Recent Articles
New deans eager to take over colleges
Three new deans will be holding the reins of MSU colleges when students return to campus this fall. The deans were approved by the MSU Board of Trustees on July 17. Satish Udpa, College of Engineering Though the words "cheerleader" and "catalyst" were not used on his résumé, Satish Udpa said his new job as the dean of the College of Engineering incorporates both of these things. He said interacting with students every day keeps him young, and he enjoys sharing his love for engineering with others. "Taking on a problem and coming up with a creative solution is probably the most exciting part of being an engineer," Udpa said.
Preparing to move
The housing and residential life departments have been hard at work to make sure everything is ready for the big Welcome Week move-in. "We are eager for students to move into the dorms," said Jane Olson, an area coordinator for Residence Life.
Mich. public universities experience tuition hike
While Spartans will dish out more green to attend MSU this fall, Wolverines, Chippewas and students at other public universities will do the same. The average tuition increase for undergraduates at Michigan's 15 public universities is 6.7 percent, which officials at several universities attribute to a drop in state funding during the past few years. MSU is relying on tuition for about 60 percent of its budget this year, while 40 percent comes from state appropriations.
Making room
Hundreds of students will still spend the beginning of the semester in overbooked dorm rooms, despite a sharp decrease in the number of available single rooms. There are 420 transitional rooms so far this year — three students living in a space that is designed for two — as compared to about 650 last year.
Students take on government issues
An increase in state funding for higher education was partially caused by students voicing their opinions to Michigan legislators, students and legislators said. ASMSU sought to expand funding for MSU by 2 percent, and the state surpassed the request, giving the university a 3 percent increase in July. ASMSU is MSU's undergraduate student government. Julielyn Gibbons, vice chairperson for external affairs for the Student Assembly, said the funding increase is proof of the organization's work during its Advocacy Week in March.
