The State News Fall 2023 Welcome Week

WELCOME HOME SPARTANS!

MSU IS READY FOR YOU

The Red Zone: Resources for the most vulnerable time for sexual assault on college campuses

The university may soon be able to sell alcohol during events on campus. Here’s what students have to say.

During the first few months of classes, students are more vulnerable to experiencing sexual assault. MSU has free resources year-round.

How to avoid paying high costs for MSU course materials

Course materials are expensive, and many students have no choice but to get crafty. Here are some ways you can avoid paying extra for your education.

Spartan Student Bundle:

• Spartan Saver

• Sparty Debit Card

• Financial 4.0 app

The MSUFCU Spartan Student Bundle Sweepstakes begins at midnight ET 6/1/23 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET 10/25/23. To enter, you must be a member of MSU Federal Credit Union and a registered student at Michigan State University for the 2023-24 academic year and open or add to your existing account a Spartan Saver, Sparty Debit Card, and download the Financial 4.0 app. Only one entry per participant will be accepted. Three prizes will be awarded as follows: One winner will be selected to receive a student section season ticket on 8/25/23 for the 2023-24 MSU football season; one winner will be selected to receive a student section season ticket on 9/25/23 for the 2023-24 MSU men’s ice hockey season; and one winner will be selected to receive a student section season ticket on 10/25/23 for the 2023-24 MSU men’s basketball season. The winner of each drawing will also receive a private tour of the applicable venue, either Spartan Stadium, Munn Ice Arena, or the Breslin Center, and access to a private practice watch party for the winner of each drawing and one guest at a mutually agreed upon time. The approximate retail values of the prizes range fr om $300 to $400.

Tickets are nontransferable and nonrefundable in the case of a canceled or missed event. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries received. The winners will be randomly selected on the dates listed above by MSUFCU, whose decision is final. Each winner’s account must be in good standing. Winner will be notified by email or phone and has 5 business days to respond. Failure to respond within 5 business days will result in the selection of a new winner. Winner must sign a release and consent form to receive prize. MSUFCU provides no warranty and is not liable for the winner’s receipt or use

2023. Photo by Henry Szymecko

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CAR AMIDST THE ‘KIA BOYS’ TREND, ATTEMPTED THEFTS ON CAMPUS

By Hannah Holycross hholycross@statenews.com

Social media is filled with a variety of tutorials, from winged eyeliner and vegan recipes, to video game cheat codes.

But a certain controversial tutorial that gained traction in 2022 has now seemingly become popular on MSU’s campus: how to steal a Kia or Hyundai vehicle.

Just last week, the Michigan State University Police Department sent an email alert warning of attempted motor vehicle thefts across campus to students; all of the incidents involved 2011-2021 Hyundai and Kia vehicles.

“In the last 5 days a pattern has developed in regards to thefts of motor vehicles,” the email read. “There have been 3 attempted thefts of a motor vehicle at Ramp 1/Shaw Lane, Shaw Hall Parking Loop and Lot 5/ Delta Court.”

In addition to the three attempted thefts on campus, MSUPD spokesperson Dana Whyte said there has been a trend in Kia and Hyundai thefts in the Greater Lansing area as well.

But why the targeting of Kia and Hyundai models? According to the

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a software flaw in Kia and Hyundai vehicles made before 2021 enables car theft with a simple USB cord.

Knowledge of this software flaw grew online following the publication of a YouTube documentary entitled “Kia Boys Documentary (A Story of Teenage Car Theft),” which detailed a group of Milwaukee teenagers who used the vehicle’s accessibility to joyride in stolen cars.

The video, which was released in spring of 2022, garnered over seven million views on Youtube and spurred a trend in car theft.

By September of 2022, Kia and Hyundai thefts made up close to half of vehicle thefts in Chicago, according to the Chicago Police Department via USAFacts. In Milwaukee, home to the original ‘Kia Boys’, Kia and Hyundai thefts made up 80% of car thefts in August of 2022.

