LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily -Thursday, March 26,1998-- 3A
RESEARCHJ
New video
technology links
classrooms
The College of Engineering has
attained new technology - a state-of-
the-art video editor - that will bring
courses to students who are not in
University classrooms.
The video editor, a Sony
EditSystem-7, is a non-linear digital
editor that will enable the college to
produce high-resolution video footage
with a variety of graphical effects.
The College of Engineering Center
for Professional Development expects
the video editor to integrate laboratory
experiments and different groups of
students into the classroom.
Classrooms involved in the upgrade
will be wired with televisions and
video cameras, allowing students to
interact with others not present in the
room.
The addition of the video system is
part of a million-dollar project to
extend the College of Engineering's
Slong-distance learning capabilities.
Both General Motors Corp. and Ford
Motor Co. are involved in the program.
Students propose
to redo Lansing
Although downtown Lansing is not
exactly regarded as a slum, some
University students think it could be a
nicer city.
In an attempt to revitalize a half-
mile, 160 acre stretch of Lansing
cityscape, a group of students recently
submitted design concepts to the
Lansing City Council that would
change the use and appearance of the
land.
Most participating students are
enrolled in the College of Architecture
and Urban Planning, although there are
students from the School of Business
Administration, School of Natural
*Resources and Social Colleges who
also are participating.
The 23 students involved in the pro-
ject were directed last semester by
Robert Beckley, a professor of archi-
tecture and urban planning and the for-
mer dean of the college.
They also met with Lansing Mayor
David Hollister and other important
figures during the semester to learn
about environmental issues and the
concerns of city residents.
The students came up with six
proposals for the project, ranging
from "Grand River Heritage Park"
to "High Tech Park." The end result
will most likely combine aspects of
each.
U' Child Care
Task Force study
a results released
The University's Child Care Task
Force recently released its study results
on how to ensure that the University
remains a "family-friendly" place for
workers.
The task force's findings indicate
that the University needs to change its
current child care benefit policies,
make child care more effective and
affordable for students, staff and facul-
ty and clarify many other existing care
policies.
The task force was created in
,September 1996 to recommend a new
approach to University child care in
Y response to the growing number of
women in the workplace and dual-
career couples.
In the time since its creation, the task
force has assessed the need for
University child care services, the pri-
oritization of resource allocations and
students' concerns about the affordabil-
ity and accessibility of child care.
The task force found that the
University community - students
in particular - has trouble finding
high-quality child care services
despite the University's six child
care centers.
The task force's short- and long-term
recommendations include establishing
S a University family database, increas-
ing job flexibility and providing
evening care options, among many oth-
ers.
-Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Sam Stavis.
National high school graduation rate rising
U' administrators not yet
planning any changes to
accommodate the increase.
By Christine M. Paik
Daily Staff Reporter
The number of high school graduates across the
nation is expected to increase, but University
administrators say they do not have any plans to
accommodate the rise.
According to a new study released jointly by the
Western Interstate Commission for Higher
Education in Boulder, Colo. and the College
Board, the number of high school graduates in the
nation is expected to peak at 3.2 million in the year
2008 - a 26-percent increase from 1996.
In the state of Michigan, the projected change
between the 1995-96 and 2011-12 school years is
a 14-percent increase.
"We are in a period now that we refer to as the
baby boom echo, so this is producing kind of an
increase" said Cheryl Blanco, director of policy and
information at WICHE. "It, of course, isn't the same
for every state, although Michigan does peak at
around the same time as most of the other states."
Blanco said the next 10 years will be difficult
times for universities attempting to make room for
the rush of high school graduates.
"There are states that are really struggling with
issues of what to do with their universities to
accommodate for the increase," Blanco said.
"They're trying to make better use of facilities, and
some states are really turning to technology. But
most states are trying to avoid and work around
building new structures and campuses."
But for the University, the increase in high school
graduates is not expected to affect enrollment, said
Ted Spencer, director of undergraduate admissions.
