State News The
THE MONEY I$$UE
Money on our minds PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ERIN HAMPTON
T UE S DAY, AP R IL 2 1, 2 015
@THESNEWS
Tuition, eating out and just getting around town — it all costs money. But this issue looks at how to manage your limited funds, without a diet of strictly ramen noodles. See pages 6-10
STAT ENEWS .COM
Opinion
Greg Monahan Opinion editor opinion@statenews.com @thesnewsopinion
DEON HOWARD
OPINION P O LL M O N DAY ’ S R E S U LT S TOTAL VOTES: 43 AS OF 5 P.M. MONDAY
Do you think clothes provide an accurate reflection of the person wearing them?
TO DAY ’ S Q U E S T I O N
60%—Yes. Personal style is an expression, so it says a lot about a person.
Have you ever considered getting a pet during your time at MSU? To vote, visit statenews.com
40%—No. I don’t judge a book by its cover!
Pet companionship missing from many students’ lives
BY RACHEL FRADETTE RFRADETTE@STATENEWS.COM
When you’re away from home and feeling homesick, particularly in the dorms, most people begin to miss their family and life at home. I miss my family when I am away for school, but I can talk to them over the phone and through other means. So the one thing I miss the most when I’m away is my dog. Pet companionship seems to be one of the things college students miss most. My dog makes me happier and, like several studies say, animals can comfort and affect human lives positively. But believe me, the friendship goes both ways. Obviously several institutions, including MSU, have noticed this because of the presence of therapy dogs during exam weeks. Something about animals helps take away stress and flow in happiness. I personally believe that animals understand a lot more than they get credit for. 2
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TUESDAY, APRI L 21 , 2 01 5
Some people have no personal connection to their pet or choose to live without one, which is understandable. But, as long as it’s possible, everyone who wants to should own, adopt or foster animals. I have encountered homeless people who can’t even afford a meal with an animal by their side because money is irrelevant to those pets. Once a pet, specifically a dog, decides to love you, nothing prevents them from seeing anything but their human. When people don’t have another person to talk to or if they feel alone despite being in the presence of others, much like happens to me at times, a dog or other pet can fill that void. My views on pet companionship definitely reflect the masses when it comes to the love an owner has for their pet, and vice versa. Whether it be a dog, a cat or another animal, each tend to do the same good for their owners. I personally have had instances in which my puppy cheered me up or seemingly knew when things were bothering me. If you look on students’ social media accounts, several posts mention how much a person misses their pet. Seemingly just about as many as posts about missing family. Man’s best friend truly lives up to the name. Whether you’re a college student, a kid or someone who is down on their luck in life, rescuing a pet can help make two lives better.
Contents INSIDE
Spartan Day of Service global day of bringing change in communities
What does the average college student spend on? We tracked it
Getting around East Lansing without breaking the bank
PAGE 4
PAGES 6-7
PAGE 9
DA I LY N U M B E R
32 Number of years equipment manager Bob Knickerbocker has worked at MSU. Read about Knickerbocker, who is retiring this year, on page 12
“I left underwater welding because it’s every dangerous. There’s a short life expectancy. I came back to school because I wanted something better for my kids and family.” Lucas Keomany, economics sophomore and this week’s Humans of East Lansing feature. See page 5
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Senior guard Travis Trice attempts a point March 27, during the East Regional round of the NCAA Tournament in a game against Oklahoma at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. The Spartans defeated the Sooners, 62-58. Read about the NBA buzz Trice is starting to create on page 11. PHOTO: ERIN HAMPTON
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The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University, Monday through Friday during the academic year. Subscription rates: $5 per semester on campus; $125 a year, $75 for one fall or spring semester, $60 for summer semester by mail anywhere in the continental United States. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the MSU community. Additional copies $0.75 at the business office only. State News Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Celeste Bott MANAGING EDITOR Anya Rath BREAKING NEWS EDITOR Simon Schuster TRENDS AND ISSUES EDITOR Olivia Dimmer SPORTS EDITOR Geoff Preston FEATURES EDITOR Casey Holland
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PHOTO EDITOR Erin Hampton COPY CHIEF Elena Cronick OPINION EDITOR Greg Monahan Copyright © 2015 State News Inc., East Lansing, Mich. T U E S DAY, AP RI L 2 1 , 2 01 5
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News
Day of Service unites Spartans
BY ZOË SCHUBOT ZSCHUBOT@STATENEWS.COM
This Saturday Spartans across the country — and the world — banded together to help make a difference in their communities. The Spartans WILL. POWER Global Day of Service started in 2012 as a way for MSU students and alumni to come together for one day and show the affect that they can have on generating positive change. Hosted by the MSU Association of Future Alumni, the day focused on getting as many students to participate as possible, said event coordinator and packaging and supply chain management senior Sara Bork. Various organizations throughout Lansing took part in the Day of Service, welcoming MSU students to come and take part in a multitude of service projects. Julie Lehman, the garden program coordinator of the Greater Lansing Food Bank, worked with students at a community garden where they moved compost, completed minor repairs and helped out with general spring cleaning. Lehman said their partnership with the Day of Service has been beneficial to the community gardens over the years. In addition to helping organizations they volunteer for, the students that participated in the Day of Service are able to experience and learn things they might not have a chance to otherwise. “I didn’t know this garden was here,” social science junior Kaitlin Powers said. “And they told us that there are actually a lot of these around Lansing. With everything they do, community members can come here and have their own garden, and they also give food to community members. It’s amazing.”
