Thursday 10/02/14

State News The

“I felt like I was in a different world.”

Katie Feirer, advertising junior

For Spartans with disabilities, accessibility means isolation Despite being in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, many fans have raised concerns over a lack of accessible seating. See pages 6-7

Advertising junior Katie Feirer watches the Spartans warm up with her step-father Daniel Heyden in a handicap seating section before the game against Wyoming on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

Photo: Julia Nagy

cit y

OU r v i e w

Decriminalization of marijuana won’t appear on ballot Despite a lawsuit, decriminalization of marijuana in East Lansing is not likely this year — page 4

T hu r s day, o c to B E R 2 , 2 014

@thesnews

Student section should be wheelchair accessible For the millions that have been spent on other renovations in Spartan Stadium, it’s time to invest in better accommodations for the disabled football fans — page 2

stat enews .com

sports

Stopping a high-level run attack The MSU football team will be tasked with slowing down Heisman-candidate running back Ameer Abdullah when Nebraska comes to town on Saturday — page 12

Opinion

Celeste Bott Editor-In-Chief editorinchief@statenews.com @thesnewsopinion

Editorial: More handicapped seating is necessary in Spartan Stadium MSU’s football program is gaining prestige, and millions have been spent on stadium renovations.

Why don’t those renovations include accommodations for disabled students?

Deon Howard

Editorial board editor in chief Celeste Bott staff rep Geoff Preston minority rep Sergio MartínezBeltrán

2

Advertising junior Katie Feirer has a very simple request.

She’d like to experience an MSU football game the same way her peers do.

Feirer is wheelchair-bound, and as such has been segregated from fellow student fans because the handicapped accommodations in Spartan Stadium have effectively banished her to the other side of the stadium.

And it’s not just handicapped students who are forced into a different experience — other disabled fans have been shuttled to the press box when there aren’t enough wheelchair-accessible seats.

We take issue with that. Spartan Stadium can currently seat 75,005 spectators. How can there ever not be enough handicap-accessible seats?

Probably because accessible seating is only available in three sections of the stadium, and can be reached through only four ramps.

None of these ramps are near the Student Section, which seats about 13,000 spectators.

In a space that seats 13,000 — and a stadium that can house more than 75,000 — why are fans like Feirer treated like such an The State N e ws

afterthought?

It’s not that way at other stadiums, not at other schools and not even on MSU’s campus. If you look at today’s front page, you can see that Breslin Center and Munn Ice Arena take much better care of ensuring disabled attendees have a place to sit among, and not isolated, from everybody else.

The view from the press box is great, but guess what? It’s also quiet. Certainly a lot quieter that it is in the stands among fans.

No one who buys a ticket to a college football game is looking for peace and quiet. If that’s what they wanted, they could have saved money, stayed home and watched TV. Experience is everything at a football game, for students more than anyone. When Feirer sat in the north end of the stadium, here’s what we want to know — could she hear or participate in the cheers unique to the student section? Could she high-five other students? Could she bring friends to sit with her, as all other students who buy tickets have a chance to do?

Probably not.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives sev-

Thursday, o ctoBER 2 , 2 01 4

eral definitions for the word “accessible.” One is “capable of being reached.” The other is “easy to appreciate and understand.”

Accessibility isn’t just finding Katie Feirer and students like her a seat, it’s allowing her to appreciate and understand the experience she as a student football fan is entitled to.

We don’t think MSU has any ill intentions here, but that’s not an excuse. This is still discrimination.

It’s time to invest in better disability accommodations in our football stadium. And we can absolutely afford it. We just won a Rose Bowl, and with winning comes prestige, and with prestige comes money. And MSU just spent nearly $25 million on renovations to the venue’s north side, putting in better locker rooms and a new media center, among other things.

For students, sitting in that section is a precious experience and a lifelong happy memory. For many, it’s the first time they truly feel like a Spartan.

Disabled fans need more than access — they need and deserve the same experience as everybody else.

Opinion Po ll To day ’ s q u e s t i o n

Should there be wheelchairaccessible seating in the student section of Spartan Stadium?

