Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute Media Advisory
February 25, 2009 
MEDIA ADVISORY
February 25, 2009
CONTACT:
Dr. Soji Adelaja
517.432.8800
John Kinch
517.432.8800 Ext. 111
What
A new report to be released by Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute, entitled “Chasing the Past or Investing in Our Future: Placemaking for Prosperity in the New Economy.”
Among the findings: Michigan’s metropolitan areas must do a better job of attracting and keeping young workers, retirees and well-educated immigrants for its job market to improve.
When
9:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Where
House Committee on “The New Economy and Quality of Life,” chaired by Representative Ed Clemente.
Room 521, Anderson House Office Building
Who
Presenters include:
Dr. Soji Adelaja, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy, Director of the Land Policy Institute and Co-Director of People and Land
Bill Rustem, CEO and President of Public Sector Consultants and Co-Director of People and the Land
For more information, contact: John Kinch at kinch@landpolicy.msu.edu or 517.432.8800 x 111 or 517.993.7718.
Ferris State approves sharing of MSU’s Grand Rapids med school building
February 23, 2009 
By Justin Harris
The State News
Published: February 20, 2009
MSU will share its College of Human Medicine campus in Grand Rapids with Ferris State University’s School of Pharmacy after the Ferris Board of Trustees unanimously approved the 10-year lease today.
MSU’s Board of Trustees approved the lease last week, which will allow Ferris’ School of Pharmacy to occupy the seventh floor of the Secchia Center.
“Both sides, us here at Ferris State and also at Michigan State worked very closely and very hard to put this partnership together, and we really think this is going to do great things for our pharmacy school,” Ferris spokeswoman Leah Nixon said.
“We’re quite pleased with the opportunity and looking forward to the partnership with Michigan State University.”
As part of the lease, MSU will fund and complete construction of the seventh floor according to Ferris’ specifications.
During the first five years of lease, Ferris will pay MSU back for construction costs as well as paying a base rent. Construction is expected to cost about $4.6 million.
The Secchia Center is set to open in summer of 2010.
Ferris will pay a base rent of $18 per square foot with a 3 percent annual increase, as well as its share of maintenance, insurance and utilities. For the first year of the lease, Ferris will pay about $420,000 in base rent, which doesn’t include operation costs or build-out payback.
Published on Friday, February 20, 2009
Michigan to debut gift cards for hunting licenses
February 20, 2009 
Associated Press
6:45 PM CST, February 19, 2009
LANSING, Mich. – Online gift cards soon will be available in Michigan to buy licenses for hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced the new program Thursday.
New hunting and fishing licenses go on sale March 1. License prices remain the same as in 2008.
Gift cards can be bought through the Department of Natural Resources Web site. They can be redeemed for hunting and fishing licenses or snowmobile and off-road vehicle trail stickers.
The e-cards are available in $15, $30 and $50 increments.
They can only be used to buy licenses online. They cannot be redeemed at retailers or DNR offices.
On the Net:
Gift cards will be available at http://www.michigan.gov/dnr
Students log on for help
Technology expands toolbox for achieving success in math
By JASON ALEXANDER
Times Herald
February 18, 2009
Learning algebra is no easy task.
And since Michigan high school students must pass two algebra classes to graduate, the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency thought students might need some extra help.
The group is developing after school and summer programs that target eighth-graders who need math tutoring before entering high school.
The program — “Back on Track: Ready for Algebra!” — will be offered at several county schools online through the Michigan Virtual University.
“The more we can provide extra instruction, the more kids can be successful and the happier we are,” said Terry Parks, RESA director of math and science.
This year’s sophomores are the first to be required to pass the algebra classes.
RESA is training area teachers on use of the statewide program. The program begins later this month.
Parks said the hour-long course is offered three days a week.
“It fits right in with tutoring we are already providing for middle school students,” Parks said. “We are thinking we will have pretty good success with it.”