Volunteers help out for Spartans WILL. POWER Global Day of Service Saturday at the Greater Lansing Food Bank community garden in East Lansing. The service day brings together Spartan alumni, friends, students, faculty and staff from around the world to help their local communities. PHOTOS: HANNAH LEVY
“There (are) Spartans all over the world that are volunteering daily, but it’s not recognized as much, so this is a day for all Spartans to get recognized and for us to show the power that we have.” Sara Bork, supply chain management and packaging senior
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THE STATE N E WS
Students also had the chance to meet and work with new people and work toward a common goal of improving the community. “Every single time you volunteer, you learn something different and you get to meet and work with such great people,” human biology senior Zakiya Sulieman said. Bork said that the Day of Service provides a unique opportunity for Spartans to be recognized for the work that they do in the community. “There (are) Spartans all over the world that are volunteering daily, but it’s not recognized as much, so this is a day for all Spartans to get recognized and for us to show the power that we have,” Bork said.
TUESDAY, APRI L 21 , 2 01 5
Elementary education junior Bridget Aubrey and other volunteers help during Spartans WILL. POWER Global Day of Service Saturday at Beekman Therapeutic Riding Center in Lansing.
Olivia Dimmer and Simon Schuster Trends and issues editor Breaking news editor campus@statenews.com @thesnews
MSU to create new sexual assault office
HUMANS OF EAST LANSING BY ANDREW MERKLE, PHOTO: KELSEY FELDPAUSCH
ONLINE To read more as the story develops and see a timeline of actions MSU has taken to address sexual assault, see statenews. com
MSU is creating a new office for discrimination claims, including sexual assault and relationship violence, an area previously managed by the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives headed by Paulette Granberry Russell, according to an MSU statement. Granberry Russell will continue to administer these until the director of the new office will be appointed. The office will handle complaints against its anti-discrimination policies, including Title IX, which covers complaints of sexual harassment and assault. The statement said this move comes amid conversations with Title IX experts and as President Lou Anna K. Simon’s Sexual Assault Task Force is supposed to publish its report on recommendations. Rebecca Veidlinger will be retained by the university as a Title IX consultant, and the statement said the Pepper Hamilton law firm of Philadelphia will work with Simon, Veidlinger and the new office during the transition. MSU spokesperson Jason Cody said one of the motivations behind the cre-
ation of the new office was to allow the complaint process to move more quickly. MSU has also been looking into how universities best handle complaints of not just sexual assault, but relationship violence and other forms of discrimination. “The determination was made that for many reasons that the best (practice) right now is to move this to a standalone office that could focus solely on those complaints,” Cody said. The original statement said creating a separate office for these types of complains was a move many universities are making, and this move is “another step resulting from ongoing conversations about improving MSU’s policies.” Cody also said Amanda Garcia-Williams, a former Institutional Equity Coordinator for the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives who conducted investigations in accordance with the Anti-Discrimination Policy, took another job opportunity, though this had nothing to do with the creation of the new office. —CAMERON MACKO
HST 202
(Early American History) Lucas Keomany Fact: He studied at the University of Maryland. Economics sophomore
“I’m 26. I’m married with two kids. And I’m a retired underwater welder. ... I’ve worked in the Gulf and up and down the coast. I even worked for NASA. ... I left underwater welding because it’s very dangerous. There’s a short life expectancy. I came back to school because I wanted something better for my kids and my family.”
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Spotlight
What does the average college A month in the life of reporter Andrew Merkle GOING OUT
RENT/UTILITIES
PARKING
GROCERIES
EXTRA
Number of purchases
21
once a month
7
2
Clothing: 2 Golf: 1
Total cost
$307.07
$570.79
$32.50
$73.77
$92.08
$14.62
N/A
$4.64
$36.89
N/A
Average cost
Total expenses: $1,076.21 BY ANDREW MERKLE AMERKLE@STATENEWS.COM
“There are several reasons why I eat out so often. For one, I am the anti-Gordon Ramsay as soon as I walk into a kitchen. I can make things that come in a box, but that’s about it.”