"I think that while it is a good sign, I seriously
doubt that we will change our (admissions) poli-
cies based solely on these statistics," Spencer said.
"Keep in mind that just because you have a large
number of high school graduates, it does not mean
that you have a large number of students going on
to college."
"We do not intend to
change our programs
at this point"
-- Nancy Cantor
Provost
Spencer said that creating a larger University, in
terms of population, would not necessarily be in
the best interests of the students because it could
cause the quality of education to decline.
"If we want to provide more of an education
where we could offer many living-learning experi-
ences for our students, then the size we are right now
is fairly comfortable for most people," Spencer said.
Provost Nancy Cantor said that while these esti-
mates are helpful for long-term planning, the
University currently is not changing its academic
programs or the size of the faculty to accommo-
date for the increase.
"We will clearly need to consider these popula-
tion projections closely as we plan for the coming
years," Cantor said. But "we do not intend to
change our programs at this point.'
Alan Levy, director of Housing public affairs,
said that while he does not know of any current
plans to accommodate a possible increase, he said
that Housing and dining services would be includ-
ed if they were to occur.
"If the University did decide to increase its size,
I assume Housing would be one of the units
involved in discussions," Levy said.
The report, which is released every four or five
years, takes into consideration migration patterns,
birth and mortality statistics obtained from the
U.S. Census Bureau and enrollment and dropout
figures received from each state's department of
education.
Nevada has the largest projected change in grad-
uating seniors, at 134 percent, and West Virginia
- one of five states expected to have declines -
will have the largest drop, at 17 percent.
U, scientists invent smallest
bio-sensors for cell research
By Sam Stavis
Daily Staff Reporter "PEBBLEs are much smaller than an
Flooding cells with toxic dyes and
probing them with fiberoptic cables are previous biosensor$ "
not particularly safe ways to study their - Raoul Kope
biochemistry. Chemistry, physics and applied physics profe
A team of University researchers has
come up with a gentler approach to
study the minute changes that take develop antidotes for these agents. The researchers found the mo
place inside living cells - shooting But potential applications of rates of cells shot with PEB
them full of PEBBLEs, or probes PEBBLEs extend far beyond biological were only slightly higher than c
encapsulated by biolistic embedding. warfare testing,.including cancer thera- cells.
PEBBLEs, the smallest bio-sensors py and drug and chemical toxicity test- Once they are in the
ever developed, will allow scientists to ing. PEBBLEs can detect boths
view the real-time chemical processes Rackham student Murphy Brasuel, a changes in cell acidity and the
occurring inside a living cell. member of the research team, said he centrations of oxygen, potassiui
The team's results were presented in hopes PEBBLEs will not only help with chloride ions.
early March at PITTCON '98, the toxicity testing, but will uncover new "These types of ions are a goo
Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical information about cell biology "to get a cator of stresses in a cell;" Brasue
Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, better understanding of locales - not Each PEBBLE contains a dy
and the University has applied to patent only what's happening, but where it's glows when exposed to a certai
PEBBLE technology. happening." get substance. The strength o
"PEBBLEs are much smaller than Researchers use one of two methods glow indicates the concentrati
any previous biosensor,"said chemistry, to fire PEBBLEs into cells, including the target substance. Although
physics and applied physics Prof. Raoul pico-injection and the gene gun, "which target-specific dyes are harmfult
Kopelman. "They can be put inside a is used to put DNA into cells" said cells, "the PEBBLE has a po
cell without hurting it and without Rackham student Karen Clark, who is coating that protects the cell,"{
changing what's going on.' also involved in the project. said.
PEBBLEs were initially developed to Although it may seem that this Brasuel said the isolation of thi
provide information on cells exposed to method could damage the cells, from the cell is a key step i
neurotoxins - biological warfare PEBBLEs blast harmlessly through the PEBBLE's inability to harm the c
agents. The research team was funded cell membrane because of their tiny "We don't expose the cell to th
by the U.S. Defense Advanced size and then lodge in the cytoplasm of because it's contained within the
Research Projects Agency to help a cell. mer matrix," Brasuel said.
