Insurance scoring is fair to all

An op-ed piece by Randall Chupp, owner of an insurance agency in Sturgis, discusses the practice of credit scoring in the insurance industry and claims it is fair, contrary to pronouncements of opponents of the practice. Chupp cites a study by "Wayne State University economist George Galster" that found that "Michigan's insurance markets are largely competitive."

March 29, 2005

.

The Wayne State University study on declining enrollment in colleges is referenced in this news report. Researchers at Wayne State University say Michigan ranks 37th in the nation in the number of residents with college degrees. That\'s down from 35th in the year 2000.

March 29, 2005

.

Peter Lichtenberg, director of the Institute of Gerontology, was interviewed regarding today's "Art of Aging Successfully" conference. The conference was organized by the Institute and is being held at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.

March 29, 2005

Jail strip lawsuit picks up speed

Wayne State University Law Professor Robert A. Sedler commented on a federal case where a judge has ruled that stripping some unruly pre-arraignment detainees during the arrest process is illegal and "degrading." The American Civil Liberties Union officially took up the plaintiffs' cause in Bay City, Mich. \"When I see these constitutional violations, I strongly suspect they never asked their lawyers,\" Sedler said. \"The county would have said, \'Uh-uh.\' \" In an updated Web version of the story Sedler called the prisoner stripping practice \"stupid and unnecessary.\"

March 29, 2005

Mortician takes over as boss of West Side funeral home

Wayne State University's Mortuary Science School is referenced in a story about the growing number of women entering the profession. Women make up only 9 percent of the 1,138 licensed funeral home directors who are members of the Michigan Funeral Home Directors Association. However, Michigan\'s only mortuary science school, at Wayne State University, has enrolled more women than men in the past few years, according to Phil Douma, executive director of the Michigan Funeral Home Directors Association.

March 29, 2005

Budget: Granholm, Legislature slowly advancing on college funds

An editorial gives high marks to Governor Jennifer Granholm for ironing out a compromise on higher education funding. The budget deal just struck to balance Michigan\'s books for this year includes a $30 million cut to higher education. However, the plan also puts colleges first in line for any unexpected tax revenues - and calls for $200 million in bonds for university construction projects. Former Republican state senator and current congressman Joe Schwarz told a legislative committee last week that Lansing needs to consider a separate source of funding for colleges and universities - even if that means a tax increase.

March 29, 2005

Spousal effect on diabetes to be weighed

Wayne State will be a part of a $1.8 million study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, which will involve 120 area couples who receive diabetes care through Summa Health System. The \"Two Partner Diabetes Management Study\" will look at the ways that a husband or wife affects the health of a spouse who has Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. There is a growing national interest in social science research that can show how a person\'s biology is affected by their relationships and the environment, said Dr. Sidney Stahl.

March 29, 2005

Ex-school official tied to terror

A former Detroit schools official has been charged with conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. A criminal complaint unsealed Monday in Miami said Kifah Wael Jayyousi, 43, formerly of Detroit, conspired with Kassem Daher of Broward County, Fla., in the mid- and late 1990s to raise money and recruit Muslim extremists to fight in Bosnia, Kosovo, Chechnya and Somalia. The complaint was issued in December. Authorities said Jayyousi, a former assistant superintendent for physical facilities and capital improvement at Detroit Public Schools, was arrested around 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Detroit Metro Airport after stepping off a flight from Amsterdam. The article also mentions that Jayyousi is listed as an adjunct engineering professor at Wayne State University on the college\'s Web site.

March 29, 2005

Michigan's college graduate rate sinks to 37th in nation

According to a WSU study released Monday, the loss of college graduates is one of several reasons why Michigan ranks 37th in the nation for residents with college degrees. Although the number of Michigan residents with college degrees has gone up from 17.4 percent in 1990, other states have made bigger gains, according to Kurt Metzger, research director for WSU\'s Center for Urban Studies. The low rates are hampering Michigan\'s efforts to move to a high-tech economy and lower the state\'s 7.5-percent unemployment rate, Metzger said, \"Michigan residents are graduating and seeing opportunities elsewhere."

March 29, 2005

Art of Aging Successfully is WSU conference agenda

A brief item in the events column on the front page mentions the "Art of Aging Successfully" conference on March 30. The conference was sponsored by WSU's Institute of Gerontology.

March 28, 2005

WSU entrepreneurs to compete at conference

Wayne State University plans to pit teams of MBA students, faculty and venture capitalists against each other in a competition modeled after NBC's show "The Apprentice" during its Entrepreneur Day on April 18. The event, titled E² Detroit 2005, features a day-long conference and the E² Adventure contest, in which five teams comprised of students, a faculty entrepreneur and a venture capitalist, will develop and sell a product on campus while the conference is in session.

