Sandra Yee has been appointed co-chair of a 30-member Wayne State University steering committee preparing for a winter 2007 visit by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association for Colleges and Schools. Yee is dean of the University Library System.

Varying opinions are expressed in this story which features letters from readers about the WDET programming changes. Andrew Foot, of Windsor , says he is happy for the change. "I missed many of the regular talk programs that were dumped after the last format change…I have always liked WDET and was disgruntled after all the changes (in 2004), and I found myself tuning in less and less… Chris LaDuke, of Detroit , says NPR offers "the highest quality, most objective news programming in the world." LaDuke adds, "While Detroit music is important and shouldn't be ignored, I consider NPR programming essential to being an informed person. Therefore, I support the changes to the station."

Three letters ran in the "Opinion" section criticizing WDET management's decision to implement significant programming changes to the NPR station. One writer suggested that many of the programs coming to the station can already be heard in the Detroit area via WUOM-FM. Another writer said, "In a city that thrives on such a historical and present music vibe, WDET was one of the few places on the dial to hear music that was not from a nationally programmed playlist." According to another writer, "WDET was the only station in town where there was the slightest chance of hearing decent music."

Free Press pop music writer Brian McCollum reminds readers that WDET did not eliminate all of its music programming. Weekends still feature a range of sonic offerings, and weeknights include an expanded jazz show from Ed Love and a five-hour shift from the eclectic Liz Copeland.

Jeff Stoltman, marketing professor in the School of Business Administration , commented about the effectiveness of product boycotts by special interest groups such as Christian organizations. While analysts say that such efforts often have just a small effect on companies\' bottom lines, the negative publicity is often enough to spur quick action from corporate executives -- especially if the company is already financially beleaguered like Ford. \"Don\'t forget that corporations, large and small, are spending significant sums of money to create and to nurture a brand image, and these actions chip away at the foundation of that image,\" Stoltman said. \"So all the equity they built up in the Ford name or the Disney name is put at risk.\"

A judge has been asked to rule that the knives that Sikhs carry for religious reasons do not violate the city\'s weapons laws. The case stems from the Aug. 14 arrest of a Wayne State University student for carrying a 10-inch knife, a kirpan, on his hip. A Detroit ordinance prohibits carrying knives with blades longer than 3 inches. Authorities dropped the charge against Sukhpreet Singh Garcha, but the American Civil Liberties Union and the group United Sikhs are pressing the claim that the campus arrest violated Garcha\'s religious rights.

Asthma and allergy researchers have found dust mite allergens in umbilical cord blood of some infants whose mothers were positive for the allergen, whereas none of the newborns whose mothers were negative for the common dust mite allergen known as Der p 1 carried the allergen themselves. Early life exposure to dust mite allergen has been linked to childhood asthma risk. The finding that in-utero exposure occurs as well suggests mothers could reduce their children's asthma risk by limiting their own allergen exposure, Dr. Abdul Bahrainwala, assistant professor in Wayne State 's School of Medicine , and colleagues noted in the "Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology."

Exhibits: ---The exhibit, "Bernard Firestone: Joy in Solidarity," celebrates the life and service of Detroit labor leader Bernard "Bernie" J. Firestone at the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University . Contact information about the exhibit is provided. ---The public is invited to examine the work of celebrated fiber artist Urban Jupena, who has been teaching at Wayne State for more than 25 years. The exhibit runs daily from Tuesday through Friday in the Community Arts building on the Detroit campus. Events: ---Wayne State's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts presents a performance of the Tennessee Williams classic "Sweet Bird of Youth," now through Jan. 28 at the Hilberry Theatre. Tickets are $15-$28 with $10 student rush tickets available on the day of the performance. ---The Hilberry Theatre will present Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" through Dec. 17. Contact information is provided.

Wayne State University on Dec. 7 honored Detroit Basketball legend Will Robinson, who coached in the Detroit Public Schools league for more than three decades. Robinson led the Pershing High School boys basketball team to the state title in 1967 and 1970.

Engineering students at Tulane University are gearing up to save their programs, which were among the academic units that Tulane announced last week would close as the university struggles to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The students have collected more than 2,300 signatures on an online petition and are receiving pledges of $1,000 per year for life from some supporters. The Save Tulane Engineering organization formed within hours of Tulane\'s announcement last Thursday that the university would cut its departments of civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, and mechanical engineering as part of its post-Katrina restructuring plan. Within a day the petition had 800 signatures. University officials, however, have no intention of reversing the decision, said Lester A. Lefton, the provost. \"We applaud the students\' passion and their commitment to educational goals,\" he said, \"but looking backward and trying to undo something that has been done is like trying to make the hurricane go away.\"

Things are about to sound a lot different at Detroit 's public radio station. Today, the weekday schedule at WDET will go all news and talk - including a hefty dose of NPR - and replace locally generated music shows that had long distinguished the station from most of its national peers. Judy Adams, Chuck Horn, Willy Wilson and Martin Bandyke are off the air. General manager Michael Coleman said the decision was driven by audience demands.

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.\"