An illegal policy of stripping jail detainees in Saginaw County will now be considered either by jury trials for each plaintiff separately or in one large proceeding. Starting Thursday, lawyers for both sides must launch a plan to pinpoint individual damages for 22 plaintiffs. Robert Sedler, professor of law and constitutional law expert, commented about the judge's decision to reject a motion for class certification of the case. "Judges have a good deal of discretion when it comes to certifying a class, and that decision probably is not likely to be set aside," Sedler said. "Nonetheless, the case continues on behalf of the named parties. It is possible that the final relief, depending on the injunctive relief, could benefit a broader class."

Wayne State named Doug Czajkowski, formerly president of the MCG Foundation, as a senior director of development and alumni affairs.

Hot flash pajamas aren't glamorous, but they are popular as the ranks of women in their 50s expand. A 2004 study conducted at Wayne State looked at the sleep quality of women ages 46 to 51, who experienced an average of five hot flashes per night. "They awakened first and then they flashed," said Robert R. Freedman, a professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology, who conducted the study with Timothy A. Roehrs, a sleep researcher. "Perhaps their waking up is what triggered the flash."

Religious freedom and Detroit 's knife law conflict in Wayne State student's case. The arrest of a Wayne State student, Sukhpreet Singh Garcha, a 23-year-old senior, on campus in August, brought charges that were later dropped. His lawyers have asked 36th District Court Judge Rudy Serra to clarify the city's knife ordinance. Serra is expected to issue an opinion today. Kirpan's are not considered weapons in the Sikh faith. In the meantime, Wayne Sate and Garcha's lawyers are trying to work out a compromise, especially after Garcha was arrested again on Dec. 6th for wearing the kirpan.

The case stems from the August arrest of a Wayne State student for carrying a 10-inch knife, known as a kirpan, on his hip.

A study finds that women and blacks are less likely than white men to enroll in clinical trials of lung cancer treatments. Researchers from Wayne State examined data on patients treated at Karmanos between 1994 and 1998, and found that only 21 percent of the patients participated in clinical trials, with women, blacks and elderly people lagging.

The Free Press ran a story about special breaks ("Donors to the GOP get the breaks") and this reader points out some of the reporting flaws in that story. " Michigan boasts more than 35,000 lawyers, and excellent law schools at the University of Michigan , Wayne State University and Michigan State University , among others. Yet, you ignored those sources of objectivity and turned instead to the lawyer of someone under investigation."

Race and gender affect enrollment in lung cancer clinical trials in the United States , according to a study that found that women and blacks were least likely to take part in such trials. The Wayne State University study of 427 lung cancer patients in Detroit also identified a need to improve educational and outreach programs to attract a wider range of patients to treatment trials for lung cancer.

Columnist Carol Cain mentions that she has received a lot of mail on her Dec. 5th column, "China Land of Opportunity." Many readers mentioned the e-learning report by Tom Watkins, former state school superintendent that looked at how Michigan stacks up against China . (See it at www.coe.wayne.edu).\"I thought (Wayne County Executive Robert) Ficano, (Oakland County Executive L. Brooks) Patterson, (Butzel Long attorney Peter) Theut and Watkins all had very valid observations. Obviously, China can no longer be ignored by Corporate America. The main ingredient for success is to raise the bar for our educational system. Watkins\' recent report issued while he was at WSU ( Wayne State University ) is terrific.\"

The arrest of a Wayne State University student has sparked conflict between upholding the city\'s knife ordinance and protecting religious freedoms. Senior Sukhpreet Singh Garcha, 23, was arrested on campus in August on suspicion of carrying a 10-inch knife on his hip and was charged with violating a city ordinance, which prohibits carrying knives with blades longer than 3 inches. Garcha, a practicing Sikh, said the knife was part of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion founded in India . The charge was later dropped, but the American Civil Liberties Union and the United Sikhs organization have rallied around the student, claiming the arrest violated Garcha\'s religious rights. His lawyers have asked 36th District Court Judge Rudy Serra to clarify the city\'s knife ordinance. He is expected to issue an opinion as soon as today that will likely exempt kirpans from the city\'s knife ordinance. I don\'t believe the ordinance was intended to be applied to cases like this,\" Serra said. Kirpans are not considered weapons under the Sikh faith, and carrying them at all times is one of the key tenants of Sikhism, which has 25 million followers worldwide, according to the Sikh Coalition. In the meantime, Wayne State University and Garcha\'s lawyers are trying to work out a compromise, especially after Garcha was arrested again Dec. 6 for wearing the kirpan. Criminal charges were not pressed, and Garcha was released. Neither police nor Garcha\'s lawyers would comment on the circumstances of the second arrest. \"We were saddened and alarmed, and it was a little upsetting to all involved in the community that this did happen again,\" said Harpreet Singh, legal director of United Sikhs. \"We are trying to work with Wayne State and trying to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. We hope with education we will come up with some amicable solution.\" Wayne State \'s Public Safety Director Anthony Holt said the university is exploring ways to honor Garcha\'s beliefs as well as ensure the safety of the community. The department had never encountered a case like this before, he said. Holt said Garcha will no longer be stopped or arrested for carrying the kirpan.

