Michigan State’s Independent Voice
FALL HOUSING GUIDE 2024
WEST VS. EAST: Students discuss differences in living near Okemos or Lansing
By Hannah Locke hlocke@statenews.com
When deciding whether to live on the east or west side of East Lansing, the biggest decision you’ll be making is between the hustle and bustle or the calm and secluded.
History and social studies education junior Kat Paloyan lives near Hannah Plaza, which is off North Hagadorn Road, closer to Okemos on the east side. She said this side tends to be calmer.
“The east side has less people, foot traffic,” Paloyan said. “During game days and stuff, it’s a little bit more peaceful, or at least… it can be a little more quiet.”
The lack of hustle and bustle also pertains to days without sporting events. Interactive media and game design senior
neighborhoods like the Lansing side to the bars, and they’ll be pretty loud, and it kind of sucks,” McElhoe said.
McElhoe also had the experience of living on the Okemos side, as he lived in a house on North Hagadorn last year. He said that at times he misses the calm of Okemos.
“It was a lot more quiet,” he said. “While North Hagadorn is like a major road… there aren’t nearly as many students just walking around it all the time.”
Apartments on the Lansing side tend to be closer to campus and the life of Grand River. McElhoe said this is something to consider when deciding where to live.
“I think if you’re someone who really likes going out, like with people, then living on the Lansing side so close to Grand River is definitely the move,” McElhoe said.
The buses he has access to now follow the 30 routes, all of which are free because they travel on campus.
“Living on the east side feels a little further away compared to if you live right above campus, or towards the more west side,” Paloyan said.
With the seclusion of the east side, it also comes with the cost of a longer commute. When compared to the west, the east is much more spread out.
Psychology junior Hannah Ajumobi said the distance can also make getting to campus harder, especially if you are someone who prefers commuting on foot rather than driving.
“The walkability, to me, is something that I don’t love,” Ajumobi said. “The trail system and stuff is pretty good, but it’s still pretty hard to cross Hagadorn and stuff, and the accessibility to campus isn’t
For those in Okemos, the distance can put somewhat of strain on the social life
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Hurriya Coalition protestors demand divestment from the university outside of President Guskiewicz’s investiture at the Wharton Center on Sept. 29, 2024. During their pleads, another group of protestors inside started chants such as “Kevin, Kevin, what do you say? How many kids have you killed today?” The protestors inside the investiture ceremony joined the rest of the group outside shortly after being escorted out of the Wharton Center by the police. Photo by Brianna Schmidt.
AMENITIES DIRECT STUDENTS TO THEIR OFF-CAMPUS HOMES
By Anna Layden alayden@statenews.com
With the various amenities offered at apartment complexes off campus, there are many options for MSU students to weigh as they explore the features that set each complex apart.
There are dozens of apartment complexes available to students, one popular choice being Campus Village.
“We offer a 24/7 gym and yoga facility, along with a study space, lounge and grill,” Kylea Montel, the community assistant at Campus Village, said.
Montel said Campus Village has a commitment to fostering an active lifestyle, and when paired with its tranquil study environment, the complex is an attractive choice for students.
This combination of fitness and relaxation creates a well-rounded living experience that appeals to a diverse range of students, Montel said.
These amenities play a crucial role in shaping students’ living experiences. For nursing junior Vivian Diller, it was the variety of amenities at SkyVue
Apartments that got her hooked.
“At SkyVue, the amenities include lots of study lounges, a sky lounge, a hot tub, and a lounge area outside with TVs, a gym, and in-unit laundry,” Diller said.
The communal spaces encourage socialization and collaboration among students, which Diller said creates a “lively atmosphere” at the complex.
While currently searching for her next home, human biology sophomore Shea Willette leans toward an apartment that is “close to campus, has good study areas, is well-maintained, has a good gym and includes some furniture.”
Willette’s priorities reflect a trend among students who value convenience and functionality in their living spaces. Proximity to campus minimizes commute times, allowing for more time to focus on studies and extracurricular activities. Some apartment complexes farther from campus include complimentary bus passes as well.
For students who drive, proximity means little if they don’t also have a place to park.
