DJ tied to CD, ticket misuse

Violation of Wayne State University policies regarding acceptance of free concert tickets and proper use of recorded music played a part in the departure of WDET-FM 101.9 midafternoon music host Martin Bandyke. Bandyke was suspended in November after station management alleged he trafficked in recorded music and accepted free concert tickets in violation of WSU policy, according to an unnamed Detroit Free Press source. Louis Lessem, Wayne State vice president and general counsel, said Tuesday, "I cannot confirm or deny any of these happenings." Bandyke's attorney, Mike Novak, said, "There was a dispute as to whether or not he violated university policy. At no time has he ever admitted to doing that…let's just say there are fundamentally different opinions between Martin and current management as to the way the staff in general conducted themselves."

December 7, 2005

Detroit's TechTown gets six new tenants

In the final quarter of 2005, six new tenants have signed leases at TechTown on Wayne State University 's campus. With the new companies, 21 entrepreneurial enterprises are now housed there. The new tenants are: 21st Century Therapeutics, Beyond Digital, Consolidated Electric Technology Associates, GradeCheck, Walker-Miller Energy Services and The Java Exchange. TechTown\'s mission is to empower entrepreneurs to build successful technology businesses. It describes itself as \"a community of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, service providers and corporate partners.\"

December 7, 2005

Musical composer to be honored by WSU

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz will receive the 2006 Apple Award for career excellence in theater. Bestowed by Wayne State University and the Nederlander Organization and named after family matriarch Sarah Applebaum Nederlander, the award will be presented June 14 at Masonic Temple . "With enough advance notice, enough of the students will be available," says Gregg Bloomfield, director of development at the College of Fine , Performing and Communication Arts. A photo of Schwartz is included.

December 7, 2005

Kalamazoo Promise: The second wave

An editorial takes issue with other universities in Michigan extending offers of free or subsidized room/board to students participating in the "Kalamazoo Promise" - a plan by philanthropists to provide free college tuition to students who graduate from Kalamazoo Public Schools. Calling such offers "unfair and discriminatory," the editorial says such "second tier" promises exclude "students from elsewhere in Michigan where there are no rich benefactors to hand out free college tuition." Wayne State University , along with Western Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University , are mentioned as institutions extending promises to Kalamazoo students.

December 7, 2005

West Side story

George Galster, urban affairs professor, discusses the challenge of maintaining neighborhoods on Detroit 's west side. In neighborhoods like Tireman, Galster says, owning a home may carry more financial penalty than gain. Property taxes, the expense of keeping a house up to code, and the other costs of homeownership can reach a point where abandoning a home is the easiest way to deal with it, he says.

December 7, 2005

While others dig for gold, Lansing looks for the shovel

In an opinion piece about Michigan 's ailing economy, Wayne State is noted as one of the universities receiving a $275,000 grant from the 21 Century Jobs Fund - which will replace the Michigan Technology Tri-Corridor award program. The writer suggested that Lansing policymakers and pundits are not backing up their "rhetoric" about the need to move from an industrial to a high-tech economy.

December 7, 2005

A sweet menagerie

Performing arts writer Michael Margolin reviews "Sweet Bird of Youth" which is appearing at Wayne State University 's Hilberry Theatre. Margolin says, "Despite less-than-perfect casting - and the updated script references are clumsy - it's vividly entertaining to see and hear one of America 's greatest playwrights' better works." Margolin adds that actors Tiffanie Kilgast, Megan Callahan, Chris Corporandy and Jennifer McConnell offer excellent support in their respective roles. "Sweet Bird of Youth" runs through Jan. 28.

December 7, 2005

Ask tough questions before decision to start franchise

A 1996 study for the Small Business Administration (SBA) by economics professor Timothy Bates is referenced in a story about startup businesses. Bates' study found that "while franchise firms were better capitalized than non-franchise firms, about 62 percent of the franchise firms survived, versus 68 percent of the non-franchise or independent firms."

December 7, 2005

The song that is the city

A sidebar to the story notes that Wayne State University professor-emeritus and poet Alvin Aubert and WSU senior lecturer M.L. Liebler and his Magic Poetry Band will be appearing at the Community Arts Auditorium, Friday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

December 7, 2005

A good read

This article about a gathering of librarians from around the state in Sterling Heights , cites information from the WSU Center for Urban Studies about the inflow of immigrants to the Detroit area during the 1990s. The number of persons speaking a foreign language increased by 37 percent from 1990-2000. Two years ago, librarians from six area libraries founded the International Roundtable to brainstorm ways to serve foreign language speakers.

