Freshman player overcomes size, helps team
Fighting back: A self-defense how-to
I-96 shooter deemed able to stand trial
SPORTS, PAGE 7
CAMPUS+CITY, PAGE 5
CAMPUS+CITY, STATENEWS.COM
Freshman forward Mike Ferrantino ADAM TOOLIN/ THE STATE NEWS
Weather Snow High 23° | Low 15° Michigan State University’s independent voice | statenews.com | East Lansing, Mich. | Thursday, January 31, 2013
Bell
of the
Ball
Three-day forecast, Page 2
A PA R TM E NT S
New addition to Chandler Crossings available in June
Former high school star Klarissa Bell has rocky start at MSU — here comes the rebound By Stephen Brooks brook198@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
S
itting in the bleachers of East Lansing High School’s gym, Robert Smith recounted fond memories of one of the most accomplished players in his 11-year tenure — MSU junior guard Klarissa Bell. “We were in a team meeting one time and we had to pass the ball to each other,” Smith recalled. “When you passed the ball to somebody you’d have to say something about that person positive. I passed the ball to Klarissa and I said, ‘I really believe that if you wanted to do the work, you could play in the WNBA.’ I felt really strong about that. And now as you see her out there ... it’s possible.” Back when blue and white were her colors of choice, Bell led the East Lansing Trojans to four consecutive conference titles and their first-ever state championship in 2010 while setting school records in career points, games started, free throws made and offensive rebounds. Bell nearly earned another championship ring but fell short as the runner-up her sophomore year. In addition to the records, she ended her illustrious prep career by being named Michigan’s Miss Basketball and the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year following her senior season. A shining résumé of that caliber attracted suitors from across the country, but Bell opted to stay home and play for the team she grew up cheering for. But it wasn’t long until she realized her long list of high school accomplishments wouldn’t immediately translate to the Division 1 level. It would take blood, sweat and tears — literally — for her to establish herself in the program. After overcoming early setbacks, Bell now has the opportunity to achieve similar greatness to when she first made her name in the city.
Junior guard Klarissa Bell makes a field goal, one of 16 attempts she made during the game. The Spartans defeated the Mavericks, 83-39, on Nov. 11, 2012 , at Breslin Center.
The Ballers If not for the encouragement of her stepfather, Monty Myles, Bell might not have developed into the city’s basketball prodigy. She grew up playing soccer and dreamt of starring on the pitch after moving to East Lansing at 3 years old. When she was in fourth grade, Myles
convinced a then-hesitant Bell to try out for a local girl’s basketball team — The Ballers. “I was just like, eh, I didn’t really like it,” Bell said. “My younger brother was better at it than I was so it just really discouraged me and I didn’t want to play. ...
DANYELLE MORROW/THE STATE NEWS
Construction crews work to finish The Cottages at Chandler Crossings, a new section of cottage-like homes located on Chandler Road on Wednesday. The project is slated to be completed in June.
By Isabella Shaya shayaisa@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
JUSTIN WAN/THE STATE NEWS
(Myles) was like ‘I think you should go again,’ so I went to the next one, and I found myself getting better and better and that was just kind of what built me up and kept me going.” Eighth grade was when she first realized her calling was
on the hardwood. College coaches started taking notice as early as her freshman year, Bell said, as she became a star on the summer AAU circuit. By the beginning of her sophomore See BELL on page 2 X
For a timeline of Bell’s career visit statenews.com.
