Incidents of discrimination and violence in the national media have resonated with both students and law enforcement at MSU. —PAGE 10
PHOTOS: ALICE KOLE
CIT Y
CAMPUS
East Lansing City Council Sexual assault survivors file lawsuit against MSU welcomes new mayor Newly elected members met for the first time on Tuesday night — PAGE 2 T HU R S DAY, N OVE MB E R 19, 2 01 5
@THESNEWS
Four women filed a lawsuit against MSU after alleging their sexual assault cases were mishandled by MSU — PAGE 3
STAT ENEWS .COM
F O OT B A L L
Everything you need to know before the Spartans take on Ohio State In the biggest game of the season, both teams are fighting for a playoff spot in Columbus this Saturday. — PAGE 5
News
Josh Thall and Ray Wilbur Student issues editor Public concerns editor campus@statenews.com @thesnews
East Lansing City Council swears in newest mayor, Mark Meadows BY JAKE ALLEN JALLEN@STATENEWS.COM
Newly elected mayor Mark Meadows is sworn into city council on Nov. 17, 2015 at East Lansing City Hall. Mayor Meadows was on city council before, from 1995 to 2006, and was mayor for eight of those years. PHOTO: JOSHUA ABRAHAM
YOU’RE NOT JUST PART OF A CLASS. YOU’RE PART OF A LEGACY.
Newly elected mayor of East Lansing Mark Meadows called the Nov. 17 East Lansing City Council meeting a night of new and old. New faces Shanna Draheim and Erik Altmann were sworn in alongside Meadows. Meadows was previously elected to council in 1995 and served until 2006. Council elected a new mayor pro tem in Ruth Beier as well. Meadows, who said he considers himself more old to council than new, wore the same tie he wore in 1995 when he was first sworn into East Lansing City Council. After being unanimously elected to the position, Meadows downplayed the importance of his role as mayor. “I think that my position as mayor is just kind of running the meeting and it’s the five council members that will move things along,” Meadows said. “I think that there’s a common objective among the council members.” With the new council members sworn in and the positions of mayor and mayor pro tem settled, Meadows said council has its initial agenda set with a number of public hearings coming up. Issues of council member ethics is one issue Meadows and his colleagues would like to address “right out of the gate.” Although, Meadows said the most important issue to address is that of the vacant buildings on the corner of Grand River Avenue and Abbott Road. Council has plans to potentially change the city’s dangerous building ordinance in order to allow
the city to start addressing the issue of the vacant buildings, which was on the mind of many residents while Meadows was campaigning, he said. Meadows said the vacant buildings need to be addressed quickly because is it is the first thing people see coming into town from the west. The city needs a signature project in this area built from a community vision, Meadows said. He also had ideas for other development in the downtown — he said we need a mixture of housing projects in the downtown area, noting the city needs people who are here throughout the whole year, as well as partial-year residents. “You need different types of money being spent in the downtown area in order to support all the businesses,” Meadows said. Also during his campaign, Meadows talked about alcohol on college campuses. “It’s the city and the university’s role to address the problem and not just here, but at every college community,” Meadows said. During his time as a representative Meadows sponsored House 4393, which allowed for medical amnesty for some incidents involving alcohol and minors. Meadows said there are currently too many minor in possession tickets being written in the city. A lot of that is state statue driven, but the city can deal with the issue of underage drinking differently, he said. “I think we can loosen up a little bit in terms of that and I would rather see us take a kid home than write him a ticket,” Meadows said. With the three recently elected council members sworn in, Meadows said the plan is to move forward and start solving the issues in East Lansing.
At the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University | Chicago (ISPP, Chicago), we have a proud history of diversity, academic excellence, and community engagement. Our clinical psychology leaders and distinguished faculty have a deep commitment to the education and training of the next generation of professional psychologists. With our integrated curriculum, you’ll go beyond books and classrooms and receive real-world clinical experience. This comprehensive approach reflects our commitment to prepare you to be an exceptional practitioner; ready to meet the challenges of the diverse people and communities you will serve. And that commitment to you is reflected in the profession’s commitment to us. We’re proud to say that we received a seven-year grant of accreditation for our Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program from the APA. That’s the maximum amount of time allowed by the Commission on Accreditation and certifies that our school meets their rigorous standards. er the following degrees:
MASTER OF ARTS IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY (PSYD) IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Argosy University, Chicago 225 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1300 Chicago, Illinois 60601
Showtimes for Nov. 19-22 Straight Out Of Comptom Thurs 119 B Wells Hall 8:45 p.m. Fri, Sat & Sun 119 B Wells Hall 8:00 p.m. Minions Thurs 115 B Wells Hall 8:30 p.m. Fri, Sat & Sun 115 B Wells Hall 7:15 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. American Ultra Fri, Sat & Sun 117 B Wells Hall 7:20 p.m. & 9:10 p.m.
Let us help you practice what we teach. Learn more today at clinical.argosy.edu call 312-777-7600. 312 312-777 777-7600 7600. or call The Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology Program at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University | Chicago is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation. Argosy University is accredited by the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (985 Atlantic Ave., Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, wascsenior.org). Programs, credential levels, technology, and scheduling options vary by school and are subject to change. Credentials and experience levels vary by faculty and instructors. Not all online programs are available to residents of all U.S. states. Argosy University, Chicago 225 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601 © 2015 Argosy University. All rights reserved. Our email address is materialsreview@argosy.edu. See auprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important information.