Diller said when considering an
apartment, the parking situation can weigh heavily for students who plan to have friends visit or who have their own cars. Some complexes offer free parking while others have to pay, making the cost of parking another factor to consider. Diller said her apartment complex has free parking for her and her guests. Campus Village also includes parking that comes with signing a lease, Montel said.
Another amenity to consider is laundry. Most students can get used to the comfort of having laundry as they live in a dorm. Diller said one main factor in her apartment hunting is in-unit laundry.
“We didn’t want to have to leave our apartment to do our laundry or have to pay for each load,” Diller said. The variety of amenities offered at apartment complexes can significantly influence students’ housing decisions. Whether it’s the “lively atmosphere” that Diller describes at SkyVue, the appeal of free parking or the prefurnished apartment that Willette is looking for, each element can play a crucial role in making a complex feel like home.
Skyvue apartment complex, located at 3165
E Michigan Ave. State News file photo.
Ingham County residents struggle with quality, affordable housing
By Jessica Pruitt jpruitt@statenews.com
The Ingham County Health Department’s (ICHD) Health Impact Assessment (HIA) supports the lingering concerns from students that Ingham County residents have a lack of quality and affordable housing in East Lansing.
The county’s Health Impact Assessment was conducted through the Innovative, Collaborative, Empowering Fair and Affordable Housing Initiatives (ICE) housing plan, a 5-year strategy for improving housing conditions. HIA provides background information on health concerns in relation to housing so that the ICE housing plan can better suit these issues.
“There are many things that could be done to address housing issues in Ingham County,” Innovation and Planning Manager for ICHD Amanda Darche said.
The HIA concluded that communities in Ingham County are facing a crisis in the availability of safe, healthy and affordable rental housing.
“(Landlords and property managers) know we don’t have any options, so they will
continue to increase rent every year for everyone,” Michigan State University political science and AAAS senior Nel Robinson said.
While students struggle with rent, they also face a number of concerns at their rental properties including broken shower doors, broken refrigerators, broken stoves and holes in ceilings that haven’t been replaced or fixed.
“My washer has been on its last legs for a year now and they keep ignoring the maintenance reports because it’s still functioning,” MSU graduate Alexys Williams said.
Housing maintenance, affordability, fair housing, access to community services and the need for a variety of housing options were the top five priority housing issues in the survey included in the HIA. There is a shared understanding among the community and students that these housing issues need to be addressed.
Williams said along with her washing machine, her water heater has been replaced multiple times due to detection of carbon dioxide and she has been experiencing difficulty with her stove.
“Nothing has changed in the apartment since I moved here,” Williams said, who moved into The Landings at Chandler Crossing after rumors that it was the best among the options for student housing. “It honestly has gotten worse.”
The HIA found that students affected by the
lack of affordable housing are most likely to cut back on health care necessities to cover their housing costs. Other evidence has also linked unaffordable housing to high stress and poor mental health.
“I feel like I’m kinda shuffling for rent these days, I wasn’t anticipating paying this much for rent,” Williams said.
Robinson said she is currently experiencing a $200 increase in rent at Victory Student Apartments, causing her to struggle both financially and mentally.
“I’m stressed all the time because it’s such a huge increase,” Robinson said. “I was already having problems affording it last year because rent is so high here, in East Lansing.”
As students continue to face issues involving the quality of housing and its affordability, students recommend creating more student housing, creating policies to combat unfairness among landlords, as well as action on the proposed ICE housing recommendations. Other resources that residents can utilize include The Housing Resource Guide for residents seeking questions concerning housing.
Obituary for Dr. Aaron Irving Galonsky
Dr. Aaron Irving Galonsky, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy at Michigan State University, passed away peacefully on August 18, 2024, at the age of 95.
Aaron was born on April 18, 1929, to Victor and Sadie (Hyman) Galonsky in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up with his parents and older sister, Mildred, during the Depression. Aaron attended Brooklyn College and then earned a PhD in physics from the University of Wisconsin. His career began at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, and ultimately he joined the Physics and Astronomy Department at Michigan State University, where he worked for 37 years. At MSU he taught physics classes, mentored graduate students and performed physics experiments at the Cyclotron Laboratory.
In 1975 Aaron moved the entire family to Jülich, Germany for a one-year sabbatical where he worked at a nuclear research facility, Kernforschungsanlage (currently renamed Forschungszentrum Jülich). Subsequently, he collaborated on physics experiments with colleagues from all over the world, both at MSU and their home institutions in Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, France, Brazil and Japan.