Iman
essor
rtality
BLEs
ontrol
cell,
slight
con-
rm and
d indi-
c said.
e that
n tar-
of the
on of
these
to the
lymer
Clark
he dye
n the:
ell.
he dye
poly-
SARA STILLMAN/Daily
Anil Nair, a post doctoral medical researcher, meets with great frustration
when Business students don't have all the answers to his tax questions.
'U' preparing taxes
By Nikita Easley
For the Daily
There are two things in life that
are certain - death and taxes.
With that in mind, University stu-
dents already are preparing for the
April 15 deadline for filing taxes.
But they are doing so in many differ-
ent ways.
While many students have decid-
ed to file their taxes themselves, oth-
ers have decided to leave all tax mat-
ters up to their parents.
"My parents are doing my taxes. It
just worked out that way,' said LSA
first-year student Brian Cula.
Like Cula, many students have
decided that instead of filing them-
selves, they feel more comfortable
letting their parents file for them.
"My father has his own practice
and offered to do them," said
Medical student James Young.
Other students have decided to
file their taxes early and separately
from their parents.
Taylor said he plans to first mail
the tax return that he expects will
give him a monetary return.
For those students who decide to
file their taxes themselves, the School
of Business Administration account-
ing fraternity Beta Alpha Psi provides
tax counseling and services.
The Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance program is a group of
trained Business School students
who provide step-by-step counseling
for filing taxes.
VITA "has been operating for
years," said Business junior and
President of Beta Alpha Psi Jeff
Soutar. Soutar added that through
VITA, students can learn that there
are many deductions for college stu-
dents to file on their taxes to receive
money back from the government.
"All renters can take credit on
their rent payments," Soutar said.
The University also provides tax-
filing services for international stu-
dents. Every year, the International
Center organizes tax-filing seminars
for international students and schol-
ars. The seminars, which last about
an hour and a half, are conducted by
foreign student advisers.
The International Center provides
tax help each year because the proce-
dures for international students are
different.
"All international students have to
file a tax form even if they have no
income in the U.S.," said Louise
Baldwin, program director at the
International Center.
Each seminar is either held in
B510 at the Pierpont Commons on
North Campus or at the International
Center in room 1370.
The International Center will be
holding a Michigan tax workshop
for international students and schol-
ars today at noon in the Kuenzel
room of the Michigan Union.
VITA meets every Tuesday from 4-
8 p.m. in room B2280 in the Business
School until April 15. For more infor-
mation on the seminars, call the
International Center at 764-9310.
U 4
TI"
HER]
RE)vu'D OF THE COLD?
iS SOMETHING HOT
2 csFRJm1ige S AdiumS
@TLIEN
1927 MICHIGAN AVE. CF
2 blocks from Tiger Stadium
(30 rains. from campus)
ER NO COVER BEFORE 10:30PM
HATS $5.00 THEREAFTER
FOR MORE INFO, DIRECTIONS, CALL: (313) 767-5923
MUST BE 21 AND OV
NO TENNIS SHOES, NO
GRouP MEETINGS
U Graduate and Professional Mishneh
Torah Chug, 769-0500, Hillel,
1429 Hill St., 9-10:30 a.m.
The Center fordRussian & East
European Studies," Rack'ham
Building, East Conference Room,
4 p.m.
Q "Reclaiming the Soul in Academic
Life" Sponsored by Canterbury
Maple Rd., 6-9 p.m.
UNorthwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley
Lobby, 8 p.m.- 1:30 a.m.
U Psychology Peer Advising Office,
647-3711, East Hall, Room 1346,
11 a.m.-4 p.m
Hi~lLe 1ci. d I Ltc... i dt ttwm