2
THE STATE N E WS
THURSDAY, NOVEM B E R 1 9, 2 01 5
No films during Thanksgiving (Nov. 26-29)
www.rha.msu.edu ccc@rha.msu.edu 517-355-8285
Contents
RELIGIOUS GUIDE Look for this directory in the paper every Thursday and online at: www.statenews.com/religious Ascension Lutheran Church 2780 Haslett Rd., E. Lansing Between Hagadorn & Park Lake Rds. (517) 337-9703 Sunday Worship: 10am Adult Bible Study: 9am ascensioneastlansing.org
INSIDE
All-women residence hall aims to be safe haven
Roial improv group only of its kind, becomes RSO
Check out our coverage of Saturday’s football game
PAGE 4
PAGE 9
SEE STATENEWS.COM
Four file lawsuit against MSU, claim sex assault mishandling Emily Kollaritsch, left, comforts Shayna Gross after Gross made a statement regarding her alleged assault during a press conference on Wednesday at the Marriott in East Lansing. Kollaritsch and Gross were students at MSU when they were allegedly assaulted. PHOTO: JULIA NAGY FROM STAFF REPORTS FEEDBACK@STATENEWS.COM
Four women filed a Title IX civil lawsuit against MSU, President Lou Anna K. Simon, and Vice President of Student Services Denise Maybank over complaints about how their sexual assault cases were handled during their time as students at MSU. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday morning, is seeking economic damages, but no dollar amount was specified in the copy of the case file. Of the four, two women were named. Emily Kollaritsch was an outspoken advocate for sexual assault survivor’s rights and resources during her time on campus. Her case took 285 days for the university to resolve, far exceeding the time limits set by the federal government and MSU’s own self-governing guidelines. This lawsuit comes after findings by the U.S
Department of Education’s OCR declaring that MSU mishandled several sexual assault cases. The attorney for the plaintiffs, Alex Zalkin, said while he cannot ask MSU to fire officials, he is hoping this lawsuit will cause administration to take sexual assault seriously. “Title IX is federal legislation that requires campuses that receive federal funding to act promptly and effortly (sic) in response to a report of sexual assault,” Zalkin said. “And here Michigan State felt woefully short of that standard.” The MSU Board of Trustees and Kappa Sigma fraternity are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. During the press conference, it was revealed the same alleged assailant assaulted both Gross and Kollaritsch. For more on this story as it occurs, visit statenews.com EDITORIAL STAFF (517) 432-3070
VOL . 106 | NO. 15
CONTACT THE STATE NEWS (517) 432-3000 NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS (517) 432-3070 feedback@statenews.com GENERAL MANAGER Marty Sturgeon (517) 432-3000 ADVERTISING M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (517) 432-3010 ADVERTISING MANAGER Corey Mack COLOPHON The State News design features Acta, a newspaper type system created by DSType Foundry.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Dimmer
The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University, Mondays and Thursdays in the academic year.
MANAGING EDITOR AJ Moser
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.
THUR SDAY, N OVE MBER 19, 2015
PUBLIC CONCERNS EDITOR Ray Wilbur STUDENT ISSUES EDITOR Josh Thall SPORTS EDITOR Ryan Squanda FEATURES EDITOR Meagan Beck DESIGN EDITOR Emily Jenks PHOTO EDITOR Julia Nagy COPY CHIEF Casey Holland Copyright © 2015 State News Inc., East Lansing, Mich.
THE STAT E NE WS
3
Chabad House of MSU Your Jewish home, away from home 540 Elizabeth St. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 214-0525 chabadmsu.com Friday evenings: 20 minutes after sunset followed by Shabbat dinner Saturday: 11am, Torah reading at 12pm
Lansing Church of God in Christ 5304 Wise Rd., Lansing, MI 48911 http://lansingcogic.org/ Worship hours Sunday: 10:30am, 5:00pm Monday Family Prayer: 6:00pm
Little Flock Christian Fellowship A Non-DenominationalEvagelical Church MSU Alumni Chapel (Basement Hall) Sunday Worship Service: 10am-12 Noon. Fellowship Lunch after the service Weekly Bibly Studies & Students’ Meetings. Eastminster Presbyterian Church littleflock.msu@gmail.com 1315 Abbot Rd, East Lansing, www.littleflock.org MI, 48823 (517) 337-0893 Martin Luther Chapel www.eastminsterchurch.org 444 Abbot Rd. Sunday School for All Ages: East Lansing, MI 48823 9:30am (517) 332-0778 Sunday Worship: 10:30am martinlutherchapel.org UKirk Presbyterian Campus Sunday: 9:30am & 7:00pm Ministry Wednesday Worship: 9pm www.ukirkmsu.org Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring) Faith Fellowship Baptist Church Peoples Church 1001 Dakin St. 200 W. Grand River Ave. Lansing, MI 48912 East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 853-9897 (517) 332-6074 Sunday Morning Worship: 11am www.peoples-evolution.org Wednesday Prayer and Bible Sunday Worship: 8:30am, Study: 6:30pm 9:30am Van service available to Tuesday: Love Life: 7-9pm church Wednesday: Dinner at Campus Bible Study: 5:30pm, Journey at 6:30 Thursday at 7:30pm in Chemistry Bldg. River Terrace Church www.ffbc.us 1509 River Terrace Dr. East Lansing, MI 48823 First Baptist Church of (517) 351-9059 Okemos www.riverterrace.org 4684 Marsh Rd. Service times: 9 & 11:15am Okemos, MI 48864 (517) 349-2830 St. John Catholic Church www.fbcokemos.org/worship and Student Center Sunday worship: 10:45am 327 M.A.C. Ave. Greater Lansing Church East Lansing, MI 48823 of Christ (517) 337-9778 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. stjohnmsu.org East Lansing, MI Sunday: 8am, 10am, Noon, (Meeting at the University 5pm, 7pm Christian Church building) Monday, Wednesday, (517) 898-3600 Friday: 12:15pm Students welcome! Tuesday & Thursday: 9:15pm Sunday Worship: 8:45am Sunday Bible class: 10am Wednesday: 7pm - praise and The Pentecostals of East Lansing worship 16262 Chandler Rd. Students please feel free to East Lansing, MI 48823 call for rides (517) 337-7635 http://www.greaterlansingwww.pentecostalel.org coc.org Like us on Facebook! Hillel Jewish Student Center Sunday worship: 11am Thursday Bible study: 7pm 360 Charles St., E. Lansing Thursday young adult group: (517) 332-1916 8:30pm Friday Night Wednesday campus Bible Services: 6pm, Dinner: 7pm study: 8pm at MSU library September - April