Aaron met his future wife, Marion Weber, at the University of Wisconsin Student Union in January 1950, when they both wanted to listen to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in the music room. They married in January 1951. Aaron and Marion became avid travelers, riding mules to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and
exploring Yosemite National Park. In 1955 they set sail for what they imagined would be a once in a lifetime trip to Europe. Instead, it led to a lifetime of travel. Their 64-year marriage, lasting until Marion’s death in 2015, thrived on raising their three children and traveling to U.S. National Parks and visiting countries around the world.
Aaron’s green thumb allowed him to cultivate a beautiful flower and vegetable garden. His love of dogs ensured one or two wagging tails were often nearby. He ran many distance races and competed in the Georgia Half-Marathon at the age of 82. He grew up a Brooklyn Dodgers fan but also cheered for the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Tigers, and of course, he cheered most for the Michigan State Spartans!
Aaron was predeceased by his loving wife Marion, his parents and his sister Mildred Galonsky. He is survived by his three children, Marc (Patricia Dietz) Galonsky, Lee Anne (David) Sanderson, and Bruce (Barbara) Galonsky and six grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. at the MSU Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, 640 South Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Aaron’s honor to the Galonsky International Research and Travel Award at Michigan State University: https:// givingto.msu.edu/gift/index.cfm?SMID=A51046
Illustration by Aryanna Dorsey.
FROM COVER: WEST VS. EAST: STUDENTS LIVING IN OKEMOS OR LANSING
“It does feel ultimately disconnected, which can be good for more privacy and more like being away from people,” Palyon said.
“But then if I want to have friends over, it’s a bit more of a trip for everyone.”
Ajumobi ultimately prefers this sense of privacy, as it is likely that you’ll still have chances to interact with fellow students.
“What I like about it is the area I’m in is…
my whole apartment building is students,” Ajumobi said. “So I don’t necessarily feel too disconnected in that way, because there’s still a big student scene. It’s just not as condensed as on (the Lansing) side.”
The accessibility to grocery stores is another benefit that comes with the Okemos side of East Lansing. Okemos has a wide variety of grocery stores ranging from Meijer and
Target, to Trader Joes and Whole Foods.
“Since I’m able to have a car, for going to get groceries or going to anywhere, really, it’s more like a five to 10 minute drive instead of like a 20 or 30 minute drive, because I don’t have to go through campus to get to Okemos,” Paloyan said.
Ultimately, where you decide to live has a lot to do with personal and lifestyle preferences.
“If the person I was talking to went out a lot more, you know, really craved the on-campus feel, I would definitely suggest living more on campus or in Lansing,” Ajumobi said. “But if it’s someone more like me, who’s more like a homebody and just values practicality and stuff, then I would definitely suggest Okemos.”
MSU’s plant parents recommend greenery to liven up dorms
By Anna Barnes abarnes@statenews.com
Decorating with houseplants is an easy way to add nature into living spaces, with some being more low-maintenance than others, perfect for busy college students.
Horticulture junior Zander Collins said he owns an excessive amount of plants and he enjoys experimenting with them.
“I like the plants and I like to propagate them,” Collins said. “I like taking cuttings of them to see how I can manipulate their growth.”
Collins said he has a garden in his hometown but he can’t break ground for one in his offcampus house. Instead, he pot-gardens when he can and owns over 50 house plants. Collins recommends snake, ZZ, and Monstera plants for students.
year dorm are still alive now, even after he conducted experiments on them for his class.
“Freshman year, I had a few plants that I actually tried to kill for a science experiment and they just wouldn’t die,” Stys said. “I was like watering them with Coca-Cola and Mountain Dew for a month straight and my mom actually still keeps them at home.”
he keeps them in his apartment where the sun hits and they have been thriving.
The snake plant looks similar to a large blade of grass and is hard to kill, he said.
“It is very easy to take care of because the only thing that really kills it is overwatering,” Collins said. “I’ve seen it left in the dark for a whole year and then come back. It requires very little light and very little water.”
He said the Monstera requires more water but if placed in a spot with good lighting, it will thrive.