Hyundai has since rolled out a free software update, which requires a key to be in the ignition in order for the car to start.

Whyte encourages anyone with a Kia or Hyundai made before 2021 that

has not received the software update to contact their dealership and request one before returning to campus.

“We also see this happening in other cities locally and in mid Michigan, as well,” Whyte said. “So we really just wanted to put this message out there to let our community know before they move back into campus.”

In addition to the “Kia Boys Documentary,” many have blamed TikTok for contributing to the trend by not monitoring videos that contain criminal activity.

One TikTok video from the user @ robbierayy, which showed him starting a Kia using only a USB cable, went viral. TikTok has deleted the original video, but not before an abundance of people posted videos of themselves attempting the same stunt.

MSU associate professor of public relations and social media Saleem Alhabash said because TikTok doesn’t distinguish between safe and unsafe information, risky behaviors and criminal activity can swarm users’ feeds and even persuade them to participate.

“The way that the algorithm works, is if you spend too much time on these videos, then unfortunately you’re gonna

get more of these videos in your feed,” Alhabash said. “When you see someone else baking or making a salad or you know, stealing a car, that gives you an indicator of the step by step process and it gives you a confidence boost in terms of well, ‘maybe I am able to do this as well.’”

Alhabash said social media platforms tend to create feelings of novelty and deviance among users that cause people who otherwise wouldn’t participate to join in.

“(Seeing) other people doing it gives you the impression that it is prevalent ... it messes with this social inhibition that we could have in terms of, ‘maybe I should not be stealing a car,’” Alhabash said. “But seeing how easy it is due to the technical flaw in certain car models can give people cues that actually they

can perform the behavior at little cost and with no repercussions.”

When it comes to taking the blame, Alhabash — who is a Kia owner himself — said although the automotive company is to blame, TikTok could have done more to prevent the trend from spreading.

“The fact that a social media platform has the data to see a trend emerging and instead of taking an ethical stance and removing this content or regulating it, they’re letting it go on and also monetizing it,” he said. “There is a fine line between what is permissible and what constitutes freedom of expression, because when freedom of expression is promoting criminal activity, then I’m not sure we can perceive it as free speech.”

State News file photo

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SECURITY UPDATES AIM TO PROVIDE SAFE MSU CAMPUS FOR STUDENTS

By Alex Walters awalters@statenews.com

In the wake of a February campus shooting that left three students dead on Michigan State University’s campus, students struggled to feel safe, demanding increased investment and attention to campus security.

Five months later, the university and its independent police department, MSUPD, say they’ve delivered.

The promise comes amid a comprehensive outside audit which will scrutinize the shooting response and make recommendations for further changes. It’s unclear when that review — which is being completed by the security consulting firm Margolis Healy — will be completed and released to the public.

In the meantime, the university has already ushered in an overhaul of access to campus buildings, emergency communications and the very way MSU police respond to emergencies.

MSU initially aimed to partially fund that expansion with state dollars, asking the legislature in February to consider something similar to the $37.5 million approved to help Oxford High School recover from a mass shooting in 2021.

Those efforts appear unsuccessful, as the university “is not aware of funding being made available from the state,” MSU deputy spokesperson Dan Olsen said in an email to The State News.

Without specific state funds, at least $2.5 million in expansions was fit into the university’s 2023-2024 budget. Olsen could not say how much has been spent thus far, or how many additional dollars will be spent on the expansions in the future.

The new measures — including everything from locks on doors to campus-wide, AI-powered digital surveillance systems — break down into two categories: reactive measures to best notify and secure students during a potential emergency and proactive measures to best prevent, detect and respond to them.

PHYSICAL SECURITY AND IMPROVED ALERTS

The largest physical security investment has been in door locks for classrooms.

Locks, or the lack thereof, became a subject of controversy after the shooting — as the Berkey Hall classrooms where much of the violence occurred didn’t have them.