For this story, The State News asked me to keep track of my expenditures over a four-week span. The results are pretty much what I expected. Sort of. I wasn’t surprised to find that I spend most of my money on eating out, but I was surprised at just how much I spend at restaurants. Admittedly, I am terrible at budgeting my money, much to my dad’s chagrin. Some months I come in well under my projected budget, while during others I blow right past it by the second weekend. As I said before, eating out takes up a large portion of my budget. Dining out costs me on average of just under $16 — $15.83 to be exact — and that tends to add up after eating out often enough. Keep in mind, I’m also often paying for two — my girlfriend and myself. There are several reasons why I eat out so often. For one, I am the anti-Gordon Ramsay as soon as I walk into a kitchen. I can make things that come in a box, but that’s about it. Along with not being able to cook, I very much enjoy eating out. I take my girlfriend out to eat at least once a week, and oftentimes I’ll spend another night watching a game at a sports bar. Interestingly enough, parking expenses did not set me back as much as I thought they would have. I paid for parking seven times during the last month, mostly for work, and I was expecting to have to spend a lot. As it turns out, I was wrong. Just one parking ticket from PACE can cost $35. The total cost of parking in the garage during the last month cost me less than that. Lastly, the bar. Turns out, bars are not cheap. Who would’ve thought? I went to the bar four times in the last month — once each week on average. That may sound like a lot to some people, and I have friends who never go to the bar, but I also know a few people who go out way more often. I spent less than $10 during each night out, but after four nights out, that does add up. I probably could have stayed in for one or two of those nights and been just fine.
State News reporter and journalism junior Andrew Merkle pumps his gas Friday at the Shell gas station, 1831 E. Grand River Ave. Merkle spent about $35.01 on gas this month. PHOTO: ERIN HAMPTON
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TUESDAY, APRI L 21 , 2 01 5
THE STATE N E WS
Anya Rath Managing editor arath@statenews.com @thesnews
student spend money on? Following reporter Jessica Steeley for a month GOING OUT
RENT/UTILITIES
PARKING
GROCERIES
EXTRA
8
once a month*
1
7
Splash of Color: 1
Total cost
$72.29
$29
$1.80
$156.36
$150
Average cost
$9.03
N/A
N/A
$23.34
N/A
Number of purchases
Total expenses: $409.45 BY JESSICA STEELEY JSTEELEY@STATENEWS.COM
Through tracking my expenses, I have realized I spend most of my money on necessities. As a college student with two jobs, working about 25 hours a week, I make around $300 every two weeks. The larger paycheck goes into my checking account and the smaller one usually goes into my savings, as I am almost always saving up for something. This month I saved up for a new tattoo, which cost me $150. Tattoos and vacations are usually the luxuries I save up to buy. My spendable money usually goes toward food, gas or — as a 21-year-old — alcohol. Gas and food are necessities that probably cost me about $200 a month altogether. Alcohol is one of my constant “luxury” buys, and how much I spend on it varies. I am usually stocked with at least one bottle of wine and a case of beer at home, but if I go to the bar for a night out my alcohol spending goes up by about $30. My other necessary expenditures are prescriptions, which are at least $20 a month and sometimes $30. And then there is my share of the apartment’s heating and electric bill, which is usually between $25 and $30. I’ve noticed almost all of my money goes to necessary monthly expenditures. I am lucky that I don’t have more expenses, such as having to pay rent, or I wouldn’t have any extra money left over.
*Jessica Steeley does not pay her own rent
“Alcohol is one of my constant ‘luxury’ buys, and how much I spend on it varies. I am usually stocked with at least one bottle of wine and a case of beer.”
State News reporter and English junior Jessica Steeley gets a tattoo from Nate Graves on Sunday at Splash of Color, 515 E. Grand River Ave in Suite F. The tattoo cost $150. PHOTO: ALLYSON TELGENHOF T U E S DAY, AP RI L 2 1 , 2 01 5
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Crossword
L.A. Times Daily Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
Money
Cutting costs on transportation
ACROSS
1 Stick (out) 4 Chocolate syrup choice 9 Call to mind 14 Self-image 15 Chipmunk’s morsel 16 “America by Heart author Sarah 17 Good name for a tree lined street 18 Controversial coal extraction process 20 Long gun 22 Really mad 23 __-Loompa: fictional chocolate factory worker 26 Bagpiper, often 27 Buy lots of presents for 33 “2001” computer 34 Cinematic shootout time 35 Monica of tennis 36 Allowed to ripen, as cheddar 38 Kind of card or drive 41 Senate slot 42 Rose (up) on hind legs, to a cowhand 44 Beat to a froth 46 Doctor’s org. 47 Wry wit 51 “¿Qué __?” 52 Jazz singer Krall 53 Curse-inflicting stare
56 Some Balkanites 59 Opera house section 62 Kit __: candy bar 63 Everglades wader 64 Pro basketball player, briefly 65 H-like letter 66 “Think again!” 67 Decent chaps 68 “Give __ thoughts no tongue”: “Hamlet”
DOWN
1 Bit of heckling 2 Aptly named fruit 3 Horseplay 4 Infielders 5 Autumn mo. 6 Fraternity counterpart: Abbr. 7 Nursery bed 8 Like some military housing 9 Literary postscripts 10 Makeup tables 11 “Chocolat” actress Lena 12 Royal flush card 13 Second lang., for some 19 Wisc. neighbor 21 Stuck-in-the-mud gear 24 University VIP 25 AFB truant 27 Broken pottery piece 28 Helga’s Viking husband, in comics
29 Extremely impressed 30 Bargain hunter’s mecca 31 Spanish “I love you” 32 Astronomical red giant 37 More than dislikes 39 Not barefoot 40 Old audio system 43 Includes in the poker game 45 Sci-fi weapons 48 Tiny fraction of a min. 49 Adage 50 One in Paris 53 Therefore 54 Opposite of hor. 55 Kathryn of “Law & Order: C.I.” 57 Appropriate room for the sequence comprised of the starts of 18-, 27-, 47and 59-Across 58 Legal suspension 59 Family room 60 Soda container 61 Do-over on the court
BY ASHANTI SEABRON ASEABRON@STATENEWS.COM
FAC T
Get the solutions at statenews.com/puzzles Level: 1
2
3
4
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk SOLUTION TO MONDAY’S PUZZLE
4/21/15
8
© 2015 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
THE STATE N E WS
Then-finance and human biology junior Sona Kaur gets on the bus to go to class on Sept. 3, 2014 at the bus stop in front of Brody Neighborhood. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO
TUESDAY, APRI L 21 , 2 01 5
For students, a CATA semester bus pass costs $50, a 10-trip pass is $6 and a 31-day pass is $18.