GOVE R N M E NT
The image of an average college apartment usually consists of a broken sink, holes in the wall and loud, partying neighbors. But for students past the party scene who are looking for a quiet environment, a new duplexstyle apartment slated to be finished this June might appeal. Construction is underway for a duplex-style housing complex at Chandler Crossings, one of the first of its kind geared toward college students in East Lansing. The Cottages at Chandler Crossings are scheduled to be fi nished this June, said Will Randle, community development manager for Mayberry Homes, which is building and developing The Cottages. “We did market research (and there’s a) demand for more housing, specifically this ‘cottage style,’” Randle said. “This is the first ‘cottage style’ community in the (MSU) market.” Those interested can sign a lease now to live there this summer or during the fall semester, Randle said. The Cottages will be available in one to five bedrooms. The five-room apartment is $565 per month per person, and the one-bedroom unit is $950, Randle said. Randle said many who have shown interest in The Cottages are graduate students and
young families. “They are wanting something a little quieter and a little more private,” Randle said. The first phase of the structure includes 33 units and 100 beds. The second phase, slated to be finished near fall 2014, will expand the complex to a total of about 170 units, about 510 bedrooms and a clubhouse. Graduate student Jessica Wynalda signed her lease for a one-bedroom cottage. She said she is looking for a different atmosphere compared to where she lives now in Abbot Place Apartments, 2501 Abbot Road. “There are a lot of younger students living at Abbot Place,” she said. “(The Cottages will be) quiet, off campus — that’s really important to me, being in law school. If I didn’t have as much work or studying all the time, I wouldn’t worry as much.” The off-campus apartment complex currently offers housing in The Village, The Club and The Landings at Chandler Crossings. A feature unique to The Cottages is enclosed garages, which cost $75 per month for each space. Some of the cottages feature a large patio neighbors share. Randle said The Cottages will have more of a residential feel compared to an apartment complex. Randle said residents in The See APARTMENT on page 2 X
ACADE M ICS
DOE advised to keep STUDY: STUDENT DEBT ON DECLINE funding FRIB project By Kellie Rowe rowekell@msu.edu
By Samantha Radecki radeckis@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
At a meeting Tuesday in Washington, the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee an advisory committee to the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, approved a report advising the DOE to continue to fund MSU’s Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB. Nuclear Science Advisory Committee deemed FRIB second in priority to receive funds, only behind a similar nuclear research facility in Virginia — a positive standing, said Mark Burnham, MSU’s vice president for Governmental Affairs. He said this was not a surprise to MSU because the Virginia facility is much closer to final completion than FRIB. At the meeting, members of the nuclear science community discussed ways to manage the
THE STATE NEWS
possibility of a smaller federal budget, FRIB Laboratory Director Konrad Gelbke said. This fiscal year, MSU had hoped to receive about $40 million in federal funding for FRIB, he said. Instead, FRIB is receiving $11 million until March, a “continuous resolution at last year’s funding level” for six months, Burnham said. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science funds the majority of the project, while MSU and the state provide the remainder. FRIB is estimated to cost $680 million and could be online by 2019, but has a more reasonable deadline of 2021. Burnham said the next term’s funding will not be determined until the U.S. budget is set, but FRIB’s completion is running on time and within its budget. To continue allocating funds to FRIB, the NSAC had to deterSee FRIB on page 2 X
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The latest results from a nationwide student debt survey show MSU students are graduating with less debt and college graduate unemployment rates are dropping. MSU students who graduated in 2011 had about $2,000 less in debt than those who graduated in 2010, according to Project on Student Debt. MSU’s average debt of 2011 graduates is $23,725 compared to last year’s $25,250 average. The research also shows national college graduate unemployment rates dropped from 9.1 percent in 2010 to 8.8 percent in 2011. At MSU, employment rates increased 7 percent from 2010-11, up to 53 percent from 46 percent. Economics associate professor Christian Ahlin said there are two ways to look at the data: from the supply
side and from the Big Ten Debt demand side. From the supAverage graduate’s debt for 2011 ply side, lenders 1. Pennsylvania State University: $33,530 might be less willing to lend to stu2. Indiana University: $28,434 dents, leading to 3. University of Minnesota: $28,407 fewer loans and 4. Northwestern University: $27,961 a decreasing debt rate. He said gov5. University of Michigan: $27,644 ernment programs 6. University of Iowa: $27,480 could be making it more diffi7. Purdue University: $27,286 cult for borrow8. Ohio State University: $24,840 ers to borrow and 9. University of Wisconsin: $24,140 for creditors to collect the students’ 10. Michigan State University: $23,725 repayments. 11. University of Illinois: $22,975 “It is hard for lenders to be rea12.University of Nebraska: $21,604 sonably sure of SOURCE: PROJECT ON STUDENT DEBT being repaid student loa n s — unlike many other loans, there ment rate is falling. Therefore, is no collateral posted,” he said. students can afford more college “Anticipating potential default on tuition themselves and might be the loan, lenders may not lend in taking out fewer loans. Despite favorable trends, many the first place.” On the demand side, Ahlin said students still leave college burhousehold incomes could be ris- dened with debt. The survey shows 45 percent of ing because the state’s unemploy-
graduates are in debt and struggle to afford the cost of an education. MSU in-state tuition and fees amounts to about $11,000 per year and the survey predicts with added expenditures, such as books, room and board, the total cost of attendance is $21,690. The 2011 national debt average is $26,600 per person and twothirds of college seniors graduated with at least some amount of debt, according to the project. Val Meyers, associate director of the MSU Office of Financial Aid, said student debt rates are high because the majority of students cannot pay for college outof-pocket and are not financially disadvantaged or meritorious enough to earn a full ride. “Very few students have enough scholarships for other demands to pay their costs,” she said. “Many students in the middle have to borrow some (money).” MSU’s about $24,000 average debt is low compared to other Big See DEBT on page 2 X