Thursday, June 25, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

News

MSU

RHA officials move to new Holden office

Officers with MSU's Residence Halls Association are preparing for this upcoming school year in a new, larger office near their old location. Kevin Newman, RHA president, said he is excited about the new space, G-7 in the basement of Holden Hall.

MSU

MSU asked to shut off power over weekend

Physical Plant officials are asking on-campus students, faculty and staff to turn off any unnecessary electrical devices during the upcoming holiday weekend. Plant employees will be connecting a new high-pressure steam line this weekend as part of a continuing expansion.

MICHIGAN

DTN begins free Napster service for its residents

DTN Management Co. is offering free Napster music subscription services to residents who subscribe to its Spartan-NET Internet service after nearly a year of planning. Between 3,000 and 4,000 residents in 1,500 of DTN's apartment units are expected to be offered the free music download service in August and September, said Richard Laing, director of DTN broadband services. A Napster subscription usually costs $9.95 per month. After receiving complaints from the Recording Industry Association of America and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act concerning DTN residents illegally downloading music and movies, Laing said the rental property firm collaborated with Napster to rectify the complaints. "We know what our residents do &30133; they are a lot of college kids and they download a lot of music and movies which is technically illegal to do," he said.

MSU

ASMSU looks to improve freshman council activism

About 600 freshmen have expressed interest in joining ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, following increased recruiting efforts from the group's staff, officials said. For the first time, the Associated Students of Michigan State University has presented information about the organization and a subgroup, Freshman Class Council, at each Academic Orientation Program this summer as a way to foster interest early in the students' academic careers, said Jessica Kunnath, ASMSU's director of constituent activism. The council didn't do much last year - not enough students joined, some dropped out and they did few visible things for their class, Kunnath said. With unusually high turnout from recruiting at AOP sessions, ASMSU hopes to organize a more active group of freshmen. "The last council for Freshman Class Council kind of just diminished over the year - they weren't putting on any programs, weren't really helping the freshmen," Kunnath said.

MSU

Council meeting emphasizes faculty involvement

An early meeting of the Faculty Council was held Tuesday to inform faculty representatives of the latest news with Academic Governance and to stress the need for maximizing the faculty's voice in the university. New task force proposals included a review process for administrators, a review process for academic programs, communication and transparency and a fixed-term faculty role in governance.

MICHIGAN

Greek members left homeless

When Alex Brown went down to his basement Sunday morning, he realized something was not quite right. A few hours later, Brown - and the 20 other housemates of Alpha Tau Omega - were homeless. The support beam of the main floor, at 251 W.

MICHIGAN

Study: Coffee has antioxidants

Good news for students who drink a cup or two of coffee everyday: A new study conducted at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania shows coffee has antioxidants that are important for the drinker's good health. The study also showed coffee is the number one source of antioxidants for Americans.

MSU

MSU prof finds new heart attack cause

For years, researchers didn't know what cholesterol's role in causing heart attacks is, until an MSU professor realized it's as simple as a bottle of water that's frozen and cracked. "It cuts through membranes, like shards of glass in the artery," said George Abela, a professor in the MSU Department of Medicine, whose findings are published in the September issue of the medical journal "Clinical Cardiology." "That's why you think it can create such a big ouch." Examining the process of heart attacks for about 10 years, Abela found the key was cholesterol located in the wall of an artery.

MSU

Officials continue to examine impact of power loss

Administrators are still in the process of determining the extent of damages to university buildings and equipment two weeks after the most significant power outage on campus in almost six years. Department chairpersons have been asked to report the impact of the outages in their departments to MSU controller David Brower. Brower will then prepare a report for administrators detailing safety and security concerns raised by the power loss and addressing areas requiring more funds to prevent future problems, said Marc Conlin, an administrative assistant in the department of physics and astronomy. "They're trying to look at the overall picture to see where they want to do some things differently," Conlin said.

MSU

Students adapt to facility upgrades

New floors, bleachers, locker rooms and workout equipment are among some of the updated features that greet new and returning students for the first time at IM Sports-West's renovated facility, which opened May 16. The new $5.5 million facility was renovated because the former building was not up to par, said Lawrence Sierra, director of Intramural Sports and Recreation Services.

MSU

Value of 'One Book' event examined

The idea of MSU's "One Book, One Community" requires freshmen to read one book to unite the students and East Lansing residents by having a common interest, but some professors and students differ on the value of the annual program. This year's book assignment, Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner," is mandatory for all freshmen and encourages East Lansing residents to participate in book-related events from Aug.

MICHIGAN

MSU helps Sparrow find pediatrician

MSU and Lansing's Sparrow Hospital have formed a partnership to bring in a pediatric hospitalist, a new addition that will improve care for children with serious illness and disease in Michigan, Sparrow officials said. A hospitalist is a doctor who practices exclusively with the hospital, Sparrow spokesman John Lux said.

MSU

Events recruit mix of minorities

Several minority student groups on campus are seeking new members in freshmen and returning students through informational receptions, which are currently being held. The receptions are a way for interested students and returning members to become acquainted with the organizations, and members say the gatherings are successful recruitment tools. On Sunday, the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs held an open house in the courtyard behind Student Services as its introductory reception. Several university and office officials were on hand for students to meet. Tammye Coles, coordinator for the Black Student Alliance, or BSA, was at the event and said the connections made at these receptions are important. "There has been work done showing (that) students who are, in some way, connected to campus are more likely to seek information or assistance via a professor or student organizations," Coles said.