Sunday, March 1, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Campus

MSU

MSU study shows classes influence friendships, academic performance

The academic courses young adults take have a large influence on the friendships they form in both high school and college, according to a national study conducted by an MSU professor. The study evaluates high school students, but the same principles carry over to students when they eventually go to college, said Kenneth Frank, a professor in MSU’s College of Education and the study’s leader.

MSU

Fencing club works year-round, grabs laughs

Despite having the youngest team in decades, the MSU Fencing club is looking to their upcoming competition with confidence. Meg Green, the women’s sabre captain, described the season so far as “fantastic” despite the large amount of young players.

MSU

Global Festival features many international cultures

From flags of all colors to custom music featuring Korean hit “Gangnam Style,” Brody Complex Neighborhood was the home of the annual Global Festival on Sunday, weaving MSU into a cultural interactive melting pot. Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., approximately 3,000 attendees ranging from infants to students came out to the free festival, which dates back to the 1940’s.

MSU

ASMSU discusses veterans center, sales tax

ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, passed a resolution supporting the creation of an Office for Veteran’s Affairs on-campus during its general assembly meeting on Thursday. ASMSU President Evan Martinak announced at the start of the meeting that the office was inaugurated on Thursday and is located in the basement of the Student Services basement. “I’m glad we’re moving in the right direction,” Martinak said, noting that ASMSU has been previously advocating and supporting the establishment of the office. Introducer of the bill Evan Schrage said the office is still empty and in need of furnishing, adding that it still needed a lot of help to function. The general assembly also passed a bill to support and advocate for House Joint Resolution W, which would increase the Michigan sales tax by one percent. Schrage, who is the seconder of the bill, said the resolution is a chance for students to have lower tuition. “We’re here to advocate for students and (the resolution) is clearly directed towards benefitting students,” Business College representative Christie Teske said. Alliance of Queer and Ally Students representative Colin Weidbrecht was against the bill and said his main concern is the negative effect the tax increase would have on low-income families. “Sales tax is regressive, so it’s going to affect lower income families the most,” Weidbrecht said, explaining that the one percent increase would take up a large portion of their income. Schrage said the increase would on the long run have lesser effect on low-income families, since, if their kids go to college, they would graduate with a large student debt. The bill was introduced and initially passed during the ASMSU policy committee meeting on Oct.

MSU

Global Festival to take place Sunday

The annual Global Festival will return to MSU Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at Brody Complex Neighborhood, giving the greater Lansing community a chance to discover cultures from all over the world. The free festival will feature more than 30 student groups who will exhibit their fashion and musical talents. Children who attend can receive a blank passport, travel to each country’s table, get their passport stamped and learn about each culture in an authentic way, said Amber Cordell, an international student advisor at the Office for International Students and Scholars.

MSU

Turkish Student Association to sponsor Turkish classical music concert tonight

The Turkish Student Association will be celebrating their culture with a concert this evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Kellogg Center Auditorium entitled “Turkish Classical Music Concert: Heritage of Thousand Years.” Among the performers is the renowned Murat Salim Tokac, who plays the tanbur, a long-necked guitar-like instrument, and ney, which is similar to a flute. Tokac, who is the general director of fine arts at the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is often referred to as one of the best tanbur performers of all time.

MSU

Students flock to reptile-filled night

If students were roaming the halls of the Natural Science Building late on Wednesday evening, they might have come face-to-face with the fearful surprise of a five-foot-long alligator or a boa constrictor as part of Herpetology Night. The MSU Herpetology Club event provided students and community members the opportunity to interact with snakes, tortoises and an alligator.

MSU

BSA hosts 41st Black Power Rally

Opening with the black national anthem, MSU’s Black Student Alliance, or BSA, kicked off the 41st annual Black Power Rally Wednesday evening — an event featuring with dancing, singing, poems and keynote speaker Michael Eric Dyson, a Detroit native. The BSA annually hosts the rally, giving students a chance to learn and celebrate black heritage, culture and pride while keying in on controversial topics such as political injustice and racism.

