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MSU

MSU budget feels impact of federal sequester

Olivia Dimmer
November 19, 2013

The 2013-14 budget update was presented at Tuesday’s University Council meeting, with the report stressing the estimated impact of the federal budget sequestration, or series of federal spending cuts, that took more than $16.7 million out of MSU’s research budget alone. “This represents the sequester as it is currently implemented,” MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said during the meeting. “There is another fear of the sequester that if there is no budget deal, there will be a 12 percent decrease effective in the January or February timeframe.”

MSU

Sikh Student Association hosts Turban Day at MSU

April Jones
November 19, 2013

For physiology senior Mohkam Singh, every morning is somewhat the same. The alarm wakes him up about an hour before class; he showers, eats, then begins to get ready for the day. Singh picks out what he will wear without forgetting to add a very important final touch — his turban. “It takes me about 5-10 minutes to tie my turban in the morning,” said Singh, who’s been wearing a head turban since childhood.

FEATURES

Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma listens to students perform

Ariel Ellis
November 19, 2013

“Music is more than we are — we have to go beyond ourselves,” world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma said while pushing students and the audience to feel the music during his masterclass Tuesday. The masterclass was held for the College of Music through a contract Ma had with Wharton Center that also included a Monday night concert.

BASKETBALL

Spartan Kids Ticket Exchange willing to fill empty seats

Casey Holland
November 19, 2013

College sporting events can seem like a whole new world through the eyes of a young child, like something unreachable. An idea struck David Harns, the founder of Spartan Kids Ticket Exchange, when he saw the wonder in his son Elijah’s expression when they attended the 2010 MSU-Notre Dame football game at Spartan Stadium. This happened to be the game of the famous Little Giant play, named for the 1994 movie based around youth football. Harns watched his son, who was only eight years old at the time, as the Spartans worked their magic on the field and said that he felt the impact that seeing it made for his son.

FEATURES

East Lansing resident travels by skateboard for cancer

Anya Rath
November 19, 2013

He’s slept under overpasses, pushed through unrelenting rain, faced the brutality of an unobscured summer sun and wrapped T-shirts around his legs to keep warm. For about four months, East Lansing resident Brian Zygmontowicz traveled from Brunswick, Maine to Key West, Fla. without a penny in his pocket.

COMMENTARY

Renisha McBride killing unjust

Janelle Edwards, Michael Wilson and Tiffany Caesar
November 19, 2013

Whether it happens in our neighborhoods, or other cities or states, we must come together as one community, because this killing and others like it affect us all. As MSU students, faculty and staff, many of us come from Detroit and have loved ones across Michigan; and though we currently live in Lansing, this tragedy has a direct impact on our quality of life.

MSU

Dawkins named as next Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities

Justine McGuire
November 19, 2013

A pool of 100 candidates for MSU’s new Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities, or VP for SIPF, was narrowed down to one today when the recommended candidate was announced. MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon recommended Kemel Dawkins to be the next VP for SIPF. The announcement comes more than two months after Dawkins was named as one of the three finalists for the position.

MSU

MSU study shows classes influence friendships, academic performance

Celeste Bott
November 19, 2013

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.

SPORTS

Izzo displeased with high number of empty seats Monday

Zach Smith
November 19, 2013

Tom Izzo has the best basketball team in the country, but he’s still not totally happy. In the No. 1 MSU men’s basketball team’s 82-67 win against Portland Monday night, there were allegedly 14,797 fans there, but it didn’t seem like that many for Izzo. When the game tipped off, the stadium appeared to be two-thirds full, if that.

MICHIGAN

Politicians: Road funds unlikely to come through

Simon Schuster
November 19, 2013

At his State of the State address in January, Gov. Rick Snyder called for a $1.2 billion increase in funding to repair and maintain Michigan’s roads. But after a meeting last week between Snyder and legislative leaders, that goal seems no closer to completion than the day it was proposed. According to a Michigan Department of Transportation report released in May, the conditions of Michigan’s roadways will begin to decline without a significant increase in funding. To measure the condition of Michigan roads, the state surveys the roads and rates their condition on a scale of “good,” fair” and “poor.” According to data from the Transportation Asset Management Council collected between 2011 and 2012, 13.77 percent of roads in East Lansing are classified in good condition, 57.46 percent are in fair condition and 28.77 percent are in poor condition.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

New Number One

Matt Sheehan
November 18, 2013

Watching the Green and White his whole life, one of Carter Godfrey’s greatest memories was watching the 2000 Spartans win the national title. Now, 13 years later, the agribusiness management junior and the rest of the Izzone are watching their Spartans play as the top-ranked team in the nation. “It’s never been like this in the Izzone before, where there are 700 people waiting outside two hours before the game starts,” the Izzone section leader said. “This year, the upper bowl is way bigger than it ever has been and the campout was three times bigger than it was last year.” The Spartans grabbed the No. 1 ranking in the AP and coaches polls for the first time in nearly 13 years Monday, giving the MSU faithful high hopes as team football team wraps up an impressive season.

BASKETBALL

Stricter ticket policy enforces student-only transfers

Cayden Royce
November 18, 2013

Spartan fans in their respective football, basketball and hockey student section seats will no longer be seeing individuals from outside of MSU filling the bleachers around them. Recent attention toward the revamped student section ticket policy, which allows student section ticket holders to transfer their tickets to the ID cards of other students without a fee, will make it much harder for non-students to attend games in student-specific seats.

MICHIGAN

Insurance company opens on Grand River Avenue

Geoff Preston
November 18, 2013

One of East Lansing’s largest downtown business spaces is officially filled once again as Jackson National Life Insurance Co. opened its doors for business Monday, redesigning and taking over the former Barnes and Noble location at 333 E. Grand River Ave.

MSU

Fencing club works year-round, grabs laughs

Olivia Dimmer
November 18, 2013

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.