“It loves whatever you put it in as long as you re-pot it every so often,” Collins said. “Otherwise it will break your pot. It’ll grow like crazy once it gets comfortable.”
He said the ZZ plant resembles a succulent but is similar to the snake plant in maintenance.
“The ZZ plant is commonly used in offices and low light conditions because it can handle such low light and still show rapid growth,” Collins said. “It can also handle high light and same with the snake plant. They can handle pretty much any light condition you put them in.”
Communication, leadership and strategy senior Michael Stys said he would recommend succulents and cacti as great house plants. He said succulents he kept in his freshman
Crop and soil sciences senior Mia Hahn is another proud plant-parent. She owns 15-20 houseplants just in her East Lansing house and recommends pothos plants.
“You can keep it in water and it only grows about a foot a year and the leaves don’t get very big, which is cute for keeping in the dorm because then it doesn’t take up too much space,” Hahn said. “Or you can stick it in dirt and the leaves are gonna get bigger. I have a few hanging from my ceiling right now.”
Hahn said she has kept plants since she was in middle school and some of those plants are still alive now. She also said plants are great for at-home experiments.
“You get to watch them and you see them change,” Hahn said. “You kind of get to do
different things to them and see if they care about it or not. You can change watering schedules, you can change the amount of sunlight they get, you can get grow lights.”
Hahn said houseplants are a great way to occupy your time but you can also ignore them
for a while without having to worry much.She said she owned plants her sophomore year too.
“Especially for dorms, I recommend a snake plant,” Hahn said. “They’re super fun and your dorm mate’s mother will always compliment them when she comes over.”
Crop and soil sciences senior Mia Hahn keeps an assortment of houseplants from snake plants to pothos next to her window. Photo illustration by Zachary Balcoff. Photo by Liz Nass.
STAYING SAFE ON RIDESHARE APPS: ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE AND WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
By Hannah Holycross hholycross@statenews.com
Rideshare apps have proved to be a popular way for students to get around campus and East Lansing, but getting into a stranger’s car can sometimes lead to uncomfortable or frightening situations for passengers. Though data shows using rideshare is overwhelmingly safe, there are ways to be best prepared.
EXERCISING CAUTION WHEN USING RIDESHARE
East Lansing Police Department
Lieutenant Adrian Ojerio said the best way to ensure your safety while using a rideshare app is to be mindful of your surroundings.
“After you book a ride and before you get into the vehicle, make sure that you verify the driver and the vehicle that you booked is actually the car that you’re trying to get
into,” he said.
You should also track where your driver is taking you using GPS, he said, to ensure that they are taking you in the right direction to your destination. He also recommends that riders who are alone share their location with a friend or family member so they can know where they are.
It is also important to check if a vehicle is damaged when the driver arrives, Ojerio said.
“Rideshare companies don’t always have the manpower or the staffing to check vehicles that apply to be rideshare vehicles, so if you see a car that’s heavily damaged or it’s just in ill repair, it would be advisable that maybe the vehicle itself just might not be a safe vehicle to ride in,” he said.
In the case of a damaged car or reckless driving, Ojerio said passengers can report it directly to the rideshare application so the company can flag the drivers.
Riders who feel uncomfortable or fear for their safety can always call 911, he added. In this situation, he recommends ending the ride as soon as possible and requesting to be dropped off in a well-lit, high traffic area.
When it comes to issues with rideshare apps, Ojerio said the most common problem in East Lansing isn’t the drivers, but rather the riders who try to get into vehicles that are not rideshare vehicles.
“We have had multiple instances where people are not paying attention and they’re not aware of their surroundings when they try to get into vehicles that are not rideshares,” he said. “That presents a problem because now we have people entering private citizens’ vehicles unwanted.”
Ojerio said the police sometimes see problems with drivers requesting “extra” things from riders, such as more tips, money or phone numbers of passengers.
“We fully support calling the police if you have those types of issues,” he said.
STUDENTS’ UNCOMFORTABLE EXPERIENCES
Another issue is drivers trying to get riders to use their services outside of a designated rideshare app, which can present dangers as the rides and driver cannot be tracked via an apps.
Human biology sophomore Aubrey Hessbrook said she experienced this one night about a year ago.
