Thursday, April 2, 2026

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FEATURES

Girlfight packs a potent punch

When looking at a particular film, there are certain values to look for - certain virtues that can make or break the spirit of a movie.The acting, for example, can lift a film above all of its hurdles, despite how horrible or great the story is.

COMMENTARY

Fraternity taints Spartan image

The image of MSU has improved drastically from the fiery and riotous one just a few years back. The conduct of the students has greatly improved, the football team’s bowl victory and the basketball team’s national championship has helped to broadcast that new image to the rest of the country and the recent actions of MSU President M.

MSU

Byrum visits U, addresses voter registration bill

Dianne Byrum’s weekly coffee hours aren’t what they used to be. But MSU’s representative in the state Senate has never been involved in one of the nation’s most heated congressional races either.Casual gatherings that used to draw only a handful of constituents now lure voters by the dozens - most who are looking to hear what Byrum, D-Onondaga, plans to do if she lands a job in Washington, D.C., come this November.On Thursday, a student-dominated group of about 40 and reporters from The Washington Post and The New York Times gathered at the Union to hear why Byrum thinks she’s more qualified than her opponent, fellow state Sen.

NEWS

U originates from in-state

MSU isn’t a foreign place for most students.Continuing a recent trend, the university’s campus continues to be mostly made up of in-state residents.This year, for instance, about 91 percent of the freshman class are full-time Michigan residents, and preliminary enrollment figures show 80 percent of all MSU students are from Michigan.“That’s common for most public institutions,” said Gordon Stanley, MSU’s director of admissions.Preliminary figures don’t include the thousands of students taking online courses - many who are presumably from other regions of the country.The figures are still being analyzed and will be released in October, but MSU is near the bottom of the Big Ten in that respect, Stanley said.

NEWS

Plan burns smokers

The Ingham County Board of Commissioners is considering a proposal that would ban smoking in all public indoor establishments - including bars and restaurants.The board will hold a public hearing 7 p.m.

MSU

DCL discusses controversial Proposal 1

The MSU-Detroit College of Law held a forum earlier this week to discuss Proposal 1 - which, if approved, would grant parents with children in faltering school districts vouchers to send their children to nonpublic schools. Voters will decide whether to support the state ballot proposal in November’s general election. Sponsored by the Law Review of DCL, the forum focused on the legal and constitutional ramifications of the proposal, specifically whether it would be a violation of the separation of church and state if the voucher was used to send a student to a religious private school. Dissenters insist the proposal is unconstitutional because it takes public tax dollars and invests them in private, and potentially religious, schools. The proposal would grant vouchers to parents with children attending school districts where graduation rates are less than two-thirds. “This is about exploring significant issues in education,” said Peter Koulik, co-chairperson of Wednesday’s voucher forum and note and comment editor for the Law Review. The Law Review is a student-edited academic publication dedicated to the advancement of discussion on timely legal issues. Richard D.

NEWS

Study says campus diversity to bloom

The face of campus could soon change.According to a recent study by the Educational Testing Service, college campuses will become noticeably more racially and ethnically diverse in coming decades.The study, “Crossing the Great Divide: Can We Achieve Equity When Generation Y Goes to College?”, projects the number of undergraduate students qualified to attend higher learning institutions will increase by 19 percent - or 2.6 million students - by the year 2015.And minority students will make up 80 percent of that increase.Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are projected to be the fastest-growing minority.

COMMENTARY

Groups must stay to defend rock

It’s truly a shame that the Culturas de las Razas Unidas’ mural on the rock was painted over, (“Fraternity paints over heritage message on rock,” SN 9/25) a true shame that the members of the CRU didn’t have the pride in what they were painting to stay til dawn and defend it. As long as I’ve been going to MSU, the only way to have your message stay on the rock was to defend it til dawn.

FEATURES

With birthday looming, its time to be a grown-up

In 10 days I will be 22.And it’s about time.I can’t wait to be done being 21 - to not feel like a kid going out on the town for the first time every time I get carded, to not have waitrons squint at me and say, “You’re only 21?” Twenty-one was an enjoyable year, sure, but I am ready to be done with trips to the bar.I was so excited to turn 21, if only so I could go to the bar with my boyfriend or have a glass of wine when I go out for dinner.

COMMENTARY

SN article didnt show true Detroit

Although it was refreshing to see The State News highlight the attractions of Michigan’s largest city, (“Rock City provides a trip into the past,” SN 9/22) Jennifer Meese’s writing displayed a disposition to the city that was ill-informed and amateurish at best. Aside from factual errors - the oxymoron of the Detroit People Mover as an “above-ground subway,” or the claim that the Renaissance Center has four, rather than seven, towers - the piece contained an unfortunate and unnecessary slur on the city’s reputation.

FEATURES

MTV to hold Real World tryouts

This is the true story of an open casting call for the MTV series “The Real World.”Casting directors will hold open call auditions for “The Real World” and “Road Rules” from 10 a.m.

SPORTS

Womens soccer gears up for Indiana road trip

The MSU women’s soccer team will play the latter half of a four-game road trip this weekend - a trip that claimed two players to ankle injuries last weekend.MSU (7-1-0 overall, 2-1-0 Big Ten), will look to prevent any further slide in conference play after a 2-1 defeat by Illinois last Sunday.