The Islamic Society of Greater Lansing 940 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823 For prayer times visit www.lansingislam.com/ Trinity Church 3355 Dunckel Rd. Lansing, MI 48911 (517) 272-3820 Saturday: 6pm Sunday: 9:15am, 11am trinitywired.com Unity Spiritual Renaissance 230 S. Holmes St. Lansing, MI 48912 (517) 484-2360 or (517) 505-1261 Sunday: 10:30am Wednesday: 6:30pm meditation University Baptist Church 4608 South Hagadorn Rd East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 351-4144 www.ubcel.org 10 AM Worship Service 11:15 Coffee Hour 11:30 Sunday School University Christian Church 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 332-5193 universitychristianwired.com Sunday: 11:15 am Sunday Bible Study: 10:15 am University Lutheran Church (ELCA) One Community: Lutheran/ Episcopal Campus Ministry 1020 South Harrison Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 332-2559 www.facebook.com/onecommunitymsu Sunday Worship 9:30am 7pm Wed Student-Led Worship @MSU Alumni Chapel University United Methodist Church MSU Wesley 1120 S. Harrison Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 351-7030 universitychurchhome.org msuwesley.org Sunday: 10:30am 9:00am Garden Service in the summer TGIT: 8:00pm Thursdays Sept. - April WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbot Road East Lansing, MI 48823 (517) 580-3744 www.msu.edu/~weisluth 6:00pm Saturday
Religious Organizations: Don’t be left out of the Religious Directory! Call 517-432-3000 today to speak with an Account Executive
News
Josh Thall and Ray Wilbur Student issues editor Public concerns editor campus@statenews.com @thesnews
Women-only residence hall is a safe space BY TREASURE ROBERTS TROBERTS@STATENEWS.COM
Years ago, all the dorms in West Circle Neighborhood were referred to as “The Virgin Isles,” because every dorm was all-female. Today Yakeley Hall, named after Elida Yakeley, MSU’s first registrar, is the only residence hall to remain all-female. Several women were placed in Yakeley Hall unaware that they would be living in a dorm with one gender for the entire school year. While some are content with their living situation, others are dissatisfied. Music performance freshman Emily Henley did not know anything about Yakeley before she moved there, but when she arrived moved in she said she did not like the all women environment.
“Yakeley meets the demand of women who are coming from around the world, we have students who can’t be in the same space as male students because of their religion or cultural differences.”
Jealisha Calvert, Yakeley Hall assistant community director
“It’s supposed to be women empowerment based, but it’s more catty than it is empowering,” Henley said. “(On) our Yakeley Facebook page people make comments on the timeline unnecessarily being rude, (such as) ‘if you don’t know how to use the washer don’t use it.’” Henley also said she feels like the women are difficult to get along with in person. “I think co-ed is better because there are so
many different people you can meet,” Henley said. “It’s not as awkward or stiff, people want to get to know each other. In the co-ed dorms people keep their doors open more often and talk to each other in the hallway that does not happen here usually.” Journalism freshman Katie Schlafhauser and her roommate chose to live in Yakeley Hall, but they did not know it was an all-women dorm. “I was a little disappointed,” Schlafhauser said. “I kind of wanted to make guy friends and I felt like that would prohibit me from doing that.” Several of the women residing in Yakeley Hall said they would rather live in a co-ed dorm instead. “I would like to live in Mayo or Landon just because I get a long with guys better,” packaging freshman Alice Pushman said. “Having guys on my floor or around me would just work — I actually feel more comfortable with that.” Pushman said living in co-ed residence halls allows you to experience other genders. “Girls have the same experiences, we talk about boys and periods,” Pushman said. “It’s different with guys, you get different view points.” Graduate student and Yakeley Hall assistant community director Jealisha Calvert said the problems that occur in Yakeley Hall are just like issues that would happen in any other residence hall. Calvert also realizes it may not be the best living place for all students. However, she does believe that the energy in Yakeley Hall is very different from the energy in other residence halls. “The girls bond together,” Calvert said. “We have a lot of events that cater to girls (like) pamper parties. They take time to pamper themselves paint their nails and do each others hair — it’s a time for them to destress.” Several students come from different parts of
From left to right, music performance freshman Emily Henley, English freshman Vanessa Gonzalez, prenursing freshman Valerie Wolfe and studio art freshman Isadora Vincent watch American Horror Story on Nov. 11 in a Yakeley Hall lounge. Yakeley Hall is the only all-female dorm on campus. PHOTO: CATHERINE FERLAND
BIO
Yakeley Hall Built in 1947 Named after MSU’s first registrar Elida Yakeley The last of the “Virgin Isles,” which referred to the six residence halls in West Circle that were all-women residence halls.
the world and practice religions which, would not allow them to live with males. Calvert believes it is good to have that collective space where women don’t feel distracted by the opposite sex. “Yakeley meets the demand of women who are coming from all around the world, we have students who can’t be in the same space as male students because of their religion or cultural differences,” Calvert said. “It’s a space where girls feel comfortable and they don’t believe they will infringe upon their (religious) beliefs.”
