Student leaders concerned about expedited VP process
Apartments approved at current site of BP gas station
Blindness doesn’t hold MSU student back
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Computer science sophomore Jordyn Castor.
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Michigan State University’s independent voice | statenews.com | East Lansing, Mich. | Wednesday, April 17, 2013
GOVE R N M E NT
DUFFEL BAG COULD PROVIDE CLUES FOR BOSTON BOMB
ASMSU voter turnout 9.2 percent despite troubled week
JULIA NAGY/THE STATE NEWS
N AT I O N
By Kellie Rowe rowekell@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
Although police have yet to find the faces behind the Boston tragedy heard around the world, MSU experts say based on their research, those responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing are likely to be identified soon, thanks to a duffle bag. Two homemade bombs constructed from pressure cookers, containing nails and ball bearings were hidden in darkcolored nylon or duffle bags and exploded in the heart of Boston during the city’s iconic race Monday afternoon, killing at least three and injuring Eva m o r e t h a n Sabolcik 170, accord- Environing to numer- mental economics o u s m e d i a and policy reports. junior At least three MSU students competed in the marathon, including finance sophomore Jonathon Geer, graduate student Cody Harlacher and hospitality business senior Benny Ebert-Zavos, and all are safe. Several students also had parents running in the race. University Relations reported it has not heard of anyone from MSU harmed in the attack. David Foran, director of MSU’s Forensic Science Program, conducts research experiments with homemade bombs.
“ With the size of the city and so much security going up in the wake of the attacks, I don’t think we’ll be a target.”
hard hitters
MSU athletes, students not immune to concussions, aftereffects More online…
By Stephen Brooks and Isabella Shaya brook198@msu.edu, shayaisa@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS
To see interactive statistics and facts about concussions, visit statenews.com.
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ll Spartan athletes are prone to concussions — from football to tennis — MSU has seen them all. In males, concussions are seen most in football, and soccer for females, said David Kaufman, chair of the Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology. Jeff Monroe, head athletic trainer who works directly with the MSU football team and assistant director of athletics, said there have been two football-related head injuries this spring semester, and about 18 episodes of head trauma last semester. Former MSU football player Tony Mandarich — who played two stints in the NFL from 1989-92 with the Green Bay Packers and from 1996-99 with the Indianapolis Colts — estimated he suffered between six and nine “official” concussions since his freshman year as a Spartan to the end of his pro career, meaning ones that were documented. He said concussion prevention isn’t the only thing that’s improving, but the stigma of athletes and head injuries as well. “If someone had a concussion, it’d be like ‘Quit being a baby about it, just suck it up.’” Mandarich
said. “When you really start looking at the nuts and bolts of things, you’re talking about a brain trauma thing and an injury. It’s more than just sucking it up.” The blow Monroe said concussions are most commonly caused by an unprepared hit. “They don’t have the ability to transfer the forces to their body,” he said. A concussion happens when the brain suffers a trauma blow to the head from another athlete or a group, said Randy Pearson, professor in the Department of Family Medicine and the MSU football’s team physician. After receiving a blow to the head, the first thing to do is to stop any physical activity, Pearson said. “Most of the time concussions resolve on their own with just
brain rest,” Pearson said. “Problem is that people don’t allow the symptoms to go away before going back to activity.” Some of the signs of a concussion include headaches, sleep disturbances, mood changes, nausea, vomiting and any cognitive changes, Kaufman said. The second step is to seek care of a health care professional, Pearson said. He noted it is important for the brain to have time to heal, so the physicians allow the athletes’ brains to rest by taking them away from TV, computers and classes. Concussions usually take one to two weeks to heal, and some mild concussions can be gone in about four days. Although some studies have shown concussions to have lasting effects on an individual, Kaufman See CONCUSSIONS on page 2 X
See BOMBING on page 2 X
