In the news

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An article ran in the Making Airwaves section of the newspaper regarding the recent programming changes at Wayne State\'s WDET 101.9 FM, and how those changes may have a negative affect on the station\'s fall fundraising drive. The article also notes how the elimination of popular shows like: The Tavis Smiley Show; Car Talk; and Folk Like Us, led to complaints by several listeners. The article also quoted WDET Station Manager Caryn Mathes... "We didn't cut [programs] because of cost," she says. Mathes says WDET wants to focus on what it does best. And according to recent surveys, the station's strengths are its "progressive music variety and local NPR news and we decided to focus on that."

Asbestos bill unresolved as thousands endure painful, fatal disease

Dr. Michael Harbut, a co-author of the ATS study and chief of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Wayne State was quoted on a bill concerning asbestos. The 108th Congress proposed the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act, which was meant to help Americans sickened by asbestos exposure without their having to sue the companies. The Senate\'s criteria were presented to Sen.. Orin Hatch, R-Utah who had sponsored the bill. Hatch first embraced the ABA offering but modified it after many union officials and public health specialists denounced it as \"pro-industry\" and unfair to victims who would be prevented from suing. Dr. Michael Harbut disagreed with the modifications and said, \"On the basis of the current science and medicine, the diagnostic criteria in Sen... Hatch\'s bill are outdated, incorrect and incomplete, and if enacted into law, will harm untold numbers of patients.\"

Two WSU Football Players Listed In NCAA Stats

Two Wayne State players are listed among the nation\'s best in football in this week\'s NCAA statistical report. Freshman wide receiver/kick returner Gary Frisby is 27th in the country in kickoff return average at 24.9 yards per return. Junior cornerback Bobby Boyer is 20th nationally in solo tackles per game at 6.0. After playing the last two games on the road, the Warriors host Ashland this Saturday at noon in the annual Homecoming contest.

New board members to guide change at Wayne State

Wayne State is moving from being a school strictly for commuters to being more of a traditional campus with the addition of three undergraduate dorms. The university\'s Board of Governors will be asked to help guide this transition and help ease some of the growing pains. Two seats are open on the eight-member board. Four major-party candidates are running in the Nov. 2 election. Deciding what kinds of new housing should be added and turning Wayne State into a 24-hour campus will be issues before the board, said Meredith Gibbs, executive vice president and chief of staff for the university.

Depression is different in kids

Depression in young people is different from the depression in adults. The symptoms and the responses to antidepressants are also dissimilar to those in adults. David Rosenberg and colleagues at Wayne State University\'s School of Medicine have been peering into the brains of many of 9- to 17-year-old patients suffering from major depression and have discovered that the left side of the prefrontal cortex is clearly larger than the right side. In contrast, in adults, the left prefrontal cortex is often shrunk. As a result, young people are more prone to act on their impulses, including self-destructive ones, than adults are.

Metro Latinos strive for a political voice

Members of Metro Detroit's Latino community say that while their population is growing - up 10.3 percent in Michigan in the past three years - they are still struggling to gain political representation. According to research by Wayne State demographer Kurt Metzger, only 33.5 percent of Michigan Hispanic voters turned out in the 2002 elections, compared to 50.3 percent of the overall population. The growth of Latino businesses in Mexicantown, Pontiac and in southwest Detroit has people wondering why those communities haven't coalesced politically.

WSU to name interim medical dean this week

This article noted that Wayne State\'s School of Medicine would name a new dean this week to replace John Crissman, who stepped down as dean last week. The article also noted that Crissman, whose five-year contract had expired, said he was forced out because he was unable to get the Detroit Medical Center to agree to extending his contract. Wayne State Senior Vice President and Provost Nancy Barrett was quoted in the article. \"We\'re at a critical time right now with the DMC,\" Barrett said. \"We just finished a round negotiating with them. We decided we wanted to work together on a strategic plan.\"

Men's Hockey Allows Three Third Period Goals in 5-3 Setback

Sunday afternoon at the Compuware Sports Arena in Plymouth, the Wayne State men\'s hockey team suffered its first setback of the season by allowing three third period goals in a 5-3 loss to visiting Clarkson University. The Warriors started quickly as junior defenseman Steve Kovalchik netted his first goal of the campaign on a shot from the blueline just 1:58 into the game. Kovalchik\'s power-play goal was assisted by freshman blueliner Mark Bradshaw.