Online registration is under way for WMU Day at the Capitol, a first-of-its-kind event celebrating WMU pride and achievement on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in May. Join students, alumni, faculty and staff in a unique Universitywide event in Lansing and show your support for WMU.

The latest issue of WMU Recycles, the semiannual newsletter of WMU Recycling and Waste Reduction Services is available on the Web as a PDF file. Past issues are also available. Each issue contains news about recycling efforts and helpful hints for improving campus sustainability.

Miller Auditorium presents three performances of the Tony Award-winning musical “Movin’ Out,” with the music of Billy Joel, tonight through Thursday.

University of Michigan economist Dr. Linda Tesar explores global markets and cash flow tomorrow, April 9, in a public lecture in Knauss Hall.

During his first U.S. visit, Russian poet Vyacheslav Kupriyanov reads from his work in Russian and English tomorrow, April 9, in Sprau Tower.

The Ethics Film Series concludes Thursday evening, April 10, with “When the Levees Broke,” a Spike Lee documentary about Hurricane Katrina.

The Frostic School of Art invites the campus community and public to a full day of events tomorrow, April 3, with the opening of two exhibitions, art student awards, an afternoon reception in the Richmond Center, and open house and tours of the new art studios in adjoining South Kohrman Hall in the evening.

Financial advisors from TIAA-CREF will be on campus April 15-17. To schedule an individual appointment, visit TIAA-CREF on the Web and click Meetings and Counseling under Services. You can also make reservations for available dates in May, June and July.

An information session on open learning courses will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, April 11, for faculty, deans, directors and department heads. A complimentary lunch will be provided for those attending. More information about open learning and registration is available online.

“Science, Ethics and Politics: Are They Compatible?” a panel discussion with WMU faculty and former Gazette science editor Bill Krasean, is today at 7 p.m. in the Bernhard Center.

Human rights expert Dr. Scott Pegg presents “The Real Price of Oil” tomorrow, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Fetzer Center.

“Paper Clips,” an award-winning documentary about an extraordinary school project and lesson about prejudice, will be shown free of charge Sunday, April 6, at the Little Theatre.

The complete text of President Dunn’s inaugural address is available in WMU News along with a link to an audio recording of the address, courtesy of WMUK.

Flags will be lowered tomorrow, March 28, in honor of Army Pfc. Antione V. Robinson of Detroit, who died March 19 while on active duty in Afghanistan.

There are 33 public events scheduled through Monday, including talks by Sen. Carl Levin, sponsored by the College Democrats, and Ted Nugent, sponsored by the College Republicans.

University Theatre has two productions this weekend, “Fuse 1″ and “North Star.”

Miller Auditorium presents the music of Johnny Cash in “Ring of Fire,” the School of Music presents a tribute to jazz legend Billy Hart, and there is a free performance of Chinese dance and music by students and faculty from Sichuan University.

There are lectures on linguistics, ethics and science, and Great Lakes water management.

Western Film Society presents the Kalamazoo-area debut of Academy Award-winner “I’m Not There,” and Chi Omega is sponsoring a fundraiser for Make A Wish of Michigan.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University are organizing a first-of-its-kind display of pride and achievement at the Michigan Capitol during a daylong event in May. Learn more about WMU Day at the Capitol in WMU News.

The date for homecoming has been confirmed with the release of the 2008 Bronco football schedule. Homecoming Saturday is Oct. 4, the earliest homecoming has fallen on the calendar in 20 years.

Jazz guitarist John Abercrombie makes his only Southwest Michigan appearance tomorrow, March 18, in the Dalton Center. Admission is $15 and $5 for students.

Dr. Peter Wielhouwer, political science, joins local representatives of the media and government for a panel discussion on the timely topic, “Civility in the Political Arena,” Wednesday, March 19, in the Bernhard Center.

KALAMAZOO–A historic book on African Americans in Michigan is now available worldwide to anyone with access to the Internet, thanks to the digitizing efforts of University Libraries at Western Michigan University.

The 1915 edition of “Michigan Manual of Freemen’s Progress” has been fully digitized, including photographs, charts and searchable text, and is available for download as PDF files.

“We are extremely pleased to have this unique primary source available for our students to use,” says Dr. Marion Gray, chair of the WMU Department of History. “It is also wonderful that, thanks to Western’s Digitization Center, we can make such a resource available to students and scholars virtually anywhere in the world.”

The project was a collaborative effort by Dr. Mitch Kachun, associate professor of history and Dr. Sharon Carlson, director of archives and regional history collections, who worked with the WMU Digitization Center. The goal of the project was to have comprehensive access by history students and colleagues to this out-of-print book in the classroom and for research anywhere. Financial support came from the history department’s Burnham Macmillan Endowment fund and the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Research and Teaching Awards program.