Faculty leaders raised concerns about the lack of locks to MSU’s administration

five months before the shooting, according to a Bridge Michigan report, but MSUPD chief Marlon Lynch downplayed their worries and locks weren’t added before the shooting occurred.

In the time since, MSU has worked to equip rooms with individual door locks which allow those inside to secure the door and first-responders outside to enter with a key.

As of July 17, they’ve equipped 236 rooms and Olsen said MSU hopes that “most classrooms and labs” will be complete by the start of fall semester.

MSU has also strengthened barriers to accessing campus buildings. Since March, the university has been requiring ID cards to access academic buildings and dorms from 6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.

Olsen said those measures will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

There has also been a major overhaul of MSU’s emergency notification system.

Delayed, vague alerts left some students and faculty confused during the shooting and a second campus-wide lockdown in March, when a man brandished a knife at a business near campus.

In response to those concerns, MSUPD pledged to improve and develop new systems of clear communication.

The new system includes four methods of communication:

• Emails to MSU.EDU addresses with clearer wording and subject lines

• Push notifications for those with the SafeMSU App

• Amber-Alert style notifications for cell phones within Ingham County

• Audio messages coming from weather sirens and GreenLight emergency phone towers across campus

The university ran a successful test of the full system July 14. Another is planned for fall semester when students are back on campus.

Despite the improvements, MSU’s emergency procedures present challenges for students with disabilities, employing instructions like “do not use the elevator” and proceed to the “nearest stairway.”

After the shooting, leaders of MSU’s Council of Students with Disabilities told The State News that they felt unprotected.

MSUPD said in April it would work on more inclusive procedures. Those remain in development today, according to MSUPD spokesperson Dana Whyte.

PREDICTIVE POLICING AND PRIVACY CONCERNS

Outside of expanded physical security and notifications, MSUPD is also hoping to get ahead of emergencies in the first place.

It has recently begun using the Security Operations Center, or SOC, a centralized command room monitoring and overseeing the response to potential emergencies.

The streamlined approach has been in the works since before the shooting, but is just now fully staffed in hopes of operating by the fall.

MSUPD says the SOC will utilize AI-based software and camera systems for 24/7 monitoring of the entire campus, helping it assess and respond to threats more efficiently.

But that sort of data-driven, predictive policing poses privacy and First Amendment concerns for students, especially given MSU’s troubled history

with similar tech, according to American University law professor Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, who studied similar systems for his book, “The Rise of Big Data Policing.”

He called MSU’s proposed camera system “security theater”: a possibly comforting notion for students and families that, in practice, couldn’t stop tragedies like the February shooting.

What systems like the one proposed at MSU could be useful for, Ferguson said, is increased surveillance of campus life through pattern recognition.

The specific capabilities of MSU’s system remain unclear, but Ferguson said products currently on the market for police departments and universities offer everything from alerting police to abnormal noise or movement in selected locations, to campus heat maps designed to “lead police to the illegal parties.”

“They say it’s going to protect you, but what are the costs of that protection?” Ferguson said. “What’s it like to live on a college campus where police are watching you and keeping track of your youthful indiscretions? … I’m quite thankful we didn’t have those camera systems when I was in college.”

Outside of surveilling campus antics, Ferguson said the software’s advertised abilities to detect “threatening” outliers could pose civil rights concerns and exacerbate inequalities in policing.

“What alerts are going to be put in place where an individual who the algorithm thinks ‘doesn’t belong’ is going to be profiled in ways that are unfair and unjust?” Ferguson said.

When asked if there are any measures planned to limit privacy and civil rights concerns, Whyte, the MSUPD spokesperson, said “regarding the use of AI, MSU Police and Public Safety is committed to upholding our department’s ethical standards in order to be respected and trusted by the community we serve,” in a written statement to The State News.

The planned camera expansion and the SOC aren’t the first time MSU has dabbled in AI-based policing. For

years, MSUPD has used opensource AI softwares to monitor social media posts.

