Spill in Front of Michigan Union

There is an article today in annarbor.com about a hydraulic fluid spill in front of the Michigan Union. Apparently 50 gallons of hydraulic fluid were found in front of the Union, and authorities were unable to determine the source of the spill.

Michigan Professor Weighs in on State Tax Breaks to Film Companies

There has been a recent controversy about the film tax incentives that the state of Michigan offers, and whether they are financially feasible and sustainable.The fear is that if the state tax breaks are capped, it will scare away movie companies from making movies in the state, and as Jim Burnstein, film professor at UM and

vice chairman of the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council. He said that the state would have to offer the tax incentives for at least five years to develop a sustainable movie industry.

Lying Makes You Feel Dirty

In a study released by Michigan researchers, it was discovered that lying gives people the urge to wash the involved body part. For example, people who lied in e-mail felt an increased urge to buy hand sanitizer, and those who lied via voicemail felt an increased urge to buy mouthwash.

Allegations of Rape Cover-up at MSU

The Michigan Messenger is reporting that two MSU basketball players allegedly raped a student and that Ingham County Prosecutors are neglecting to prosecute.

University of Michigan Study Examines Divorce

A new study done by the University of Michigan is about how fighting styles in marriage effect divorce rates. The study has been running since 1986, and includes enough minority couples to enable the study of differences between whites and minorities in fighting styles and divorce rates. The study found that a particularly damaging fighting style is when one partner tries to deal with a problem constructively, and the other partner withdraws. Women are less likely to withdraw over time, either because relationships are more important to them in general, or because their problems are more likely to be worked out.

UM Spinoffs Up From 2009

UM had 10 technology spinoffs this last fiscal year.This is up from eight last year, but down from 13 in 2008. In all UM spent $1.14 billion in research last year, which is up from the prior year. Michigan has recently prioritized technology transfer, turning inventions at the university into viable businesses.

An Argument From a Minnesota Professor

There is an interesting article today in the Chronicle of Higher Education from a University of Minnesota professor. He makes an interesting point about land grant schools, namely that they have strayed too far away from their public mission. He says that land grant schools were founded to benefit the people in the state and educate them, but most now rely on large out of state populations to boost their rankings and their money intake.

While he makes some interesting points, I have to take issue with a couple things. Mostly, I'm just not sure that funding from the state is particularly tied to the number of in-state students a university has. For example, my school, University of Michigan, has kept roughly the same proportion of in-state students since time out of mind, but state funding has declined precipitously. So, accepting out of state students might just be an insurance policy against flagging state support, not a cause thereof.

Michigan and University of Cambridge to Team Up on English Language Test

In a report issued today, it was announced that the University of Michigan and the University of Cambridge will team up to create and promote an English Language Test, tailored to fit the needs of employers and schools. Both universities have their own tests, and the new partnership will not affect either university's individual test.

Ross School of Business Ranked Number Three in Entrepeneurship

The Ross School of Business was ranked number three in the nation for entrepreneurship by the Princeton Review.

This comes largely because of the Zell Lurie Institute, which is a venture capital fund run by the university to fund new student businesses. They also have classes on entrepreneurship, and have partnered with the College of Engineering to turn student ideas into businesses, and have been successful on that front. 

Father and Son Charged With Felonies

Donald Lewis Sims, Jr., the father of Dion Sims, formerly a football player for MSU, has plead guilty to one charge of embezzlement from the University of Michigan. He was originally charged with four, but three are likely to be dropped. His son was charged with running a laptop smuggling ring in Detroit, and he is charged with using UM money to buy laptops. Officials believe the cases are related.