In the news

Wayne State Finishes Fourth at Midwest Open

This article featured the 16th ranked Wayne State women\'s cross country team, which placed fourth out of 20 teams at the 2004 Midwest Collegiate Open 5000 meter run held at Wisconsin Parkside on Saturday, September 18. Edinboro won the team title with 41 points, followed by Loyola-University 56 points, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 91 points, and Wayne State with 104 points. The article was accompanied with a photo of Wayne State junior Melissa Moncion. Moncion placed fifth overall in the cross-country meet.

WDET-FM pulls popular talk shows for music

WDET-FM (101.9), is dropping four popular interview shows, three specialty music programs and two music-variety shows following the results of a two-year study of audience likes and dislikes, according to WDET station manager Caryn Mathes. "We came to the conclusion that we have several shows that garner great tune-in," says Mathes, "but contribute to audience churn. People tune in, people tune out." Mathes adds that the goal is to generate seamless programming that will hold listeners for hours at a time - rather than losing music fans. Included among the cancelled shows are syndicated National Public Radio programs "Fresh Air with Terry Gross," "Car Talk," The Tavis Smiley Show" and "This American Life."

Community college ups enrollment, transparency

Wayne County Community College's 10-year millage, passed three years ago, has shown impressive early returns according to a Detroit Free Press editorial. WCCCD has the highest enrollment of its 35-year history with 44,000 students, including a 65 percent enrollment increase at the school's Belleville campus. The increase is attributed, in part, to a marketing campaign designed to make WCCCD more of a choice for students beyond the city of Detroit. Another piece of the school's marketing plan is to make WCCCD's financial operations more accessible to the general public. Chancellor Curtis Ivery recently announced that 98 percent of all financial and day-to-day operations data will be made accessible to the general public beginning Sept. 22. Everything from state audit results to the school's five-year financial plan will be at www.wcccd.edu and a new call-in number is already in place for students, prospective students and critics to offer complaints or suggestions.

Editorial - Wayne State University has "betrayed its urban mission"

El Central publisher Dolores Sanchez charges in an editorial that Wayne State University has "betrayed its urban mission" and moved from a "worker's" university to a "rich people's university." The allegations, according to the editorial, are based on a "series of attacks on the Center for Chicano-Boricua Studies" and data included in a sidebar piece titled "Severe Hispanic Under-representation at Wayne State," listing Hispanic employee statistics at the university. Another companion story discusses a rule change that limits the time and number of persons making presentations, on any one issue, during Board of Governors general meetings.

Dean Barbara Redman was interviewed live by Jay Butler

College of Nursing Dean Barbara Redman was interviewed live by Jay Butler regarding the nursing shortage, its impact on Michigan and the rising number of applications to the college's undergraduate programs. Redman noted partnerships with two area hospitals (DMC & Henry Ford Health System) have allowed the College to increase the number of students admitted to the second career program. However, additional financial support is needed to fully meet the college's capacity for nursing education.

'Hear Me Roar' women's exhibit at Reuther Library

The influence of women in the labor movement, and their roles regarding social justice issues, Detroit politics and community service is captured in the "Hear Me Roar: Women and Social Justice" exhibit opening at the Walter P. Reuther Library on Sept. 27. Sponsored by Wayne State's Reuther Library, College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs (CULMA) and the President's Commission on the Status of Women, the exhibit uses documents, photographs and other objects from over 100 of the library's collections.

10-year report card on higher education spurs calls for reforms

Leading education policy experts called for major reforms in higher education Wednesday in response to a report by an independent research group showing that the nation has made little progress over the past decade in getting more of its citizens through college. The findings were released by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Separate reports were issued for each state. Two dozen of the nation's most prominent higher education leaders and experts gathered for a symposium Wednesday to discuss the findings. They expressed dismay at the findings of the 10-year analysis. Michigan was not mentioned specifically in the article.