The softwares — like Social Sentinel or Media Sonar — allow police departments to set terms and topics which would trigger notifications.

MSUPD said the software was set to monitor threats to campus and MSU administrators, but internal documents obtained by The State News show that the internet activity monitored included planning and discussion of campus protests, not just violent threats.

A former MSUPD crime analyst even boasted about the AI software’s helpfulness in tracking protests.

“We have used (the software’s) services during recent protests and after a major sporting event to help our ground team understand the mood of the crowd,” an MSU crime analyst is quoted as saying in advertising materials sent to prospective clients of Social Sentinel.

Ferguson said the use of AI to track protests presents First Amendment concerns, as the possibility that police could build networks of “potential disruptors” and track those individuals has a chilling effect on campus speech.

“Maybe you don’t want to go to a public protest because you’re worried the university could later use [the information gathered with AI tools] against you,” Ferguson said.

One of the protests tracked by MSUPD’s AI tools was a 2019 campus demonstration organized by the animal rights advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.

Reached for comment, PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo called the monitoring “outrageous,” and pointed out that, in 2022, an Oregon court ruled that similar use of open-source tracking softwares to keep track of PETA protests by Oregon Health & Science University amounted to “illegal surveillance.”

With the history of “overbearing” AI-based surveillance by MSUPD in mind, Ferguson says the looming camera system is especially concerning.

State News file photo

WELCOME HOME, SPARTANS!

We can’t wait to see you on campus this fall. There’s so much to get excited about!

 Attending fall welcome events

 Finding your Spartan community

 Checking out the many student orgs

 Visiting your Neighborhood Engagement Center  And so much more!

SAVED YOU A SEAT!

Whether you live on or live off, dining on campus is better than ever. We upgraded our Silver, Gold and Platinum Plans to include:

 12 Combo-X-Changes every week

 Unlimited daily CX uses

 New CX locations including Starbucks, Panera, Strange Matter, Panda Express and more

 Mobile ordering  Grab and Go

That’s a checklist for stress-free dining all semester long!

HIRING SPARTANS!

STUDENTS REACT TO AMENDMENT ALLOWING GAMEDAY ALCOHOL SALES ON CAMPUS

By Shakyra Mabone smabone@statenews.com

As football season approaches, Spartan fans may soon be able to grab an alcoholic beverage while cheering their favorite team, thanks to a new bill signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Michigan State University Board of Trustees approved a campus policy allowing sports vendors to sell alcohol during events. The university can now apply for licenses with the Liquor Control Commission. It aims to have licenses for this fall’s home football games on Sept. 16, Sept. 23, Oct. 21 and Nov. 4.

With MSU being a Big Ten school, sporting events are loved by many

students, who feel that the university made the right choice.

Chemistry education senior Rylee Warner said other Big Ten schools experienced a decrease in alcoholrelated incidents when alcohol sales were implemented. However, Warner said this new policy wouldn’t affect her as much even though she will be of legal drinking age by MSU’s first football game.

“I think the policy will maybe cause drinks being thrown in the air when we score a touchdown, so bring a rain poncho,” Warner said. “But I’m definitely all for it due to the (safety) statistics and data of other schools.”

Human biology junior Ryan Mann

said the funds from the sales could potentially affect campus life and the student body.

“I see it as a great way to make more money,” Mann said.

Seeing as most students on college campuses aren’t of legal drinking age, accounting sophomore Francisco Hernandez said the Board of Trustees’ decision shows that MSU is open to new ideas and those who are able to participate in responsible drinking now have something to look forward to.

“I think it’s a move that supports fans, although I can’t drink myself because I’m not of legal age,” Hernandez said. “I think it has a positive effect with the fact they have

a new privilege.”

In addition to ensuring that the campus environment is safe, Hernandez said, having access to alcohol during game days increases responsibility within the community itself. He also said customers should have limits in consuming alcoholic beverages on campus.