Research offers students ways to make money BY ASHLEE KRAWCZYK AKRAWCYZK@STATENEWS.COM
Whether it’s paying off a parking ticket, rent or saving to buy gifts for the holiday season, college students can always use some extra cash. MSU offers a number of paid research opportunities for students. Various departments are looking for students to participate with financial incentives.
Tell us what you want to read about
BEAT OHIO STATE! GO GREEN! GO WHITE! GO SBS! For the best names in Green & White clothing
Big Colorful Parking Ramp
Division
Mon-Fri: 9-7 Sat: 10-6 Sun: 12-5
Charles
Nike • Under Armour • Jansport Columbia • GEAR
Grand River MSU
Olin Health Center
Free validated parking 351-4210 • order on-line: www.sbsmsu.com 4
by submitting your story ideas to our Answers Edition submission page (statenews.com/ page/submit-your-story-ideas) or tweeting us @thesnews
Venture, an online undergraduate database, lists research opportunities by category, department and incentive. Projects pay from $8-10 for every hour of research or $20-25 per experiment. Director of Residence Life Paul Goldblatt recently sent out a message regarding the need for student participation in an on-campus focus group. “We periodically hold focus groups or surveys on an as needed basis,” Goldblatt said. “We need student involvement and feedback. In return, we give out money or prizes.” Becoming a lab aid can be beneficial for students who have extra time and need to make money. Students can spend their time in Learning Resource Center assisting faculty and students with projects meanwhile boosting their resume. “I learned first hand what a job in the research would entail,” zoology senior Zach Proux said. “I also felt the excitement of observing wildlife behaviors and made some money in the process.” Other students turn to online resources, like signing up with StudySoup to be a class note-taker, for extra money. “Honestly, being a note-taker is amazing because uploading the material to StudySoup takes five minutes or less,” advertising sophomore Alexandra Torres said in an email. “I don’t lose anything, and I need to take notes and make study guides for class anyways. It is a win-win situation.” If your workload is too much, sports take over your life or you simply can’t find the time for a job, these options don’t even require students to leave campus to earn additional money.
THE STATE N E WS
The Answers Edition will be published in early December
THURSDAY, NOVEM B E R 1 9, 2 01 5
W H Y T H I S M AT T E R S MSU students can make quick cash by participating in focus groups and other research opportunities.
IT ALL
COMES
DOWN
THIS TO
BEAT OSU
PHOTO: JULIA NAGY
NO. 9 MSU VS. NO. 2 OHIO STATE | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21. 2015 @ 3:30 P.M. | ABC | OHIO STADIUM, COLUMBUS, OHIO | @THESNEWS_SPORTS
GO SPARTANS!
SPARTANS DRIVE THE VICTORY HOME!
MSUFCU is a proud supporter of MSU athletics. Federally insured by NCUA.
www.msufcu.org • 517-333-2424
(877) 467-4198 | WWW.DICKSCOTTMOTORMALL.COM
CONNOR COOK
J.T. BARRETT SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK 56/85 completions/attempts 65.9% completion percentage 622 passing yards 8 touchdowns 3 interceptions
SENIOR QUARTERBACK 175/311 completions/attempts 56.3% completion percentage 2482 passing yards 21 touchdown passes 4 interceptions
WHO WILL COME OUT
ON TOP
PHOTO COURTESY OF OHIO STATE ATHLETICS
PHOTO: SUNDEEP DHANJAL
MSU
MSU
FOOTBALL REPORTERS
LOSES IF
WINS IF The Spartans can limit the Buckeyes rushing attack and win the turnover battle
The defense cannot get off the field and the offense fails to make big plays
MATTHEW ARGILLANDER
31-28 MSU
RYAN KRYSKA
Connor Cook is able to bare the first big-hit he takes and if the young secondary can come up with takeaways
The team fails to contain J.T. Barrett on third downs. The Spartans have to stop OSU on third and long situations
34-28 MSU
PREVIOUS MATCHUPS 49-37 34-24 17-16 10-7 45-7 24-17 38-7 35-24 32-19 33-23
2014 2013 2012 2011 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
OVERALL RECORD: OSU 29 MSU 14
OSU enters game with a 23-game winning streak
OSU MSU OSU MSU OSU OSU OSU OSU OSU OSU
MSU
OSU
2015 RECORD
9-1
32.9 152.4 253.9 406.3 78 49 32:50
10-0 36.4 244.8 208.5 453.3 90 39 29:35
PTS. PER GAME RUSH YDS PER GAME PASS YDS PER GAME TOTAL YDS PER GAME PTS OFF TURNOVERS 3RD DOWN % TIME OF POSS. PER GAME
BIG TEN STANDINGS WEST
6-0
5-1
EAST
4-2
6-0
5-1
“
5-1
COACH’S CORNER Game No. 11 for us. When you look at where we’re at right now as a football program, this season, 2015, you know, we’ve got things at least in place in terms to control our own destiny a little bit. That’s where we needed to be coming into this football game a long time ago. Not perfect, 9-1, but at least we are in control of our opportunities. Ohio State, you know, National Champions last year, and I think they were the best football team in the nation, and I said that coming into that last game that they played.
OSU’s streak is the longest active in the NCAA FBS
“
PREDICTIONS
-HEAD COACH MARK DANTONIO In 2013, OSU lost its 24-game school record winning streak in the Big Ten Championships against MSU
MSU is 5-1 in its last six games against AP Top 10 teams
Mark Dantonio was the defensive coordinator at OSU when they won the 2002 National Championship
GO SPARTANS! MSUFCU is a proud supporter of MSU athletics. Federally insured by NCUA.
www.msufcu.org • 517-333-2424
Features
Meagan Beck Features editor features@statenews.com @sn_features
Crossword
L.A. Times Daily Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
Roial Players act out weekly for fun
From left, communication freshman Alec Comes, computer science sophomore Terrence Peugh and public policy senior Robert Parsons perform a scene during a Roial Players improv show on Nov. 13 in the McDonel Hall kiva.