By Robert Bondy bondyrob@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
The burden of low carnival attendance and the Ne-Yo concert cancellation turned out to play a small role in ASMSU’s election turnout — about the same percentage of students voted this year as last year. ASMSU, MSU’s undergraduate student government, had 2,636 voters out of 28,628 eligible students, which equals a 9.2 percent voter turnout in this year’s elections, ASMSU Director of Public Relations Haley Dunnigan said. This year’s turnout was fewer then last year’s 2,988 voters, but Dunnigan pointed out there were multiple organizations that had their tax renewal on the ballot last year that drew additional attention to the elections. “Considering during last year’s election there were tax questions for the Residence Halls Association, MSU Radio Board and James Madison (College), those kind of issues tend to bring in a lot more attention,” Dunnigan said. “To see that we got 9.2 percent voter turnout is impressive and overall, ASMSU is very happy.” Dunnigan also said she doesn’t believe the low carnival attendance and concert cancellation played a negative role in the voter turnout numbers. The student government held its annual elections last week from April 7-15 where all undergraduate students were able to vote on their college representative, constitutional changes and the sophomore and senior class councils for the upcoming fall semester. Fourteen undergraduate students were elected into general assembly representative positions, while 13 and 11 were elected to the sophomore and senior class See ELECTION on page 2 X
Students vow to Take Back the Night By Milan Griffes and Darcie Moran griffes4@msu.edu, morandar@msu.edu THE STATE NEWS ■■
PHOTOS BY JUSTIN WAN/THE STATE NEWS
Julie Murray, an union steward with the Opeiu Local 459 Nurses, holds a candle Tuesday during a vigil remembering victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
MSU Safe Place FOUNDED 1949
Provides free emergency shelter, counseling and other support to victims of relationship violence and stalking in the MSU and Greater Lansing communities. Call 517-355-1100, email noabuse@msu.edu or visit safeplace.msu.edu. MSU Safe Place operates from a confidential location.
Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention FOUNDED 1979
Provides a 24-hour hotline, legal advocacy and community outreach through the Counseling Center. Call 517-372-6666 or visit endrape.msu.edu
The Listening Ear Crisis Center FOUNDED 1969
Provides a crisis response hotline open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Crises are defined as “any situation in which your normal coping mechanisms are ineffective or unavailable.” Call 517-377-1717 or visit theear.org. They operate out of 2504 Michigan Ave., Lansing, Mich., 48912
When Laura Swanson hears others claim a rape isn’t real, she has a choice to make — speak or remain silent. The choice is one many students nationwide must make when choosing how to handle their sexual assault — a choice Swanson, a psychology junior, hopes is made easier by Tuesday’s day-long Take Back the Night event. If Swanson chooses to speak, she refers to statistics illuminating the low percentage of false reporting rather than her personal encounter with sexual assault. Take Back the Night is an annual gathering in which participants speak out against all forms of sexual violence. Yesterday’s event began at Beaumont Tower with the Clothesline Project, hundreds of T-shirts created by survivors and their friends and families describing their experiences with sexual violence. During the day, resource tables for those affected by sexual violence were staffed near the tower. In the afternoon, survivors shared their stories at SpeakOut!
Biomedical laboratory diagnostic senior Brittany Bennett walks with other students as she hits a makeshift drum during the Take Back the Night march past Kellogg Center on Tuesday. The protest called for safer streets, ending domestic violence and sexual assault. The movement’s inception began in 1967.
as some participants hugged and cried. Attendees turned into marchers as about 30 people walked in the evening to the Capitol in Lansing to hold a candlelight vigil in honor of survivors and those who did not survive. Take Back
the Night events have been held internationally since the movement’s inception in 1976. This was the 35th year the event has been held at MSU. English and education senior Kari Edington, one of the event coordinators, said Take Back the
Night is important for a community like MSU. “(Take Back the Night) is an event that opens up different spaces for survivors to empower themselves and for the commuSee ASSAULT on page 2 X