To vote, visit statenews.com

Contents i ns i d e

Students express concern over continued protests in Hong Kong

NCHA survey shows a decline in reckless behavior since 2012

Bollywood production created by study abroad program to premiere

Page 4

Page 5

Page 9

From left, supply chain management senior Andrew Wallace and human biology junior Sean Young get information about drinking from special education senior Cari Otis on Tuesday at Olin Health Center. Olin Health Center celebrated their 75th anniversary. Read more on page 8.

PHOTO: Aerika Williams

4 da i ly N u m b e r

Hockey head coach Tom Anastos talked changing the culture of his program during the MSU Hockey Media Day on Wednesday.

Read more online at statenews.com

Home games left for women’s soccer

VOL . 105 | NO. 26

Contact The State News (517) 432-3000 Newsroom/Corrections (517) 432-3070 feedback@statenews.com General Manager Marty Sturgeon (517) 432-3000 Advertising M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Thurs day, octoBER 2, 2014

editorial staff (517) 432-3070 Editor-in-chief Celeste Bott managing editor Anya Rath BREAKING NEWS EDITOR Simon Schuster TRENDS AND ISSUES EDITOR Merinda Valley SPORTS EDITOR Omari Sankofa II FEATURES EDITOR Emily Jenks PHOTO EDITOR Julia Nagy COPY CHIEF Elena Cronick Copyright Š 2014 State News Inc., East Lansing, Mich.

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News

Simon Schuster and Merinda Valley Breaking news editor Trends and issues editor campus@statenews.com @thesnews

Marijuana could appear on E.L.’s November ballot Absentee ballots and approval process stand in the way of the decriminalization measure being voted on.

By Sergio Martínez-Beltrán smartinez@statenews.com

Demonstrators rest near Hong Kong’s government complex and in front of a fashion billboard on Monday after three days of protests and clashes with police. Many young people in Hong Kong complain that the city’s economy is too geared toward tourism and high-end retail, leaving them with few job prospects.

PHOTO: STUART LEAVENWORTH/MCT

Sit-in at the rock backs Hong Kong protests As pro-democracy protests continue in Hong Kong, MSU students show their support for the movement.

By Nolly Dakroury ndakroury@statenews.com

Students from Hong Kong gathered for a sit-in by the rock on Farm Lane on Wednesday to show solidarity with their people back home, as protests are putting a halt on the major districts of the region.

“I was completely shocked,” said graduate student William Chung on the situation. “It is something that never happened in the region before.”

Chung, a native of Hong Kong, said one of his friends back home was detained by the police for trying to get into the barricaded area where the protesters were. He was soon released without any charges.

He said the protests were initiated by the Hong Kong Federation of Students, which decided to start a class boycott on Sept. 22. The boycott was started in defiance of the Chinese government’s electoral guidelines for the Hong Kong chief executive elections in 2017.

The Chinese government had pre4

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viously promised political parties in Hong Kong that citizens would get the right to vote in the elections of 2017.

Protesters have now taken over three main districts, including Hong Kong’s finance district, Central District.

“There would be a public vote, but after a stage of approval (from the Chinese government),” said Mary E. Gallagher, director of Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan.

During the last three chief executive elections in Hong Kong, those who got to vote were members of an election committee, which had between 800 and 1,200 people.

Chung said the idea behind the rising number was to have more people gradually participate until universal suffrage is implemented.

Gallagher said the identity in Hong Kong has changed over time, especially since the island was handed back over from Britain to China in 1997.

“It’s politically very different,” she

said, adding that Hong Kong has many more civil rights than China.

Urban and regional planning junior Ernie Hsieh said also the language and culture are different than mainland China.

Hsieh said he is trying to spread awareness about the protests around campus.

“I’m trying to talk to people around campus,” said Hsieh, a native of Hong Kong. “That’s the one thing that a Hong Kong person can do overseas.”

Gallagher said the students who initiated the movement gave the Hong Kong government a deadline of Oct. 2 for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to step down.

She said she does not think it’s likely for the situation to radicalize.

Chung said the main difference between this protest and those the Hong Kong region has seen in the past is that this one has no leader.

“It’s not under the control of any organization because it’s over such a huge scale,” he said. “It’s actually a self-initiated movement by Hong Kong citizens. ”

Thursday, octoB E R 2 , 2 01 4

Despite a lawsuit against the East Lansing City Clerk, the hopes of seeing a measure to decriminalize marijuana in East Lansing on this year’s ballot are dimming as election day draws near.