PHOTO: DEJAH DARKINS
ACROSS
BY MCKENNA ROSS MROSS@STATENEWS.COM
In a classroom in Snyder-Phillips Hall on a Wednesday night, stomping and incoherent shouts followed by hysterical laughter can be heard. Though a seemingly strange combination of sounds, it’s not unusual to the students in that room — Roial Players. Improv director Matthew Schomisch said Roial Players improvisation is “the number one and only improv team on campus.” “That’s kind of our tagline right now,” Schomisch, a mechanical engineering junior, said. The Roial Players is a theatre group based out of Snyder-Phillips Hall and has been at MSU for 10 years, though the group became a registered student organization this fall. “It grew from people in RCAH (Residential College in the Arts and Humanities) wanting to have their own theatre group and branched off into different things,” Schomisch said. “We have our improv, but we also have the regular Roial which does plays and musicals and we’re branching off into new groups of film, music, there’s people who do PR, there’s writers as well. (There’s) a bunch of different branches under the Roial heading brand.” The improv group has 20 to 25 members. It meets every week on Mondays and Wednesdays and does one show a month with 10 to 14 of those members. Schomisch said rehearsals are open and anyone is able to join at any time throughout the school year. Film studies sophomore Simon Tessmer said he joined Roial Improv his freshman year and the other members have helped him improve. He said he thinks their group is different than other college improv groups because there are no audiW H Y T H I S M AT T E R S Twice a week, the Roial Players, MSU’s only improvisation troupe, meets to practice and perform short skits of about five minutes to long skits of about 20 minutes. There are currently about 20 to 25 members in the group. The Roial Players also perform plays and musicals out of the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities. There are no auditions to join the improv group and anyone of any major is allowed to join at any point in the year.
tions or cuts. “We accept anyone,” Tessmer said. “You’re going to learn improv if you want to. You just keep coming back and you volunteer and you’ll get better.” Tessmer said the shows are similar to classic improv games, but also have something more uncommon. “If you have ever seen ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ we do a lot of short form jokes like that, but we also try to do long form type stuff,” he said. “It’s less prevalent online but it’s basically trying to tell an improvised story that’s also funny.” Long form skits can be about 20 minutes in length, while short form skits are around five minutes, Tessmer said. Special education sophomore Julia Lederer said she uses it to de-stress with like-minded people. “For me, Roial is really cool because it’s a bunch of people who are generally not theatre majors who still love the idea of performing on stage, or sometimes not even,” Lederer said. “It’s a really good creative outlet for people who aren’t specifically going into a creative major.” Tessmer agreed and said though members not performance majors, they still want the chance to perform and do what they love. “It’s just fun and a great stress reliever,” Tessmer said. “This is a place where I can be happy and not have to worry about anything else.” For Schomisch, the outlet comes from more than just the jokes. “You get involved with this group of friends who meet twice a week,” Schomisch said. “It’s not necessarily a team, it’s a family. We’re friends and a family. I like being able to have fun in practices, but also be able to translate that fun on stage and sharing it to other people who want to come to our shows.”
Ʃ
1 __ Men, pop band whose name derives from its members’ homeland 5 Bit of a speech 9 Prolonged look 14 Instruments for Israel Kamakawiwo’ole 15 Case for notions 16 Attach 17 Bar for some dancers 19 “The Grand Budapest Hotel” actor 20 Kiss a frog, so it’s said 22 Org. that holds your interest? 23 LBJ agency 24 Reuters competitor 27 All out 32 Complain 36 Attic forager 37 Family nickname 38 Went too far with 40 Street vendor’s snack 42 Cosmetic surgeon’s procedures, briefly 43 Nursery supply 44 Salts 45 Evasive language 49 NBC sketch comedy 50 Portuguese king 51 Not connected 56 Snoring, e.g., and a literal hint to what’s hidden in 20-, 27- and 45-Across
61 Case study? 63 Like one who really gets IT? 64 Sea divers 65 Switch ending 66 Carpe __ 67 Cuban music genre 68 Daly of “Judging Amy” 69 Everyone, in Essen
DOWN
1 Light sources 2 “Ran” director Kurosawa 3 Ones with fab abs 4 Similarly sinful 5 Broke down 6 “Then again,” in tweets 7 Dismiss 8 Fuel type 9 “Soldier of Love” Grammy winner 10 Nonstick cookware brand 11 Anti-consumerist portmanteau popularized in a 2001 best-seller 12 2011 animated film set in Brazil 13 PC file extension 18 Stillwater’s state: Abbr. 21 Capitol insider 25 Novelist De Vries 26 Pastoral poems
Get the solutions at statenews.com/puzzles Level: 3
4
Get the solutions at statenews.com/ puzzles
• First-class Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in the U.S. • Continued industrial sponsorship and spring-term student industrial projects since late 90s • Successfully preparing students for job placements for 15+ years
π
2
SOLUTION TO WEDNESDAY’S PUZZLE
Master of Science in Industrial Mathematics at MSU
f(x)
1
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
%
www.math.msu.edu/msim
28 Athlete lead-in 29 It’s not hot for long 30 Submission encl. 31 Last stroke, usually 32 Common maladies 33 French postcard word 34 Utter disgust 35 “No __!” 39 ISP alternative 40 Author of macabre tales 41 Old cereal box stat 43 Weblike 46 Before, of yore 47 Largish jazz ensemble 48 Maxwell Smart’s nemesis 52 “The Devil Wears __” 53 Motrin competitor 54 Party hearty 55 “Go ahead, make my day!” 57 Lana of Superman lore 58 Film feline 59 Silhouette of a bird, for Twitter 60 You might pick up a pebble in one 61 Attention from Dr. Mom 62 Milne marsupial
11/19/15
© 2015 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
T H U RS DAY, NOV E MB E R 1 9, 2 01 5
TH E STATE N E WS
9
Spotlight Discussions of racial tension continue at MSU Students gather around the Rock on Farm Lane after a march on Nov. 13. A police escort followed the march, where students held signs and yelled chants in solidarity with the students at the University of Missouri.