MSU

Event focuses on students rights with police

Navigating the tricky landscape surrounding law enforcement often can leave some students stumbling in the dark, but a Wednesday night event looked to shed some light on proper policies and conduct. A presentation and discussion looked to inform students on their individual legal rights when dealing with law enforcement while educating attendees on various academic and property rights as students and tenants. The event was organized in part by ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, and James Madison College Student Senate, among others. Social relations and policy senior Max Olivero organized the “Know Your Rights” event for the second year in a row and partnered with ASMSU to broaden the program’s educational reach. Olivero, a James Madison College Student Senate member, said the forum aimed to inform students about medical amnesty a relatively new law that protects minors from receiving minor in possession charges if they call 911 for medical assistance. “We are giving this presentation as a simple what to do and what not to do when stopped and questioned by law enforcement,” Olivero said.

MSU

COGS approves new student grant application at monthly meeting

The Council of Graduate Students, or COGS, approved the creation of the application for the new COGS Professional Development Grant, which will be offered by the Graduate School at Wednesday’s monthly meeting. Students can get up to $300 of funding, totaling to a $10,000 fund per academic year. The grant is supposed to be piloted in the spring semester.

MSU

Black Power Rally to take place tonight at Wharton Center

The Wharton Center is expected to bring in thousands of students tonight for MSU’s Black Student Alliance’s 41st annual Black Power Rally. The Black Student Alliance, or BSA, hosts an annual evening rally with presentations for students to learn about issues often faced in the black community. This year, Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson, a radio host, author, and Detroit native, will be the keynote speaker.

MSU

Latest study abroad program rankings discussed at Faculty Senate

A new report ranks MSU in the top 10 for international study and engagement, but the ranking didn’t hold much significance to Brett Berquist, who led a discussion Tuesday at the Faculty Senate meeting about the purpose of the ranking in terms of the value of the university and future study abroad programs. The Institute of International Education’s annual Open Doors Report released on Monday ranked MSU in the top 10 for international study and engagement.

MSU

New theater venue to help improve arts performance

The relocation of Summer Circle Theater to the soon-to-be-renovated Kresge Courtyard will improve performances and decrease the chances of cancellation, officials said. Summer Circle Theater performances are often plagued with rain. Performances take place outside along the Red Cedar River and shows are sometimes canceled due to flooding, leading to the creation of the new permanent venue in Kresge Courtyard.

MSU

Students participate in festive meals, dances at Israel Fest

From students devouring falafels to Israeli folk dances, the MSU’s Union Ballroom was the scene Tuesday night of Israel Fest: Israel at 66 and Still Sexy, an annual event where students and faculty members come together to experience multiple aspects of Israel’s culture in a light and festive atmosphere. ASMSU hosted the event with help from the MSU Hillel and the Jewish Student Union and Team Israel Programming Committee.

MSU

MSU ranks 45th in U.S. on Trojan Condoms' 2013 Sexual Health Report Card

Compared to other Big Ten schools, MSU is falling short when it comes to sexual health, according to a report from Trojan Condoms. The condom company recently released its annual Sexual Health Report Card, which ranks U.S. colleges and universities based on the sexual health resources available to students on campus. MSU ranked 45th out of 140 schools, up from a 2012 ranking of 48.

MSU

ROTC honors veterans by visiting retirement homes

The MSU Army ROTC Spartan Battalion paid tribute to local veterans Monday by visiting three area retirement homes and giving formal presentations as part of their Veteran’s Day festivities. The presentations, which varied slightly per retirement community, consisted of prayer, a flag folding ceremony and a recitation of St. Crispins Day speech, taken from Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” Afterward, the cadets hung around to talk to the veterans and hand out mini-American flags. The presentations took place at Burcham Hills, Edgewood and Independence Village retirement communities.

MSU

Typhoon Haiyan worries Filipino students, inspires fundraising drive

Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines Friday, taking the lives of thousands and leaving some MSU students in fear of what will come next. With eight students who are on visa from the Philippines, the massive storm that destroyed Tacloban and other neighboring cities led to concerned students and fundraising events in the coming weeks.