Mann said a con of having alcoholic beverages on campus is that fans could get more aggressive and violent.

Some underaged students have access to fake identification to use at multiple restaurant bars around East Lansing. Hernandez said he has faith that MSU will perform safety measures to ensure that beverages are being sold

to those of legal drinking age.

MSU deputy spokesperson Dan Olsen said venue staff will be trained to serve alcohol safely, not over-serve customers and spot fake IDs.

“I know the university will be ensuring that there’s no way a fake ID can work,” Hernandez said. “I also think it’s unlikely that you will see drink sharing amongst students. I’m sure MSU will enforce a preventative measure whether that would be wristbands.”

Hernandez said he’s proud MSU has trust in its fans.

“The policy kind of increased my level of trust for the university,” Hernandez said.

MSU basketball players cheer for MSU football at the season-opening game at Spartan Stadium on Sept. 2, 2022. Photo by Audrey Richardson

MSU fans cheer for the first game of the season at Spartan Stadium on Sept. 2, 2022. Photo by Audrey Richardson

Sparty at the Main Library Reference Desk.

Photo by Shelby Kroske.

CENTER PHOTO: Line for an elevator on Aug. 22, 2023. Photo by Henry Szymecko

RIGHT: Unequal division of labor on move in day, on Aug. 22, 2023. Photo by Henry Szymecko

RIGHT: Almost all smiles during move in for this spartan family, on Aug. 24, 2023 Photo by Henry Szymecko

CENTER PHOTO: An MSU parking attendant helps direct move in traffic on Aug. 24, 2023. Photo by Henry Szymecko

LEFT: Newly arrived students stream into West Akers Hall on Aug. 24, 2023 Photo by Henry Szymecko

CENTER PHOTO: A Michigan State Live-on worker covers luggage carts as it starts to rain during move in on Aug. 24, 2023

Photo by Henry Szymecko

LEFT: Incoming students pose with Sparty during move in on Aug. 22, 2023. Photo by Henry Szymecko

ABOVE: A move in worker helps two different families with luggage carts on August 24, 2023 Photo by Henry Szymecko

THE RED ZONE: RESOURCES FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE TIME FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

According to the survey on the MSU Culture of Support website, the largest number of sexual assault incidents took place in September and October. Those months are considered ‘high risk,’ but disproportionately so for first and second year students.

Moylan said in a new environment such as a college campus, it may be more difficult to summon up the courage to step in and interfere in a potentially dangerous situation. This contributes to the phenomenon known as the ‘bystander’ effect.

for our campus and other campuses, I think it’s a challenge to make sure students know what resources are available.”

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY EXIST YEAR-ROUND:

services for survivors of relationship violence and/or stalking including “advocacy, shelter, counseling, support groups, safety planning, information and referrals to survivors of relationship violence and stalking.”

By Jaden Beard jbeard@statenews.com

The ‘Red Zone’ phenomenon refers to the first few months after the transition from living at home to college where students are most vulnerable to experiencing sexual assault. During this time, the number of reported sexual violence cases among first and second year students are higher than the rest of remainder of the academic year.

Presidential Advisor for the

Relationship and Sexual Violence

Misconduct and Associate Professor in the School of Social Work Dr. Carrie Moylan said according to her research, the Red Zone phenomenon is prevalent at Michigan State University.

The ‘Know More at MSU Campus Survey,’ sponsored by Michigan State University, surveyed more than 11,500 volunteers in spring of 2022 on the “culture, perceptions and policies associated with relationship violence and sexual misconduct at Michigan State.”

“If you are new to a community and an environment and you’re at a party with people you don’t know very well, to sort of summon up the courage to be a bystander, I think there’s some additional barriers,” Moylan said.

Moylan said another factor that contributes to the ‘Red Zone’ is that students may not be aware that Michigan State University offers a range of resources.