BY DEJA GREEN AND RILEY MURDOCK DGREEN@STATENEWS.COM & RMURDOCK@STATENEWS.COM
According to a running database kept by The Guardian, the amount of Americans killed by law enforcement in 2015 is now over 1,000. Black people have died in altercations with police at a level disproportionate to population demographics, leading to the creation of activist movements following several high-profile cases. Born amidst the protests sparked over the shooting of Trayvon Martin and death of Freddie Gray in police custody, Black Lives Matter is described as “a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society.” One student organization at MSU, the Black Student Alliance (BSA), has been active in holding rallies, organizing events, staging protests and advocating for the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement. STANDING IN SOLIDARITY Activists at MSU once again organized when black students at University of Missouri began protesting after Jonathan Butler, a student activist, started a hunger strike with the goal of removing then-president Tim Wolfe from office, claiming racism on the campus has led to an atmosphere where black students felt unwelcome. Wolfe resigned when several members of the football team joined in the subsequent boycott, refusing to play until he was ousted. Last week, in response to the demonstrations at University of Missouri, BSA painted the Rock on Farm Lane in solidarity expressing their support for the protesters. “This could easily be us, at our campus at Michigan State, in the same predicament as Mizzou,” interior design senior Tierra Nelson said at the Rock painting. “I would like to see that the administration at MSU has a plan in effect to counteract those type of things, so we don’t have to go through the whole same racial discrimination that they’re going through, and being afraid to go to class.” MSU administration held a dialogue regarding the protests, attempting to answer student concerns. Many, however, weren’t satisfied with President Lou Anna K. Simon’s answers, and marched to the Rock on Farm Lane to rally in support of institutional change at MSU. “I feel like I am one of the protesters at Miz-
PHOTO: ALICE KOLE
zou,” said Danielle El-Amin, a political theory and constitutional democracy junior and president of the W.E.B. Du Bois Student Society, a black student advocacy group within James Madison residential college. “Their issues, their fight, everything that they go through is everything that I go through at MSU.” DISCRIMINATION ON CAMPUS One such instance of prejudice contributed to recently rising tensions on MSU’s campus was one involving mechanical engineering sophomore Ashley Carr. After arriving home from the Million Man March on Oct. 11, Carr learned that over the weekend, an individual wrote the word “n----” on her whiteboard attached to her door. “(The RAs on duty) were contemplating if they wanted to call the police or not,” Carr said. “They asked me if I felt safe — No, I don’t feel safe. They asked, why don’t you feel safe? I don’t feel
Political science junior Steve Cleaves-Jones speaks with MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon after an open forum on Nov. 13, in front of the Sparty’s in Brody Hall. Becasue of the time constraints of the room used for the forum, President Simon agreed to answer more questions from students outside of Sparty’s. PHOTO: ALICE KOLE 10
THE STATE N E WS
THURSDAY, NOVEM B E R 1 9, 2 01 5
safe because somebody wrote n---- on my door — if they feel comfortable doing that, they can come in and do anything.” Carr said the police arrived and began to ask her more questions as to why she did not feel safe. “I explained to them that this is serious and I want the same thing to happen if I was to write cracker, white, something on somebody’s door,” Carr said. “I want the same actions to be taken upon me because this is serious and I don’t feel like that’s right. Racism and racial slurs, it’s wrong.” Carr said the RAs asked her if she wanted to move to another dorm either permanently or temporarily, where she might have felt safer. “If you move me temporarily, when I come back, what’s gonna happen?” Carr said. “No I don’t want to move permanently. If I move permanently, it could happen there, or it might keep happening. I’m not moving at all — I understand the gesture, it’s protocol for them to ask you if you want to move but, I feel like they should reword that.” Police took Carr and her roommate’s fingerprints, the board, and the marker to see if they could find anything on the items. Carr said she was made aware it could take longer for the results of the fingerprint analysis to come back, if any, because her crime is a lesser crime. “I emailed Paulette Granberry Russell (Director of the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives), she was very angry about it and told me she would contact RHS and see how it is being handled,” Carr said. Carr’s floor ended up holding a meeting about racial infractions. “If someone was to come in my room and steal my wallet, everybody would get an email, a phone call, and a text message,” Carr said. “But someone wrote a racial slur on my door and it’s not seen as serious, so nobody even heard about it.” CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATION In addition to the BSA, several other groups are committed to fighting racism on MSU’s campus and eliminating experiences like Carr’s. One such group is People’s Advocates, located in Lansing
and led by Paul Birdsong, who was present at both of last week’s events. “If a black kid writes ‘honkey’ on a white kid’s door, that black kid is getting adult charges, he’s getting a criminal record, he’s going to jail, he’s getting a fine, restitution, community service and probably probation, not just scholastic probation, but he’s probably gonna get probation with the State of Michigan,” Birdsong said.
