President Lou Anna K. Simon smiled nervously and her voice quivered for a moment as she began to speak about Welcome Week.

"I worry about the drinking," she said. "I worry about it in lots of ways."

The university president said she went out to observe students and she didn't like everything she saw.

The comment was a tense point in a discussion Simon had with The State News on Thursday afternoon that largely delved into the future between students and the city.

With MSU's 150th anniversary approaching, Simon believes, as much as we do, that the relationship is in need of an overhaul.

"We're going to have to stop this spiral," she said. "Students and the community both have legitimate arguments about who is right and wrong (about the April 2-3 disturbances)."

During the meeting, she discussed the disturbances but was more focused on moving past the he-said-she-said to start changing minds.

She speaks passionately about building a national image for the university that's based on experts and research in science fields.

At the same time, she's concerned with retaining MSU's land-grant mission to provide an accessible education to many students.

No specifics were provided on how she plans to change MSU's image, but she promises big announcements this year.

Her goal for the university is to be a force in helping to revitalize mid-Michigan's deflated economy. Largely, Simon blames relying too heavily on auto plants and urges that something new has to be attempted.

Starting from East Lansing, she wants to move forward but understands that it's going to be hard to change the way students and residents see each other.

Simon doesn't underestimate the effect the disturbances had on East Lansing. Like Vice President for Student Affairs and Services Lee June, she knows some horrible incidents happened during the celebration and students want some kind of closure.

"There were clearly incidents that were dead wrong," she said.

During the summer, Simon took time to speak with students affected by that night.

"From their perspective, I understand an apology is very much needed," she said.

When asked why she didn't come out with a firm statement following the disturbances, Simon had a thoughtful answer. Her administration is made of many strong entities with the power to make public comment; she is not the sole "mouth piece."

"What I've chosen to do is step back. I have a lot of confidence in Lee June," she said.

Cool and collected during most of the talk, Simon speaks with the calculated confidence of a litigator. One of the few times she expressed displeasure was with how long it was taking the independent commission - created by the city to investigate the disturbances - to file their report.

"It's taken forever," she said. When the report is released, she said she would give a more definitive statement about the disturbances.

What Simon sees for the students' and residents' future rings the same with what East Lansing city officials often preach - young professionals and a strong intermingling between residents and students.

Simon said members of the community see students as rude, disrespectful and vulgar, and it increases the rift between the two.

As a result, there tend to be student-only areas in East Lansing where there is no "intergenerational place."

But alcohol-related incidents caused by students in the neighborhoods create a separation between the students and the community.

Simon understands the reservations residents have about students. The party-like atmosphere like the ones created by Welcome Week are the kind that scare residents from downtown and in to hibernation.

"There are lots of things I saw that I didn't like," she said. "The jails were full of people with alcohol levels that were very high. We overloaded the hospitals.

"There's an edge to the student culture."

But Simon's stalwart about not removing the student identity from the city.

"As I look at the neighborhoods, when you look at Gunson Street, I can't imagine in my lifetime Gunson Street not filled with students," she said.

At times, Simon speaks with genuine defeat about how to change the face of East Lansing.

"If there's an experiment, we've tried it," she said.

But she doesn't seem tired of trying. Coming to The State News is essentially a move to communicate more with the students and the city.

She points towards other successful college towns in the country, such as Ann Arbor, as the kind of atmosphere the city could be. And as MSU rolls through its 150th year, she doesn't seem tired of "experimenting."

If anything, Simon is realistic. She knows there are great problems to overcome but potential for MSU and the city to grow.

And that it'll take faith on both sides of Grand River Avenue to make changes that resonate throughout the community.