In a letter to East Lansing resident Jeffrey Hank, whose group, Coalition for a Safer East Lansing, sponsored the petition, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum said she will proceed with the November election “as planned.”

The proposal would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess or transfer one ounce or less of marijuana on private property.

Ingham County Circuit Court Judge James Jamo on Monday ruled that East Lansing City Clerk Marie Wicks should take steps that could potentially allow the petition on the November ballot.

But marijuana decriminalization advocates still face major hurdles — some ballots have already been issued and voted on, and Wicks said she is not obligated to submit the petition before the election.

The city council would first have to approve the ballot language at their Oct. 7 meeting, then Wicks would have to certify the proposal and submit documents to the state attorney general for approval.

If Wicks completes all of these steps, the last action would be to present the petition to Byrum, who expressed major concerns about the idea of a last-minute addition.

Byrum said reprinting the ballots, which would be necessary to include the petition, could “create confusion and ultimately disenfranchise” those who have already cast ballots.

The logistics of taking such action would be an “undertaking,” Byrum said, and in the letter to Hank said reprinting ballots and reprogramming voting machines would cost the county more than $16,000.

“What people forget is it isn’t just about reprinting ballots,” Byrum said. “It’s about programming the election, it’s about reaching out to those voters that already voted and giving new ballots to them.”

Wicks said in a statement that reprinting the ballots would invalidate the absentee ballots already submitted.

“For the past week people have been receiving and voting on overseas and military ballots according to federal law and have been voting and delivering their regular absentee ballots,” Wicks said in the statement. “Reprinting ballots would invalidate those completed ballots and disenfranchise AV (alternative voting) voters, including military and overseas voters.”

The petition was submitted by the Coalition for a Safer East Lansing for Wicks’ consideration on July 29.

Wicks validated the signatures within 45 days after they were first submitted, using the maximum amount of days under law for validation and in the process missing the deadline to place a petition on this year’s ballot. Wicks said the judge ruled she complied with all of the statutory deadlines presented to her.

The petition was originally set to appear on the 2015 ballot, until Hank filed suit.

Still, Hank said the ruling was a victory to the group of East Lansing residents that want to decriminalize the use of marijuana.

“We are hoping the county does the right thing and puts it in this year’s ballot,” Hank said.

News

National College Health Assessment Survey shows decrease in high-risk behaviors Data from more than 1,200 graduate and undergraduate students suggest reckless activities are less prevalent than in previous years.

By Sergio Martínez-Beltrán smartinez@statenews.com

Spartans are making better decisions.

According to data from the National College Health Assessment Survey, MSU students’ high-risk behaviors are decreasing.

1,231 undergraduate and graduate students participated in the assessment that was administered last spring.

The survey asked the students questions related to behaviors affecting their health, such as sexual behaviors, use of tobacco and alcohol, disease prevention and exercise habits.

In comparison to other years, the study shows a decrease in students’ engagement in health-compromising activities.

From 2012: Cigarette consumption decreased 3.3 percent, marijuana consumption increased 1.2 percent

From 2012: Down 2.6 percent Fac t

30.8 percent of the respondents claimed to be overweight, which is down slightly from the 33.4 percent of 2012 respondents.

The report states that students with higher GPA’s were less likely to be overweight or obese.

Males are more likely to be overweight than females.

37.8 percent vs. 24.5 percent.

drinking and driving

From 2012: Increased 3.1 percent

Percentage of Students, with four or more sexual partners during the last year – an increase of 0.2% since 2012

Percent Increase, in the use of Marijuana

Students reported smoking less cigarettes. However, alcohol consumption is still normal among students.

69.2 percent of the respondents said they drank alcohol, virtually the same as in 2012.

The use of marijuana is increasing among MSU students, with 36.6 percent of respondents said they have smoked marijuana.

sexual behavior

10

1.2

substance use

Weight

29.0 percent of the students said they didn’t have a sexual partner during the last year.

In 2012, 25.9 percent of the students claimed the same.

44.4 percent of the respondents said they engaged in a sexual activity with one partner during the last year.

Fac t 1.7 percent of respondents who drink and drive reported driving after having more than five drinks.

It decreased .4 percent since 2012.

From 2012: Decreased 2.7 percent.