“The school administration needs to have policies in place where if you do this to somebody, no matter what color you are, no matter what color they are, you are gonna pay for it.” Paul Birdsong Chairman of People’s Advocates
Birdsong said he has been stopped by police and asked for his ID six to seven times this year, despite wearing a three-piece suit on a daily basis. “I think they’re maybe looking for a reaction and then they can react violently to us because of how we react as a people,” Birdsong said about the recent prevalence of race-related crimes. “If I could say anything about that, I would tell everybody to use their brain and to focus on the goal at hand as opposed to what’s happening,” Birdsong said. “You’ll be greater in the force to change what’s happening using you brain than you will be reacting violently.” In light of recent events and growing tensions, groups like BSA at MSU and around the country are committed to solving racial issues, willing to go as far as it takes to accomplish their goals. “Hopefully MSU doesn’t have to get the point where we are calling for the resignation of President Simon,” El-Amin said. “But I can look around and I see our student body, and I recognize in myself and other student activists on campus, that we are willing to take it there if need be. If MSU needs to become the next Mizzou, then we have no problem taking those next steps.”
AJ Moser Managing editor amoser@statenews.com @thesnews
Police respond to activist input Sgt. Andrew Bouck of the East Lansing Police Department approaches a house party in East Lansing on Oct. 24.
BY CAMERON MACKO CMACKO@STATENEWS.COM
Current events have not been kind to police departments across the country. With the one year anniversary of the protest in Baltimore approaching, the call for police to be held accountable for their actions continues. Police have had to come to grips with accusations of institutionalized racism or a perceived over-willingness to use deadly force when perhaps the situation could be defused with less mortal means. A number of shootings and incidents of police brutality have damaged the reception of the profession, regardless of the acts of individual officers and departments. Even in East Lansing, police have not escaped the ire of activists on either side of Grand River Avenue. Because police are often viewed as a homogeneous group rather than an amalgamation of different departments with varying levels of funding and training, the lines have sometimes become blurred. HOLDING OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE Many criticisms aimed at police departments deal with the perceived lack of accountability of police officers, especially with more national occurrences in Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland. Black Student Alliance President Myya Jones said the East Lansing Police Department shuts down parties thrown by black students faster than others, adding that she knows instances of black students being pulled over more frequently or other instances of racial profiling. MSU police met with members of the BSA during an event called “Cops and Conversations” as part of a community outreach where students voiced their concerns and police were able to explain their side. Jones said she appreciated outreach programs like that. However, she still took issue with police claims they did not racially profile. “Just because you say that you’re not doing it, doesn’t mean you’re not doing it,” Jones said. Police said often in the case of more notorious departments there lies an issue of funding and training, stressing MSU police officers
Classified TO PLACE AN AD … BY TELEPHONE (517) 432-3010 IN PERSON 435 E. Grand River Ave. BY E-MAIL advertising@statenews.com ONLINE www.statenews.com/classifieds OFFICE HOURS 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
PHOTO: DEJAH DARKINS
for evidence as well as help in cases where an officer is accused of wrongdoing. One important thing often glossed over is body cameras exist as much to protect officers from false claims as they are to protect civilians. “I don’t do anything I need to worry about,” MSU police Sgt. Michael Aguilera said. CIVILIAN CONCERNS OF SAFETY Body cameras are in widespread use this semester with MSU police One solution to these issues has been to equip officers on duty with body cameras. The video can then be stored and accessed continued on page 12 have the luxury of being only a small percentage of MSU’s budget, protecting them from difficult budget cuts. They also said officers need a high level of training and skill required. Individuals with a past of racial incidents are exempt from being hired to the department.
Your campus marketplace! statenews.com/classifieds DEADLINES LINER ADS 2 p.m., 1 business day prior to publication (includes cancellations) CLASSIFIED DISPLAY 3 p.m., 3 class days prior to publication
NOTE TO READERS The State News screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.
Employment CRUNCHY’S HIRING cooks. Competitive pay. Commensurate w/ experience. Come fill out app / email mike@crunchyseastlasning. com HIRING SERVERS and cooks at Reno’s Eastside Sports Bar and Grill. Apply in person at 1310 Abbot Rd. HOLIDAY HELP. Flex schedule around classes, great resume builder. Fun work environment, base pay $15.50. 517.333.1700 workforstudentsnow.com JANITORIAL POSITIONS avail. 2nd shift, MonFri. Lansing/Okemos area. Starting pay $8.75/ hour. Apply online at bulljanitorial.com
Employment PHOTOJOURNALISTS NEEDED at The State News. Join our award-winning staff and shoot news, features, sports and photo stories at MSU and the surrounding community. Submit a portfolio, resume and application by Nov. 30 at statenews.com/work. Please submit resume and portfolio through online application. Applicants must be full-time students at MSU and should have flexible schedules as nights, weekends and some travel is required.
RECYCLE
this newspaper, please.
Employment SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS and Administrative Assistants Needed. For more information, contact: Mrs. Jeannine Williams @ 517.977.7099 jwilliams@shabazzacademy. com
Apts. For Rent AUG ‘16 Downtown EL. Studio Appts. Heat/water/ parking inc. Top cond. Check out our visual tours at hudginsrealty.com. 517-5750008. No pets.
Find today’s paper and more on statenews.com
AD ACCEPTANCE All ads are subject to editing, alterations, approval, or rejection by The State News management. LINE ADDITIONS Changes resulting in additional lines will be treated as a new ad and return to the first-day rate.
Apts. For Rent AVAILABLE FALL! Treehouse Apartments right across from Beal St entrance to campus- studio, 2 & 4 bedroom apts. lic. for 1, 2, 3 or 4. Contemporary furnishings, A/C, patio or balcony, parking and on-site laundry- www.cronmgt. com or 517.351.1177 for more info or to view.