Michigan\'s system for training thousands of doctors, nurses and others who care for a growing elderly population could get axed this month because of a tight federal budget. The nation\'s 50 geriatric education centers, including Michigan \'s, would have to cut back services and run on volunteer efforts if their funding is slashed. The education center works with institutions and universities statewide, including the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University and the Michigan Primary Care Association. Other public and private schools aren\'t providing the training service, said Jennifer Mendez, director of education at the Wayne State Institute of Gerontology. "Doctors are seeing more and more seniors,\" Mendez said. \"But nobody\'s doing the training. It\'s just not the focus of medical schools at this time.\"

The second-place winner is Wayne State University \'s department of computing technology. Cathy Whitaker of Detroit and her cube-mate Glen Wasik of Shelby Township took the honor. The IT systems analysts sent photos of their Dollar Store-decorated cubicle. A picture of IT specialist Julie Zhu, crouching behind a mountain of presents wearing an elf hat, showcases the department\'s decorating skills. \"We put everything up the morning after coming back from Thanksgiving break,\" said Whitaker. "We wanted it to be done when everybody came in. We took $20 each and went to the Dollar Store. We wanted it to be really gaudy. \"But we also brought stuff from home. People just come by and say \'I come every day because it makes me so happy,\" she said. "We set out candy every day. We\'ve been taking peoples\' pictures.\" Whitaker said she came up with the idea because she was bored. \"We need to have extracurricular activities,\" said Whitaker, a Wayne State employee for 18 years.

Did Wayne State University break state elections law? The Michigan Chamber of Commerce has asked the Michigan Department of State to find out. The chamber's complaint was triggered by postings on the portion of the university's Web site managed by its Labor Studies Center . The page promoted efforts to place a minimum-wage ballot question on November 2006 ballot. As public school districts know, state law prohibits using public dollars to promote a ballot initiative, whether it's a school millage or, in this case, a minimum-wage law. Hal Stack, director of the center, said the promotion was a student intern project and it was removed after the chamber complained. (Stack described the piece as a "link" on its site in our story on Page 21, but it appeared to actually be housed on the site when Crain's reviewed it on Dec. 2)

Wayne State University removed a link from its Labor Studies Center Web site on Dec. 2, after the Michigan Chamber of Commerce filed a campaign-finance complaint against the university. The complaint, filed with the Michigan Department of State, called for a halt to what the chamber called WSU's "misuse of tax dollars." The chamber alleged in its complaint that Wayne State was using public resources, including its Web site, to advocate placing a minimum-wage question on the November 2006 ballot. "As a public body, the university is prohibited from making any expenditures to help put a measure on the ballot or to help pass it," Robert LaBrant, senior vice president and general counsel for the chamber, said in a release. The Web link cited in the complaint was developed by three Wayne State students as part of an internship project on the issue of minimum wage as public policy, said Hal Stack, director of the university's Labor Studies Center. The students' internship ended this semester, but the university had not yet removed the link from its Web site, he said. "It's clear that we made a mistake," in allowing the students to post the link, said Stack. "It shouldn't have been on the university's site, and it should have indicated it was a student project."

Wayne State University will confer honorary Doctor of Law degrees on Detroit Pistons owner William Davidson and Marian Wright Edelman, founder and CEO of the Children's Defense Fund, during its winter commencement ceremonies Dec. 15.

China's booming automotive industry has come with a price in that country - an alarming traffic fatality rate. But that's an opportunity for U.S. safety suppliers such as TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. and Key Safety Systems to export their expertise and business to China , Chinese government officials and industry analysts said last week. Livonia-based TRW, for example, said its revenue growth in China surpasses auto production growth because of the demand for safety products such as anti-lock brakes and air bags. Chinese officials - who were in Detroit last week for an automotive conference at Wayne State University - said the government wants to improve the safety rating of Chinese-made cars and reduce traffic deaths.

A new plan being launched by Detroit Renaissance Inc. for 2006 is intended to put the organization in the role of "convener" and coordinator to bring existing agencies together to attract and expand business here. Doug Rothwell, Detroit Renaissance's new president, said this won't result in duplication with other groups such as the Detroit Regional Chamber's Regional Partnership or Automation Alley. Rothwell said that Renaissance would help initiatives already underway around Metro Detroit to work together better. Those include Wayne State University 's Tech Town , Automation Alley and the AeroPark center planned near Metro Airport . He envisions working closely with universities, chambers of commerce, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and other agencies that deal with data and programs involving business and jobs.

Name changes and consolidations among the area's biggest banks capture headlines, but industry and government analysts say the activity also creates big opportunities for community banks. Those banks continue to carve out a niche by providing loans and lines of credit to small and medium-sized businesses. "Community bankers read the local papers, they know the people who are coming in," said Randy Paschke, chairman of the accounting department of the school of business administration at Wayne State University . "Community bankers go after the market that wants attention and service, and large banks just struggle with that. They're trying, but it's hard."

Wayne State University of Detroit and St. Clair County Community College of Port Huron have agreed to provide associate of arts and bachelor's degree programs to St. Clair County residents.

Men\'s basketball Hillsdale 63, Wayne State 59: Hillsdale (6-1, 4-0) trailed 25-24 at the half but outscored Wayne State 38-34 in the second half. Hillsdale used a balanced attack on offense, with John Farr scoring 17, Cory Coe 12 and Drew Powell and Tim Homan each adding 11. Women's Basketball Hillsdale 84, Wayne State 54: Jenn Carlson scored 27 points, hitting seven of 10 3-point attempts, to lead Hillsdale to the lopsided victory. Hillsdale improved to 8-1, 4-0 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Association.