop. Some riders say they've found service provided by the upstart company, which does not have bus terminals, cheaper and more convenient that Greyhound or Amtrak. Chicago is one of the main destinations from Detroit.

The Detroit Jazz Festival has named Terri Ponremoli as artistic and executive director. One of her first official duties Thursday was to announced a partnership with Wayne State University, starting with "Jazz Week at Wayne," beginning July 23. The program will allow high school students to study with WSU jazz faculty and Detroit jazz artists. The students will perform at the 2007 Detroit Jazz Festival

This article mentions that a team from Berkley High School will compete in the FIRST Robotics regional competition at Wayne State this weekend. Berkley High, whose team this year is named Da' Bears, has sent a team to the competition for the past nine years.

An article about Cheryl Rogers, new superintendent of the Clawson Public Schools, mentions that she has a bachelor's degree in special education and elementary education from Wayne State.

In her "In the Galleries" column, Keri Guten Cohen, writes about an exhibit by Detroit painter Luchen Qui at the Paint Creek Center for the Arts in Rochester. Cohen notes that the artist is a graduate of the Wayne State University fine arts program.

A story about Match Day, where soon-to-graduate medical students at the University of Toledo learn where their residency stints will be, mentions that student George Markakis, 35, will serve an internship at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, followed by three years of residency training through Wayne State University. Since Toledo has no residency programs for optometry, Markakis said Detroit was the next closest location.

Walsh College is adding a new Master of Science in Strategic Leadership degree this spring. The goal of the course is to help students learn to think strategically and to be successful leaders. It will combine research and theory with practical application.

A special panel at the University of Michigan on Thursday released a report on ways to promote diversity in the wake of the state's ban on affirmative action at public colleges. Among recommendations: increased outreach efforts and more ambitious use of financial aid. No other details were provided in this brief entry.

According to this article, many students at Eastern Michigan University feel betrayed by administrators and unsafe on campus in the wake of a rape and murder in a dorm room last December that they believe was covered up by campus police and the administration. A watchdog group called Security on Campus Inc. is urging the U.S. Department of Education to investigate and possibly fine the university for violation of a federal statute that requires higher education institutions to disclose information about crimes on campus and to warn students of threats to their safety. When the deceased student was found in her dorm room, campus officials at first said they did not suspect foul play and that there was no reason for students to worry, a Chronicle reporter writes. But a spokesman for the watchdog group says, "It's abundantly clear that EMU authorities . . . had reason to believe it was a sexual assault and homicide." A student was arrested and charged last month and the vice president for student affairs has since been placed on administrative leave.

After weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, all four felony charges against Patricia Dunn, the former chairwoman of Hewlett-Packard who was accused of spying on her board, were dropped. The four felony charges against each of the three remaining defendants were also reduced to one misdemeanor each. All four defendants were initially accused of using deception to obtain the personal phone records of board members, HP executives and nine reporters as part of an investigation to see who on the HP board was leaking information to journalists. \"Boy, did this case go south,\" said Wayne State University law professor Peter Henning. \"This may be the best resolution the state can get.\"

Four members of the Wayne State University men\'s swimming team plus the 200 medley relay quartet will be competing in the Wednesday finals of the 2007 NCAA Championship in Buffalo. The championship runs through Saturday evening. A photo is included of Warrior Guilherme Veiga, the second seed for tonight\'s 1000 free timed final.

Six Wayne State University women swimmers will be competing this evening in the finals on day one of the 2007 NCAA Championship in Buffalo. A photo of freshman Elaina Hogle is included.

Janice Green, assistant dean of academic services in Wayne State's College of Education, is one of the final five applicants for the Oakland Community College Board of Trustees. The board is expected to choose the new trustee at a special meeting before its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday.

The Democratic leadership of the U.S. Senate proposed on Wednesday a spending blueprint for 2008 that would increase financing for the Education Department by $6.1-billion over the amount proposed by President Bush. The plan suggests giving Pell Grants, which aid needy students, high priority for some of the additional money. The Senate plan, called a budget resolution, proposes a total of $62.3-billion for the Education Department in the 2008 fiscal year, which begins October 1. The document does not, however, spell out spending levels for individual programs, like Pell Grants, but would set ceilings for broader categories of spending.