Getting around on campus is necessary, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. M ic r obiolog y f r e sh m a n Alex Kokesh primarily uses his bicycle to get around and is just interested in getting to his destination no matter the method. “When I can, I mainly use my bike around the campus,” Kokesh said. “There would obviously be benefits to having a car, especially if I had my car up at college, but in honesty riding my bike gets me to where I need to go. That to me is the most important thing.” Public transportation can play a big role in protecti ng t he env i ron ment, a s well as saving people money. Undoubtedly, the biggest form of public transportation at MSU is the CATA buses. Human biology junior Justine McGeary believes in utilizing the bus system and finds it very efficient in getting her where she needs to go. “I live in The Lodges, so I usually take buses to anywhere that I need to be,” McGeary said. “That includes
the Lodges’ buses and the CATA buses. I feel that taking the bus is extremely more convenient than driving my own car around campus every single day.” Walking, especially around a large campus such as MSU, not only cuts out the issue of money, but also allows for students to get a workout during the day. Physics senior Kevin Jock said he loves to walk because it allows him to not only save money, but also to be with his thoughts during the day. “Walking gives me a great opportunity to just think,” Jock said. “I live 20 minutes away from campus, and I honestly don’t mind it because it’s less of a hassle to walk than drive my car. There’s no point to be a college student driving a car every single day. I personally think that it’s just a waste of money and gas.” Chemistry junior Emily Matthews also prefers to walk to get around the campus and does so to ensure that she reaches her destination. “I usually walk to where I need to go on campus, mainly because I know that I’ll make it there,” Matthews said. “I know that I can walk to any
location on campus, while in a car I could easily get lost. I know that sounds a little weird, but it’s honestly true.” Despite all of the reasons why driving a car might not be the best option for your wallet, some students still believe that having and utilizing your own car on a daily basis is the way to go. Dietetics freshman Alex Vizzaccaro believes that having her car on campus would make life a lot easier. “I’m a freshman, so I usually walk around the campus, but if I had a car up here at MSU, I would definitely utilize it as much as I could,” Vizzaccaro said. “Campus is really big, and it’s difficult to get to place to place sometimes. At home, I usually spend about $20 on gas a week, and that’s with driving more miles in my hometown than I do here.” In addition, taxi services and Zipcars can be utilized on campus for students who need to use a car but don’t want the commitment of owning one. Gas, mileage and full coverage insurance are taken care of when a person signs up with Zipcar and pays the registration fee and rental fee, which varies by location.
