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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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

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."

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.

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).

A new collaborative effort is under way to establish such a school in the county. U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, state Rep. Fred Miller and Macomb County Commissioner Paul Gieleghem last week unveiled plans for an advisory committee to study whether there's a need for a 4-year public college or university in Macomb .

This article, written in Albanian by a visiting professor who attended a November taping of the "Leaders on Leadership" program hosted by Larry Fobes of the School of Business Administration , appeared in an Albanian newspaper. It praises Fobes and Wayne State for the program, in which influential business leaders discuss their philosophy and strategy and answer questions from a studio audience. In the article, Musaraj writes about various aspects of the interview show and how it reveals the strategies of leaders who direct far-flung enterprises. She also mentions how important the relationship between the university, business leaders and the media is to students and the public.

The Socius Collegi award was presented to Visteon Corp.'s John Kill, senior vice president and president North America Customer Group. Wayne State 's College of Engineering recognized his support of the university's Engineering and Management Master's Program.

When you think Farmington Hills , drug-relate executions don't leap to mind. "That is the reality. If you have a criminal organization that generates a lot of income, the heads of those organizations are going to live in nice neighborhoods, places they believe they'll be safe," said Wayne State law professor Peter Henning. "This type of killing is not generally a threat to the public, at least not at this point," Henning said. "It's not something you need to fear. The only concern is if it's a precursor to some kind of gang warfare. Then, you'd be concerned about third parties getting into the line of fire."

An early test for Down syndrome has some fearing in increase in abortions. Dr. Marjorie Tredwell, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at WSU, said some women take the test purely to be prepared. \"Women who continue the pregnancy after a diagnosis of Down syndrome now have the knowledge of what they\'ll be faced with,\" she said. \"It\'s not just about termination. Some women even go to support groups for parents of children with Down syndrome before the birth after getting the diagnosis, to prepare them after the baby is born.\"

"If we do not understand how fundamentally the world has changed with the emergence of 1.3 billion new Chinese capitalists and instant communication through technology and take swift action to respond, we will become irrelevant and an economic backwater," said Tom Watkins, former Michigan school superintendent, who has traveled extensively in China . Recently, he released a report while working at Wayne State University . It examines learning in Michigan compared to China . See it at: www.coe.wayne.edu.

Even with Pell Grants, designed to help children from the nation's neediest families, college students are finding it increasingly hard to get through school without holding down jobs and amassing heavy debts. The applications for various forms of financial aid are complicated and intimidating, and the fear of taking on heavy debt is daunting for students and parents. In 2003, 8.6% of the nation's poorest young adults earned bachelor's degrees by age 24, barely up from 7.1 percent in 1975. Statewide, the federal grants went to 2,741 more public university students in 2003 than in 1992. But with 24,000 more students the number represents a 1.6 % drop in the proportion of poor students on campus. The trends are illustrated through the story of a WSU student, Alicia Coleman, who said, "It wasn't nearly enough. You learn a lot the second time around. When you are worried about what you are going to eat, the stress causes a chain reaction. Your grades go down. It affects everything." Coleman has been in and out of college as her finances faltered, and her parents continue to pay a $6,000 loan they took out to help finance their daughter's education. She is featured in a photo with the story.

The state is launching a comprehensive strategy to leverage arts and culture for economic growth. The sector is already an important contributor to the economy, said William Anderson, director of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Educational institutions also can play a role in training leaders in cultural economic development; Wayne State University , for example, has developed a course on the topic.

A23-year-old Wayne State University student, who was arrested for carrying a kirpan on the university campus under the Detroit Knife Act has been acquitted of all charges thanks to United Sikhs and the American Civil Liberties Union.