Wayne State University

Warrior strong
Login
Search

Wayne State in the news

Motion for Lay to be opposed

Wayne State University law professor Peter Henning commented about the federal government's intention to keep the late Enron founder Ken Lay's conviction in place. The lawyers representing Lay\'s estate filed a motion Wednesday to have his criminal record erased. Prior to Lay\'s death, prosecutors had sought to have him forfeit $43 million through criminal court, a move that continues against Lay's co-defendant, former Enron chief Jeff Skilling, for $183 million. Henning said the prosecutors "can't really care much about the conviction because he's not going to be sentenced. But the concern may be - and the argument may be - that the estate is going to receive a windfall." He also said that Lay\'s wife, Linda, will likely be able to keep some assets that the government could have taken through criminal forfeiture.

Go to college, see the world

An editorial lauds a new graduation requirement at Goucher College in Towson, Md. requiring all students to study abroad at some point during their program. "Study abroad is no longer a matter of individual growth, but of national strategic importance," the editorial suggests. This summer, Sens. Richard Durbin (D) of Illinois, and Norm Coleman (R) of Minnesota, introduced legislation to encourage 1 million students to study abroad annually in 10 years' time. In 2003-2004, the latest years for which data is available, 191,321 American students studied in other countries. That\'s roughly 1 percent of the total undergraduate student body. The editorial further suggests that American colleges and universities can facilitate study abroad now by making it easier to transfer credits, and by offering shorter programs and financial aid.

Armor shouldn't be needed when dressing for success

Loraleigh Keashly, director of the master of arts in dispute resolution program at Wayne State , is quoted in a Booth Newspapers article about bullies in the workplace. She pointed out that people sometimes resort to the tactic because they feel threatened or believe the best way to get ahead on the job is to discredit someone else. Keashly worked with other researchers to reduce bullying among staff at 11 U.S Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in a recent four-year study. The research pointed up the need for more effective strategies to manage differences and to address inappropriate behavior.

WSU psychologist finds communication is key to defusing workplace bullying

A feature story examining research about workplace bullying includes comments from Loraleigh Keashly, director of the dispute resolution program at WSU. She says bullying in the workplace can be reduced substantially by programs that encourage employees to talk openly with management. Research that she and others conducted at the Department of Veterans Affairs (cited in the item above) is referenced. Bullying and other aggressive behaviors were reduced through a series of actions that empowered employees and gave them venues to address their frustrations. "Not only was the intervention they designed having an impact," says Keashly, "but the way they were operating was catching on with other people throughout the facility." A photo of Keashly accompanies the story.

WMU president fired as enrollment drop persists

Western Michigan University trustees on Tuesday asked President Judith Bailey to step down because of unsatisfactory performance and breach of contract. Bailey was appointed in 2003 to increase enrollment, balance the budget and increase community support for the university. Her current contract ends in 2009. Board Chairman James Holden cited erosion in enrollment compared to other universities, budget concerns and waning support for Bailey.

Former Wayne State professor dies

An AP story reported the death of State University of New York at Albany President Kermit Hall, 61, at a resort in South Carolina. Hall, who was swimming at the time of his death, may have had an underlying medical problem, police said Monday. The article mentions that Hall held prior academic and administrative jobs at other universities, including Wayne State. The Detroit News "Nation-World Briefs" item identifies Hall as a former Wayne State University professor.

Penny-pincher gives lasting gift to students

Columnist Desiree Cooper writes about the Howard Baker Foundation, which offers scholarships to deserving Wayne State University students. Baker, who founded the Baker Trucking Co. in the 1940's, left the bulk of his estate - $5 million - to the foundation in 1992. The scholarships, established especially for those studying nursing or the sciences, have totaled about $5 million over the past decade. "This year, we've pledged $1.1 million to support a pilot Urban Scholars/Leaders Program," said Michele Baker, who is executive director. "It will help WSU students combine community service with their academic program." Contact information about the Foundation and its scholarships is provided.

Hooked on hookahs: Teens' water pipe use raises health worries

The rising popularity of hookahs in restaurants and homes has health officials concerned about the health risks associated with the smoking device. Evidence suggests that puffing the ornate water pipes, popular in the Middle East, is at least as dangerous as smoking cigarettes. \"It\'s a growing threat for our state, for Michigan, and down the road will mean higher health care costs as (users) develop the diseases that come from smoking,\" said Virginia Hill Rice, a professor at the College of Nursing. The hookah, experts say, contains dangerous amounts of nicotine, tar and heavy metals, which can lead to life-threatening health problems such as lung cancer.

Juvenile lifer law needs fair hearing

An editorial notes that a recent Wayne State University survey suggested that only 5 percent of Michigan\'s residents support the state's juvenile lifer law. Drawing fire from human rights groups worldwide, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, the law is being challenged by a bill sponsored by state Sen. Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor, which would provide a chance at parole after serving at least 15 years, for the more than 300 juveniles who have been sentenced to life without parole. The editorial calls the proposed bill reasonable "offering the best hope of bringing Michigan's juvenile law into the 21st Century."

EDUCATION: More Michiganders getting degrees

Michigan is getting smarter, with the number of people holding associate\'s, bachelor\'s, master\'s or doctorate degrees up 14 percent in the last five years. But the state is still below the national average of people ages 25 and older with four-year college degrees -- 24.7 percent in Michigan compared with 27.2 percent. Despite the numbers, Michigan ranked 41st among states in terms of its increase in people with bachelor\'s degrees or higher.

Defense Department shelves proposal to increase restrictions on foreign scientists

The U.S. Defense Department has backed off a proposal to require significant new controls, including security badges and restricted laboratory access, for foreign researchers working with sensitive technology at American universities. Instead, the agency said it would require researchers working on its contracts to follow existing \"export control\" rules of the U.S. Commerce and State Departments, which are designed to keep technology and weapons important to national security from falling into the hands of terrorists or spies. The Defense Department\'s announcement came after universities and other research advocates directed a volley of complaints at the agency\'s original proposal. University officials predicted that it would interfere with valuable research and create an expensive, duplicative bureaucracy within academic laboratories.

Privacy and University Policies

Wayne State University © 2023