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