Hessbrook said she called for a ride using Uber, a popular rideshare app, and a younger-looking driver arrived to pick up her and her friends.
Hessbrook said that throughout the ride, the driver made her uncomfortable by talking about previous riders who had “hit on him” or made advances toward him.
“He really wanted us to know that girls always tried to be very personal with him,” she said.
At the end of the ride, the driver handed Hessbrook what appeared to be a business
card. He encouraged Hessbrook and her friends to directly call him the next time they needed a ride instead of booking one through Uber, claiming it would be an easier and cheaper alternative.
Hessbrook, having been unsettled by the experience, decided to do away with the business card.
Communications sophomore Ava Gioffre and communications sophomore Ella Comerci had a similar experience, except in their case the driver offered them free rides. They accepted the offer, not yet knowing the risks associated with it.
Gioffre and Comerci took four “off-app” rides before various uncomfortable incidents made them stop.
Having first encountered the driver using a rideshare app, they were intrigued by his “chill” behavior that set him apart from other drivers.
Because of this, Comerci and Gioffre weren’t surprised when he said he would offer them free rides if they added him on Snapchat, a social media platform.
Comerci said the driver showed them all the other girls he had saved in his phone that he gave rides to, who she noted were predominantly freshmen students. He also told them that girls would frequently call him while they were in the car, showing that he genuinely offered these services through a third-party app.
Gioffre and Comerci became unsettled when he began making flirtatious comments during rides.
“He started saying things like, ‘Oh, what if we just drove back to my house?’” Gioffre said.
Comerci said the driver would jokingly pretend to swerve into oncoming traffic to scare them and would say things like “don’t get your panties in a twist.”
The final straw for them was when the driver began Snapchatting Gioffre about things not related to ride services, which prompted her to block him.
Ojerio emphasized the importance of reporting drivers who participate in uncomfortable or dangerous behavior to the rideshare apps directly so they can be removed from the general pool of drivers who do a good job.
Safety data and rideshare features
Despite some students’ experiences, the data shows these incidents are rare.
Uber’s most recent safety report, which is from 2021-2022, shows that out of 1.8 billion U.S. trips from January 2021 to December 2022, 99.9998% ended without a critical safety incident of the kind included in the report.
The number of sexual assaults reported in an Uber during 2021-2022 was 2,717, making the frequency of them occurring approximately 1 in 700,000. The frequency of Uber-related fatalities was approximately 1 in 12 million.
The report also highlights the various
safety features on the app, including the ability to share your trip with friends or family and an in-app emergency button that can be used to contact emergency services. There is also a RideCheck feature that detects long stops, unexpected routes or potential crashes, prompting an in-app message to be sent to the driver and passenger.
Uber conducts thorough background checks on potential drivers, according to the website. Its requirements state that a driver must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license, need one year of U.S. driving experience and must have a current license without disqualifying restrictions.
Certain criminal convictions as well as certain pending charges can disqualify a driver from being hired. Disqualifying convictions include felonies, violent crime or sexual offenses.
Another popular rideshare app called Lyft has similar criteria for its background checks.
Lyft also has a pretty clean safety record, with the most recent from 2020-2022 saying that 99.999% of rides were completed without any safety incidents. There were a total of 2,651 sexual assaults reported, meaning the frequency of one occurring was about 1 in 540,000.
When used properly by both the rider and driver, Ojerio said rideshares have made a positive difference in East Lansing.
“Ridesharing is an extremely important feature that the police department has noticed has successfully reduced the number of drunk driving since the implementation of ride sharing, so it does serve a very valuable function,” Ojerio said. “There’s a lot of good rideshare drivers out there but as always, there’s always a few that are bad.”
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
There are also alternatives to rideshare apps offered through the university. ASMSU Safe Ride is a free late-night transportation service provided to members of the MSU community.
Rides can be requested through the Transloc app, where students can log in using student credentials and can call rides to pick them up from on-campus buildings, off-campus apartments and off-campus work locations.
Another alternative is the MSU CATA ‘Night Owl’ which provides late night and early morning campus service at times when other CATA bus services are not in operation.
Rides are only available to on-campus locations and can be requested by calling 517-432-8888.
State News File Photo.
MSU rugby club provides recreational outlet for women on campus
By PJ Pfeiffer Ppfeiffer@statenews.com
At 7 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, MSU’s East Neighborhood is fairly quiet.