“This book was originally compiled to record and preserve the history of African Americans and to demonstrate to the broader society the achievements and advances made by blacks in the half-century after emancipation,” Kachun says. “It’s extremely valuable today for similar reasons. A researcher might scour numerous libraries, archives and historical societies and still not find information on the dozens of black educators, journalists, professionals, veterans, politicians and community leaders contained in this single volume. It’s just a fantastic tool for researchers, students and teachers.”

Carlson agrees the book is an invaluable resource.

“This is unprecedented access for this book, and for this type of information on Michigan African Americans,” Carlson says. “This first edition book is in most Michigan libraries, but usually only one copy or a later edition from the 1960s or 1980s. Also it is one of those out-of-print ‘orphan works’ that is a challenge to get into the classroom.”

The book’s 371 pages contain the accomplishments of Michigan African Americans through 1915. Optical character recognition technology was used for capturing the text for searchability. Two digital versions of the book are presented for downloading–a large file of 8.7 MB and a file without photos 2.3 MB in size.

“We are pleased to offer this level of classroom support and academic research through technology,” says Paul Howell, digitization center manager. “It opens many new possibilities to teaching and research. This book is now accessible around the world, 24/7, with full searchablity.”

Links to the book are available through the WMU Libraries Catalog; the history department’s Web site at www.wmich.edu/history; the WMU Archives and Regional History Collections, where the original book also is housed, at www.wmich.edu/library/archives; and the Digitization Center at the WMU Libraries Web site at www.wmich.edu/library/digi. The book soon will be available in MelCat, Michigan’s e-library at elibrary.mel.org/search and on WorldCat at www.worldcat.org.

The WMU Digitization Center is a full-service center within Waldo Library that offers comprehensive digitization and planning for access, preservation and research and provides estimates for custom digitization projects for the University and community.

Media contact: Mark Schwerin, (269) 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu

KALAMAZOO–Area residents will have a chance to learn about other countries as well as sample exotic cuisines during Western Michigan University’s 19th annual International Festival from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 16, in the East Ballroom of WMU’s Bernhard Center.

The free event is a global open house that attracts about 3,000 campus and community members each year. International Festival 2008 will feature 15 of the University’s international student groups representing countries on five continents.

Members of the participating student groups will be staffing display tables and performing native dances as well as fashion shows. For a nominal fee, they also will be serving some of their favorite homeland foods, all of which are prepared in campus kitchens under the supervision of professional employees from WMU Dining Services.

“International Festival is a great chance to get out and experience a world of cultures in one place,” says Jordan Hochstetler, the event’s programming chair. “Hundreds of students have worked for months to prepare performances, food, fashion and displays that showcase the many cultures represented at WMU and in the Kalamazoo community.”

WMU enrolls some 1,000 international students. This year’s festival will spotlight Latino, Muslim and WMU Hillel students as well as those representing such areas as Africa, Central Asia, China, Egypt, India, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Thailand.

The event is being organized by WMU’s International Programs Council and Campus Activities Board and being sponsored by WMU’s Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Division of Student Affairs, University Cultural Events Committee, Graduate Student Advisory Committee and Western Student Association.

For more information about International Festival 2008, go to www.wmich.edu/oiss/if or contact Jordan Hochstetler at jordan.w.hochstetler@wmich.edu or (269) 387-5872.

Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

KALAMAZOO–Area high school juniors and their parents are invited to visit Western Michigan University’s main campus from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 15, for “WMU Spotlight.”

Designed exclusively for high school juniors, this annual open house is the University’s largest on-campus recruiting event. Some 500 juniors and their parents are expected to attend this year.

The free event features current WMU students taking attendees on a guided tour of the main campus so they can get a feel for what life at the University is like. In addition, prospective students and their parents will have a chance to check out a typical residence hall as well as WMU’s popular, well-equipped Student Recreation Center.

“This special open house allows high school students who are considering WMU to become more familiar with our campus, academic programs and services,” says Gwen Thomas, assistant director of admissions and coordinator of the event.

“It’s also helpful for students who already know about the wealth of program choices and support they’ll have here, but haven’t been our campus yet.”

Walk-in registration and pre-registration check-in for the 2008 WMU Spotlight will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the second floor of the Bernhard Center. Free parking is available all day Saturday at all metered spaces on campus property.