Money
Campus, East Lansing area rife with student discounts and free activities BY ASHANTI SEABRON ASEABRON@STATENEWS.COM
Fun doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Free movies, bowling and other opportunities are all available to students who utilize their MSU ID at local establishments. Various events take place throughout the school year here at MSU, but only a limited number of students choose to take advantage of them. Finance junior Andy Hill rarely goes to free events on campus and, despite hearing nothing but positive things about them, has never gotten around to trying them out for himself. “I’ve never gone out and actually experienced them,” Hill said. “I’ve just never got around to trying them out.” The opportunities for students to go out and enjoy these events are there, but there are some students who make a choice not to. Whether this choice is simply out of shyness or fear to try new experiences, other students choose to embrace the opportunity to the fullest. Biomedical laboratory science junior Jessica Liberatore said she loves to take advantage of the free entertainment available to MSU students and said the MSU Official Drag Show, which was held this past Friday, was a must-see. “I went to the drag queen show last weekend on campus and had a blast,” Liberatore said. “The whole experience was different and diverse, and I just loved it. It was free too, and that is always a plus.” While events such as the show showcase fashion and entertainment for students to enjoy, other free events on campus serve different purposes. Some of the free events allow students to stay active and participate in sports. Events such as cosmic bowling, Spartans vs. Zombies and residential neighborhood athletic competitions and more give students the opportunity to participate in athletic events with their friends and fellow colleagues. Microbiology senior Alyssa Huynh loves to go bowling and takes advantage of the free cosmic bowling, at the Union every Wednesday. “I really like to bowl,” Huynh said. “Me and my friends go every Wednesday, and we always
From left, Lyman Briggs senior Andy Stone, social relations and policy senior Matt Morgan and Lyman Briggs and animal science senior Katie Lee kick a blow-up ball in a circle during UAB’s “Sports Night” on April 4, 2014, at IM Sports-East. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO
have a good time.” Interdisciplinary humanities junior Austin Hembree makes a point to attend various free events on campus, and she truly believes they give every student a chance to go out and have a good time. “I’ve gone to the free movies at Wells (Hall) a lot, and I’m also a frequent attendee at the various craft nights that UAB holds around campus,” Hembree said, noting the events are
a convenient replacement for boredom. “It’s a nice alternative to going out and spending money at an actual movie theater or paying to attend an arts and crafts class, when you can instead go see a great movie or create crafts on campus for free. It’s just a great deal in my book.” Along with various on-campus activities that MSU students can enjoy, there are off-campus discounts that they can receive as well.
The East Lansing Public Library gives free library cards to any current MSU student who shows their student ID. Randall Automotive, located at 3615 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Lansing, gives a 10 percent labor discount to all MSU students if they show their student ID. Celebration Cinema gives a nearly $3 discount to MSU students with a current and valid student ID.
Using daily deals and apps saves on food BY RYAN SQUANDA RSQUANDA@STATENEWS.COM
It happens to nearly every student at MSU: Their days of living on campus and experiencing the luxury of an on-campus meal plan comes to an end as they move off campus to live out a penny-pinching life consisting of ramen noodles and Frosted Flakes. It doesn’t always have to be that way though, and students at MSU have developed several different strategies to alleviate the cost of food, while still nourishing their bodies past what peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese can do along the way. The first and most obvious of these strategies
is going to the grocery store. It’s no secret buying and cooking one’s own meals is the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to save money, and stores like Kroger and Meijer are the most popular places for students to flock. “I always go to Meijer and get in on those 10 for $10 deals,” kinesiology sophomore Matthew Charlick said. Religious studies senior Micah Zylstra has his own distinct set of strategies when it comes to saving money on food. Zylstra said he likes to head to Meijer on Thursday nights to buy food such as a pizza before the weekend hits. That way, when the late night snack cravings come along, he can save money by not making a trip to Conrad’s Grill.
There’s no denying it can be tough on students sometimes, and despite advertising sophomore Emily Vrabel’s joking suggestion that “sometimes you just have to eat and drink water” there are several other options for MSU students. One of these is the app known as Hooked. The app is free to download, free to use and features short term and constantly changing deals on as many as 40 different restaurants in the East Lansing area. Advertising junior Forrest O’Brien has been an intern for Hooked since he saw the opportunity to apply at the bottom of a mass email sent on to MSU students. O’Brien is one of three students who run the Hooked app at MSU and said some of the best T U E S DAY, AP RI L 2 1 , 2 01 5
deals on Hooked include 50 percent off per slice at Georgio’s Pizza, $4 pizzas at GoombaS Pizza and half off sliders at the Landshark Bar and Grill with the purchase of a drink. And while O’Brien does recognize that grocery shopping will, without a doubt, always be the best way to save money on food, he still feels Hooked has its place on college campuses. “Most MSU students don’t have a lot of money to spend on food,” O’Brien said. “I’m a student like everyone else. … Now people understand that this app is not going to be cheaper than going to the grocery store and cooking your own meals … but what this app does is it lets you go out to eat with friends for cheaper than you originally would.” TH E STATE N E WS
9
Money
Filing for aid doesn’t have to be daunting BY PATRICK BADE PBADE@STATENEWS.COM
Filing for financial aid is an integral part of college for most students. However, many students, especially freshmen, experience confusion with the process and have to rely on their parents to help them fill out their FAFSA. There seems to be a great deal of gray area when understanding many financial aid concepts. Fortunately, the MSU Office of Financial Aid, in addition to many other websites, has a number of helpful videos to help explain some of this information. The FAFSA website also provides helpful explanations for many FAQs. Many students struggle from the very beginning, like supply chain management senior Arham Amer. “It’s difficult to start off,” Amer said. Marketing senior Thomas Barton said he works on his FAFSA
with the help of his parents, but that overall, it’s not too difficult. “I think it’s pretty easy, because StuInfo puts you right through it,” Barton said. A FAFSA must be filled out each year, and the types of financial aid offered vary depending on a student’s needs and household income. Different forms of financial aid include a series of grants and loans, and the amount of aid offered differs across universities. As of April 19, MSU has offered 35,225 students more than $1 billion for the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters. One common mistake when initially applying for a FAFSA is to go to FAFSA.com, a website that charges students an $80 service fee in order to complete the application. FAFSA actually stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, so don’t be tricked. Make sure to go to FAFSA.gov instead. The process of filling out a FAFSA is basically a chance for stu-
dents to explain their family’s financial situation, and why they need money from a loan or grant. The FAFSA itself acts as a uniform tool for colleges to determine how much a family can contribute. Then universities create a financial aid package using that information for state and school aid. Factors which affect eligibility include expected family contribution, the student’s year in college, enrollment status and the cost of tuition at the college of attendance. Financial aid does not carry over from year to year, and the amount can differ from one year to the next based on changing factors in a student’s eligibility. Common mistakes when filling out the form typically involve a lack of attention to detail. Students need to make sure to use their official name that is registered with their social security number and need to double check all of the numbers and names that are a part of their personal and financial information.
