Tuesday, April 14, 2026

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MSU

Council approves academic changes

New masters and doctorate programs in the Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies were approved by Academic Council at its Tuesday meeting and now will undergo state review. The programs are part of the integration of the departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources Education and Communication Systems, Resource Development and Park, Recreation and Tourism Resources. Richard Paulsen, the department's associate chairman, said alignment of the programs played off of their academic similarities. "What we're looking at is drawing upon some major themes in the state and looking at where they overlap and meeting the challenges of the state in the future," he said. The graduate degree programs are the first to be developed, with undergraduate academics still being worked out.

MSU

ASMSU warns Ithaca about ordinance

After ASMSU's struggle last semester with a modified party noise ordinance in East Lansing, student leaders are urging city council members in Ithaca, N.Y., to avoid adopting a similar policy. At its Student Assembly meeting on Thursday, MSU's undergraduate student government voted to send a letter to the Ithaca City Council saying that the East Lansing ordinance approved in the fall was harmful to student-community relations. The East Lansing City Council approved issuing up to $1,000 fines and a possible three days in jail for hosts of the gatherings with party indicators.

MSU

Event stresses spring break safety

With spring break right around the corner and students flocking to warmer climates for some sand and sun, campus groups are hosting fairs to raise awareness about having fun while still being safe. Jodi Roberto Hancock, educational program coordinator for the Women's Resource Center, organized the event that took place Tuesday in the Shaw Hall cafeteria and will continue through the next two weeks at other locations. Representatives from the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety, Olin Health Center's Health Education Services, the American Cancer Society at MSU, the Sexual Assault Crisis and Safety Education Program, and Self Defense for Women passed out fliers about issues such as general safety, alcohol, skin cancer and sexual assault. The police department had pamphlets containing laws from three popular spring-break locales - Texas, Florida and Mexico -along with four sets of "beer goggles," which have specialized lenses to simulate different levels of intoxication. English sophomore Katie Derthick demonstrated a pair of the goggles.

MSU

Powwow to run despite budget

The committee for the 21st annual Pow-wow of Love will have to search harder this year for money because of a decreased amount of funding from ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government. The North American Indigenous Student Organization, which is in charge of the powwow, requested $32,000 from ASMSU at its Jan.

MSU

Meeting provides forum for campus planners, council to discuss accessibility issues

Administrators joined students in the Union on Monday to discuss accessibility issues at a Council for Students with Disabilities meeting. Barry Latoszewski, manager of construction, maintenance and interior design for Housing and Food Services, brought a list of previous campus concerns made by the council and officials' responses to requests for Braille signs, accessibility in bathrooms, automatic doors, elevators and accessible parking. "There's a lot of things about accessibility that we probably aren't handling as well as we should," Latoszewski said, adding that the problem is "neither easy, nor is it cheap" to solve. During the meeting, students and faculty brought up snow removal and the possibility of more heated sidewalks such as those in front of Berkey Hall and IM Sports-Circle. "I wish I had the money to put more in.

MSU

Copying most-used service of ASMSU

Rob Schneider's "makin' copies" skit from "Saturday Night Live" easily could be re-enacted in 307 Student Services. The copy machine in ASMSU's business office of MSU's undergraduate student government's most widely used service. Last academic year, more than 11,000 copies were made each month, said Deb Gleason, an ASMSU business office employee.

MSU

African Studies to talk about cacao, coffee

MSU's African Studies Center is hosting a speaker as part of the Brown Bag Series at noon Thursday in 201 International Center. Mathieu Ngouajio, assistant professor and MSU Extension vegetable specialist in the Department of Horticulture, will discuss the impact of the lower currency on agricultural production in Cameroon.

MSU

Brightest & best

Jo Muse once struggled to land a job in The State News' Advertising Department. Now, after 30 years and national campaigns for Nike, Coca-Cola and Universal Pictures, Muse will be recognized as a "Leader of the Year" in the advertising industry. A Detroit native, Muse began his career as a student at MSU, where he had a stint at the student-run paper. "It was a tough gig to get.

MSU

Gripe & moan

John Revitte said he thinks he's a real people person, and he's putting his talent to good use as MSU's new faculty grievance official. The labor and industrial relations professor will try to resolve professional differences in his position.

MSU

Steer wrestler

It seems strange that a kid from the suburbs would become a competitive rodeo cowboy. But for Edward Harrison, it's in his blood. Harrison is following in the tradition of his grandfather Ron Gibson, a rodeo cowboy with more than 40 years of experience in steer wrestling. "My grandfather was a rodeo cowboy.

MSU

Rodeo queen

Kelly Krigner wasn't expecting to be hailed by adoring fans as she passed out programs during Saturday's Spartan Stampede IPRA Rodeo at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. "I sold four programs to this mom and she asked me to autograph them for her daughters," said Krigner.

MSU

Students to dine with legislators

In an effort to stop future cuts to higher education, ASMSU members are working to change legislators' perceptions of college students through a dinner next month. At Thursday's Student Assembly meeting, MSU's undergraduate student government passed a bill for $800 to fund the dinner, which will bring 14 legislators and about 30 students together. "It's important for us to be proactive," said Andrew Bell, ASMSU's director of legislative affairs.

MSU

Author shares her Aboriginal heritage

Quiet dignity and strength radiated from the deep brown eyes of author Doris Pilkington as she stood before MSU students and faculty to share the struggles of her family Monday evening in the Union. Students, faculty and community members began filling the conference room to hear the story of Pilkington's mother, Molly Craig, who escaped an Aborigine reservation in Australia and traveled more than 1,500 miles home on foot.