MSU was no exception, with statements from both the MSU College Democrats and MSU College Republicans paying respects.

"We are saddened by the loss of such a great conservative justice, Antonin Scalia. Our prayers are with his family and friends, and we hope that the justice that replaces Justice Scalia is just as intellectual as he was," the MSU College Republicans said in a statement.

Scalia was known to be very conservative, making him a routine target for lambasting by liberal pundits and supporters who decried some of his opinions. Some of his most controversial opinions included the Obergefell v. Hodges suit, wherein he argued for the legality of a ban on same-sex marriage, or Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which ruled against limiting the power big donors can have in politics. 

In spite of Scalia's staunchly conservative voting record, the MSU College Democrats issued a conciliatory statement, which did highlight their ideological differences, but also paid respect to Scalia's dedication to public service.

"The Michigan State College Democrats regret to learn of the passing of Justice Scalia. Our condolences go to the family and friends of Justice Scalia," it said. "While we disagree with many of his ruling and dissents, Justice Scalia's many years on the Supreme Court were a great service to this country."

At the heart of Scalia's controversy was the former justice's tendency to interpret the Constitution as a "strict constructionist." 

"The legal definition is someone who essentially likes to restrict judicial interpretation," constitutional law professor Frank Ravitch said. "They prefer to rely on the text and what they consider to be objective approaches."

The problem with this method is how personal politics may come to be involved when arguing for original intent and forming opinions based on what the framers of the Constitution might or might not have intended.

"I'm not quite sure what (strict constructionist) actually means in his case because he sometimes would make arguments based on the intent of the framers that were, shall we say, questionable," Ravitch said.

Scalia's death comes at a very politically charged time. With about 11 months left in President Obama's term, he still has a constitutional obligation to nominate a new justice for appointment. That appointment carries with it the potential to alter the entire political leaning of the court.

"This will be bigger, in terms of the shift," Ravitch said. "A lot of (the appointment) is going to be based on the political process, but assuming that Obama's nomination goes through and assuming that he wants that to happen he's going to appoint someone who's a little bit more moderate than extremely left."