Students will first complete an online test to determine where they need help.
Then, with supervision from teachers, they can work with the program.
Students also can log on to the program from home or anywhere with Internet access.
Terry Harrington, assistant director of education technology at RESA, said area schools are using multiple online courses, including others with Michigan Virtual University.
Port Huron and Port Huron Northern High schools use a program called Education 2020, which also helps students who have struggled with subjects such as math. E2020 is available for geometry and aglebra students at the schools where teachers staff after-school labs. Like Back on Track, e2020 also can be accessed from home computers.
“A lot of students’ learning is technology-based, so some of them thrive in that type of environment” Harrington said.
Contact Jason Alexander at (810) 488-7741 or jalexande4@gannett.com.
PAL develops, seeks backers for ‘pillars of prosperity’ to help state
By Sherri Begin Welch
People and Land, a coalition working to spur Michigan’s prosperity, is attempting to forge regional support and action on a number of initiatives it believes will better position the state for the future.
The group has begun meeting with lawmakers, media, chambers of commerce and the broad range of PAL’s coalition members to promote six areas the group has identified as pivotal for the state’s future.
PAL, founded in 2000 and funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is seeking both legislative and non-legislative actions, said co-director William Rustem, president and CEO of Public Sector Consultants in Lansing.
“A lot of Michigan’s (current) challenges are because we haven’t been ready for the future,” he said.
“The Michigan Economic Development Corp. has traditionally been chasing factories, now they’re focusing on talent.”
The other co-director of the effort is Soji Adelaja, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Land Policy at Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute.
PAL is also trying to get Michigan residents to focus on how the state’s natural and cultural assets figure into our economic development strategy, said Julie Bennett, program manager of PAL for Public Sector Consultants.
“We need to act regionally, to get more bang for our buck from federal dollars that are expected to come into Michigan, rather than acting as individual government units,” said Brad Garmon, land programs director at the Michigan Environmental Council and a member of PAL’s leadership council.
In the run-up to the 2010 elections, PAL hopes to push a number of issues it feels are important. It has developed what it calls “Six Pillars for Prosperity.”
They include:
• Rebuilding attractive cities and neighborhoods to attract and retain young talent.
• Supporting highly competitive schools and lifelong learning opportunities.
• Shifting attention to knowledge-based technologies for Michigan’s future.
• Strategically planning for a thriving agriculture industry to spur Michigan’s economy.
• Enhancing and promoting natural resources for recreation and job creation.
• Creating an inclusive and entrepreneurial culture.
“In the last election, nobody was talking about those things,” Bennett said. PAL wants the candidates to talk about issues it has identified as paramount.
Over the past nine years, PAL has made grants to groups working on land-use issues in Michigan, such as farmland preservation and forestry initiatives.
Last fall, it shifted those grants to groups working regionally on the pillars, awarding $1.3 million total to nine collaborations.
Among them was a grant of $75,000 to the Tourism and Economic Development Council of the Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau for “Developing the D,” a project to organize communities in the region as destination districts for residents, visitors and investors.
In addition, the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, which also received a PAL grant of $75,000 last fall, will use its funds to support its Millennial Mayor’s Congress project aimed at engaging city leaders with the millennial generation.
Sherri Begin Welch: (313) 446-1694, swelch@crain.com
Michigan’s Winter Free Fishing Weekend is Feb. 14-15
by Elizabeth Shaw | The Flint Journal
Wednesday February 04, 2009, 6:34 PM
Michigan’s annual Winter Free Fishing Weekend is Feb. 14-15. The annual celebration of the state’s ice fishing heritage includes free fishing clinics, contests and festivals at locations throughout the state, including many at state parks and fish hatcheries.
Anyone can fish without a license during the free fishing weekend. All other regulations apply.
For more information: www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing.
Virtual archery tournament
The state Department of Natural Resources is accepting registrations for its third annual State Virtual Archery Tournament, to be held Feb. 16 through March 20, with final scores submitted by March 23.
