Wayne State University last week was the only organization in Michigan and the only college nationwide to be named a partner with Youth Serve America to promote National & Global Youth Service Day, April 20-22. More than 500 young people will participate in the day, undertaking service projects that address literacy, hunger, public safety, the environment and other issues confronting the community. The WSU Honors Program will lead the effort. "This is a wonderful opportunity for Wayne State to work with the community to address local needs," said Jerry Herron, director of the Honors Program.

The Dennis W. Archer Foundation awarded $100,000 in scholarships to 21 students attending Wayne State University and Western Michigan University for the 2006-07 academic year. Ten students attending WSU received $5,000 scholarships.

Wayne State's Department of Music is holding free concerts at the Schaver Music Recital Hall on Oct. 20, 22 and 29. WSU's Concert Chorale will perform on Oct. 20, 7 p.m., at St. Jude Church, in celebration of the church's 65th anniversary. Ticket and contact information if provided.

"Remaking American Medicine" is a 4-part PBS documentary that aired last month on WTVS-TV (Channel 56). Viewers called a toll-free hotline that was created via a partnership between Wayne State University, Henry Ford Health System and MPRO, a Michigan-based health quality organization.

David Strauss, dean of students, did an early morning phone interview with the station regarding Saturday homecoming festivities on campus.

More than 100 floats will make their way from Second and Palmer to Adams Field today at 10 a.m. as part of Wayne State University's homecoming parade, which is being billed as the biggest in Detroit history.

Wayne State is presenting its largest homecoming parade ever today, sporting more than 80 units. It's even larger than the annual Detroit-based American's Thanksgiving Parade. The cost is free. A photo of two WSU students riding a float is included.

Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid participated in WDET's on-air Fall 2006 Pledge Drive, running through Oct. 24. The pledge drive, which is reliant on WDET's listeners, will generate revenue for the station's operating budget.

Workers World is endorsing Wayne State University student Michael Merriweather who is running for the Board of Governors.

A lead letter-to-the-editor by Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid addresses a recent protest on campus by individuals opposed to the university's investment in Israel. "Wayne State opposes divestiture and has no intention of divesting itself of stocks in companies doing business with Israel or any other legitimate state," he wrote. Reid added, "We encourage our students to use their right to free speech, but accusations, acrimony and demands such as divestiture are counter to the intelligent dialogue and free discourse for which this university stands."

This "Decision 2006: Endorsement" piece calls on Michigan voters to choose candidates for the "Big Three" public universities that have focused on college affordability. At Wayne State University, Eugene Driker has supported cost-cutting moves and administrative consolidation that resulted in a reduction of more than $40 million in costs during his tenure on the Board of Governors, according to the writer. "He brings a practical, nonpartisan approach to the board that\'s too often missing in today\'s polarized politics." The story also discusses Debbie Dingell saying affordability and accessibility are also foremost priorities for the Democratic candidate. "Worried about college students\' growing debt loads, she advocates for more state and federal government investment in higher education -- a stance we support." The writer also suggests that as the wife of Congressman John Dingell, her ability to lobby for funding for Michigan colleges is enhanced.

Wayne State and the DMC are negotiating over terms of contracts that bind the institutions as medical school and teaching hospital. Both sides have said they\'ll sever all ties if a deal is not in place by early to mid-November. In a letter to employees posted on the site, DMC Chief Operating Officer Mike Duggan accuses Wayne State of abandoning Detroit for the suburbs. \"WSU is aggressively building a fleet of lifeboats, establishing numerous suburban hospital contracts so their doctors can one day jump ship and float off into a sea of better payer mix,\" Duggan wrote. Dr. Robert Frank, executive vice dean of the medical school, said Thursday, \"It will seem to me like we actually are not that far apart, and then things keep popping up. I have no way of reading Mike Duggan\'s mind anymore.\" WSU medical school Dean Dr. Robert Mentzer, in a letter to the medical school community, says Wayne State invests in Detroit and the DMC benefits in the form of revenues and patient care for the uninsured and underinsured. Wayne State contends the DMC\'s focus on profits conflicts with the school\'s focus on research and community care.

WDIV reporter Art Edwards interviewed Wayne State Physics professor Walter Kauppila about the effects of cold temperatures on a baseball. As temperatures in Detroit are expected to be in the mid to high forties by game time today, players and management are making preparations to deal with the unseasonable weather. Kauppila demonstrated the effect of cold temperatures on a balloon by pouring liquid nitrogen over the surface causing the balloon to collapse. He said the colder temps may affect the distance a baseball will travel, particularly the long home run ball. He added that a 400-foot drive may only travel 380 feet. However, Kauppila said pitchers might benefit from colder temps, particularly those that rely on the breaking pitches. The feature piece ran during the "Local Four News Morning" show.

The U.S. Justice Department\'s decision to approve without conditions AT&T Inc.\'s $79 billion takeover of BellSouth Corp. has triggered complaints that the agency tailored its clearance to avoid judicial scrutiny. Consumer groups and Democratic lawmakers say the department tried to head off a court review that would have been mandatory were conditions attached. Stephen Calkins, who teaches antitrust law at Wayne State University, said Congress "thought things had tilted too far towards virtually complete deference\'\' to the government.

Dorothy Nelson, assistant vice president for research for Wayne State University, commented during the MichBio Expo in Grand Rapids about the ethical arguments regarding stem cell research. Nelson said that while one can argue it\'s unethical to create embryos to destroy them for research, it can also be argued that it\'s unethical to allow adults to suffer from disease that could be cured by the research. Therefore, she said, \"it\'s unlikely that scientists or ethicists can solve this, because it\'s a conflict of belief systems ... so it will probably be a matter of the majority of public opinion.\"

Earle I. Erman and David M. Hempstead were welcomed as the co-chairs at the first Wayne State University Law School Board of Visitors (BOV) on Sept. 27, both serving a 2-year term. The BOV serves as an advisory body to the dean and other administrative officers of the law school.

Former Wayne State University chemistry professor A. Paul Schaap founded Southfield-based Lumigen Inc. in 1987. Lumigen was WSU's first spin-off and has grown into a $33 million biotech firm with a national client base. But the growth potential could be even greater when the company joins California-based Beckman Coulter, Inc., a long-time Lumigen client. The deal is expected to close Nov. 1. Schaap will remain as Lumigen's president and CEO. His photo accompanies the story.

Wayne State University Law School alumna Carrie Lynn Fuca is squaring off against David Viviano in the race for a newly-created Macomb Circuit Court judgeship. Her opponent is David Viviano, son of the county's chief circuit judge.

The Hilberry Theatre, Wayne State University's graduate theater company, opens its 44th season with Noel Coward's "Private Lives" on Friday, Oct. 6. In this review, columnist Robert Delaney says director James Luse's rendition of the play "achieves mixed results."

Neveen Awad, Wayne State assistant professor of information systems, commented about software developer company Biznet Internet Solutions' efforts to develop online business software. Awad said technology that Biznet is helping companies deploy, is becoming a standard of practice in the online world. \"If your Web site is slow or not user-friendly, if it\'s hard to search, to find what you\'re looking for, then that will dissuade and push browsers away from that site and keep them browsing,\" Awad said.