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.
Inspecting the green fixed-up bike she'd leased from the MSU Bike Project on Tuesday night, Ute Rossler was thankful to have received a bike at all.
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.
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.
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.
It may be the first week of classes, but Abra Jeffers spent Tuesday afternoon poring over a chemistry workbook at the tables outside Espresso Royale Caffe, 527 E.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The hallways of Lyman Briggs School in the basement of Holmes Hall were clean and quiet Monday afternoon.
Sociology Associate Professor Toby Ten Eyck said the news of Hurricane Katrina hitting the New Orleans area takes him back to the time he spent in Louisiana.
Less than a month ago, ASMSU's Web site had half finished pages, broken links and missing information, but with some quick fixes and an outsourced webmaster, the Web site was revamped in time for Welcome Week. "We put as much information on the Web site for students, to show not only what exactly we offer, but what we're giving back to students," said Association Director Jason Bucholz.
Progress on a new on-campus parking ramp located north of Morrill Hall is proceeding on schedule and on budget, university officials said. The construction of Ramp 6 broke ground in May after the completion of the spring semester, but isn't scheduled to be completed until summer 2007. When finished, the $19.5-million structure will rise about five stories tall and offer 730 parking spaces, primarily for faculty and staff members. "It won't be too long before you'll start to see the building take shape above ground," said university engineer Bob Nestle, who is supervising the project. The ramp's external structure will begin to go up in the next two to three months, he said.
Most incoming freshmen have settled into their dorm rooms, but overcrowding might keep some students stuck for days or weeks. On Friday, 220 two-occupant rooms in the residence halls were filled by three instead, said Director of University Housing Angela Brown.
For incoming freshmen, Welcome Week was their first as MSU students, but three new faces on campus have already become a part of university history. Criminal justice freshman Kerrie Schultz, no-preference freshman Kristen Brady and no-preference engineering freshman Michelle Raetz helped MSU President Lou Anna K.
Coordinating a new tailgating program, adding academic minors and revoking an honorary MSU law degree from a foreign president are a few of the things on the student government's to-do list for the school year. ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, met last week to discuss their goals and get ready for the new semester. "I'm looking forward to an active, ambitious and exciting year, which will make our constituents aware of what progress we are able to achieve when we all work together to resolve students' issues," said Roger Ludy, Student Assembly's vice chairperson for internal affairs.
While studying abroad in the Middle East this summer, Danny Rosenberg discussed current events with the locals - but the topic of conversation on everybody's lips involved history in the making. The communication junior was in Israel one week before Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the withdrawal of Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip to begin Aug.
Thousands of new and returning MSU students sang the fight song and posed for a class photograph while ringing in the MSU athletic season Thursday at Spartan Spirit. A Welcome Week pep rally, Spartan Spirit was held inside the newly remodeled Spartan Stadium.