According to the report, 19.2 percent of the respondents said they have driven after drinking at least some form of alcohol.

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Spotlight

Anya Rath Managing editor arath@statenews.com @thesnews

Advertising junior Katie Feirer watches the Spartans warm up with her step-father Daniel Heyden in a handicap seating section before the game against Wyoming on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. Feirer said she feels segregated from the student body during the games because she is unable to sit in the student section.

PHOTOS: JULIA NAGY

Fans with disabilities say Spartan Stadium lacks enough accessible seating

By AJ Moser amoser@statenews.com

A “The only tickets that were left in accessible seating are only sold on a first-come, firstserved basis.”

Katie Feirer, advertising junior on seating options in Spartan Stadium

6

t 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning of Homecoming weekend, students were just getting out of bed to begin tailgating and celebrating the game against Wyoming.

While most of her fellow students were preparing for the exciting day ahead, advertising junior Katie Feirer was already waiting in line at Spartan Stadium.

Feirer wasn’t hoping for a seat at the front of the student section — she needed to make sure she could see the game at all.

Feirer uses a wheelchair and needs handicap-accessible seating, which is in limited supply at the stadium.

There is no handicap accessible seating within the student section, which meant Feirer could not celebrate that game, or any other, with her fellow students.

She has to watch from the other end of the stadium.

Instead of buying season tickets this year, she decided to purchase tickets to select games and hope she will have a place to sit. But her gener-

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Thursday, octoB E R 2 , 2 01 4

al admission tickets have to be exchanged for seats in the accessible section.

“The only tickets that were left in accessible seating are only sold on a first-come, first-served basis,” Feirer said. “This is the hassle every person goes through if they want to sit in the accessible section and don’t purchase season tickets within the section, or want to have a companion sit with them.”

After watching every game from the north end of the stadium last year, Fairer wanted to be able to experience games in the student section. Because of her wheelchair, she said she is being segregated from her fellow students and denied the average experience promised to all students with football tickets.

“I felt like I was in a different world,” she said in regards to looking at the student section from a distance.

On the other end zone, but a world away Spartan Stadium can currently seat 75,005 spectators. Season ticket sales often reach the 60,000 seats sold mark. Accessible seating is only available in three sections of the stadium and can be reached through only four ramps. None of these ramps are near the student section, which seats

about 13,000 spectators.

Feirer attended meetings of the President’s Advisory Committee on Disability Issues and spoke with several of MSU’s athletic directors, who told her there was a lack of funding necessary to make additional seating happen. This comes after a multi-million dollar renovation to the north end zone of the stadium.

Inspired to make a change, Feirer started a GoFundMe page in order to raise funds for accessible seating in the student section.

The page was started on Aug. 29 and has a lofty goal of $2.2 million. Although just $165 has been donated so far, Feirer is continuing to spread awareness for her cause through Facebook and interviews on local radio stations.

“The website is doing really well with raising awareness, and is a great way to raise money,” Feirer said. “I hope what I’m doing inspires other students.”

There are other students with disabilities who feel the same way, as well as long-time Spartan football fans.

Most of the accessible seating in the stadium is held by season ticket holders, and the ability to successfully exchange general admission tickets is never guaranteed.

Spotlight

Advertising junior Katie Feirer exchanges her tickets for a handicap seat before the game against Wyoming on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

Feirer gets to the stadium hours early to ensure she gets a handicap seat, as there are limited spots.

Steve and Melissa Wiercinski attended the game against Eastern Michigan University on Sept. 20, and were disappointed when they were moved up into the press box due to lack of accessible seating.

“Don’t get me wrong, the view was great,” Melissa Wiercinski said in an email. “But we didn’t feel a part of the Spartan experience at all!”

Her husband has Becker’s muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair.

“This is probably the worst experience I’ve had at a sporting event,” said Steve Wiercinski, an MSU alumnus.

He said the general admission tickets did not accommodate his needs, and event staff moved the couple into the press box even though it is not designed for handicapped fans.

Steve Wiercinski had student section tickets while he was a student and because his condition was not as severe at that time was able to stand with fellow students, although he sometimes had to move due to difficulty climbing the stairs.

After graduating in 1998, he continued to buy season tickets, but experienced even more problems getting into the stadium.

