Wednesday, June 10, 2026

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COMMENTARY

Bikers on road must follow traffic laws

In Kristin Bott's letter, "Drivers on campus must respect bikers" (SN 4/05), she asks drivers to be more aware and respectful of bikers who decide to ride in the road. She informs us that according to MSU's regulations, bikers are supposed to be in the road and not on the sidewalks and that vehicles need to give bikers proper spacing and courtesy if they get stuck behind one.

NEWS

Gardener prepares for spring to bloom

Trellises, roses, benches and bulbs fill an often overlooked courtyard tucked behind the Biomedical and Physical Sciences Building. This is just one of 19 main gardening areas on MSU's campus that will soon boast lush greenery and vibrant flowers in the spring weather.

FEATURES

D12 rapper Proof killed in Detroit

Detroit — Proof, a member of rap group D12 and a close friend of Eminem, was shot to death early Tuesday at a nightclub along Eight Mile, the road made famous by the 2002 film that starred Eminem and in which Proof had a bit part. The death of Proof — whose real name is Deshaun Holton — was confirmed by Dennis Dennehy, the publicist for D12's label, Interscope Records, as well as by Detroit police spokesman James Tate. "Memorial service arrangements are still being made, and his friends and family would appreciate privacy during this difficult time," Dennehy said in a statement. MSU communication senior and rapper Joe Perye said the news gave him chills. "He would be the last person you would expect to get killed," said Perye, who knew Proof and many of the artists he worked with.

NEWS

Hinojosa to lead Academic Assembly

Emotions ran high Tuesday as ASMSU officials elected Eric Hinojosa as chairperson for the undergraduate student government's Academic Assembly. Hinojosa, a former Residence Halls Association representative for Academic Assembly, took the gavel from his predecessor, Robert Murphy, and immediately assumed his newly elected position during the meeting. Murphy, who has served ASMSU for six semesters, said he felt odd stepping down from his office after putting "proverbial blood, sweat and tears" into the job.

MSU

Faculty addresses non-MSU work code

A revision to a university policy dealing with faculty's work outside MSU sparked lengthy discussion during Tuesday's Faculty Council meeting. Under the changes, faculty members will now be responsible for reporting to their department administrator about any outside work they do for which they receive financial compensation. The University Committee on Faculty Affairs proposed changes to the university's Outside Work for Pay policy, since the policy hasn't been modified in recent years, committee chairperson Ross Emmett said at the meeting. However, no official authorization from the department administrators is needed and the work only needs to be reported if it deals with the faculty member's academic work at MSU, Emmett said. But several Faculty Council members raised concerns about the vagueness of the policy, such as what type of work qualifies as outside work and what situations are exempt from the policy. "We, as a faculty, have not yet revisited the core of this problem," Dr. Jim Potchen, chairperson of the Department of Radiology, said at the meeting.

COMMENTARY

Studies show violent games not harmless

I am writing in response to the column "Video games not cause of moral decay; politicians must dig deeper" (SN 4/07). Although some very valid points were made, and I wholeheartedly agree that it is much easier to point the finger at video games than at deeper societal issues (such as poor parenting), there still are some very real consequences for people (especially children) who play violent video games. Although I believe that it is decidedly within your rights to play whatever games you would like to, saying that playing violent video games has no consequences simply because you are able to "distinguish between fact and fiction" is an easy excuse, one that does not examine actual scientific fact. Studies by psychologists such as Douglas Gentile and Craig Anderson show significant negative impacts on people who play violent video games, including increased aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). And studies find that violent video games might have even stronger effects on aggression in children because the games are highly interactive, reward violent behavior and because children perform these behaviors repeatedly as they play (Gentile & Anderson, 2003). When it comes to young adults, Sandra L.

MSU

A second chance for Coke

In spite of the University of Michigan's decision Tuesday to begin selling Coca-Cola products on campus after boycotting them since January, MSU students say it won't hinder their campaign against the company. U-M stopped its contract with Coca-Cola on Jan.

COMMENTARY

Campus equality must include everyone, even those with disabilities

Last week a friend of mine had to sit through one of the those dorm floor meetings about tolerance and racial tension on campus. My friend's hall mentor read aloud MSU's anti-discrimination policy, reminding the residents of the university's commitment to treating everyone fairly. What my friend noticed, but probably no one else did, is that her hall is inaccessible to people with physical disabilities.

NEWS

State House candidates agree MSU important to Michigan's economy

The two Democratic candidates for the 69th District State House seat agreed Tuesday night that MSU is critical to helping improve both the state and local economies and promised to advocate increased funding for the university. East Lansing City Councilmember Mark Meadows and teacher Mary Lindemann, who also has experience in social work, took questions from an audience of about 40 students and community members in a debate at Wilson Hall hosted by the MSU College Democrats. The two Republican candidates vying for the seat are John Knowles, an MSU College of Law student, and John Currie, a businessman from East Lansing. Lindemann said Tuesday that MSU has received proportionately lower funding than other state universities. "MSU has a higher percentage of success (than other universities)," Lindemann said.

COMMENTARY

Light up for your right

Dorm dwellers and smokers beware — survey says you might have to light up on the street. After the Residence Halls Association's attempt at surveying students about smoking earlier this year, University Housing is stepping into the debate. But can a public university really ban smokers from smoking in their own homes? Earlier this year, the Residence Halls Association, or RHA, conducted a smoking survey which 1,120 students responded to.

FEATURES

Folds shares stories, involves audience

Ben Folds chucked a stool at his piano twice, conducted the audience in a three-part harmony and invited Big Daddy Taxi cab driver Rick Shaw on stage to play harmonica. The mark of a great concert or any artistic output is a tension between two opposing emotions or ideologies.

COMMENTARY

University processes must be lawful, open

The recent revelations that the MSU Board of Trustees is conducting business behind closed doors, "What's the secret?" (SN 4/04), should come as no surprise. Upon examining the official student life guide MSU publishes each year, Spartan Life, it becomes apparent that the functions of numerous boards of the MSU administration, such as the University Student Appeals Board, or USAB, also deprive students of their right to know what happens during official meetings. The USAB is charged with deliberating appeals filed to the Division of Student Affairs and Services, headed by Lee June, on a wide range of issues. Among the duties entrusted to the USAB is the authority to decide appeals based on due process violations.

MSU

No. of law school applicants on rise

Applications to the MSU College of Law have almost doubled in the past five years, at a time when law school applications nationwide aren't seeing much of an increase. As of April 7, the college received 2,731 applications for fall 2006 admission — just 10 applications short of the total amount received for fall 2005, according to numbers provided by the law college's admissions office.