COMMENTARY
LGBT community still waiting for statewide protections
March 7, 1972: East Lansing passes the country’s first non-discrimination ordinance that includes sexual orientation.
COMMENTARY
Get to know the people who share your floor
I have a confession. Besides my roommate, I haven’t made much of an effort to get to know many of the people in my residence hall. With classes so far away from my room in East Neighborhood (also known as the edge of the galaxy) and my workplace, I often leave early in the morning and don’t get back until after 11 p.m. That makes it hard for me to participate in many of the activities my RA plans.
COMMENTARY
Break down language barriers with time and attention
“Are ya goin’ to the meetin’ er whaa?”Strung together in quick succession and wrapped in an authentic up-north drawl, the question was nearly incomprehensible on first listen.When I heard it, I just stopped in the middle of the hallway and stared at my teacher, who’d said it. I tried to process, doing a little Yooper-to-English translation in my head.It took me a second, but I got it.
COMMENTARY
College experience is not one size fits all
When a person thinks of what an average college experience is like, a number of stereotypes quickly pop up. For example, they might think of a frat party with excessive amounts of drinking. Or maybe they’ll think of a nerdy kid constantly in the library with his head buried in a pile of textbooks. Neither of those hypothetical college students are doing anything wrong. The truth, however, is a combination of both extremes and everything in between.
COMMENTARY
MSU emergency alert system shocked, but should comfort
Emergency alerts sent out by MSU police after a stabbing on Michigan Ave. Sunday, Sept. 7 weren't well-received. But they should offer some sense of security.
COMMENTARY
Religious persecution a foreign concept to many Americans
The reports from areas under the dominion of the Islamic State have been shocking, to say the least, especially for any of the religious minorities facing persecution. Iraq’s largest Christian city, Qaraqosh, recently fell to ISIS militants, and if their occupation of the city of Mosul tells us anything it’s that the entire situation is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
COMMENTARY
Conquering college — and mental health
Research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness shows that the stigma surrounding mental health is the main reason college students don’t address potential disorders.
COMMENTARY
Obama sees declining approval rating, younger voters turning away
Last week, President Obama’s approval rating reached its lowest point. In a Gallup survey, only 38 percent of respondents said they approve of how he is handling his job. And during Obama’s presidency, his approval rating sunk to that mark seven times.
COMMENTARY
Complete ban on smoking would be too extreme
Apparently, the last great vice of college students in America isn’t drinking, drugs, partying too hard, sleeping around or eating too much unhealthy food in cafeterias — it’s smoking.
COMMENTARY
Letter: ASMSU urges Terri Lynn Land to debate on campus
When we are young, we are painted a bright and idealistic picture of our democracy. We’re told of how members of communities, states and our country come together to discuss issues and select representatives.
COMMENTARY
Land and Peters should debate at MSU, engage young voters
We hold the power of our democracy on a sheet of paper. We make our choices and then drop them into a ballot box. And we are affected, knowingly or not, by the results.
COMMENTARY
Clean up our throwaway culture
Couches were piled on top of each other. Love seats shoved in between made a mix of leather and suede, muted colors and cross-hatched fabric. Minor holes and tears in cushions turned into full rips from heavy rains and cold weather after previous owners left the furniture outside during the harsh winter. It's a scene from one apartment complex that is replicated near dumpsters across East Lansing.
COMMENTARY
Column: Overall health should be more important than weight
Before you begin your first year of college, people always tell you that it is a different experience. They’re right. Coming from a different county made the experience all the more different for me. One such difference that I am still trying to acclimate myself to is my body.
COMMENTARY
Speak up, new Silent Generation
Our generation has been called many names. One label that really sticks out to me is the new Silent Generation.
COMMENTARY
Catcalls and silence can contribute to rape culture on campus
“I love you!” a man shouted at me from the backseat window of his friend’s car. It was my first day of work, and I was sitting on a bench during my lunch break. I decided to be pleasant and jokingly replied that I loved him too. I thought that would be the end of it, but the conversation took a different turn.
COMMENTARY
Connecting with diversity in every corner of MSU
Most of the college experience is shaped by what we do outside of the classroom. It's very important to take the time to step out of your comfort zone and explore what our unique student body has to offer.
COMMENTARY
Military-grade gear shouldn’t be standard for local law enforcement
A Cedar Village riot doesn’t warrant a military tank. But the aftermath of the fatal shooting by a police officer of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., showed that law enforcement agencies are increasingly heavy-handed with their military-style equipment.
COMMENTARY
Military-grade gear shouldn’t be standard for local law enforcement
A Cedar Village riot doesn’t warrant a military tank. But the aftermath of the fatal shooting by a police officer of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., showed that law enforcement agencies are increasingly heavy-handed with their military-style equipment.
COMMENTARY
Value your education — beyond dollars and cents
Our classes cost upwards of $440 per credit hour, and tuition is hovering around $14,000 a year. After accumulating at least 120 credits to graduate, our bachelor’s degrees will give us 98 percent more in hourly earnings than our non-diploma-holding counterparts.
COMMENTARY
LETTER: Undergraduate and graduate governments welcome students
Dear incoming and returning students,On behalf of ASMSU & COGS, we would like to welcome you home to Michigan State University for the 2014-2015 school year.