The tournament is for students enrolled at schools participating in the National Archery in the Schools Program.
Teams will be separated by grade level and must be made up of 16 to 24 students, with at least five members of the opposite sex. Schools unable to field a team will be allowed to register students to compete individually.
Winning teams and individual champions will be awarded trophies, medals and other prizes through donations of several archery manufacturers and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Qualifying teams will go on to participate in the national event in May in Kentucky.
Details: (517) 241-9477 or emmonsm@michigan.gov. Or visit the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnrarchery.
Cross-country ski and snowshoe
Join a guided cross-country ski tour at 10 a.m. or a guided snowshoe hike at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County.
Skiers will meet at the Woodland Trail parking lot at the corner of Center and Stroebel roads just south of Saginaw. The route is not groomed. Skiers must provide their own equipment. The tour will last about two hours. If there is not enough snow for skiing, the group will hike.
The snowshoe hike will begin at the Green Point Environmental Learning Center, 3010 Maple St. in Saginaw, and will last about two hours. The center has a limited number of snowshoes available for use, so participants are asked to call (989) 759-1669 by Friday to reserve a pair. Insulated winter boots fit best in the bindings.
Details: www.fws.gov/midwest/shiawassee.
Nature hike
Learn about butterflies in winter from Kathy Huxford of Michigan Monarchs during a special winter program at 2 p.m. Sunday at Seven Ponds Nature Center, 3854 Crawford Road, Dryden.
Cost is $3 for adults, $1 for children and free to Seven Ponds members.
Birding
The 12th annual Great Backyard Bird Count takes place Feb. 13-16. Amateur birders of all ages can enjoy the fun and help by counting birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the event.
Details: citizenscience@audubon.org. Or contact the Genesee Audubon Society at geneseeaudubon@yahoo.com.
Online program aims to make algebra fun for students
by Lynn Moore | Chronicle staff writer
Tuesday February 03, 2009, 10:11 AM
WEST MICHIGAN — Making algebra “fun” and not so daunting is the goal of a special after-school and summer program for 300 area middle school students.
Facing the prospect of having to pass algebra I and II to graduate from high school, eighth-graders needing extra help in math will get to participate in the new online program that a local educator had a hand in designing.
Back on Track: Ready for Algebra! is being used statewide to help prepare students struggling with math. Beginning later this month, students in Muskegon and Newaygo counties will attend four months of specialized after-school learning, said David Krebs, program director for the Regional Mathematics and Science Center operated by the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District.
“The project is focused squarely on helping students learn the critical algebra skills they need help with to ensure they have success earning their algebra credit and therefore graduating,” Krebs said.
Krebs was on a team of educators from math and science centers across the state and the Michigan Virtual University that designed the program that was called for in this year’s state school aid act.
Twelve math and science centers — including the MAISD’s, which serves Muskegon and Newaygo counties — were granted funds to pilot the program and accepted applications from schools to participate. All schools with eighth-graders in Newaygo County are participating as are most in Muskegon County, Krebs said. He praised area principals for acting quickly to get the programs going in their schools.
Students who would benefit from the program have been identified and invited to participate. Krebs said he expects 200 students will participate in a two-week day camp this summer.
Students will complete online assessments of their math knowledge that will help determine where they need help. Those participating in the after-school online program, which will be supervised by teachers, will be able to access the same software at home or wherever they can hook up to the Internet.
“The presentations of the lessons are fun and interesting,” Krebs said, adding that the online learning that is “very individualized” should appeal to students.
This year’s high school sophomores are the first to be subject to the state’s new graduation requirements. Educators have expressed concern about students getting tripped up by algebra.
Krebs said algebra can prove difficult for some students because “it’s where math begins to become a little abstract.”
“Arithmetic is concrete,” Krebs said. “Algebra opens the doors to abstractions like variables, and variables can represent anything. … You have to use higher-order thinking.”