Houses For Rent 1031 DAISY Ln. Avail 08/16. Large 2 bdrm. Secluded backyard. W/d. Beautiful home. 927-1338.
REFUNDS No cash refunds will be issued for cancellations. Credit will be applied to subsequent ads for one year. PAYMENT All ads must be prepaid unless credit has been established with The State News.
COPY ERRORS The State News is only responsible for the first day’s incorrect insertion. Liability is limited to the cost of the space rendered.
Houses For Rent
Houses For Rent
Textbooks
1230 LILAC. Avail 8/16. 5 bedroom/2 bath, w/d. New updates. Near Breslin. 9271338.
ABOVE AVERAGE 545 Spartan. 2016 - 2017. Lic. 4, Eamon Kelly 714.654.2701 or enkellyjr@gmail.com
COLLEGEVILLE TEXTBOOK Co. is your source for used books! 321 E Grand River. 517-922-0013.
2016 AMAZING deals. A+ Nice Houses. Lic. 3-8. Great Locations. 481-6313. bairdrentals.com
AUGUST LEASE: 563 Gunson, 4bdrm, colonial, lic for 4, w/d, a/c, bsmt, 430/ month each. (231) 445-2489
Services
2016 HOUSES. Two 4 bedrooms avail. Email msurentals@gmail.com, call 517-202-0920.
LEASING ROOM for 6 months starting Jan. 1. 3 bdrm ranch across the street from campus. Internet, washer,dryer, cable, and parking pass included. Contact property owner for info el946lilacavenue@yahoo. com
939 Ann, 3 Bdrm, 2 Bath. W/D. Call 517-655-5941 or rentmc.com for more info, $1830/mo.
T H U RS DAY, NOV E MB E R 1 9, 2 01 5
CONSIDER LEGAL counsel for student loan debt. Taking action now can save thousands. Develop repayment plans, and cure default if needed. Call Health Advocates Law PLLC, 517507-0407. DEFENSE OF faculty misconduct cases & student sexual misconduct cases. Nachtlaw.com. 734-6637550
TH E STATE N E WS
11
Spotlight Page 11 cont.
after the department paid $110,000 to obtain them. Officers are required to wear them on duty, although Roudebush said officers typically did not wear them in the office. With any change in procedure, especially when police forces are used to doing everything in a very specific way, there’s bound to be mistakes. However, Aguilera said it was by no means meant to be malicious. ELPD is also set to add body cameras to be implemented in the opening months of 2016 after purchasing eight cameras. ELPD Lt. Scott Wrigglesworth said it would have been far too expensive to equip the entire department. Each one cost between $400 to $500 and the $30,000 necessary to equip every officer would have been too much. One concern with having body cameras is the debate of how long to store the actual data. Since even one camera recording all shift requires a lot of storage space, and the associated costs, police departments have to be creative. Currently models from both departments have the data being stored for at least a month with specific clips being cut and stored as needed, although a specific timeframe has not yet been established.
Sgt. Andrew Bouck of the East Lansing Police Department patrols during his shift on Oct. 24. PHOTO: DEJAH DARKINS
“For sure not our police department, but I don’t think any departments in the area are hiding anything from you. If you ever got caught doing it you would have a huge nightmare on your hands.” Jeff Murphy, ELPD Police Chief
CLOSE TO HOME Given that many people only deal with police during a bad situation, either they commit a crime of some sort or they are pulled over and given a speeding ticket, it can be hard to see officers as just other people doing a job. ELPD Sgt. Andrew Bouck said after serving in the United States Marine Corps he wanted to become a police officer and wanted to keep people safe, not to ruin anyone’s fun. While on patrol one Saturday afternoon, his mother called asking him to have a few words with his kids, who were being rowdy, and frequently got out of the vehicle to throw a football around with tailgaiters before the game against
Indiana, calling it “positive community contact” and hoping to practice community policing. He said like any profession there are people who are great at their jobs who go into it for the right reasons, and others who are poor and get in it for the wrong reasons. “I’m responsible for the workplace around me. … I’ve done the same job for years,” he said. Regarding new technology officers need to deal with, he reiterated the idea that not all officers have a problem with being on camera. REPORTING RACIAL PROFILING ELPD and MSU police take complaints of racial profiling very seriously and encourage those who believe they have been targeted because of their race to report the incident to the respective department. Whenever anyone has a complaint with the conduct of a police officer during something like a traffic stop, a claim can be taken to MSU police in a few different ways, MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said. One method is to call the MSU police front desk and ask for a supervisor and the other method is to contact the Police Oversight Committee located in Owen Graduate Hall. “(Then) it’s investigated,” she said. “We have an internal investigation.” She said individuals who are pulled over should follow a few different guidelines — such as not arguing with police on the scene, as there are other ways to challenge the ticket or forward a complaint. Bouck said traffic stops are some of the most dangerous things officers do, so being cooperative is very important to make sure things go smoothly. ELPD has a similar procedure to investigating claims of racial bias.
Hiring for Community Assistants at Chandler Crossings Chandler Crossings is seeking upbeat, reliable and upstanding individuals to fill the Community Assistant (CA) positions the current academic year, as well as the 2016-2017 academic year. CAs receive compensation in the form of a free room during the term of employment, and it is a great position to add to a resumé!
CAs get to:
-know their residents -build community -plan events -be a part of a great team that provides peer guidance here at our student communities by supporting academic pursuits and positive social interaction
CHANDLER
CROSSINGS L A N D I N G S
A
P
A
R
V I L L A G E
T
M
E
C L U B
N
T
S
Submit your application today! employment.chandlercrossings.com
T H U RS DAY, NOV E MB E R 1 9, 2 01 5
TH E STATE N E WS
12