Wayne State in the news

Harvard Chief Defends His Talk on Women

Lawrence Summers, president of Harvard, offended some women at an academic conference by suggesting that innate differences in sex may explain why fewer women succeed in science and math careers. Nancy Hopkins, a MIT biology professor, walked out midway through Dr. Summer's remarks. "When he started talking about innate differences in aptitude between men and women, I just couldn't breathe because this kind of bias makes me physically ill," said Hopkins. "Let's not forget that people used to say that women couldn't drive an automobile." Summers said he was simply trying to examine other hypotheses besides discrimination for the under representation of women.

Tensions from the Mideast get personal at Columbia

Columbia is experiencing a virulent dispute that has rattled the university for months over alleged intimidation of Jewish students by pro-Palestinian professors in the Middle East and Asian languages and cultures department. A faculty task force is investigating the dispute. Professor Massad, a Palestinian, said he's received hate mail calling him a "camel jockey" and "Islamic Fascist." Tommy Schoenfeld, a student who had served in the Israeli Army, says when he tried to question Prof. Massad at an off-campus lecture, his question was met with, "How many Palestinians have you killed?"

NextEnergy annunces education grants

Wayne State is among four higher education institutions that will receive $50,000 Education Grant Awards from NextEnergy, the state organization that aims to make Michigan a leader in alternative energy technology. Others receiving the $50,000 grant are Henry Ford Community College, Lawrence Technological University and Oakland University. In 2003, NextEnergy awarded grants totaling $750,000 to Wayne State and three other academic institutions for development of basic and advanced alternative energy technology curricula. The latest grants are for implementing those curricula beyond the pilot stages.

State 'eating its seed corn' in higher education

In an opinion piece, Phil Power discusses the recent Cherry Commission's call for doubling post-secondary degress in 10 years. Power says he can't understand how we can endorse the Cherry Commission's report while "tolerating a state that is dangerously withdrawing support for our public universities." He notes that Wayne State University, along with Michigan's other two research universities, will be playing a most important role in the state's economic development, high-tech growth and entrepreneurship. He calls on Michigan's legislators to have the political courage to focus resources where they will do the most good. "We've been 'eating our seed corn' for the past few years by cutting appropriations to our best universities, and I hope Gov. Granholm and the new legislature have the wisdom - and the guts - to do something about it before it is too late."

Men's Hockey Completes Another Split Weekend

The Wayne State men\'s hockey team had another \"split\" weekend with a 4-2 setback at Niagara University Saturday night. WSU has played 11 series this year, with eight splits, a sweep over Canisius, a win and a tie at Robert Morris, along with a loss and a tie at Alabama-Huntsville last weekend. Warrior sophomore left wing Jason Bloomingburg extended his goal-scoring streak to three games as he netted WSU\'s first tally of the contest with 1:39 remaining in the opening period.

MIKE WENDLAND: 2 experts out to spoil the fun for malware villains

Every spring and fall, emerging companies from around the region compete in the Great Lakes Entrepreneur\'s Quest, which is aimed at helping high-growth and high-tech companies develop business plans, find investors and jump-start operations. Wayne State University is one of the sponsors along with the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Michigan Business School and Michigan State University.