statenews.com | 9/19/13 | @thesnews
Gov. Rick Snyder comes to MSU
Poetry chalked up
Talks immigration, international students
Center for Poetry covers river trail with poems features, page 6
campus+city, page 3
Georgina De Moya /The State News
Michigan State University’s independent voice
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Penn incident leads faculty to investigate tech. rights By Justine McGuire jmcguire@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
Faculty are responding to English professor William Penn’s in-class rant, which some are calling anti-Republican, by putting together a subcommittee to address social media, rights and responsibilities in the classroom, but some students think they should be part of the process. T he ad hoc com m ittee was announced at the recent MSU Board of Trustees meeting by Sue Carter, Steering Committee chair and journalism professor. The committee will finish its work by the end of the semester.
Photo illustr ation by Paige Grennan and Danyelle Morrow
HOOKUP CULTURE? MSU, national research examines, dispels myths, stereotypes surrounding college hookups By Celeste Bott cbott@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
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hen Stephanie Amada began teaching WRA 140, she didn’t expect it to inspire a book about “hookup culture,” or the idea that most young adults today are more interested in casual sex than relationships. But as more students spoke up about their sexual perceptions, both in and out of class, Amada was intrigued. “The word ‘hookup’ is actually very ambiguous,” Amada said. "The way it’s used currently, it can mean anything from kissing to intercourse and any sexual activity among that continuum.” "How to Deal with Hookup Culture" author Amada said that referring to sexual activity as “culture” could have troubling implications. “Recent statistics seem to indicate that the sexu-
“The vast majority of students had no partner or one partner in the last year,” Phillipich said. “I think it’s safe to say that ‘hooking up’ is far from the norm on our campus.” But some students expressed an opposing view. English senior Brooklyn Pluger and professional writing sophomore Emily Dallaire are conducting research and interviewing MSU students about the hookup culture to present findings later this year at the Conference on College Composition and Communication. Pluger, an upperclassman able to be part of the campus bar scene, said she sees examples of the hookup culture on a typical night out. “Everyone is just looking to see who they can go home with at the end of the night,” Pluger said. “I’ve also found that some people feel so busy that a ‘friend with benefits’ is great. You don’t have to worry about the commitment.” Dallaire said today’s digital age has fostered a different sort of discussion. “I’m not sure that it’s the amount of people hav-
al activity of today’s college students is not so different than college students of, say, 15 or 20 years ago,” she said. “Using ‘hookup culture’ to discuss casual sexual activity has multiple meanings, which allows people to be intentionally vague." The problem is perception Coordinator for the Center for Sexual Health Promotion Erica Phillipich said hard numbers often shock students. “I absolutely think there is a perception that students have more partners than they actually do,” Phillipich said. “When I tell students that roughly 12,000 MSU students aren’t having sex, it surprises them and also validates those students who have chosen to not have sex.” Amada said shame about virginity was a concern that inspired her research. "I've had multiple students privately confess they were still virgins," Amada said. "I remember thinking — when did being a virgin become a shameful secret when you’re only 18 years old?” And those who have had sex likely don't have an abundance of partners.
See CULTURE on page 2 u
To take a quiz and view a poll on student perceptions on sexual activity at MSU, visit statenews.com.
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sschuster@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
MSU has been gradually increasing the campus' network of bike lanes, but one thing remains unchanged — bicyclists, for the most part, stick to the sidewalk. Even though riding bicycles on non-designated sidewalks, footpaths and crosswalks is illegal because of an MSU ordinance and can result in a ticket, studies suggest cyclists' fear of cars is keeping them off the streets. In a 2008 study conducted by Gallup on bicyclist behavior, 88 percent of respondents indicated they felt threatened primarily by motorists while biking. But avoiding the roadways hasn't left cyclists out of harm's way. There's a daily tangle in many students' commute to class — a close-quarters dance between pedestrians and bicycles as cyclists weave between throngs of students on foot, a
“It’s important to highlight the faculty’s subcommittee … and how we sustain an active and challenging learning environment where different points of view can be seen and heard and discussed with great trust and respect,” MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said in an interview Tuesday. Penn was removed from teaching classes in early September after a video was posted online in which he attacked some Republicans for their views, including former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The incident drew national media attention. “It’s not limited to the experience of one faculty member here," Carter said. "There are many more global issues to be aware of. How do we cope with the continued increased level of use of social media in the classroom?” See COMMITTEE on page 2 u
FOOTBALL
students, drivers have tough time sharing roads on campus By Simon Schuster
Committee will finish its work by the end of the semester, with a focus on policies of other universities
“You always remember the crashes. … The bicycles, the people go flying.” Caitlin Van Ermen, general management sophomore
journey punctuated by quick side-steps, the squeal of brakes and the occasional collision. In crowded areas of campus, students said it gets even more difficult to watch traffic. MSU officials have said in the past they want to add more bike lanes to campus as part of the university’s land-use plans. From 1993 to 2011, there were 392 accidents involving motor vehicles and bicycles, according to MSU police. At least 334 of them occurred because a cyclist was riding, not walking their bike through a crosswalk, accounting for about 85 percent of incidents. General management sophomore Caitlin Van Ermen , who has experience as both a pedestrian and biker, said she's accepted sidewalk collisions on campus as an inevitability.
"You always remember the crashes. … The bicycles, the people go flying. You laugh for half a second, then you rush to go help them," Van Ermen said. "Every single person on this campus, before you graduate, you get in some sort of accident, whether you're a pedestrian or a biker." MSU Bikes Service Center manager Tim Potter said the perception that sidewalks are safer than roadways is not entirely accurate. "(The sidewalk) has the feel of being safer, but really there's
See BIKES on page 2 u
More online … To see MSU students speak on campus biking, visit statenews.com/multimedia.
Cook primed to lead MSU Saturday By Stephen Brooks sbrooks@statenews.com THE STATE NEWS nn
If there ever was an unofficial date in the minds of MSU players and coaches to end the quarterback drama and right the ship offensively, it would be Sept. 21. If the Spartans (3-0 overall) visited South Bend, Ind., without working out the kinks, a third consecutive loss to their biggest rivals not called the Wolverines was nearly guaranteed. However, a 55-17 drubbing of Youngstown State — the last of three cupcake opponents to open the season — gave the Spartans the confidence necessary for a trip to No. 22 Notre Dame (2-1) on Saturday. For the first time in 2013, the much maligned MSU offense is preparing for an opponent with absolute clarity at center with sophomore quarterback Connor Cook
See SPARTANS on page 2 u
Sophomore quarterback Connor Cook looks to throw a pass on Sept. 14, 2013, at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans defeated Youngstown State, 55-17. Julia Nagy/ The State News