Review: “American Idiot” transforms album in new way
Annual Lugnuts vs. MSU game postponed to May 1
President Simon dodges questions at COGS meeting
FEATURES, PAGE 5
SPORTS, PAGE 6
CAMPUS+CITY, PAGE 3
Alyssa DiPalma and Alex Nee in “American Idiot” PHOTO COURTESY OF WHARTON
Weather Rain High 39° | Low 36° Michigan State University’s independent voice | statenews.com | East Lansing, Mich. | Thursday, April 11, 2013
MI FACES, MSU ROOTS By Holly Baranowski and Samantha Radecki barano10@msu.edu and radeckis@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
I
t’s apparent MSU’s deep roots have extended their reach.
From the roaring Motor City to the backwoods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, stretching along the west coast’s sandy dunes, all the way to the mighty Mackinac Bridge — MSU has an economic and educational impact that can be found in each of Michigan’s 13 regions. The MI Spartan Impact interactive website, a report conceptualized by MSU’s Office of the Vice President for Governmental Affairs, shows how MSU’s alumni, students, research and extension projects are vast and diverse. According to the report, with about 36,000 enrolled Michigan students, more than 225,000 alumni living in the state and a total economic impact of more than $4 billion, Vice President for Governmental Affairs Mark Burnham said the impact MSU has on the state is more extensive than
many other Michigan colleges. “A lot of that stems from our land-grant mission and landgrant roots — including agriculture, but not only agriculture,” he said. “We’ve learned the lessons of how to work with local communities through our agriculture roots, but we actually (continue) that effort across many, many different types of (disciplines.)” He said MSU’s outreach also encompasses the medical, environmental, fine arts and business realms. The recently published report, which took about a year to compile, sheds light on many areas potentially unknown to many MSU community members, Burnham said. He said the report reveals just the “tip of the iceberg” of everything MSU is involved in, and he hopes to see its list of projects expand. “It’s hard to wrap your head around everything at once,” he said. “It helps people understand at least in some way how (far) MSU is reaching in the state, not only East Lansing.” Below, is a diverse list of a research projects, alumni and student stories and outreach initiatives that MSU provides in each area of the state.
Region 1 When Jessica Thoresen’s baby brother was born, she was given a toy doctor’s kit for Christmas. This doctor’s kit gave her the inspiration to become a real doctor, a dream that she held onto firmly despite what seemed like all odds were against her. Growing up in the small rural town of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Thoresen never considered her education to be top-notch. When she told people she wanted to be a doctor, she would get looks of sympathy and her school counselor told her she should consider something less competitive, such as nursing. Choosing to ignore the lack of support, she entered her freshman year at Michigan Technological University with the intent of attending medical school. When she heard about the Early Assurance Program that MSU offers, she decided to apply. The Early Assurance Program gives students early assurance regarding admission at MSU’s College of Human
Three-day forecast, Page 2
From loons to doctors to the Mackinac Bridge — MSU has a wide reach on Michigan
JULIA NAGY/THE STATE NEWS
Region 8: Graduate student Ashley McCollum poses for a portrait Wednesday while working in Mason, Mich., as a part of MSU’s Evidence Based Trauma Treatment Project. To read her story and others, visit statenews.com.
Medicine to those who live in underserved regions and are interested in providing medical care in these underserved areas. Students who are the first generation in their family to attend college, have graduated from a low-income high school, are eligible for need-based grants or express interest in working in a high-need medical speciality area are given preference for admission. Thoresen started to seriously consider the program her sophomore year of her undergraduate career. She knew she wanted to one day provide medical care for patients in under-served areas, such as the town she grew up in. “Whenever you needed to see a speciality doctor, you’d have to travel to Petoskey or Marquette just to seek medical care,” Thoresen said. “When I had to go to the dermatologist, my mom had to drive me all the way to Petoskey and we had to set aside a day for that.” This influenced her to apply for the program and when she received acceptance, her plans to become a doctor
were set into motion. “The people in those areas, they are just like, ‘Oh, it’s not that big of a problem,’ so they don’t seek out a specialist,” Thoresen said. “I’m from the U.P originally and it’s near and dear to my heart. I want to be able to give back to the community that helped me get where I am today.” Region 2 For Mackinac Bridge Authority Executive Secretary Robert Sweeney, MSU gave him the foundations to work in any type of environment. After growing up in a small rural town, the transition to a large university, such as MSU, helped him to broaden his horizons with the large group of diverse students MSU encompasses. “I’m comfortable working in a variety of environments and around many different people,” Sweeney said. “I get along with everyone, I’ve worked on different projects and I became very comfortable with a diverse group of people. MSU helped my career in that
way.”
