The time has come for incoming freshmen to tour MSU's campus, take pictures with Sparty and get a crash course in major news events that rocked the university last year.
The following State News recap should catch up any confused freshman whose rumor mill is buzzing about riots, visits by famous rappers and a controversial football team.
• Two-time All-American hockey goalie Ryan Miller announced in August that he would forgo his senior year playing with the Spartans to enter the National Hockey League. The East Lansing native told MSU he signed with the NHL's Buffalo Sabers, leaving behind a young hockey team and new coach, Rick Comley.
As a sophomore, Miller won the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to college hockey's outstanding player of the year. Miller had a strong career at MSU going 73-19-12 in his collegiate career.
• The Residence Halls Association at MSU suppressed rumors of rapper Eminem's possible performance at the university. On Friday, Oct.11, 2002, the secret was revealed for 1,695 students. Some had waited in line for about eight hours for tickets to a screening of Eminem's movie "8 Mile."
RHA worked in a secret collaboration with MTV and Universal Pictures to bring the artist to campus for an unexpected concert, which was the premiere of the channel's new show "MTV Jammed," which secretly brought musicians to locations to surprise their fans. Following the movie, Eminem and D-12 performed for about 45 minutes. The show aired on MTV on Nov. 6, 2002.
• Clare McCormick, a 19-year-old MSU student, died after being hit by a car while walking in the middle of Chandler Road early on the morning of Oct. 19, 2002. She was walking with a friend on the Bath Township road when the women were hit by the car, also driven by an MSU student. The students were visiting friends who lived in East Lansing's Northern Tier apartments. The accident made many residents and students question the safety and need for sidewalks around the apartment complexes in the area.
• MSU junior football quarterback Jeff Smoker was suspended indefinitely from the MSU football team. Three weeks after his suspension, Smoker announced during a scheduled press conference that he had a substance-abuse problem. Smoker entered rehabilitation and continued taking classes at MSU.
• The Spartan football team faced another round of problems when senior tailback and captain Dawan Moss was arrested and charged with second-offense drunken driving, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding and resisting and obstructing a police officer. Moss was immediately dismissed from the MSU football team.
• The closing scene of the MSU football saga came with MSU Athletic Director Ron Mason's decision to fire head coach Bobby Williams. The Spartans' 23rd head coach was informed of the decision only minutes before a press conference.
Offensive coordinator Morris Watts took over the position of head coach for the remainder of the season. Williams was only the second MSU football coach to get fired from the position, but was the first who was not allowed to finish a season.
• An MSU sophomore was diagnosed with meningococcemia, a meningitis-like disease in January. The potentially fatal disease infects the blood stream, and inflames blood vessels and can be transmitted by respiratory droplets or close contact. The woman was taken to Sparrow Hospital. The event caused panic among the other residents in Hubbard Hall, but no other students contracted the disease.
• The safety of MSU students was questioned when two freshmen living in Case Hall were threatened at knifepoint by two men posing as charity workers. While one man had the knife to the victim's throat, the student's roommate came in and punched the attacker. Neither of the students were injured, but the attempted robbery spawned a committee to review safety in residence halls.
• After landing in the Elite Eight and later losing to Texas, disappointed MSU basketball fans took to the streets in angry mobs on March 28-30, causing $40,000 in damage. But police were ready with tear gas, smoke bombs and extra officers. Some students' cars were overturned in the melee.
In response to the riots, the university and the MSU police department worked together to give $2,500 rewards for the prosecution of individuals who participated in the events. Some students were suspended because of their actions.
• After the United States waged a war with Iraq in March, MSU students took a stand with both pro and anti-war protests, marches and candelight vigils. During the first weekend of battle, more than 100 people blocked one of the busiest sections of Grand River Avenue, and 14 demonstrators were arrested. The same weekend, a rally at the state Capitol in Lansing drew 500 people.
• MSU President M. Peter McPherson was selected by the Bush administration to lead the financial reconstruction of Iraq. McPherson, who has worked for the U.S. Department of Treasury, left Provost Lou Anna Simon in charge until his return.