Those wishing to register for WMU Spotlight in advance may do so online through Thursday, March 13, at www.wmich.edu/admissions/wmuspotlight or by phone though Friday, March 14, at (269) 387-2000. For more information, contact Gwen Thomas in the Office of Admissions at gwen.thomas@wmich.edu or (269) 387-2008.

Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

KALAMAZOO–Western Michigan University is hosting a unique technological experience starting Wednesday, March 12, that allows participants to visualize themselves with the facial characteristics of people of different races.

The Human Race Machine, a booth similar to an instant-photo booth, takes a person’s picture and then digitally enhances it to show how any face would look when taking on the characteristics of any of six different races–African, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern and Native American.

WMU’s Walker Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnic Relations is making the machine available to the public in Room 107 of the Bernhard Center.

The Human Race Machine public availability
107 Bernhard Center

Wednesday, March 12, noon to 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Thursday, March 13, noon to 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Friday, March 14, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Monday, March 17, noon to 1:30 p.m.

Included in the exhibit is a video, “Race, the Power of an Illusion,” and the opportunity for participants to take a Race Literacy Quiz and engage in a brief discussion. The theme is that race is not a biological concept, yet it has been used as a social construct for centuries to justify human oppression and continues to be a powerful social concept to this day.

Additional opportunities for groups to experience the Human Race Machine can be arranged by contacting Tanya Bellamy at tanya.bellamy@wmich.edu or (269) 387-2141. The Human Race Machine is available to the Walker Institute for use by the WMU and Kalamazoo community through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and The Links Inc.

More information about the Human Race Machine is available at www.humanracemachine.com.

Media contact: Deanne Molinari, (269) 387-8400, deanne.molinari@wmich.edu

KALAMAZOO–A fund-raising event that allows area residents to find out what their old books are worth will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the Meader Rare Book Room of Western Michigan University’s Waldo Library.

The “Antique Book Road Show” program will include a talk and book appraisal by Dr. James Best, a noted book dealer and appraiser. The event is being sponsored by the Friends of the University Libraries, which strengthens and supports the activities of WMU’s libraries.

Best’s talk on “How Much Are Old Books Worth?” will address topics such as what determines the value of books and where to buy and sell books.

Admission to the event is free for Friends of the University Libraries members. The admission fee of $5 for students and $10 for adults will count as an annual membership in the organization. Registration by Monday, March 10, and an additional fee are required for book appraisals. The appraisal fee is $5, and individuals may not have more than two titles appraised.

Best is a professor emeritus of political science at Kent State University who became a book dealer in 1978 and retired from teaching in 2001. His business primarily deals in illustrated works and those related to 19th-century travel and exploration, handwritten manuscript materials, and old and rare books from the 19th century and earlier.

During his academic career, Best wrote a bibliography and guide to the history of American Illustration as well as many articles on local government, Congress, the American presidency and American illustration. He has conducted numerous insurance-related appraisals, most recently completing one involving more than 3,000 manuscript items donated to the Oberlin University Library.

Go to www.wmich.edu/library/friends for registration information. Those with questions should contact Kathy Gerow at lib-friends@wmich.edu or 387-5202.

Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

KALAMAZOO–A chemistry professor who won a $1 million prize for discovering a simple and inexpensive means of filtering potentially deadly arsenic from well water is coming to Western Michigan University.

Dr. Abul Hussam, a George Mason University chemistry professor and winner of the 2007 Grainger Challenge Prize for Sustainability, will speak from 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, March 13, in Room 1120 of Schneider Hall, home of the Haworth College of Business. His talk, part of the business college’s Global Lecture Series, is titled “Appropriate Technology: Making a Difference in People’s Lives.”

Hussam’s finding is credited with preventing serious health problems in hundreds of thousands of people in his native Bangladesh and could help millions of others around the world. He came to the United States in 1978 as a college teaching assistant and earned his citizenship and a doctoral degree in analytical chemistry.

Hassam has devoted much of his career to finding a simple solution to a very large problem accidentally caused when international aid agencies funded widespread well digging in Bangladesh and eastern India. The wells brought fresh groundwater to the surface for millions of subsistence farmers, who for many years had been drinking from unsanitary ponds and mudholes. But the agencies didn’t realize that groundwater in the region has some of the highest concentrations of naturally occurring arsenic in the world.

The wells sharply reduced the spread of infectious diseases, but also brought about an epidemic of arsenic-related skin ailments and even fatal cancers of the lungs, bladder and kidneys over time. Hassam’s family had two of the now infamous shallow wells, but did not become ill.

The Grainger Prize is administered by the National Academy of Engineering.

Media contact: Mark Schwerin, (269) 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu