Friday, August 28, 2026

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

Perks for coaches a standard practice

Many students are up in arms about the extravagant benefits provided for coaches of revenue sports at MSU. It's understandable - men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo makes $2.06 million per year, not including the Lexus, Chevrolet Tahoe and country club membership MSU grants him. Along with Izzo, new head football coach Mark Dantonio, men's ice hockey head coach Rick Comley, new women's basketball head coach Suzy Merchant and athletics director Ron Mason all receive memberships to a local country club and the Michigan Athletic Club. These coaches work for "revenue sports," MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said, and their club memberships come with an obligation to schmooze with affluent community members. And while many people receive rights to one company car through their job, high-level coaches at MSU receive two - one foreign vehicle and one domestic.

COMMENTARY

God does not condemn all nonbelievers to hell

I can understand the outrage many would have after reading Isaac DeVille's article, "Tyranny of faith" (SN 7/31), simply because he compares Christianity with Nazism and Jesus to Hitler. However, as twisted as the logic was behind his thoughts, it is not entirely inaccurate.

COMMENTARY

High fructose corn syrup not an unhealthy choice

Drew Robert Winter's advice to avoid high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, because it is harmful, metabolizes differently than other sugars and contributes to obesity in "Weight problems" (SN 8/1), is misleading. Recent scientific studies have shown the human body appears to metabolize HFCS and sugar in much the same way. Kathleen J.

COMMENTARY

Morality conflict

The Michael Vick dogfighting case, and all of the attention on dogfighting and its attendant practices, show one thing very clearly: As a society, we have no idea what we think about animals.

COMMENTARY

MSU doing what it can to prevent embezzlement

I believe it is important for me to respond to "Embezzlers deserve harsher penalty" (SN 7/26), and add some clarifying and significant points. First, the internal control process worked in catching employees who embezzled from the university. Second, Internal Audit is not in charge of the penalty phase - we do an investigation of the facts and provide our report to MSU's Department of Police and Public Safety who, in turn, gives it to the prosecutor who pursues appropriate charges and penalties. Third, when there is a lack of required oversight, an opportunity is provided for embezzlement to take place. Finally, the university processes more than $30 million annually in purchasing card transactions.

COMMENTARY

Suburban dangers

My grandparents own a farm four hours north of East Lansing, outside of Boyne City. Growing up, every holiday break from school or a birthday meant another trip to the farm.

COMMENTARY

Murky future for Wall Street Journal

Rupert Murdoch's recent acquisition of Dow Jones & Co. marks a scary time for the nation and for the distribution of information as a whole. The Wall Street Journal, published by Dow Jones & Co., which is owned by the Bancroft family, is one of three remaining national, well-known, family-owned U.S.

COMMENTARY

Quixtar does not infringe on entrepreneurs' rights

I am writing in response to the letter "DeVos should serve time for Quixtar scam at MSU" (SN 7/16). This is like asking expert advice about running a restaurant from someone who has never been in the restaurant business, let alone been in any business.

COMMENTARY

Weight problems

The United States is the fattest nation in the world. Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans, 90-95 percent of whom have Type 2 diabetes, which is preventable through healthy diet and exercise. The most economical alternatives for a meal are usually fast food franchises which are, by anyone's standards, incredibly unhealthy.

COMMENTARY

SAF should stay out of student cheer sections

My hopes for future generations of MSU students were lifted when I read "SAF to play smaller role without Corner Blitz" (SN 7/30). I always laughed at the name Student Alumni Foundation because anyone involved with the organization knows it is run by its dictator and adviser, Bev VandenBerg. It's been this organization that has systematically taken the spirit out of MSU's spirit sections.

COMMENTARY

Breaking alcohol myths a good plan

An MSU group recently received a $175,000 grant to publicize its findings regarding alcohol consumption by college students. The idea behind the group's research is that students enter college with misconceptions about their peers' drinking habits.

COMMENTARY

Special treatment for coaches waste of money

On Friday, The Detroit News reported that not only does MSU pay for courtesy cars for athletic coaches and athletic administrators, but "Michigan State hands out another perk reserved for the highest echelons of private business - a country club membership." According to the report, the memberships cost the school around $35,000 a year.

COMMENTARY

Tyranny of faith

For a very long time now, Christianity has been marketed as a religion of love. Not only is it a religion of love, we're told, but also it is a religion of redemption and forgiveness.

COMMENTARY

Change in gasoline tax unnecessary

In a state as dependent on automobiles as Michigan, the price of gas will always be an issue of large public concern. Two Michigan representatives are attempting to change the way the state taxes citizens at the pumps.

COMMENTARY

Cost of school should be same for all

Many students will soon pay more for choosing a certain major at public universities across the country. High professorial salaries in certain fields, expensive specialized equipment and waning state funding for public universities are driving some state schools to charge higher tuition to students in fields like business, engineering and journalism. Such majors focus on learning a task, and students paying more for a certain major may focus on taking classes only within that major to get their money's worth.