GEU sends valentines, red roses to Simon petitioning for better contract

Bearing a bundle of arrows, red roses and a bag of valentines, Cupid descended on the Administration Building on Monday. Styling himself "The GEUpid," doctoral student and Graduate Employees Union member Matthew Boyer delivered a bagful of messages from undergraduate and graduate students to the office of MSU President Lou Anna Simon. The valentines, designed by English teaching assistant Ana Holguin, petitioned Simon for better health care, cost of living increases and parking privileges. "This is the number one love holiday of the year," said Melissa Fore, vice president of the GEU.

ASMSU discusses role of advisers

After a disagreement over the involvement of Student Life advisers in ASMSU business affairs, undergraduate representatives and advisers are working to redefine the advisers' role.

Holden Hall floor to go coed

Beginning next fall, the first floor of Holden Hall will become coed by suite. Fred Kayne, associate director for University Housing, said this will be the first addition of a coed floor at MSU in roughly a decade. Holden will join Holmes, McDonel, Case, Wonders and Wilson halls as the only dorms on campus to offer coed housing. Kayne estimated that roughly 900 students lived on coed floors this year. Students with questions can contact the Holden housing office, (517)355-7590.

Students combine cultures, embrace Mexican heritage

Family community services junior Miguel Torres and education freshman Ileana Cortez have different lifestyles at MSU.

Chicano month honors past, present identity

Before Juan Cruz came to MSU four years ago, he did seasonal labor with the rest of his family at a produce farm in Manchester, Mich.

Police briefs 02/15/05

Group houses offer friends, food options

When deciding where to live off campus, some students choose to live in group cooperative houses. The Student Housing Cooperative Inc. offers 12 different houses to pick from, and each have unique qualities about them. Each house divides the chores equally and makes rules regarding how the house should be run. However, the price of the houses vary and do not have a set price. "If the costs of utilities go up, or if the house decides to make a decision, such as to upgrade their cable, that will raise the costs," said Evan Dayringer, member services coordinator for the MSU Student Housing Cooperative.

Some dorms offer 'luxurious living'

Although residence halls might not be the lap of luxury, most of them have special amenities that make living in them a little bit more comfortable. Conveniences such as leather couches, penthouse apartments and bubble tubs are hard to come by on a student's limited income, making MSU students some of the lucky ones. Psychology junior Bianca Johnson didn't know when she applied to live in Holden Hall as a freshman that she could live in an apartment on the seventh floor.

Some people never get over bad dorm life experiences

My first year in the dorms was an experience I try to forget. I want to forget that I was one of the many unfortunate students overassigned to a two-person room, and I was the one forced to move.

State sex offender database can be useful for recovering victims

I've been aware of the Michigan sex offender database for years, but like most people, I've never looked at it that closely.

Signing a lease doesn't have to be a headache

Michael Sanford sat down in November with two other roommates in an apartment complex leasing office - in front of them sat an intimidating 38-page lease. Sanford said they didn't understand the legal jargon in the lease. The door to the office closed and six hours later, the three emerged, victorious - they had signed a lease for their first apartment. "It took so long because I wanted an understanding of the lease and the different fees and prices.

380 sworn in as U.S. citizens

With her grandson by her side to interpret, Saliha Azizi made her way into Wharton Center on Monday to take the oath to become a United States citizen. Originally from Afghanistan, Azizi joined about 380 people from Michigan at the Swearing-In Ceremony of New Citizens.

Major worked with Army Corps of Engineers

By Scott Cendrowski The State News Ken Reed had been through the Iraq experience before. A soldier in the Persian Gulf War, Maj.

State News Tipsters

Make sure if you live in the dorms to bring a fan. There isn't air conditioning in Mason, Abbot, Snyder and Phillips halls and keeping the window open doesn't help at all.

Walking, biking far surpass using cars

I wholeheartedly disagree with the complaint of the student who tried to "inform" the campus road biker about the traffic problem he was causing.

Motorists need to learn to share road

This is in response to Ms. Gallo's,

State News Tipsters

Once you're out of the dorms and cooking on your own, you're bound to have that one roommate who makes tofu pancakes or brussel sprout casserole and won't comply to the college-kid standard of Meijer-brand macaroni and cheese. Yet no matter how quirky your roommates' tastes are, everyone uses the same old stand-bys: Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, margarine, peanut butter, pickles, etc., etc., etc. Even the kid who only eats grilled cheese will need ketchup at some point.

So what's left?

Here's a partial list of apartments and houses still available for rent for next school year. Most leases start in August.

Renting movies on the cheap in dorm video offices

It might be Oscar season, but that doesn't mean you need to shell out $6.50 plus the cost of gas to see a great movie.

Mason event to focus on corn, soybeans

Ingham County MSU Extension will host the 2005 Corn and Soybean Day from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Ingham County Fairgrounds Community Building, 700 E.