March 28, 2005

New technology park lures firms

TechTown, the university's research and technology park, is the focus of this article. Writer Tom Henderson points out that TechTown is "a cornerstone of a new research and technology corridor in a long-neglected swath of the city between New Center and Wayne State University. TechOne the first building to open, already has attracted nine tenants, including three announced in March. Asterand, a biotech firm, has become the anchor tenant, with 60 employees occupying 13,000 square feet. TechTown invested $900,000 in lab and office equipment to attract Asterand. "We'll get a return our investment, not just in rent but in jobs created," says Howard Bell, TechTown executive director. He indicates that 40 percent of TechTown's space will be reserved for incubator companies in need of support services. A photo of Bell in the Asterand offices accompanies the story.

March 28, 2005

Immigrants help offset loss of younger workers

Kurt Metzger, research director of Center for Urban Studies, comments extensively in a story about recent U.S. Census statistics revealing a continuing decline in Michigan's younger population. From 1995 to 2000, the state lost 10,697 residents with bachelor's degrees and an additional 7,687 with graduate degrees in the crucial 25-39 age group. However the census numbers do not necessarily tell the whole story according to Metzger. "While state leaders struggle to stem the exodus of homegrown young adults to the Sun Belt, the losses are partially offset by recently arrived immigrants - many with advance degrees and skills sought by high-tech companies," Metzger says.

March 28, 2005

Refresher courses strain colleges, students

Several Michigan universities, including Wayne State, say they are seeing increased enrollment in remedial classes. Patricia Bonsteel, who heads WSU's remedial math program, said students are often surprised that they need a refresher course. Wayne State has seen about a 19 percent increase in the number of students taking refresher courses between 1998 and 2004. "It is frustrating," said first-year WSU student Christine White. She is paying about $500 for a refresher math course for no credit. The article is accompanied by a photo of White studying in the Adamany Undergraduate Library.

March 28, 2005

Analysts weigh pros, cons of 'ownership' vision

High-income people who can afford the risk were most likely to approve of privatizing a portion of Social Security, according to a Wayne State University study of Michigan residents. "If it doesn't work, they'll still be able to eat," said survey director Lyke Thompson , who also is the director of the Center for Urban Studies in CULMA.

March 28, 2005

The Business List: Upcoming Events

Outsourcing: Good or Bad" is the title of a program Friday at Wayne State's Bernath Auditorium in the Adamany Undergraduate Library. The speaker will be Catherine Mann, senior fellow at the Institute for International Economics. Also in the Business List: Warren-based AVI Foodsystems and Wayne State University have announced the opening of a Subway restaurant in the Student Center Building and an Einstein Bros. Bagels location in the university's North Residence Hall.

March 28, 2005

Tower designs to test copyright law

WSU law professor Jessica Litman is quoted in a story about a copyright lawsuit filed by an architect against another architect regarding the proposed design of the Freedom Tower on the site of the former World Trade Center. The plaintiff claims the other architect stole his plans. The case promises to be "the first big case" in architectural copyright infringement, Litman said. "Nobody wants to design a monumental building that looks a lot like somebody else's monumental building," she points out.

March 28, 2005

Wayne State sets Entrepreneur Day

Entrepreneur Day, April 18, will bring together professors, students and venture capitalists for a business plan contest and a daylong conference featuring national-level speakers. Judy Johncox, associate director of the university's Technology Transfer Office, said the event will focus on providing attendees with new knowledge and skills that will enable the creation of start-ups leading to high tech jobs in the city and state. Registration information is included in the write-up.

March 28, 2005

Retiree finds way to help peers SOAR

This article explains the idea behind SOAR, the Society of Active Retirees. Sponsored by Wayne State University, the initiative provides educational courses for adults 50 and older. Most courses are offered at the Oakland Center. Martin Herman, a retired WSU humanities professor who teaches a course on "Detroit Experiencing Opera," said he enjoys "sharing what I know with friends, former colleagues and people in the community."

March 28, 2005

Student loan interest rate may rise

This article, which originated in USA Today, notes that rates on student loans for college students will likely edge about 5 percent in July, the highest rate since 2002. On a $20,000 loan, repaid over 20 years, the rate increase would add more than $4,500 in interest, according to one student loan provider. Some financial planners advise students to consolidate their loans now, before rates increase.

March 28, 2005