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Wayne State in the news

OPEC's influence on prices waning

Sudip Datta, finance professor in the School of Business Administration , is quoted in a story that speculates about whether the influence of the OPEC cartel over oil prices is waning. "In some sense, this is a good thing in that you are taking power away from an oligopoly like OPEC and lessening the influence the group has had on U.S. foreign policy," Datta said. OPEC said on its Web site that oil prices were "out of line" with supply and demand fundamentals. It also acknowledged that its influence over petroleum pricing was increasingly limited.

Kerkorian adviser quits GM

Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian stated he wouldn't acquire more stock in GM after it decided against pursuing an alliance with Renault and Nissan. However, there has been speculation that Kerkorian may start a proxy fight - which GM is gearing up for. Peter Henning of the WSU Law School said the proxy fight would be more likely because of cost considerations. A takeover could require $20 billion in financing, which is difficult given the challenges facing GM's poor credit ratings as well as challenges facing the automotive industry as a whole. A proxy fight would cost $30 million, according to Henning. GM has changed its corporate bylaws to make it more difficult for Kerkorian to force changes at the company.

Divestment demonstration at Wayne State University

The Anti-Racist Action and Wayne State Alumni for Divestment - a group of students and alumni from various religious, national and ethnic backgrounds - has submitted a proposal to Wayne State University, demanding that the university divest from the state of Israel, Israeli corporations, and U.S. companies doing business with Israel. There will be a demonstration on Gullen Mall Thursday, Oct. 12, at noon. A response from the WSU administration is expected by Oct. 12, the group said.

Investor Kirk Kerkorian has a number of options after GM halts alliance talks

An AP story that ran widely around the country, including the above-named newspapers, speculates about what billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian might do next now that GM has spurned his attempts to force the company into a three-continent alliance with Nissan Motor Co. in Japan and Renault in France . Wayne State law professor Peter Henning said a proxy fight to take control of GM's board of directors would not be a good idea, since GM would be able to use its resources to stave off a takeover. He also noted that "Kerkorian has awfully deep pockets" so finances wouldn't necessarily be an obstacle to his finding a means for gaining more control over the automaker.

Higher-ed lacking in Macomb , research says

Even though Macomb County has universities, including Wayne State , in neighboring counties, initial research shows that it needs a 4-year college, according to a county commissioner who serves on the Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth in Macomb . Commissioner Paul Gieleghem said a key finding is that 25 percent of the county's population has some college education but no college degree. Family and work commitments hinder residents' efforts to attend universities, he said, and residents could quickly finish a degree and be ready for the workforce if higher education were more readily available. The most likely way for a 4-year higher education institution to be located in Macomb County would be for another university to establish a satellite campus, Gieleghem said.

The D

Many people - including non-Detroiters - are wearing Detroit Tigers baseball caps sporting the Olde English D. Marketing professionals point out that the letter symbolizes Detroit 's fabled past, its blue-collar girt and its resilience, even in the worst of times. Jerry Herron, director of the Honors Program at Wayne State and an expert on American cultural phenomena said, "When it comes to standing for a place that's taken a lot of licks that people want to keep on ticking, I can't think of a symbol that's more potent than the English D."

Education Board contenders push reform

Casandra Ulbrich, a senior director of development at Wayne State , is mentioned in this overview of candidates seeking a seat on the state Board of Education. She is an advocate of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's goal of raising the number of college graduates in Michigan . As a scholarship fundraiser, she has seen firsthand the lack of preparation high school students receive before college. "If we are serious about diversifying our economy, we have to get serious about preparing our kids for post-secondary education," she notes. The article is accompanied by a photo of Ulbrich and other candidates.

Students dig site's cool finds

A front-page story in the Metro section focuses on the archeological work being done by Wayne State University students at a former workers' row house in Detroit 's Corktown neighborhood. The excavation is part of a five-credit course taught by professor Thomas Killion of the Anthropology Department called "Rebuilding the Past of Detroit's Working Class." Artifacts and research will go to the Workers' Row House Experience, a Cool Cities project, for possible inclusion in the future Workers' Row House Museum . The goal of the excavation is to help form a complete picture of Detroit 's history. Included with the article are three photos of the site, including one of Killion with five students who are working the site.

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