Approaching the Vet Med Field, however, cheers, roars and grunts are heard from every angle.
It’s not a concert or rally or gathering of even fifty people. It’s pandemonium caused by the women who make up the MSU Rugby Football Club.
These MSU students dedicate at least six hours of the week to rugby, not including games, travel or individual practice. This time commitment is no concern to the club athletes, who are passionate about the sport and spending time with teammates, on and off the field.
Forestry sophomore Zoey Rashott joined the rugby team ahead of this season.
“We all want to be here and want to play, and it shows,” Rashott said. “We all have great heads on our shoulders.”
The rugby season, which entails seven
games – five home and two away – started Aug. 31 and finishes Nov. 2.
Each player has a different story, whether that be their respective backgrounds in rugby – or lack thereof – or how they stumbled upon the club. When they’re all together on the field, they assemble and create great team chemistry.
“They’re all my best friends and I love coming out to practice, even if I have 50 hours of homework to do,” biochemistry and molecular biology senior Ryn Van Winkle said.
Creative advertising senior Claire Reinhardt, the team’s public relations and social media chair and four-year member, joined the team because her sister played rugby at MSU and convinced her to try out.
Through the team, Reinhardt said she’s been able to get to know “everyone on a very intimate, personal level,” from practice and team social events. This synergy is necessary, she said, because rugby is such a “gritty” sport. Tackles, scrums, rucks, and mauls all describe plays where two players – on the same team or not – have to use
or battle each other for possession. It’s not a sport for the faint-hearted.
Creative advertising sophomore Meryl Peterhans is in her second year with the club, having played for two years in high school. Though initially nervous to join, she realized how accepting the club is for everyone.
“I felt like I fit in on the first day,” Peterhans said. “I was terrified to join. I’m just nervous about that stuff, but the team is super accepting. They’re fun girls.”
Both Rashott and advertising management sophomore Keira Concannon joined the club this season with no prior rugby experience, but quickly found that the team leaders created a positive environment to ensure everyone could learn the basics.
Though the English sport has become increasingly popular in the United States, club members believe it deserves more recognition. Not many people know MSU has a rugby club, they said.
Players said they want more attention so other women at MSU can join an
accepting, positive and competitive environment. Reinhardt said because the club’s atmosphere is beneficial to new and veteran players, the women are can form connections with anyone on the team.
Concannon said more recognition around campus would allow novicelevel rugby players like herself to join the squad. It’s not a popular sport at the university, she said, but could be with more recognition.
For some of the students, the club is vital for a multitude of reasons.
Peterhans said she’s been able to track her self-improvement over the years. Van Winkle said she’s become more outgoing and had more fun with the club. Rashott and Van Winkle both referred to the club as “an outlet” that empowers confidence for women on campus.
“I’ve gained a lot of confidence, just as a person,” Reinhardt said. “This sport’s definitely something where you have to have confidence, and I think that’s helped me a lot and it’s given me more of a voice.”
Michigan State University rugby football club president Isabel Perez gets tackled to the ground during practice at the Vet Med Field on Sept. 16, 2024. The team was preparing for their match against Purdue University on Sept. 21, 2024. Photo by Alexis Schmidt.
MSU women’s hockey frustrated by lack of support from MSU
By Jason Benedek jbenedek@statenews.com
The MSU women’s hockey season will officially start the first week of October, but the ACHA Division I team isn’t considered a club at MSU.
It applied to be a club and got denied, so the members that make up the organization are in charge of their own funding for buses, hotels, uniforms and ice time for practice.
“Those bills add up,” junior defenseman Gracie Anderson said.
“All of us are still paying full tuition at Michigan State and we’re up against a lot of schools who can give their girls scholarships. We’re on an uphill battle when it comes to stuff like that.”
Most of the teams in the Central Collegiate Women’s Hockey Association, or CCWHA, are funded by their respective universities. Michigan State’s team is on its own despite being located in Michigan, one of hockey’s biggest hotspots around the world.
The players attribute the lack of funding to a shortage of team recognition around campus.
“We come to the rink every day and work our butts off, and nobody even knows that we have a women’s hockey team,” senior winger Asher Printzen said. “At the end of the day, we’re doing exactly what the men are doing, except they’re getting everything.”