1
After graduating from MSU in 1986 with a degree in civil engineering, Sweeney took a job in Chicago, where he worked on airport design. When he had the opportunity, he came back to Michigan and took a job with the Mackinac Bridge Authority. He now runs the day-to-day operations there. Region 3 With their black heads, speckled bodies, red beady eyes and a call that can give a person chills on a calm day off the shores of the northern Great See MICHIGAN on page 2 X
2
3 4
6 5 9
10
8
7
11
MSU 13
12
For the rest of the stories and an interactive mitten, visit statenews.com.
A D M I N I S T R AT I O N
GOVE R N M E NT
MSU ranked low in faculty salary
Stricter abortion laws put in place
Assistant professor salaries in the Big Ten Average, public schools only $90k
Illinois $87,400 $86k Ohio State $85,100
Penn State $82,500 Minnesota $81,800 Purdue $80,400 Indiana $80,400
$78k Wisconsin $77,500
$74k
larouer4@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
U-M $88,800
$82k
By Christine LaRouere
Nebraska $74,600 Iowa $74,600
Michigan State $71,000 $70k
INFOGR APHIC BY LIAM ZANYK MCLEAN | SN
MSU ranked relatively low in terms of average faculty salary compared to other Big Ten universities, according to a survey by the 2013 American Association of University Professors Faculty Salary Survey. MSU offices attributed the ranking to various factors. Overall, MSU ranked 11th among Big Ten university faculty salaries, and seventh in terms of salaries and other benefit compensations. MSU is under the median salary level by $5,000. Within each university evaluation, the report splits the faculty up into four categories: full professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors. David Byelich, assistant vice president and director of the Office of Planning and Budgets, said the office keeps a close watch on these numbers to stay close to other Big Ten universities. “Each year we try to keep up with other Big Ten institutions
and make sure we are able to attract the very best faculty in the country,” Byelich said. “We believe we do that.” In regards to the salaries for assistant professors ranking low, Byelich said how MSU categorizes faculty members might be a reason why the ranking is so drastic. “At MSU, we have a wide variety of faculty included in the assistant professor area,” Byelich said. “A fair number of people reported as assistant professors at MSU are different than other institutions because they would also be considered lecturers.” After hearing the results from the report, psychology freshman Lauren Plotzke said MSU faculty need to be paid more to reward their hard work. “We are expected to be a high-quality and high-education university, and we need those professors to get rewardSee SALARIES on page 2 X
By Kellie Rowe rowekell@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
Michigan abortion clinics will need to adhere to a stricter set of rules, including screening women to ensure they aren’t being forced into abortions, to stay in business under a controversial state law that recently took effect. House Bill No. 5711, which took effect March 31 and passed through the Michigan Legislature during December’s lame-duck session, includes a package of new regulation requirements for abortion clinics. Among several other provisions, it outlines regulations for disposing fetal remains after an abortion, requires physicians to report a fetal death within five days after delivery and prohibits telemedicine, or diagnosing and treating patients through phone calls or other telecommunication technology. Facilities conducting more than 120 surgical abortions
W E AT H E R
NO DANGEROUS FLOODING AS OF YET
a year will need to be licensed and inspected. The law requires physicians to ask a patient if she has been pressured into having an abortion and to inform her coercion is grounds for a civil action. Women in Science at Lyman Briggs President Mary Connolly said the intent of the law is good but could make women uncomfortable. “Abortion is such a personal matter that a lot of women have trouble talking about it, and being questioned by a doctor could make the experience all the more traumatic,” she said. Connolly said she doesn’t think coercion to have an abortion is common because the negative stigma of having an abortion often discourages women from seeking the procedure.
Although flooding from the Red Cedar River is expected this week, MSU officials are not yet worried about the potential impact on university sports fields. “It’s always possible that our fields can be damaged if we have (heavy) flooding, but it would take pretty significant flooding,” Athletic Turf Manager Amy Fouty said. National Weather Service Hydrologist Mark Walton , based in Grand Rapids, said although minimal damage is expected on campus, similar flooding has impacted MSU’s sports fields in the past. He said the Red Cedar River, typically with waters at about 4-feet high, is expected to reach up to about 7 feet by Friday. “For the rest of today and tomorrow, you will see continual rain move through
See ABORTION on page 2 X
See FLOODING on page 2 X