“My seats were in the upper deck, so I would work my way up the steep ramps. It was definitely exhausting climbing those ramps,” he said.

“After a while it became really hard for me to make it up to the seats, and I stopped getting season tickets. Had I had an easier time getting better seats, I probably would have remained a season ticket holder,” he said.

Steve and Melissa Wiercinski were married in August 2013 and attended their first game together at Spartan Stadium two weeks ago. They were appalled by the poor service and lack of disability-friendly seating. They have attended hockey games at Munn Ice Arena and never had a problem. The Breslin Student Events Center also offers an abundance of accessible seating.

The couple does not plan on attending any

games at Spartan Stadium for the rest of the season. They learned of Feirer’s goals to bring attention to the lack of accessible seating and are helping her to make her cause known.

“I can really understand what the young girl is going through,” Steve Wiercinski said. “I loved the experience as a student, even with the minor difficulties I had sitting in that section. I wouldn’t have given that experience up for the world. However, I would have loved if MSU would have made accommodations to make it a little bit easier as a student.”

Uncertain resolution MSU spokesman Jason Cody said the university is aware of the complaints, characterizing them as “an issue the administration is aware of and working toward addressing.”

“While Spartan Stadium is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act,” MSU spokesman Jason Cody said in a statement, “we acknowledge the seating situation, specifically in the student section, is not always ideal.”

The administration is currently gathering information on several options to pursue and make accessible seating available to the entire Spartan community.

Some on-campus organizations have already taken note of the initiative.

ASMSU President James Conwell said he plans to meet with the Council of Students with Disabilities to understand the issue and determine the best plan of action to move forward.

Feirer is reaching out to other students with poor experiences in the stadium and is bringing as much attention to the issue as she can.

“I have always been determined and a go-getter,” she said. She encourages other students to get active. “If I can do it, you can do it.”

Staff reporter Brandi Scarber contributed to this report.

Spartan Stadium Blueprint

Student Section

Accessible Seating

Accessible Seating

GRAPHIC: LAUREN SHIELDS

T h u rs day, oc toB E R 2 , 2 01 4

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Crossword

L.A. Times Daily Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

News

Olin Health Center celebrates 75 years There wasn’t even a full-time physician on campus until Richard Olin arrived in 1925, with plans to build the first full-scale hospital at MSU.

Across

1 Hint 6 Insincere flattery 11 Town in a Hersey title 12 Book before Joel 13 Roadie’s burden 16 Like some ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos 17 Home of the bush ballad 19 Greek letter 20 Take in 22 Hardest to get close to 23 Rocky pinnacle 24 Brit who might lose a stone?

26 __ tape 27 Cicero, for one 29 From the top 31 Half a drink 32 CV component 33 Three sheets to the wind 34 Selassie of Ethiopia 36 Stew base 38 Snake eye?

39 Doctoral candidate’s hurdle 40 Seventh-century pope 41 Blu-ray player ancestor 42 Swindle 43 Sturdy tree 44 Astra or Insignia 46 Salad vegetable

49 DWI-fighting gp.

51 Genesis 53 “__ Cried�: 1962 hit for Jay and the Americans 54 Prepares (oneself), as for combat 56 Pooch sans papers 57 Diminutive, diminutively 58 Fated 60 Send, in a way 62 Ice cream maker Joseph 63 Bars with character, to some 64 Slower than adagio 65 Act surprised 66 Puts on cargo

Down

1 Donated for the benefit of 2 One checking stories 3 Classic music hall song that lent its melody to the “Howdy Doody� theme 4 Santa __ Mountains 5 Lake Erie city 6 Trading unit 7 Apt challenger of this puzzle’s circled locations 8 Long-eared beast 9 Hit the hay

10 Painter Chagall 13 Unalaska, e.g.

14 Name incorrectly 15 McDonald’s supply 18 Succor 21 Service station offering 25 Wide key 28 Small South American monkey 30 “No one knows�

33 Enthusiast 35 Yankee suspended for the 2014 season 36 Start of a confession 37 Like family 45 Reminder of a kind 46 Slowing, in scores 47 Certain Muslim 48 Greetings 50 Room with a remote, often 52 Letterman interviewee, say 55 Old Fords 59 Reproductive cells 61 __ culpa

History, philosophy and sociology of science senior Marisa Martini, left, and kinesiology sophomore Theresa Quaderer grab cookies on Tuesday at Olin Health Center. Olin Health Center celebrated their 75th anniversary.

