Obama: The first year

“America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering. … We have no interest in occupying your country. … We will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect.”

-President Barack Obama on his plans for Middle East engagement with the U.S.

President Barack Obama was inaugurated about one year ago, and since then, he’s pushed for change on major issues such as health care and the economy.

In February, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The recovery plan included $787 billion in stimulus dollars to aid the faltering economy.

Obama recently announced a plan to spark the economy by helping small businesses and creating green jobs. Michigan’s current unemployment rate is 14.3 percent and state officials said Obama’s proposals are needed.

An overhaul of the nation’s health care system also is on Obama’s mind as he pushed for expanded coverage during his first year. The U.S. House passed a plan to overhaul health care earlier this month, and the U.S. Senate began discussing its version of a health care makeover last week.

Last week, Obama also announced a $30 billion strategy for the war in Afghanistan, including deploying an additional 30,000 troops. The troops will deploy in early 2010, he said in his speech. Obama also announced the removal of combat troops in Iraq by the end of next summer, with all troops removed by the end of 2011.

Football fiasco

“My heart breaks for those guys because, first and foremost, those guys are teammates of mine and there’s a special bond there when you’re a teammate because many of those guys I came in with.”

-Sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins on the recent events surrounding the team

MSU’s football team experienced a shake-up after 14 players were suspended or removed from the team this semester.

Nine players were charged with assault after their involvement in a November altercation in Rather Hall. Witnesses have said a group of about 15 to 20 players were involved in a fight in the Rather Hall lounge with members of the Iota Phi Theta fraternity. In addition to the nine players charged with assault and suspended from the team, three others also were suspended.

Junior safety Roderick Jenrette and sophomore running back Glenn Winston were kicked off of the team, with MSU Athletic Communications citing a violation of team rules for their dismissal.

The Spartans will play Texas Tech in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Murder trial

“For every time my heart beats, I will tell you something exquisite, beautiful, kind and everlasting about her.”

-Brown’s aunt, Ann Kik-Powers on her niece’s death

The family and friends of an MSU student found dead last fall received some vindication when Troy Brake, 32, was convicted this past May on four counts of first-degree murder for the slayings of MSU student Katherine A. Brown, 18; her boyfriend Jeremy Zimmer, 20; his mother Sharmaine Zimmer, 53; and his brother, Tyler Zimmer, 17.

The victims were found dead late September in the Zimmer’s Wright Township home. Brake and his family maintain his innocence.

Brake also was convicted of three felony firearms charges in relation to the murders. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Program and department upheavals

“(We want to) take this as serious as possible so that we can have an education in a couple of years and not have a mediocre diploma. … If all of my programs are being cut, what am I left with?”

-Arts and humanities junior Ruth Verdin on the proposed cuts to program and department cuts across the university

Many students will end this semester not knowing if their departments or programs will be around much longer. Dozens of possible program and department cuts were announced during October’s MSU Board of Trustees meeting, leaving many MSU entities on the chopping block

The possible cuts were announced by MSU Provost Kim Wilcox, who also talked about possible program disinvestments at all levels, such as the American Studies Program in the College of Arts and Letters and retailing in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. Various undergraduate degrees also were recommended for discontinuance, such as those in the Veterinary Technology Program and Classical Studies in the College of Arts and Letters.

Since the announcements, students from affected programs and departments have rallied for their programs. Although students in the programs proposed for cuts can finish their degrees, most still are worried.

Overtime thriller

“This certainly is one of the ones you point at and say, ‘Michigan-Michigan State’ and sometimes it defines you.”

-Head football coach Mark Dantonio following MSU’s 26-20 victory against Michigan

U-M came in undefeated to face the Spartans, who had lost three games in a row. The Spartans jumped out to an early lead behind the arm of Cousins.

After losing a 14-point fourth quarter lead, MSU intercepted a U-M pass in the end zone in overtime and true freshman running back Larry Caper scored a 23-yard touchdown run to defeat Michigan.

It was the first time since 1967 that MSU had defeated U-M in back-to-back years.

Higher costs and broken promises

“I don’t know where that money is going to come from, but I know that I can’t afford to pay for it out of pocket, so I might be looking for somewhere else to go to school.”

-Finance sophomore Artina Tyus on the proposed cut of the Michigan Promise Scholarship last summer, which now is a reality

Students can expect higher tuition costs for the next two years after the board decided in June to increase tuition for in-state undergraduates by 10.1 percent.

More than 8,000 students lost thousands of dollars in scholarship money that could have helped pay higher tuition bills when the Michigan Promise Scholarship was cut from the state budget in October. Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s signature on final budget bills erased the financial assistance 8,200 MSU students relied on. The scholarship provided grants between $1,000 and $4,000 to 96,000 students statewide.

The promise scholarship was slashed to mitigate Michigan’s $2.8 billion deficit for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

Change of party plans

“Everybody’s focusing on three days. … What we’re trying to do is focus on a broader time period for the acclimation of students to campus.”

-MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon on the shortened welcome week implemented this fall

This fall began what could be a permanent change to a tradition many students have grown accustomed to. Welcome Week was shortened to three days instead of five, and Friday and Saturday were cut from the schedule.

Students approached changes with uncertainty, while university and city officials celebrated a successful attempt to reign in partying and anticipated similar plans for next fall.

Although the shortened welcoming meant some traditional Welcome Week events were combined or overlapped on the schedule, attendance at many events was stronger than in the past.

Staff writer Chris Vannini contributed to this report.