EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University FCU announced a $1 million gift this morning to the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum for a new residency program that will bring nationally and internationally known artists to the East Lansing campus.

WASHINGTON – Chip Filson’s petition drive for the NCUA Board has apparently fallen far short of its goal of 100,000 signatures, with just 5,344 people signing on as of this morning.

ENFIELD, Conn. – Enfield Community FCU hired William Hagist, a member of its board the past 20 years, as CEO, the $24 million credit union’s third CEO in two years.

LAKE MARY, Fla. – CFE FCU’s affinity debit card program, which donates funds to schools based on card usage, raised $108,300 for Orange, Seminole, and Osceola county school districts last year.

EL MONTE, Calif. – Vons CU has signed with cuautocopoun to offer the company’s savings program for auto service, parts or accessories.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Kern Schools FCU has signed with SaveDaily to provide self-directed investment options to its online users.

HOUSTON – Smart Financial CU has selected Bluepoint Solutions’ ImagePoint as its check capture, electronic cashletter processing and check archive solution.

WASHINGTON – Fixed mortgage rates reversed course this week and headed back down, after rising sharply last week, according to Freddie Mac.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – An alleged credit union robber interrupted his own trial and told the judge he would plead guilty to charges he robbed a Latino Community CU branch last year after his uncle testified against him.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NCUA on Thursday said it approved another 20 mergers, more than half of them being large credit unions acquiring troubled institutions.

WASHINGTON – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said today it will be monitoring for discriminatory practices in auto lending, especially the practice known as “dealer markup,” which allows lenders and dealers to share in secret interest rate hikes.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – VyStar CU has launched a new service through Identity Theft 911 that will monitor social media sites for potential identity theft of youth.

PHILADELPHIA – Sb1 FCU, the former SmithKline employees credit union, said its CEO Thomas Swierzy is retiring in July, after 31 years as head of the now-$575 million credit union.

AUSTIN, Texas – Q2ebanking, a start-up provider of online solutions for credit unions and banks, yesterday said it closed on $20 million in new financing.

MADISON, Wis. – CUNA Mutual Group reported net income for 2012 of $150 million, up 80% from the $83 million net it had in 2011.

METAIRIE, La. – Louisiana Corporate CU has selected FI Compliance Solutions to supply the $1.2-billion corporate credit union with enterprise risk management services.

PLEASANTON, Calif. – 1st United Services CU has joined with CU Realty Services LLC to use the CUSO’s turnkey, Web-based active lead channel.

HOUSTON – Members Choice CU is now using the Leadership System training program from Rise Performance Group to ensure its top executives are strategically focused as the credit union continues its rapid growth.

BATH, Maine – MidCoast FCU announced it has hired Joe Gervais, executive vice president at nearby (Maine) University CU, as president and CEO of the $126-million credit union.

APPLE VALLEY, Minn. – Wings Financial CU has introduced web-based document capabilities through Integrated Media Management’s Document Exchange.