For ‘free money,’ try for grants and scholarships BY ZOË SCHUBOT ZSCHUBOT@STATENEWS.COM
College is expensive. The estimated cost of tuition for MSU in-state students in the 20142015 school year was $13,954. With tuition rates this high, MSU provides a myriad of financial aid options to students to lessen the blow of paying for an education. Loans, grants and scholarships are all available to MSU students through various departments. While loans have to be paid back, grants and scholarships are what Val Meyers, the associate director for the Office of Financial Aid, called “free money” for those who fit the criteria. The Office of Financial Aid provides students with needbased financial aid opportunities. In order to access these funds, students must apply for a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Though students have to take the time to fill out the FAFSA, the rest of the work is done by the government who forwards the information on to the Office of Admissions once it has been processed. Meyers said that filling out this form is the first step toward receiving aid. Once the FAFSA is sent to them from the federal government, the Office of Financial Aid is able to delegate funds to students based on their financial need as determined by federal guidelines. Any student who is a United States citizen is eligible to fill out a FAFSA and apply for need-based aid. Common grants include the Federal Pell Grant, which is offered to high-need students working toward their first bachelor’s degree, according to the Office of Financial Aid 10
website. Some students above the Pell Grant eligibility receive the MSU Assistance Grant, which is given to first-degree students whose family contributions are less than $10,001. O ut side of ne e d-b a s e d grants, the university also has merit-based scholarships that are available to students. “You can fill out the FAFSA if you are a U.S. citizen or if you have permanent residency in the United States,” she said. “So the only people who can’t fill out a FAFSA are international students. And that’s just because it’s mostly federal aid which comes from tax dollars so that makes sense.” In order to be eligible for many of the scholarships offered through the Office of Financial Aid, students are still required to submit a FAFSA form. According to the Office of Financial Aid website, some commonly awarded scholarships include the MSU Detroit Compact Scholarship, which is awarded to Detroit public school students, and the MSU Wade McCree Jr. Incentive Scholarship, which is awarded based on academic merit. Both scholarships cover the average cost of tuition and fees. Meyers said that various colleges and majors also have financial aid opportunities available to returning students. Almost every department offers some kind of unique scholarships for students. More information regarding departmental scholarships can be found on the websites of individual colleges. The MSU Scholarship Search can provide further assistance to students looking for specific financial aid opportunities.
THE STATE N E WS
WHAT IT COSTS TO COME TO MSU GRAPHIC: RYAN LOGAN SOURCE: MSU OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID
TUESDAY, APRI L 21 , 2 01 5
2014-2015 SAMPLE STUDENT BUDGET BASED OFF 15 CREDIT SEMESTERS:
PURCHASE
IN STATE
OUT OF STATE
TUITION:
$13,954
$35,512
FEES & TAXES:
$46
$46
ROOM & BOARD:
$9,204
$9,204
TOTAL:
$23,204
$44,762
2014-2015 SAMPLE GRADUATE STUDENT BUDGET BASED OFF 9 CREDIT SEMESTERS:
PURCHASE
IN STATE
OUT OF STATE
TUITION:
$11,628
$22,842
FEES & TAXES:
$28
$28
ROOM & BOARD:
$10,062
$10,062
TOTAL:
$21,718
$32,932
Sports
Geoff Preston Sports editor sports@statenews.com @thesnews_sports
Trice starting to see his name on draft boards BY OMARI SANKOFA II OSANKOFA@STATENEWS.COM
Senior guard Travis Trice became an NCAA Tournament hero with his weekly feats, helping the Spartans reach the Final Four for the first time since 2010. Whether or not his tournament play will translate to the next level remains to be seen. Senior forward Branden Dawson has long been considered a potential NBA prospect, but Trice hasn’t seen his name on draft boards until recently. NBADraft.net currently has Trice as the 38th pick of the 2015 draft, going to the Detroit Pistons. Trice is still a long shot for hearing his name called by NBA commissioner Adam Silver in June, but head coach Tom Izzo said he believes there is potential that Trice could have a professional career in front of him. Izzo said Trice first began building NBA buzz around Christmas last year and talks resumed after Trice overcame his mid-season rough patch in January. Izzo watched the Pistons take on the Boston Celtics at The Palace of Auburn Hills on April 8, and watched a couple of shorter
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ASBESTOS ABATEMENT/ Demolition. Reputable contractor seeks dependable hard working ind. for asbestos abatement laborer positions. No exp necessary. Paid training. Valid driver’s lic and vehicle. Drug screen req. Starting $16/hr. EOE. Send resume to: PO Box 70057, Lansing, MI 48908. IMMEDIATE OPENINGS. $15.50 base-appt. Flex sched. around classes. Great resume builder. 517-3331700. workforstudents.com PHONE SURVEYS, flexible hrs, up to $9.75/hr, East Michigan Ave location. 4828884.
