Monday, April 7, 2025

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

MSU's tuition rate provides educational insight

Looking at the tuition numbers for public universities in Michigan makes it seem as if MSU is giving us a pretty good bang for our buck. Even given an increase of 2.5 percent from the 2009-10 academic year, MSU’s tuition is several hundred dollars less than that of the University of Michigan, which increased 1.5 percent to $11,837, and Michigan Technological University, which increased 5.9 percent to $12,017.

COMMENTARY

Vote 'yes' on CATA millage

On Aug. 3, the Capital Area Transportation Authority, or CATA, will ask voters to approve a measure that will combine two millages that go toward funding CATA services. Voters passed a millage of 2.22 mills in 2004 and an additional 0.787 mills in 2008; if the Aug. 3 millage is approved, it will combine the two and add an additional 0.0362 mills lost under a constitutional provision. Millages, according to the State of Michigan website, are the rate at which property taxes are levied on property. A mill is 1/1000 of a dollar. Approval of CATA’s millage would mean individuals with a home valued at $100,000 will pay a little more than $300 a year.

COMMENTARY

Students should thank teachers

When I drive by East Lansing High School or MacDonald Middle School, I often have to resist the temptation to pull into the parking lot and seek out my former coaches and teachers. I think it comes from a place I’ll call “The Reunion Zone.” I call it “The Reunion Zone” because I think the only reason to attend a class reunion is to either flaunt what one has become or try to hook up with former classmates.

COMMENTARY

Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication

For those who haven’t heard, there will be a new study in the fall that tracks recycling in Anthony Hall. Stuart Gage, a professor emeritus at MSU and the study’s principal investigator, said the study will use about 170 sensors to discover data about recycling habits — such as which bins fill up fastest or the point during the semester of highest use.

COMMENTARY

University is still behind the times

As students, the recession has very uniquely affected us. Thanks to the recession, temporary employment has nearly disappeared, loans have dried up and, due to budget constraints, MSU has had to make significant cuts along with what seem to be endless tuition increases.

COMMENTARY

Grant offers MSU program a chance to give back

If there is one thing that typically is expected of “middle-class” children in the U.S., it is enrolling in college. They go to elementary, middle, and high schools, and then go to some kind of college. That’s the progression. Move out, get hired, start a family and repeat the process all over again. It’s normal enough that anything else is considered an aberration.

COMMENTARY

MSU makes a difference helping farmers in Zambia

Michigan has a bigger hand in helping rural farmers in Zambia than you might think. For more than a decade, MSU’s Department of Agricultural Economics has been working on the Zambia Food Security Research Project, or FSRP. Jan Nijhoff from MSU is currently leading efforts to promote regional trade and sound investment in the agriculture at the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, or COMESA’s, headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia. Working together with other organizations, businesses and farmers, COMESA is paving a new road toward improving food security and livelihoods of people in Zambia.

COMMENTARY

Schools can find better solutions

Remember the days when bullies lifted kids up by the front of their shirts against a locker demanding lunch money? How about the days when standing up to a bully was between the student and the bully, settling the score face-to-face during recess?

COMMENTARY

Legislators should look into 'presumed consent'

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land recently proposed the idea of allowing residents to become registered organ donors by checking a box when filling out their taxes. The individual would then officially be added to the Michigan Organ Donor Registry and receive a donor sticker to be applied to their driver’s licenses or state IDs.

COMMENTARY

All candidates deserve respect

Chances are most people haven’t heard of Lance Enderle. The 41-year-old East Lansing resident and MSU graduate student is poised to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton — who has served five consecutive terms — for the chance to represent Michigan’s 8th Congressional District in fall’s midterm congressional elections.

COMMENTARY

There is hope for a positive future

As I sat gazing out my window at the fairly miniscule number of pedestrians walking by my office, the almost nonexistent vehicles hurtling by on the road, and the seemingly total lack of any negative thoughts in my head, I realized for the millionth time that it is a whole lot easier to be critical toward things in which we can find fault.

COMMENTARY

Cafeteria renovations offer food for thought

When all is said and done, MSU will have dropped $44 million on renovating the various cafeterias across campus. The renovations began with The Gallery in Snyder and Phillips halls in 2007 and continued with Brody Square, which will open this fall.

COMMENTARY

Hardest workers deserve accolade

What do you think of when you hear the word “valedictorian”? I assume most of us know the title typically means “a student who has earned their spot as having the highest grade point average, GPA, in his or her graduating class.” Lately it has been a growing trend among high schools in the U.S. to sprinkle a few more students in there. And by “a few,” I mean anywhere ranging from three to 94 students.

COMMENTARY

University handling of MSU Dubai lacked tact

On Tuesday, the university announced the two-year endeavor that was MSU Dubai’s undergraduate program is at an end. MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said the decision was based on “a lot of factors, many of which … were out of our control.” The news means a few summer classes in Dubai will finish, but undergraduate fall classes will be canceled and MSU Dubai will not accept new undergraduates. The students will have the option of attending class on the East Lansing campus, Simon said.

COMMENTARY

Texting law only addresses factors

There is nothing like almost being killed by someone who isn’t paying attention while he or she is driving. In the majority of those cases, I have been (un)lucky enough to see the driver focusing on some cell phone-related activity that has nothing to do with actually driving. It seems that problem could be remedied on Thursday when it becomes illegal to text while driving. Hooray?

COMMENTARY

In residence halls, better to err on side of caution

Most students who have walked across campus have seen at least one of the more than 140 emergency phones that make up the Green Light Telephone System. The phones are connected to the MSU police dispatch and can be used for students during emergencies and for the university to convey warnings about the weather or an emergency situation, such as a shooting.

COMMENTARY

'Panty raider' case handled correctly

It seems the powers that be are going to go easy on an offender. The aptly named “Akers Hall panty raider” will not face criminal charges after being found with 79 pairs of thong underwear in April, Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said Thursday.

COMMENTARY

Contrary to columnist's words, soccer fans are well-behaved

According to Gunn, soccer fans are all unemployed, ignorant, drunken slugs who don’t care about global warming, the troubles in Darfur or Joran van der Sloot (I wonder where Gunn got his data on this). His opinions are based on soccer fans he saw getting on a train in Europe. Judging from this article, Mr. Gunn has never been to a professional soccer game.