msu

MSU: More interest in buying locally grown food

Steve Carmody — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:30:02 +0000

A new Michigan State University survey finds a growing number of school lunch rooms, hospitals cafeterias and other institutions are interested in filling their pantries with locally grown food.

MSU’s Center for Regional Food Systems has been asking institutions about whether they buy locally grown fruits, vegetables and other food staples since 2004.

Center director Michael Hamm says the number of school cafeterias buying local has tripled in the last decade. But he says there’s only so much more local farmers can produce now.

Is it time to expand workplace safety regulations in Michigan?

Steve Carmody — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:22:10 +0000

Union leaders are applauding a promise by state Democratic lawmakers to reinstate workplace safety regulations in Michigan.

The names of dozens of Michigan workers who died on the job were read aloud during a ceremony in Lansing. There are about 120 deaths in the workplace every year in Michigan.

Once too polluted, Lansing's Red Cedar River is once again open to anglers

Steve Carmody — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:04:00 +0000

For the first time in nearly a half century, people will be encouraged to fish along a portion of the Red Cedar River as it winds its way through the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing.

At a ceremony Monday near the campus’s western edge, MSU dignitaries, including Sparty, took turns dumping buckets of Steelhead trout into the meandering Red Cedar River.

Organizers want anglers to start casting their lines into the Red Ceder in hopes of reeling in the sportfish.

That’s a big change.

Poll finds Michiganders are divided on right-to-work law

Steve Carmody — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:35:49 +0000

A new poll shows Michiganders are deeply divided over the state’s new right-to-work law. The law takes effect today.

Under Michigan’s right-to-work law, workers can't be forced to join a union.

Michigan State University’s “State of the State Survey” asked more than a thousand people whether they thought Right to Work would be good for Michigan’s economy.

42.7 percent said it would be good. 41 percent said it would be bad. 16 percent said the right-to-work law would have no effect on Michigan’s economy.

Economist Charles Ballard is the survey’s director. He says right to work supporters tend to be overwhelmingly white, male, non-union conservatives, while opponents tend to be overwhelmingly minority, female, pro-union liberals.

“It doesn’t surprise me that the public is split. I think the public really is split and these survey results are a fairly accurate reflection of that,” says Ballard.

As an economist, Ballard thinks right-to-work will have little effect on Michigan’s economy.

“And on that basis, I’m thinking this issue probably will not go away,” says Ballard.

Michigan is the 24th state to adopt a right-to-work law.

MSU study may help advertisers spend wisely

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:31:07 +0000

Michigan State University researchers may have developed a model to help advertisers figure out where to put their dollars. They say that's critical in an environment where people now view TV while using smart phones, laptops or tablets.

Chen Lin is a marketing professor at MSU who helped develop the model. She says with a little information, it can predict consumer behavior with up to 97% accuracy. “If you give me the demographics and the media consumption habits for your consumers, I can predict exactly where you should allocate your firm resources.”

Sequestration could cost Michigan universities millions of dollars in federal research funding

Steve Carmody — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 05:21:00 +0000

Tens of billions of dollars in federal spending cuts will take effect March first, unless Congress does something to stop the sequestration.

And Michigan’s major research universities may be among those feeling the sting.

Stateside: Use your words

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:04:21 +0000

The following is a summary of a previously recorded interview. To hear the complete segment, click the audio above.

According to a new study published in Elementary School Journal, the vocabulary lessons our children are getting in grade school fall woefully short of giving students the range and scope of words they need to become good, effective readers throughout their lives.

Tanya Wright is an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at Michigan State University. She spoke with Cindy about the study and what it could cost our kids to be saddled with a deficient vocabulary.

Ferguson re-elected chairman of Michigan State University board

The Associated Press — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 19:45:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Joel Ferguson has been re-elected to a fourth two-year term as chairman of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees.

At a special meeting Friday, the board also elected Brian Breslin of Williamston to a two-year term as vice chairman.

Ferguson first was elected to the MSU board in 1986. The Lansing resident was elected again in 1996, 2004 and 2012. He was elected board chairman in 1992, 2007 and 2010.

Ferguson is the co-founder of F & S Development Company.

MSU Study Shows Brief Interuptions May Double Errors

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:29:46 +0000

A quick glance at a cell phone won’t just hurt your ability to drive. It may also double the errors you make at work.

Researchers at Michigan State University are exploring how interruptions affect the work place.

MSU study suggests unsuspected source of potential cyber attacks

Steve Carmody — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 01:07:31 +0000

Michigan State University researchers are developing a profile of individuals who carry out ‘cyber-attacks’ on government websites.

The results may help law enforcement identify who might be behind future attacks.

MSU criminal justice professor Thomas Holt asked hundreds of American and international college students about their feelings about being hypothetical ‘civilian cyber-warriors’, individuals who use the internet to attack or disable government computers.

Penn State's penalties may help MSU and U of M this fall (and into the future)

Steve Carmody — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:11:56 +0000

Michigan Radio sports commentator John U. Bacon says the University of Michigan and Michigan State University are inadvertently benefiting from sanctions handed down against Penn State today.

MSU study uses video game to help lung cancer patients recover from surgery

Steve Carmody — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 20:01:01 +0000

Michigan State University researchers say a popular video game is helping patients recover from lung cancer surgery.

After surgery, it’s important for lung cancer patients to aid their recovery with exercise. Exercise helps patients with fatigue and avoid common complications, like pneumonia. But the prospect of exercise can be daunting for many patients.

Michigan State University study finds Americans don't like to haggle online

Steve Carmody — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 03:01:01 +0000

More than a million Michiganders will be traveling during the Fourth of July holiday period. Many of them made hotel reservations online.

A Michigan State University professor says making online hotel reservations is an unsatisfactory experience for many people.

Michigan State University drops health insurance mandate for students

The Associated Press — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 19:34:03 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan State University has dropped mandatory health insurance for students after opposition from lawmakers.

Officials said Friday that insurance available through the school will be voluntary, but they'll still ask if students have coverage this fall. Only 320 students were automatically signed up last year.

But one of them was the son of a state lawmaker, Rep. Jeff Farrington, R-Utica, who got a bill. It turned out that Farrington's son had insurance.

Michigan State University hikes tuition 3.5%

Steve Carmody — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:31:49 +0000

It’s going to cost the average Michigan State University student $210 more to attend the fall semester.

The MSU Trustees today approved a 3.5 percent tuition increase for next year.

The increase will be slightly higher for out-of-state students.

Lou Anna Simon is president of MSU. She says no one wants to raise college tuition.

“There are stories about students who are definitely in debt at a higher level than they should be,” Simon told the MSU Board of Trustees before the vote.

Other Michigan public colleges and universities also approved tuition hikes this week, including the University of Michigan and Michigan Tech.