Macomb Teacher of the week: Duane Starzyk
A story in the Macomb edition points out that Teacher of the Week Duane Starzyk, a physical education teacher at L'Anse Creuse Public School District, received his master's degree at Wayne State.
In the news
Names and Faces
"Bernie and Friends: A Potpourri of Musical Scenes" will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Schaver Music Recital Hall on the Wayne State University campus. All proceeds from the memorial event will benefit the Bernard Katz Memorial Scholarship in Piano or Voice through the Department of Music. Information on how to make reservations is included in this brief item.
Women's hockey falls on Senior Day
The Wayne State University women's hockey team concluded the home portion of its season with a 5-1 setback to visiting Niagara University Sunday afternoon. WSU sophomore Laura Monk scored her team-leading 13th goal in the defeat.
U-M to offer grant to needy undergrads
A new grant program to be announced by the University of Michigan today will give needy students $500 to $1,500 a year. Under the program, all needy undergraduates would be eligible to tap into $3 million a year in grants, in addition to other scholarships or loans they might receive. The grants will be awarded on a sliding scale, depending on household income. About $9 million in donor funds will be used to fund the program for the first three years. Special efforts will be made to raise a $60 million endowment to permanently fund the program, said Provost Paul Courant.
Foreign students
In an editorial, the Free Press lauds the State Department for relaxing 1998 rules that required college students from foreign countries to apply for visas every year, which discouraged many from studying in the U.S. Foreign students infuse $12 billion into the U.S. economy, the newspaper points out, among other benefits. And they also "provide valuable enrichment to their American classmates in the ever-shrinking world."
Spirited woman keeps going
A story about the volunteer activities of 79-year-old Betty Welsh of Dearborn notes that she is a retired professor from the WSU School of Social Work and is an advisor to the WSU Institute of Gerontology. Among her initiatives at the senior citizen housing complex where she resides is a program that modified the in-house television system to include broadcasts by the Detroit Radio Information Service, a service for the vision impaired that is provided by Wayne State's WDET-FM.
Young's son returns, maybe for good
A front-page story about Coleman A Young, Jr., son of the late Detroit mayor, mentions that he plans to finish work on his bachelor's degree at Wayne State. The California resident was at the university as the lead cast member in a new play during a preview at Manoogian Hall. He plays a man growing up in Detroit during his father's administration. The play will premier in 2006. Young Jr. told a reporter that he would like to move back to Detroit.
Oakland University to partner with Wayne State
Pre-pharmacy students at Oakland University will soon have an opportunity to earn a doctorate degree through the PharmD program at Wayne State University. Oakland students who complete a bachelor's degree in health sciences and meet certain admission requirements at WSU will be enrolled in the six-year pharmacy program. President Irvin D. Reid lauded the arrangements as an example of cooperation between two state-funded universities to make innovative use of financial resources during tough economic times.
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Professor Thomas Jankowski, identified only as "of Wayne State University," commented during a report on proposed changes by President Bush to the Social Security system. Jankowski cautioned against doing away with the system or making radical changes. "Let's fix it instead of scrapping it," he said.
Study adds incontinence to risks of hormone pills
The Chronicle ran an AP story from last week that says estrogen pills increased postmenopausal women's risk of developing incontinence and appeared to make it worse in women who already had the problem. "We were hoping to find a gleam of hope for estrogen," said Dr. Susan Hendrix, a gynecologist at Wayne State University and leading author for the study.
Softball squad blanked
The WSU softball team was shut out by second-ranked Kennesaw State, 8-0, on the opening day of the 2005 KSU Owl Classic. The Owls recorded 12 hits, including four extra-baggers enroute to the victory. The Warriors stranded five runners on base.
Who owns Islamic law?
Muneer Fareed, associate professor of Islamic studies, comments extensively in a story about democratization and Islamic law, particularly as Iraq's new government begins to forge a national constitution. Fareed says among Muslim immigrants in the West, debates about everyday practice -- such as whether it is permissible to pay interest -- have become very open and wide-ranging, thanks in part to the Internet. He adds that Muslims in the West are also moving toward consideration of more fundamental questions about political structures and economic justice.
Institute set to assist Detroit families
Wayne State's Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) has been awarded a five-year, $250,000 grant to assist Detroit families with children who have disabilities. The grant, targeted to fund DDI's "Detroit Family Support 360° Project," will help families obtain the supports and services they need to enhance their health and well being. "The one-stop system of family support gives families an opportunity to learn about a myriad of support services available to their children with developmental disabilities," said Elizabeth Janks, DDI associate director for training and community support and Detroit 360° director."
Free one-act plays featured
Wayne State's Studio Theatre will host productions by the winners of the Louise Heck-Rabi Dramatic Writing Competition. All three productions will be playing each night Thursday through Saturday, March 3-5 and March 10-12 at the Studio Theatre located downstairs from the Hilberry Theatre.
Higher Ed chair an interesting study
Rep. John Stewart, R-Plymouth, and the new chairman of the higher education subcommittee of House Appropriations, is lauded in this editorial as an "unabashed defender of our colleges and universities." Stewart said, "Our great universities are the jet fuel for Michigan's economic takeoff, and we simply cannot afford to let them run on empty." The editorial notes that, as part of the appropriations process, Stewart has scheduled a set of hearings on March 23 regarding the role of higher education in Michigan. Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid is among the participants along with University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon and former Senate higher education appropriations chairman, and now U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz, R-Battle Creek. Stewart added that "these hearings should be a seminar for my colleagues about how vital our great universities are to the future of the state."
States struggle to stem brain drain, keep young grads as good as jobs fade
Kurt Metzger, research director for CULMA's Center for Urban Studies, comments about the flight of young college graduates from Midwestern states like Michigan and Iowa searching for better opportunities and job security elsewhere. Gov. Jennifer Granholm has launched a grant program for city development in hopes of attracting and keeping young people in Michigan. \"A lot of these issues are long-term, and politicians feel they have to come up with a quick fix, something clever and unique that makes it look like they are making an effort to fix the problem,\" Metzger says.
College basketball: Roundup
Wayne State's men's basketball team defeated host Gannon 57- 53. Herb Goliday scored 21 points and had seven rebounds and Morris Hall scored 18 points for the Warriors.
Women's Roundup
Wayne State's women's basketball team lost to Gannon 89-43. Warrior Ralphanee Peyton scored 15 points.
William Sanders Scarborough's Long Unpublished Autobiography
Michele Ronnick, associate professor of classics, was interviewed by Chronicle writer Eric Wills for a Q&A on her book The Autobiography of William Sanders Scarborough (Wayne State University Press). "There is a tremendous amount of recovery work still being done in the field of African-American studies - authors, artists, historians whose works are receiving publication for the first time. …By the time he died in 1926 …Scarborough was perceived as a fossil. He might have been looked at as a throwback to an earlier generation. His abiding interest in Greek and Latin might have looked positively alien at that point."
Raising coddled kids?
Experts and parents disagree on what it means to spoil children. At Wayne State's Merrill-Palmer Institute, Interim Director Gail Brumitt argues the issue isn't the quantity of stuff, but whether the parent maintains effective control of the child. "Spoiled is a funny concept," says the developmental psychologist. "Overly permissive behavior is what I'd call spoiling."