December 7, 2005

Wayne State honors local alumni

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Wayne State University honored Roger L. Wabeke of Dearborn for outstanding achievement as an alumnus of the Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences program. Eight alumni were honored recently for achievements in their respective health science fields. Additional background information was given about Wabeke.

December 7, 2005

WSU journalism student to get Wilson award

Leah D. Boyd wasn't born when Flip Wilson was at the height of his comedic career, but she is benefiting from his largesse. The WSU journalism student and freelance writer is the this year's winner of the Flip Wilson Scholarship a prize that covers up to $33,000 in tuition, fees, books and room and board. Boyd is the third WSU student from Wayne's Journalism Institute of Minorities, or JIM , to receive the award.

December 6, 2005

.

Robert Sedler of the Law School participated with three other participants in a panel discussion on the topic "The Ten Commandments in Michigan and Separation of Church and State." The discussion was part of the Jack Lessenberry Show.

December 6, 2005

Wayne State honoring former W.Va. State star Robinson

Wayne State University will recognize long-time Detroit basketball legend Will Robinson during halftime of its basketball game against West Virginia State at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Robinson is a West Virginia State alum. "Robinson is synonymous with Detroit basketball and has amassed a remarkable career helping countless young people not only on the court, but more importantly, develop into men," said Wayne State Athletic Director Rob Fournier. "His legacy has touched people across generations some of whom may never have met Coach Robinson but would not have had the opportunities they have today but for his leadership. He is one of Detroit 's treasures."

December 6, 2005

SCHOLARSHIP: WSU journalism student to get Wilson award

Wayne State University journalism student Leah D. Boyd is this year\'s winner of the Flip Wilson Scholarship, a prize that covers up to $33,000 in tuition, fees, books and room and board. Boyd is the third student from WSU's Journalism Institute for Minorities, or JIM, to receive the award. Boyd will get her award at a reception for the Free Press\' new editors, Paul Anger, vice president and editor, and Caesar Andrews, the second African-American executive editor in the paper\'s history. The reception, sponsored by JIM and the Detroit chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, also is a fund-raiser for JIM and for the Robert McGruder Scholarship Fund. McGruder was the first African-American executive editor at the Free Press. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at St. Andrews Church on the Wayne State campus.

December 6, 2005

Ford to pull ads from publications that cater to gays

Ford Motor Co. said Monday that its Jaguar and Land Rover brands will stop advertising in magazines that cater to gay and lesbian people, but the automaker denied that it struck a secret deal with a conservative Christian group to pull the ads to avert a boycott. Jeff Stoltman, a Wayne State University marketing professor, said the move by Ford could backfire. "They'd be well advised to create the impression this decision to shift advertising dollars in not linked with the AFA [American Family Assoc. (conservative group)]," said Stoltman.

December 6, 2005

Bandyke leaves WDET

Martin Bandyke, who hosted a hip alternative music program on WDET-FM, has resigned from the Wayne State University station.

December 6, 2005

Benefit cuts hit public workers

Government employees in Michigan have been booted off the gravy train when it comes to benefits as hard-strapped counties and municipalities take a cue from the private sector and cut back on pensions and health benefits. For decades, top-notch benefits have been a selling point for municipal, county and state government jobs, now it may grow more difficult to attract first-rate employees, as benefits have long compensated for lower salaries in government. But as more and more companies realize the huge pension costs they're facing down the road, defined benefit plans could become a thing of the past, according to Sudip Datta, the T. Norris Hitchman endowed chair of finance, at Wayne State University 's Business School . "Defined benefit is going the way of dinosaurs," Datta said. "Defined contribution plans are less risky endeavor because the company is not making any promises."

December 6, 2005

Cool therapy reduces brain injury and death from oxygen loss in newborns

Infants born with oxygen loss who are given an innovative therapy that lowers their entire body temperature by four degrees within the first six hours of life, have a better chance of survival and lower incidence of brain injury, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. The team led by Seetha Shankaran, at Wayne State University studied the effect of hypothermia or reduced body temperature, in full-term infants with asphyxia and related complications at birth. The project, which 14 institutions in the participated in was part of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Network.

December 6, 2005

Sikh student acquitted of charges for possessing 'Kirpan'

A Sikh student of Wayne State University , charged with violation of the local Knife Ordinance Code for keeping a 'kirpan', as acquitted following the efforts of the United Sikhs and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

December 6, 2005