A degree from Michigan State University has lost value as federal education funds decrease and tuition fees increase, according to a recent report published in Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine.

According to a report in the State News, MSU ranked in the top 100 public universities in the country based on cost and quality. MSU came in at No. 49 for in-state students and 61 for out-of-state students, lower than it had been the previous year.

University quality played a greater role than cost in the rankings, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine Senior Editor Jane Bennett Clark told the State News.

“(For) our first sweep of colleges, we start with the criteria such as student-faculty ratio, consider admission rate and yield and the test scores of incoming freshmen,” Clark told the State News.

Although MSU has seen increases in university quality, it still can't compete with the increases made by other universities, said Clark.

Small businesses rely on social networks

Small businesses are finding new means to reach potential customers in today's crippled economy, and social networking sites seem to hold the key to success for many.

Sites like Facebook and Twitter are convenient for small businesses because of the minimal costs and potential to a broader customer base.

“Social network marketing is grown to such a height that today many businesses can’t earn without it,” Andy Brautigam, owner of A+B small business marketing in Kalamazoo, told the Western Herald.

Businesses have been forced to change to keep up with the demands of customers with an increasing internet presence. Using social networking effectively can essentially "make or break a business," according to the story.

GVSU buys .xxx domain to protect university

Grand Valley State University recently reserved the GVSU.xxx domain name, following similar actions made by other Michigan universities. GVSU will not make use of the domain, but only wish to block it from the use by others, the Grand Valley Lanthorn reported.

Central Michigan University recently bought three domain names for similar reasons, and the University of Michigan currently owns 21 URLs.

Purchasing these domain names is important in keeping others from abusing the names of the universities, infringing on their copyrights or associating the schools with adult content.

Michigan State University and others did not to reserve .xxx domains, opting to closely monitor the internet for any infringements or abuses instead, according to the report.

U-M to begin new capital fundraising project

The University of Michigan is looking to begin its new capital fundraising project, an endeavor that is organized for every decade.

The Michigan Difference capital campaign of 2004-08 succeeded in raising $3.2 billion for the university. The campaign funded 1,969 new scholarships and 185 new professorships, as well as the construction of 22 new campus buildings, according to a report in the Michigan Daily.

The new campaign may not be launched for a few years to come, but specific goals are being established in order to start the process, according to the report. It is likely that the new project will overlap with the 2017 celebrations, marking the 200th anniversary of the university.