The women also said they don’t
receive any of the accommodations the men do.
“Not even being backed by the Michigan State Athletics really hurts us,” Anderson said. “We can’t even use the facilities here at Munn. We have to use a visitor locker room and we have to move our bags back and forth every single day. We can’t even keep our gear at the rink because, apparently, the men’s football team stores their water bottles there during the year. It is extremely unfair.”
In 2022, Munn Ice Arena underwent renovations to its weight room, shooting stations, player’s lounge, training area and coach offices. The women’s team isn’t allowed to use any of those new additions.
“They got a brand-new facility handdrawn up and hand-made for the men, and we still have to pay for ice and rent out ice, even though we play the same exact sport they do,” fifth year winger Morgan Leib said. “At the end of the day, it just looks like straight sexism.”
The team doesn’t just want support from MSU athletics, but the student body itself.
“We have such a great arena,” Printzen said. “There is absolutely no reason why we can’t and don’t fill up the stands with student fans to support us in our games. We need a student section to support us, boost our confidence and give as another reason to have pride in the university we are representing when we are playing hockey.”
First year head coach Theresa DiMaggio has stepped into the helm after the team went 10-12-2 last season and finished fifth in the CCWHA standings. Before her first season with the Spartans officially started, DiMaggio had noticed the lack of recognition for the team on campus.
“We’re representing Michigan State on our jersey,” DiMaggio said. “We’re traveling all around the United States wearing Michigan State on our jerseys and bringing in all these girls from all over the continent to play club hockey here, and I think that deserves recognition.”
Last Saturday, Sept. 21, the team played its first contest of the 2024 season, a scrimmage against Lawrence Tech. The Spartans won 3-2.
This winter, the team looks to win its fourth CCWHA championship, its first since 2013. The first game of its season is slated for Oct. 4 against Miami of Ohio. MSU’s home opener is Oct. 6 against Grand Valley State at 3:30 p.m.
“We want to bring more recognition to the women’s ice hockey team here at Michigan State because we deserve it,” Leib said. “We put in just as much work as the men’s team and we want the help we deserve. We need the funding and the resources, because we know deep down that we could bring in so many other women on our team and show them how great it is to play women’s hockey for Michigan State.”
The Michigan State Division I women’s hockey team practice at Munn Ice Arena on Sept. 19, 2024. Photo by Brendan Mullin.
Lebanese Student Association makes bracelets in solidarity with Lebanon
By Anish Topiwala atopiwala@statenews.com
MSU students in the Lebanese community gathered Wednesday evening to brighten one another following recent events in Lebanon.
The Lebanese Student Association held a bracelet making event in solidarity with Lebanon in Kedzie Hall, for all of the Lebanese community to take part in.
Conflicts between Israel and Lebanon have intensified over the past weeks, with the war in Gaza heightening tension between the two nations.
Days of bombing campaigns were launched by Israeli military forces near and within the capital of Lebanon, Beirut. These were in response to earlier attacks conducted by Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, toward Israel. Attacks came to a climax when Israel invaded the nation on Monday.
With the ongoing turmoil, finance junior and
LSA President Dina Younes said students “need the community more than ever.”
Younes is from Michigan, but for international students coming from Lebanon to study here, she said this club and event can provide them with a space to connect with their heritage.
“The focus is making sure that students feel like they have a home away from home,” Younes said.
Last year, the LSA also held a bracelet making event in solidarity with Palestine. Younes said she wanted to continue this as it allows for people to de-stress in the midst of everything.
Younes said she still has family in Lebanon, including her grandma.
“I think a lot of us still have ties there, so I hope they’re doing OK,” she said.
Additionally, some members are international students who only left Lebanon a month ago when the semester began, Younes explained.
“Seeing what’s happening on the news is honestly really stressful, and it makes it difficult
to focus at school,” Younes said. “Focusing on other commitments, it’s difficult. So having an event where people can just come to relax and be around people who understand what’s happening, that’s the biggest reason why we do these.”
Though just a single community gathered on campus last night, Younes said everyone on campus should pay attention to what’s going on in the Middle East. As a business student, she said these conflicts can affect not just people but also businesses worldwide and global economics.
