Check out what's ahead in Spring 2008

January started with a blizzard then a thaw that ended with tornado warnings. Remember all you hopeful freshmen, MSU almost NEVER closes for weather, so plan on pulling on those boots and coats and making it to classes. MSU calls these next 15 weeks SPRING term which is delusional in my opinion!

J-School students will be hitting The Detroit News blog next week for the Michigan primaries. Though the Democratic primary is a wipeout since no delegates from the state will be seated, the Republican race may be interesting as John McCain and Mitt Romney battle it out, and what about Mike? The bloggers will hit the four polling spots on campus under the direction of J-School faculty member (and Detroit News blogger herself) Bonnie Bucqueroux. Bonnie is running her pooch Schmoopsie for President in 2008, and there are times Schmoops looks like a doggone good candidate to me.

With the Iowa caucuses over, the New Hampshire primary results were certainly no surprise on the GOP side, but Hillary's narrow win despite the pre-voting polls is making this year's race to the White House worth watching. DId her teary-eyed reflections the day before give her the edge? Would the media have covered it any differently had it been one of the guys with tears in his eyes? All issues to discuss over the next weeks and months.

We’ve got a great line-up of speakers already for the upcoming term already. Our Siebert Lecturer this year is Michael Silverman, vice president of the Associated Press. He will be coming to campus on Wednesday, March 19. His lecture will be at 4 p.m. at a room to be determined shortly.
In addition the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism has two high profile speakers coming. Jane Stevens, a faculty member at University of California at Berkeley and a multimedia report will be lecturing at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 18. Former National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting Executive Director and CAR wizard Brant Huston will be speaking at 4 p.m., March 27. Huston now holds the Knight Chair in Investigative Reporting at the University of Illinois. These amazing speakers have tremendous knowledge and experience in the field, are great folks to network with and may be worth some extra credit in some of the J-School courses!

Be sure to enter the Walter and Syrena Howell Essay Contest. Deadline is 5 p.m., Thursday, January 1 in the J-School Office. This essay contest, examining “racial, gender, religious or other kinds of bias in the media coverage of the 2008 presidential race” is a great topic for discussion. A $1,000 prize and $3,000 scholarship will be awarded. Only Communication Arts and Sciences undergraduate students are eligible to enter. Hey, in this economy, $4,000 in prize and scholarship money is worth the effort, so get busy.