Weather Partly Cloudy High 41° | Low 29° Michigan State University’s independent voice | statenews.com | East Lansing, Mich. | Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Three-day forecast, Page 2
U.S. Supreme Court to hear Mich. affirmative action case
Behind the scenes at MSU’s fashion show
Breaking down Duke — looking ahead to the Sweet 16
CAMPUS+CITY, PAGE 3
FEATURES, PAGE 5
SPORTS, PAGE 6
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ASMSU POLICY GIVES PROFS MID-SEMESTER EVALUATION By Robert Bondy bondyrob@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS
MSU’s impact in Michigan, by region Examining MSU’s economic impact on the State of Michigan and where Spartans are from, currently live
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Baraga, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon
Chippewa, Delta, Luce, Mackinac, 2 Alger, Schoolcraft
3
Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelenau, Manistee
Alpena, Arenac, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, 4 Alcona, 5 Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego,
Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana
Presque Isle, Roscommon
Current students
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ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government , is looking to engage in conversations with university officials to give students the power to evaluate their professors midway through each semester. At its March 14 general assembly meeting, ASMSU unanimously passed the bill, which it hopes will give students the chance to communicate any issues or concerns with the class through an evaluation similar to the surveys MSU distributes at the end of each semester. While there is no timeline put in place, this new policy could be added as soon as fall 2013 , ASMSU President Evan Martinak said, adding ASMSU is hoping to set up a meeting with the Office of the Provost to discuss the bill. “I think that basically giving the students (the chance) to voice their input directly to the faculty in any sort of institutionalized way is a good thing for both, so the faculty can learn from the students and the students can offer their support and input,” Martinak said. T he a nony mous su r vey would contain about a handful of short answer questions, ASMSU International Student Association Representative Rajeeth Dev Anand said. “What we planned is four simple questions t hat get straight to the point, ‘What are thoughts on the professor?’ (or) ‘What would you change about this class?’” said Dev Anand , who introduced the bill. “It doesn’t take that much time, but gets the job done.” Dev Anand pointed out some other large universities, including Pennsylvania State University and Princeton University, have similar programs. ASMSU Lyman Briggs College Representative Mitchell Goheen, who seconded the bill, said he doesn’t expect survey results to dictate huge midsemester changes, but students could suggest minor changes, such as focusing more time on a specific course topic. MSU engineering professor Dean Aslam likes the idea of improving communication amongst students and faculty, but worries about changes being made during the semester. “I think the idea is good, but the accuracy will be limited,” said the professor of 22 years. “Most of the professors at any major research university, and MSU is one of them, are so busy and might not have time to look at (the forms), and they won’t be effective if (professors) don’t look at them.” Aslam added if students are having trouble communicating with the professor, or need extra help with course material, they always can utilize office hours, which professors are required to hold. Like Aslam , fi nance junior Lucas Gosser is on the fence about whether adding a midsemester evaluat ion for m would be helpful. “It depends because a professor could just change his complete teaching method,” Gosser said. “Once you’re just getting used to his teaching method, everything changes and you just get screwed again.”