As part of its Newspaper in Education program, the Detroit Free Press invited Michigan teachers to have students in Grades 6 through 12 write letters to the editor on the question: How should the state of Michigan or its universities make a college education more available and affordable? Here is a sampling of responses: • A fifth year of high school: "We could include a fifth year of high school, eliminating one year of college that doesn\'t have to be paid for directly." Emily Smith, Grade 11, H.H. Dow High School, Midland • Community service: "Currently, colleges award scholarships for high academic honors, athletic ability and to minorities. What about the vast number of intelligent, athletic, hardworking average students? A creative way Michigan could support this idea would be to create a program used in high school curriculums where students may elect to participate in community service projects in return for partial tuition at a state college." Andrew Smith, Grade 9, Adams High School, Rochester Hills • Targeted taxes: "Because tuition is so expensive, there must be ways to offset this. Colleges may collaborate with companies in the computer industry, medical technology, pharmaceuticals and health care. These companies may provide funds to the colleges in return for work done by students in projects for these various industries." Lee Elisavich, Grade 7, Bloomfield Hills Middle School

The Wayne State University Law School's Journal of Law in Society is sponsoring a symposium March 22 on the topic of "Lawsuits in the ER: Legislative Changes in Medical Malpractice." The panel will be moderated by Albert Dib of Dib, Fagan & Brault P.C., an adjunct faculty member of the WSU Law School.

Former Wal-Mart vice chairman and convicted felon Tom Coughlin has a scheduled hearing for oral arguments in the government\'s appeal of his sentence before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Coughlin was sentenced last summer in federal court to 27 months of home detention after pleading guilty in February 2006 to five counts of wire fraud against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and one count of filing a false tax return. Coughlin faced more than 28 years in prison and fines up to $1.35 million, but the judge gave him home detention after being persuaded by his attorneys that Coughlin\'s health was too fragile for him to spend time in prison. Wayne State University law professor Peter J. Henning says the 8th Circuit has usually been \"very suspicious\" when it comes to nonguideline sentencing -- which is what Coughlin received. But Henning said two cases currently before the U.S. Supreme Court on the question of reasonable sentences may have an impact on the 8th Circuit\'s decision in the Coughlin case. \"Those two cases could throw things. Before they came up, the 8th Circuit probably would have reversed (Coughlin\'s) sentence. I expect the 8th Circuit may hold off their decision until the Supreme Court decides,\" he said.

Theater critic Martin Kohn gives three stars to the Wayne State University Hilberry Theatre's production of "The Elephant Man," now in alternating repertory through May 3. He offers high praise to Dylan Stuckey's performance as the character John Merrick, and writes that director David Magidson's great accomplishment is his casting for the play. A photo of cast members Nathan Magee and Stuckey is included.

Hookah cafes are popping up across Dearborn as the smoking trend, touted as a safer alternative to cigarette smoking, becomes more popular and people are becoming hooked on hookahs. But the first tobacco trend of the 21st century isn\'t as safe as many users assume. Hookahs, also called waterpipes, are relatively new to the United States. Dr. Adnan Hammad, director of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) in Dearborn, reported in an ACCESS Community Heath Research Center and Wayne State University College of Nursing Study that hookah smoking is not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking. Hammad found, \"urine and plasma nicotine levels, heart rates and blood pressure were sharply elevated with arghile (hookah) use, and there are indications that such smokers are at greater risk for poor pulmonary functioning and oral cancer.\"

The trial of Conrad Black, former media baron, begins with jury selection Wednesday and court officials are bracing for a flood as almost 450 members of the world press are expected to observe the trial. Black has been charged with mail and wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, racketeering and criminal tax violations. If convicted, he faces up to 101 years in prison. Longtime Black associate David Radler is expected to be the prosecution\'s key witness. Radler can provide an inside view of the alleged misdeeds but could also be the prosecution\'s biggest weakness, said Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University. \"Every skeleton in his closet is going to come out,\" Henning said. \"It\'s not like they don\'t know who this guy is.\"