COMMENTARY

Liaisons ineffective building relations

While there are many times the media can be blamed for its inaccuracies, it isn’t appropriate to place the blame on The State News for the current lack of a stronger relationship between the student population and the Board of Trustees. Despite the fact we have current board liaisons, it has become apparent this isn’t the most effective mechanism for students to depend on when they have issues.

COMMENTARY

Bowl bound

Congratulations to the MSU football team for clinching its bowl eligibility and giving the seniors one last game to play as Spartans.

COMMENTARY

Lansing students thank U for help

The students of Grand River Elementary in Lansing would like to thank the more than 50 MSU student volunteers they have had in their classrooms this semester.

COMMENTARY

Civil liberties lost with Bush, Ashcroft

Historically, when the United States has been at war, there is always a conflict between defending civil liberties and ensuring security for the nation.

COMMENTARY

History of racism rests on whites

It is amazing the way white folks flagrantly accuse black folks of racism, never once stopping to realize the meaning, history and psychology of such an institution. To be racist is to have the political power to violently assert one’s discriminatory, prejudiced and racially superior views, under the aegis of an uncontested government.

COMMENTARY

New millennium brings memories of past New Years fun, problems

As I begin my last column of the year, I’d like to thank everyone for reading and wish you all a happy holiday season.

COMMENTARY

Respectful inquiry

The FBI inquiry being conducted in Michigan is making many uneasy, but it’s a necessary part of the investigation to stop terrorism - and good things can come out of it. About 25 students and faculty members have been singled out as part of an 800-person survey by the Department of Justice throughout Michigan.

COMMENTARY

DCL selling out with Fieger money

As if the MSU-Detroit College of Law selling its reputation for $4 million is not bad enough, the comments made by the school’s dean, Terence Blackburn, regarding the newly named Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute should send chills up your spine.

COMMENTARY

Not all support raising ASMSU tax

Not everyone in ASMSU is in favor of raising the student tax (“ASMSU: Student-fee increase will improve service,” SN 11/19). While $2 may not be much to some people, there are some attending this university who feel that not only raising the ASMSU tax is unnecessary, but also completely unjustified. With the way the economy is running, it’s certainly obvious costs aren’t going to be coming down any time soon.

COMMENTARY

ASMSU not angry with U trustees

A couple of weeks ago, ASMSU hosted a forum and invited members of the Board of Trustees to discuss the possibility of placing a student on the board.

COMMENTARY

Time out

Michigan’s 2-year-old Life Sciences Corridor seemed to have all the potential of making the state the Silicon Valley for life-benefiting research.

COMMENTARY

Affirmative action inherently racist

Kyle Olson was right when he raised the question, “How can SN support affirmative action?” (SN 11/28). Do you expect us to take The State News’ condemnation of racism seriously when it fully supports state-sponsored racism in the form of affirmative action? Every day, whites, Arabs and Asians are discriminated against when applying to enter a university or even for a job.

COMMENTARY

Close-mindedness too common at U

There is a serious problem on this campus - close-mindedness. As a spokesperson for the group of students involved the Meridian Mall discrimination case, I do not understand how others can judge our group as loiterers, martyrs, opportunists or any other degrading word claiming that we were causing a disturbance or were disrespectful. This story was definitely front page news.

COMMENTARY

Letter missed point about racism issue

I must say, I have read some ridiculous letters to The State News lately, but I think Andy Bledsoe’s takes the cake (“Discrimination affects whites too,” SN 11/30). I was amazed at the blatant lack of understanding Bledsoe displayed of the issues he chose to rant about in his letter. First, he does not seem to understand the difference between racism and discrimination.

COMMENTARY

Low campus voter turnout highlights how worthless voting is

I think voting is worthless. Hang with me here a second - I can back this up. But with a 2 percent voter turnout on campus in the recent election for city council, I don’t think I have to back anything up.

COMMENTARY

Wronged rep.?

Nov. 20’s resignation of ASMSU’s Academic Assembly representative for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences left more questions than answers.Monica Leslie’s departure from the assembly leaves one less hardworking member to represent MSU students.

COMMENTARY

Health cost

The budget cuts caused by the $500 million shortfall in the state budget hurt many beneficial programs, including 19 health care clinics around the state that lost about 75 percent of their funding - a sacrifice that should not have been made.These clinics, which include 14 on school grounds, supply health care to already underserved areas.A 200-person rally outside the state Capitol on Wednesday had parents, students and legislators demanding Gov.

COMMENTARY

Settlement shows store may be guilty

For the past two weeks I have been confused by the ongoing series of letters to this page. Writer after writer has decried the settlement between MSU students and the Deb Shop at Meridian Mall.

COMMENTARY

Ramadan ignored by SN coverage

I am writing in response to the neglect of The State News to acknowledge Ramadan this year. I opened my paper Nov.

COMMENTARY

Payment due

The university could do students a great service by pushing back the due date for tuition bills.A month before classes begin for the spring semester, students have already received their tuition bills and are expected to pay up, one of the earliest billing cycles in the Big Ten.At other schools such as The Ohio State University or Purdue University, students are not expected to pay until about Jan.