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Employment
Senior guard Travis Trice dribbles the ball down the court March 27, during the East Regional round of the NCAA Tournament during a game against Oklahoma at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. The Spartans defeated the Sooners, 62-58. PHOTO:
point guards, 5-foot-11-inch Pistons guard John Lucas III and 5-foot-9-inch Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, compete against each other. Each guard overcame unfavorable odds to earn NBA roster spots. Lucas went undrafted in 2005 after declaring from Oklahoma State and Lucas was the 60th pick in the 2011 NBA draft, becoming the last player to hear his name called in the draft. Izzo said Trice could be a similar success story. “Is there a place for a guy that works his tail off, that understands the game, that has improved dramatically?” Izzo asked. “I look at some of the things (MSU athletic communications director Matt Larson) gave me, and to think (Trice) had more points this year than the other three years combined, it’s amazing.” Injuries have limited Trice throughout his career at MSU, but if he stays healthy, Izzo said he thinks Trice will continue to improve. “I think there will be some basketball for Travis after here. It will be interesting to see how it goes here in the next couple of weeks,” Izzo said.
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Employment
Apts. For Rent
Apts. For Rent
Duplexes/Rent
Houses/Rent
SUMMER EMPLOYMENT in Metro Detroit Area. Grosse Pointe Yacht Club is currently looking for Housekeepers, Locker Room Attendants, Outdoor Grill Cooks and Pizza Makers. Please send resume with desired position in the subject line to jfeola@gpyc.org
1 BED/1 BATH. Lic for 1 or 2. Oak St Apts. 2 blocks from MSU/EL. Avail Aug. info@alexanderealestate. com or call/text 248-2075132.
AVAIL MAY or August! 1, 2 & 4 bdrm apts, behind Dublin, great location, very spacious, laundry, a/c & more! www.cronmgt.com or 517.351.1177
1509 ANN 3 bed/bath $1200/mon. 1648 Burcham 3 bed/1.5 bath $1000/mon. W/d + dish. Lic 3. www. rentmc.com or call 517-6555941 for more info.
NEW LISTING. Home lic for 4. West side of campus. Avail August. $425/month/ person. Call 517-349-8662. If no answer, please leave message.
LRG STUDIO, Beech st, lic. 1-2, great for grads. $580/ mth; includ. parking, util, TV, internet. Avail Jan 2, 3513117.
Houses/Rent
Automotive
1 BLOCK to MSU. 2 bed, 1 bath, w/d, d/w. Available May. hrirentals.com. 517351-0765.
2008 HONDA Civic EX, black int. 2-dr coupe, automatic, 137,000 highway miles, $6200 by Kelly Blue Book, one owner, no accidents, well maintained, some scratches and small dings. Text 517-898-6551.
WORK ON Mackinac Island This Summer – Make lifelong friends. The Island House Hotel and Ryba’s Fudge Shops are looking for help in all areas beginning in early May: Front Desk, Bell Staff, Wait Staff, Sales Clerks, Kitchen, Baristas. Housing, bonus, and discounted meals. (906) 8477196. www.theislandhouse. com
1, 2 and 3 bdrm apts available for spring and summer. Private entrances, covered parking, washer and dryer in every apt, walk in closets, huge living spaces and more. Tanning, pool, fitness center. Call for move in specials. 517-351-9400. Summer and Fall waitlists started. Some styles sold out! Huntersridgetownhomes. com. 4 Bedroom Avail. AUG. Great Location. W/D, D/W, granite, stainless appliances, 351-0765, hrirentals. com
RALEIGH HOUSE Apartments. Pre-leasing for summer and fall. 2 bdrm 2 bath. Private entrances, wooded setting, balconies, pet friendly & w/d hookups. Won’t last! Also have specials now if move in by May 1st. raleighhouseapartments. com or call 517.351.5209.
2015-16 HOUSE. Licensed for 6. Awesome Location! + Outstanding Condition! 517-490-3082. AUG ‘15. 5 bd & 4 bd houses, Both have been very reduced in price. 645 and 627 Evergreen E.L. 517332-1623 734-717-8513
T U E S DAY, AP RI L 2 1 , 2 01 5
Services STORAGE-STUDENT special - 1/2 off summer rental - Premier Storage Haslett - call (517)3399856 for details.