“Students are so inundated with information about what’s here at this pretty large institution that sometimes they don’t realize, or don’t remember having been told at orientation, that these services exist,” Moylan said. “So

ASMSU SAFE RIDE: If you are in need of late-night transportation, Safe Ride offers free rides to students until 1:30 a.m. According to the ASMSU website, Safe Ride is “proven to reduce assaultrelated dangers and drunk driving both on and off campus.”

SEXUAL ASSAULT HEALTHCARE PROGRAM: Specialized forensic nurses offer a free 24/7 physical examination, treatment, emergency contraception, recommendations for follow up care and collects forensic evidence within five days of an assault.

CENTER OF SURVIVORS: The Center of Survivors offers a 24/7 ‘Crisis Chat’ helpline at (517) 372-6666 as well as individual and group therapy for survivors.

SAFE PLACE: Free and confidential

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: Free and confidential counseling to current and retired MSU faculty, graduate assistants and their families.

“The most important thing to know is that there are resources available on our campus, for survivors to know that it’s never their fault if something happens to them and that there are places who will talk with them about their options without any judgment,” Moylan said.

Moylan said it is especially important for students to look out for one another as they make the transition from home to college.

“Students should be looking out for one another when they are interacting with new peer groups, keeping an eye on each other, and making sure that they’re doing what they can to keep the environment that they’re in safe environments,” she said.

Teal ribbons are the symbol of support for sexual assault survivors. State News file photo

MSU LEADERSHIP TO PRIORITIZE

STUDENT SAFETY, MENTAL HEALTH THIS SCHOOL YEAR

By Amalia Medina amedina@statenews.com

With move-in for the upcoming school year underway at Michigan State University, Interim President Teresa Woodruff assured students and families that the university is committed to ensuring student safety and emotional wellbeing.

This has been a key focus for the university since Feb. 13, the day a gunman killed three students and injured five others on campus. Over the past few months, the university has been working on hardening infrastructure and understanding safety measures, Woodruff said. The changes include violence training videos, installing locks on classroom doors and adding more security cameras to campus.

There are approximately 16,000 students living on campus this year and 11,000 new students — 9,000 of which are part of the incoming freshman class. In accordance with a policy implemented after the shooting, all students will have to use their MSU ID to enter campus buildings between 6 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

“We’ve done a full review of what we do at Michigan State, and all of that is going into a safer environment,” Woodruff said at a press conference Tuesday. “Making this both a safe and welcoming environment is … a priority for our students. As we talk with parents and students, we’re hearing a lot of positives about the way in which they’re feeling about the entrance into this new school.”

In addition to campus infrastructure, Woodruff and Senior Vice President for Student Life & Engagement Vennie Gore encouraged students to get the SafeMSU app. The app’s features include alerts, emergency calls and virtual friends to assist students walking alone at night.

For further assistance in emergency situations, members of the MSU community will now be required to complete active violence and intruder training online. Like the existing courses on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the course will consist of informational modules, MSU deputy spokesperson Dan Olsen said.

Following national trends, the modules will move away from the “Run, Hide, Fight”

protocol, instead opting for the “Avoid, Barricade, Confront,” or ABC, method. Olsen said the modules will also show people how to use the new door locks on campus. The course will be ready in a couple weeks, Woodruff said.

Student emotional well-being is also a priority for the university, Woodruff said. She said by talking to students, she has learned that not only are people at different stages of healing, but that people are experiencing completely different types of healing. For example, new students and returning students have different experiences with the shooting. Because of this, Woodruff said the university is trying to accommodate differing needs.

“There’s not one uniform emotional way in which people are engaging with this new school year, so we’re really thinking about it in that broad way,” Woodruff said. “Michigan State is a big place, but we think about individuals. We think about what the individual needs, and so we don’t think in broad brushstrokes. We really think about grace, and empathy, and excellence with achievement. To be able to say those four words together is something that’s really unique to Michigan State, and that’s how we’ll continue to work.”