Alumni in area
244
186
1,822
1,151
Financial aid, per student
920
8,836
Financial aid, per student
$8,662 $20,702,003
$13,791,733
Gladwin, Isabella, Mecosta, Kent, Missaukee, Osceola, Wexford Ottawa 6 Clare, 7 Allegan,
3,706
Financial aid, per student
$6,332
Total economic impact*
655
2,688
Financial aid, per student
$8,394
Total economic impact*
369
Financial aid, per student
$7,982
Total economic impact*
$7,449
Total economic impact*
$92,412,505
Total economic impact*
$28,057,985
Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia, Montcalm 8 Barry,
9
$40,079,168
Bay, Genesee, Midland, Saginaw, Shiawassee
Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair, Tuscola
10
Current students Alumni in area
252
2,694
47,006
21,158
Financial aid, per student
Financial aid, per student
$7,885 $29,527,587
$320,713,730
4,867
Financial aid, per student
$6,256
Total economic impact*
1,026
16,534
Financial aid, per student
$6,432
Total economic impact*
2,520
5,526
2,978
Financial aid, per student
$6,664
$7,024
Total economic impact*
Total economic impact*
$2,475,163,089
Total economic impact*
$213,518,669
$51,802,048
The regions 1
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Macomb, Oakland, Wayne
15,436
Current students
Jackson, Lenawee, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Livingston, Monroe, Washtenaw Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Van 12 Hillsdale, 13 Berrien, Buren
2
Note: Graduate students are not included in current student data. Financial aid per student is an average
3 4
80,000 4,053
2,013 6
Alumni in area
83,388
Financial aid, per student
$6,061 Total economic impact*
$1,027,150,861
20,108 Financial aid, per student
11,794
Total economic impact*
$252,273,117
9
2,000
Financial aid, per student
$5,959
5
20,000
8
7
$6,420
11
MSU *Economic impact data is from the Anderson Economic Group, an East Lansing-based consultancy
Total economic impact*
$138,344,923
SOURCE: MI SPARTAN IMPACT
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13
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INFOGR APHIC BY LIAM ZANYK MCLEAN | SN
Spartan statewide spending New site estimates MSU’s impact on Mich. economy to be $4.7 billion By Holly Baranowski barano10@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
From the Upper Peninsula to Grand Rapids, MSU leaves an economic footprint across Michigan. MSU has a total impact on
Michigan’s economy of about $4.7 billion and about $397 million in spending with local businesses, according to data from MI Spartan Impact — a site launched earlier this month showing the academic and economic impact of See IMPACT on page 2 X
MSU seeks to attract students from across state, average financial aid $6,200 By Samantha Radecki radeckis@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
During adolescence, affording college was merely a dream for Brittany Massa. “Honestly, for a while (when) I was in high school,
I didn’t think I would be able to go to college,” she said, adding both her parents were unemployed when she first came to MSU. Fortunately for Massa, this burden turned into a blessing. After filling out her Free Application for Federal Student
Aid, or FAFSA, the social work junior from Farmington, Mich., has received about $20,000 to $30,000 in financial aid per year in federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans, scholarships and work study, she said. See STUDENTS on page 2 X
For an interactive version of this graphic, visit statenews.com.
BASKETBALL
Shell shocked: MSU falls to Maryland in NCAA By Stephen Brooks brook198@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
COLLEGE PARK, MD. – One day, this will be a normal thing: two conference foes duking MSU 49 it out in the MD 74 Big Ten. But on Monday night, it was for much more than that with a berth to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on the line. Luckily for the head coach Suzy Merchant and the Spartans, forward Alyssa Thomas won’t be wearing a Maryland
uniform when the Terrapins join the conference in 2014. The Spartans had no answer for the versatile Maryland standout, who sent MSU packing from the Big Dance in the second round with 28 points on 12-of18 shooting in a 74-49 rout. “It’s not an easy way to lose, and we just didn’t play the way we had been playing,” Merchant said. “But give Maryland a lot of credit, Alyssa Thomas really was impossible for us to get stopped at any point, and it just obviously steamrolled from there.” For a change, MSU faced a team that was just as strapped
for bodies and depth as it was. Maryland has faced a bevy of injuries to key players, including its starting backcourt, limiting its rotation to six players. The difference was the Terrapins had Thomas, the two-time Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. Sophomore Becca Mills scored the game’s opening bucket less than two minutes, which would prove to be MSU’s only lead of the night. Mills and junior forward Annalise Pickrel shared the team-high in scoring with 12 points each. No other Spartan See BASKETBALL on page 2 X
JULIA NAGY/THE STATE NEWS
Senior guard Jasmine Thomas reacts to MSU losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday at Comcast Center in College Park, Md.