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Sports
Ryan Krill sparks baseball to recent wins BY MATTHEW ARGILLANDER MARGILLANDER@ STATENEWS.COM
Senior first baseman Ryan Krill stands at first base April 9, at the Crosstown Showdown at Cooley Law School Stadium in Lansing. The Lansing Lugnuts defeated the Spartans with a score of 9-4. PHOTO: ALLYSON TELGENHOF
Since March 25 MSU baseball has gone 11-5, and they now sit at 22-16 with a 7-5 record in the Big Ten after starting the season below .500. A key factor in the team’s recent stretch of success has been the play of senior first baseman Ryan Krill. A little less than a month ago, the team was 11-11 and Krill was batting just .213 with eight RBI and one home run. Since then Krill has brought up his average up to .312 as of April 18 and he’s hit another 26 RBI and four home runs to bring his totals to 34 and five respectively. “He’s a big, strong guy who is able to hit for some power,” head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. “That’s what we need, especially at the top of the order. We out him in the two hole, and it gives us a physical presence up there.” Boss said it has been a combination of pitch selection and hard work that has helped Krill raise his average nearly 100 points from a month ago, putting above .300. “He’s always had a really good eye at the plate,” Boss said. “I think he really need-
ed to understand what pitches he could hit hard and what pitches he needed to back away from.” For MSU, the offense they have been able to generate at the top of lineup has trickled down to the rest of the lineup, and Boss said he isn’t going to do anything soon to mess with the chemistry the current lineup has. “(I) just leave him alone and stay out of the way and say, ‘Go get them big fella,’” Boss said. “Hitting is a mental thing, it’s contagious. It’s ever y cliche that you can think of. When guys are (hitting) good you just let them go. “When you get things rolling a little bit, it can do a lot of things.” For Boss, seniors like Krill have been helpful in trying to provide leadership for the team. “He’s one of our leaders,” he said. “We need our seniors to be our guys, and Ryan has been our first baseman for the last four years. We needed him to get going.” MSU baseball takes on Toledo Tuesday at 3:05 p.m. at home, where MSU will try to continue their hot streak following a sweep of Rutgers this past weekend.
Head athletic equipment coordinator to retire from MSU Michigan State head athletic equipment coordinator Bob Knickerbocker presented head coach Mark Dantonio the Paul Bunyan Trophy following the Spartans’ 26-20 overtime victory over Michigan in 2009. PHOTO
BY GEOFF PRESTON GPRESTON@STATENEWS.COM
The town of Cincinnatus, New York, is a rural farming town of just over 1,000 people, and it isn’t the place that many people get the opportunity to leave behind. Bob Knickerbocker was one of the lucky few who did get to leave. Knickerbocker has been the head athletic equipment coordinator since 1983, and has helped oversee some of the uniform changes that MSU athletics have seen in the past few seasons. He will retire following this school year, but it will come after a long and fulfilling ride with MSU. “This kind of life has been very exciting for me,” he said. “Watching how people mature from freshman to senior year has probably been my favorite thing.” Knickerbocker had a different path to get to East Lansing. He spent his college years in upstate New York at Ithaca College and Syracuse. He then went down to Villanova to help on the athletics staff with
COURTESY OF MSU ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
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TUESDAY, APRI L 21 , 2 01 5
the Wildcats. “My goal was never to be an equipment manager,” he said. “I wanted to be a basketball coach.” Knickerbocker never did get to live his dream of being a basketball coach, but he was able to go to move on from Villanova and go to MSU, where he settled down and was able to become ingrained in MSU athletics. He has now been the head athletic equipment coordinator for 32 years, and although he said a lot of the perception of his job is that he is responsible for making sure the uniforms are clean every day, he said the last 32 years has involved much more than that. “I went through five or six coaches in 10-15 years,” he said. “Everything we did, they’re going to change. There’s an adjustment getting to know the people, what guys want, how he wants to start practice, things like that.” Knickerbocker said that as he approached his 65th birthday, he decided the time has come to step away from the job he has had for
so long. “This isn’t something I decided overnight,” he said. “I’ve been contemplating. This hasn’t been an easy decision. I don’t feel old because being around young people has caused me to think younger.” Knickerbocker has cultivated Plenty of relationships over the course of 32 years, and he said a lot of those people have expressed their thanks for all of his service in the past few weeks since he announced his retirement. “My phone has been ringing off the hook,” he said. “I’ve heard from people from way, way back, not just ex-players, ex-coaches and other people. I’ve been overwhelmed and humbled by it. I don’t get all that but you can’t appreciate it more than I have.” As for what is next for Knickerbocker, he said that still remains up in the air. A lot of his family is still in central New York so he plans on going back there for a little bit. “My family owns an 18-hole golf course,” he said. “Maybe my golf game will improve a little bit.”