Students also find healing through different outlets, which is why finding community through student organizations and friendships can be so vital, Gore said. According to Gore, this is one aspect of healing that the University Health and Wellbeing team is considering. The university will also continue provide mental health resources like group therapy and therapy dogs, as well as more extensive training for resident hall assistants, Gore said.

“We recognize that we need to give everyone their space, and so I think that’s what you’re going to see over the next week — that’s the start of creating that sense of community,” Gore said.

Interim President of MSU Teresa Woodruff spoke alongside Senior Vice President for Student Life Engagement Vennie Gore outside of Wonders Hall on Aug. 22, 2023. Photo by Henry Szymecko

By Theo Scheer tscheer@statenews.com

So, you’ve paid for your classes. You’ve turned in the twelve-or-so thousand dollars that will allow you to legally attend the fall semester. You’ve felt, hopefully, a weight lift off your shoulders with the press of that final button marked “pay.” However, you may have also felt a looming sense of anxiety towards the months of hard work to come.

As many students realize, financial worries don’t stop at your final tuition payment. Course materials, like textbooks and software, catch many students off-guard with unexpectedly high prices.

“The classes already cost so much, so any extra expense feels like a kick in the pants,” environmental geography sophomore Wyatt Radosevich said.

While average spending on course materials has declined over the past decade, the Educational Data Initiative reported that in 2022 the average textbook costed $105.37. Students at 4-year institutions spent an average of $1,226 on textbooks for the 2020-2021 school year.

The high cost of course materials has left many students with no choice but to get crafty. Here are some ways students have avoided paying extra for their education.

LIBRARIES

The MSU library makes a point of purchasing several copies of textbooks assigned in courses with high undergraduate enrollment, as part of the Affordable Textbook Program. Those materials are held in its course reserves.

“Providing free and low-cost learning materials to students helps remove certain barriers to education concerning affordability and

accessibility that may limit or otherwise impact their college experience,” MSU library communications manager Elise Jajuga said. “It’s the reason that our primary collection priority is to purchase materials used for classes if possible.”

Students can also access online publications and research materials for free here. The MSU library spends around $17.5 million dollars a year on subscriptions to scholarly journals, electronic newspapers, magazines,

databases, e-books, streaming video and other resources.

A more contemporary choice of books can be found less than a mile away, at the East Lansing Public Library. Free membership is available to anyone with an address within East Lansing city limits, including students living on campus. A library card also gives members access to the online platform Hoopla, which holds a large collection of ebooks.

SECONDHAND STORES

Student Book Store, located on Grand River Ave, sells used textbooks at lower prices than most.

Students can visit its website, sbsmsu.com, to see whether the store holds the textbooks they seek. Patrons can sell their old textbooks to the store as well.

A more niche collection of used and antique books can be found a block away, at Curious Book Store. The store has been serving the East Lansing community since 1969.

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF MSU

It’s not unusual for professors to have students contribute to the cost of learning platforms they decide to use in their classes.

Last spring, an instructor made Radosevich’s class pay for an online

program that does attendance and collects student responses. Radosevich said he was frustrated that the professor didn’t try to find a cheaper option.

The most common of these platforms is iClicker, an interactive system that allows students to participate in polls and answer questions during class. While the platform can be accessed through a free app, some professors prefer students buy a physical iClicker remote instead.

Brandi Stover, public relations manager for the Associated Students of Michigan State University, said tax-paying students can instead rent iClicker remotes and graphing calculators from ASMSU for semesterlong periods, free of charge.

Students can also access several news outlets through ASMSU’s readership program, including the New York Times and USA Today.

“A lot of communications classes and a lot of political science classes will require you to be able to look up recent articles, and it’s not fair that students need to do the free trial or pay or anything like that,” Stover said.

Directions to access these resources can be found at asmsu.msu.edu.

Photo by Denille Reid

RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Any subject explained

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