This article by Booth Newspapers' business columnist Rick Haglund discusses UAW bargaining with the bankrupt Delphi Corp. over buyout offers to Delphi 's hourly workers. The UAW last week reached a deal with General Motors Corp. and Delphi to offer buyouts covering GM's entire U.S. hourly work force and nearly 20,000 Delphi workers. GM is offering to pay workers up to $140,000 to "go away." Hal Stack, director of WSU's Labor Studies Center , calls the new balance of power between companies and workers "pretty scary." He said unions are trying to better understand issues that are important to their members in an effort to boost waning political clout.

An editorial urges state lawmakers to resist tying to manage building programs at state colleges and universities. For some lawmakers to demand that colleges pass a resolution promising to honor laws requiring legislative approval for projects "smacks of meddling," the editorial states. The newspaper suggests that one compromise might be a higher limit, such as $5 million, before legislative approval is needed for new construction projects. "The whole process needs to be revisited, with an eye toward coordinating big projects but giving universities the freedom to grow and innovate."

The station ran a public service announcement in the morning and afternoon mentioning several upcoming plays at Wayne State 's Hilberry Theatre and giving ticket information. It was part of a promo urging listeners to visit WWJ's "Great Stuff" weekend events Web site.

Development projects -- some of them massive -- in smaller communities often cause headaches for city officials. Even routine development often runs into obstacles, including recalcitrant zoning boards and opposition from neighbors. The ambitious Bay Village project in Trenton is one example. Trenton Mayor Gerald Brown calls the project, to be located on the former McLouth Steel mill site, "the biggest thing that's probably happened here in 50 years." He says the project "has just consumed me." Robin Boyle, professor of urban planning at Wayne State , pointed out that "it's more than just adding up little development issues. It requires a different funding regime to move this. It requires a broader vision. The technical issues that come with these sites would cripple small developers."

WSU's McGregor Memorial Conference Center will be the site of the Michigan Civil Rights Summit on Monday, March 27. The conference will concentrate on segregation, hate crimes and affirmative action. Attendance is by invitation only

The March 25 Detroit Hip-Hop Summit, held at Wayne State's Bonstelle Theatre, is featured with photos.

A preview article on last weekend's Hip-Hop Summit event (see above) mentions in the text and a sidebar that it will take place at Wayne State 's Bonstelle Theatre. A sidebar to business columnist's Susan Tompor's article about the summit also includes the Wayne State location and mentions that former Detroit Piston Derrick Coleman will be among celebrities on hand.

An "Entrepreneur's Roundtable on Business Commercialization" will be held from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at the NextEnergy Center in TechTown. The event is part of the Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Quest (GLEQ) statewide program seeking business entrepreneurs. NextEnergy is co-sponsoring the event as the first in several collaboration projects planned in a growing partnership with GLEQ. More at www.gleq.org.

A group of nine Wayne State students recently participated in a spring break mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico. The volunteers helped the Scalabrini Fathers religious order at their mission, La Casa del Migrante, which is a shelter for migrants in Tijuana. In addition to serving at a community shelter, outreach centers and a soup kitchen, the students traveled to a local dump where migrants were living in houses on the inactive part of the dump. Wayne State students comment in the story which also features photos of their activities.

Wayne State University's Matthaei Athletic Complex will be the site for "Let's Play Ball," a city-wide sports and activities registration fair on Saturday, April 8, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wayne State's Studio Theatre will present "Before There Was Broadway," March 23-April1. The play is an exploration of the first African-American theatrical company, established in Lower Manhattan in 1821.

Wayne State professor and author Fran Shor was the featured speaker at the public forum sponsored by the Pointes for Peace on March 29 at the Harper Woods Public Library. Shor, who teaches history and cultural studies at WSU, spoke on "Prospects for Peace - Beyond Iraq."

Wayne State University 's Hilberry Theatre and the Center for the Study of Citizenship will present a seminar on women and leadership at the Hilberry on Saturday, April 1, at 4:30 p.m. following the production of Shakespeare's " Antony and Cleopatra." Tickets are $10. Additional information and a contact number are provided.

A brief article notes that the WSU Jazz Lab I Big Band, under the direction of Christopher Collins, will pay tribute to Stan Kenton on March 28 at the university's Schaver Music Recital Hall. Additional details of the performance, along with ticket information, are given.

A feature story covers the $3 million gift to Wayne State by Troy businessman and philanthropist Marvin Danto. The gift is earmarked for a new Engineering Development Center that will accommodate educational programs, research and development in the fields of biotech, nano-science and alternative energy technology. Groundbreaking for the $27.3 million center is expected later this year. "I see the people of Michigan as the direct beneficiaries of this new engineering center," said Danto, who studied engineering at Wayne State . President Irvin D. Reid observed that "world events are highlighting the importance of our research in alternative and sustainable energy at our College of Engineering , at NextEnergy and at our research and technology park, TechTown." Ralph Kummler, dean of the College of Engineering , pointed out that "our vision keeps our graduates on the leading edge of the workforce in Michigan and the world." A photo of Danto accompanies the article.

Wayne State University's Technology Commercialization Office honored more than 100 faculty members and staff inventors March 23 for their ingenuity that has led to inventions, new intellectual property, licenses with industry and start-up companies. "These innovative researchers are a part of an impressive national effort at hundreds of universities to make our world a better place through discoveries which benefit society and make our economy stronger and more diversified," said Fred Reinhart, assistant vice president for research and technology commercialization. Sean Wu, distinguished professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering , was honored with the Invention of the Year Award. Wu holds eight U.S. patents and is chief technical officer for SenSound, LLC, which uses specialized software to pinpoint the exact source of noise in a wide range of products, from automobiles to washing machines.

Nearly 200 people packed NextEnergy Center in TechTown last Wednesday for the Michigan Clean Fleet Conference. The event spotlighted technologies, fuels and funding for cleaner air and transportation cost savings. NextEnergy CEO Jim Croce said the gathering was a response to air quality problems in Michigan .

"It would be a dream for a trial lawyer to defend this case and say, 'Whose fault was this, the person who swallowed the pills, or someone down the line?'" said David Moran, associate dean at the Law School . He was referring to a case in which a Harbor Springs man is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal drug overdose of a woman last fall. The defendant allegedly admitted to supplying the victim with methadone. To get a conviction, the state would have to prove that the accused knew that death would likely result from providing the drugs.

The robotic team from the Saginaw Career Complex took home a top award from the Detroit Regional competition at Wayne State University . The team won the Xerox Creativity Award for design of its robot, The Phoenix.

In a letter to the editor, WSU mathematics professor Steven Kahn takes issue with the state of Michigan 's MEAP exam. "The MEAP is driving a curriculum that is not coherent, is a mile wide and an inch deep, and diminishes core subjects at the expense of marginal ones," he charges. "The result will be a continuation of the tragic under-preparedness of our students for college."