Even more so, Younes said she wants people to put themselves in Lebanese people’s shoes.
“If this could happen to this group of people, it could happen to anyone,” she said. “That’s why I feel like people should care in any way that they can. Whether it’s donating, fundraising, or just spreading the word so people have their eyes on what’s happening in the Middle East. I don’t think it’s right to just be on standby when this is happening.”
Since these developments have been so recent, the university hasn’t had much time to react. But Younes would like to see some resources provided to those affected.
Younes said the university provides funding to LSA for events like this, and would like to see more support through funding to host more students since they’re going through a period of hardship. She would also like to see the university communicate with students and provide resources to those affected, either directly or indirectly, by these conflicts, Younes said.
“Because they’re attending this institution, they should feel like resources are being given to them,” she said, adding that resources for those impacted would show a sense of understanding
from the university.
Dina Shulaiba, a senior studying experience architecture and a member of LSA, came to support her Lebanese friends.
“Personally, I’m not Lebanese, but I did grow up in a predominantly Lebanese neighborhood,” Shulaiba said “My best friend lives there. She’s Lebanese, and most of my friends are Lebanese. So I do feel connected to the culture, the people.”
Being Middle Eastern herself, Shulaiba said it is difficult to see the passiveness with which conflicts and tragedies in the Middle East are discussed.
“Day after day having friends experiencing the deaths of family members and expecting to keep going to class, keep doing their work and not really (being) allowed to speak about it because of how heavily censored and taboo the topic is,” she said. “It’s added a lot of stress to the community.”
Shulaiba said the university could do a better job of listening to their Middle Eastern and SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) students.
Near the end of the event, LSA secretary Marissa Habhab, a junior studying human resources and labor relations, said the turnout was great to see as they were able to provide people with a much-needed fun space.
“I think it was great that we can provide a destressing event,” Habhab said. “I know a lot of people are really stressed out, really emotional right now, so to be able to provide a fun space for all of us to come together was really nice.” Habhab said LSA plans on discussing ways to support Lebanon through fundraising events to donate to organizations like the Lebanese Red Cross in the next eboard meeting.
A member of the Lebanese Student Association picks out different beads featuring the colors of the Lebanese flag for their bracelet at the Bracelets for Lebanon event on Oct. 2, 2024. Photo by Rachel Lewis.
By PJ Pfeiffer ppfeiffer@statenews.com
The offseason for MSU men’s basketball has officially become the preseason.
With less than two weeks until the Spartans’ first game of the season, an exhibition at Northern Michigan University, the team has improved in the eyes of head coach Tom Izzo.
Izzo said in the preseason, the team has faced minor inconsistencies and injuries but practiced well overall.
From the offseason to the preseason, many players have been practicing in new positions. Izzo said senior guard Jaden Akins has become a leader and players like junior forward Jaxon Kohler, sophomore forward Coen Carr and senior forward Frankie Fidler have shown improvement on both sides of the floor. Akins has done a “much better job” this
preseason, Izzo said, playing harder and “more like a veteran.” Izzo said Akins has been talking to teammates, encouraging them and trying to help them.
“All the things you’d like an upperclassman to do,” Izzo said after practice Tuesday.
Fidler, a highly-touted wing transfer from University of Omaha, has caught Izzo’s eye. The 30-year head coach at MSU said the 6-foot-7 Fidler has become one of the his most efficient players and best shooters.
Last season at Omaha, Fidler averaged 20.1 points per game, shooting 45% from the field and 36% from three over 33 games.
Carr, who Izzo called “not a great shooter,” has gotten “much better defensively” and made meaningful strides this offseason. In the 20232024 season, Carr totaled 18 blocks, 18 steals, and 64 rebounds.
Izzo said Kohler is in the best shape he’s been in at MSU, consistent on both sides of the court. Last season, Kohler sat until mid January after receiving foot surgery but still played in 21 games, shooting 44% from the field and picking up 11 blocks and 42 rebounds.
As a whole, the Spartans are moving the ball well, rebounding better and playing harder, Izzo said. Players are switching positions. Different lineups are being used. This, Izzo said, is extremely important to practice ahead of their first game.
“People have to learn to play with new bodies,” Izzo said. “And that’s why part of these six weeks is so important.”