PHOTO: AERIKA WILLIAMS

until Richard Olin arrived in 1925 with the goal of building the first full-scale hospital on campus.

Construction for the hospital began in Olin Health Center has been nursing students back to health 1938, but Olin died that year before the building was finished. In the fall of 1939, for 75 years.

On Tuesday, staff and students Olin Memorial Health Center opened.

Braunlich said the fall welcome is celebrated those years of service at Olin’s Fall Welcome and meant to introduce students to the services Olin Health Center offers.

Anniversary Open House. “We want students to experience Olin’s Marketing and Communications Manager Kathi Braun- and learn things when they are feellich explained the long histo- ing well ‌ and then they don’t have ry of Olin Health Center, which to look things up when they are sick started as Student Health Ser- since they already know where to go,â€? vices in 1893. There wasn’t a Braunlich said.

Histor y education junior Julie full-time physician on campus Podorsek said Olin Health Center is convenient for students, especially with a courtesy van that picks up students anyZZZ HDWDWVWDWH FRP where on campus.

Food industry management junior John Hulbert took advantage of Olin 6RXS &KLOL RU 6DQGZLFK Health Center services his freshman &RPERV IURP year. “I wasn’t comfortable with Urgent Care, and Olin helped me get through getting sick for the first time on my own,� said Hulbert.

At the fall welcome event, members of MSU Student Health Advisory Council explained the center’s care options at www.eatatstate.com various stations with Olin staff members.

SHAC is one of Olin’s three student

By Lauren Owings

lowings@statenews.com

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The State N e ws

Thursday, octoB ER 2 , 2 01 4

groups. History, philosophy, and sociology of science senior Marisa Martini has been president of the group for the past two years. “We promote student health services here at MSU, and give the student a voice in how those resources are shaped so that they’re most effective for the student population,� Martini said.

SHAC aims to help students attain their health goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle while at MSU. They understand the difficulties of being healthy in college, when students are under stress and experiencing new things. “Mom and dad are not right around the corner anymore,� Martini said. Students are leaving home and Martini believes that it is important for them to be informed about the resources available to them while at college, so if they do fall ill, they aren’t lost without family nearby.

To keep health resources current, Olin Heath Center is continually changing.

This past summer, Olin’s primary care clinic was renovated to make the checkin and waiting room areas more comfortable for patients. The wellness area for massage therapy, reiki and reflexology, was also completed. On October 1, those services became available to students and carried the center’s health offerings into another school year.

Features

Emily Jenks Features editor features@statenews.com @sn_features

For some students, disc golf is more than ‘smoking weed and drinking beers’ The club is free to join this year and hopes to send its players to the National Collegiate Disc Golf Championships in South Carolina.

By Ian Martin imartin@statenews.com

Four years ago during the beginning of his freshman year, international relations senior Eric Savoie decided he wanted to start a disc golf club here at MSU. “I got the idea to get a club going, and that same week my buddy texted me a picture of a flier — it was from some guy named Ziggy — that said disc golf club being formed, informational meeting this day,” Savoie said. “I was like, no kidding.”

Turns out “some guy named Ziggy,” has been a professional disc golfer since he was 15. Human biology senior Ziggy Bierekoven is sponsored by disc manufacturer Innova and placed in the top 30 at the Professional Disc Golf World Championships in both 2011 and 2013.

Savoie, who is now the president of the club, got in touch with Ziggy and they collaborated with a few others to get the club going.

“I found out from Ziggy that there used to be a club at MSU that was founded in 2007. But within a couple years it died out,” Savoie said. “Part of the reason was not complying with what the university wanted. We actually share the course with the Agriculture Expo, which goes on every summer,” he said.

The club is supposed to pull all the baskets at the end of every school year so the grass can heal and the baskets don’t get in the way of the event.

The orignial disc golf club neglected to pull out the baskets.

“The university got really mad and essentially took out the course,” Savoie said.

Another reason Savoie believes the club failed was due to a lack of leadership.

“We actually haven’t had any formal elections

International relations senior Eric Savoie and packaging junior Tyler Hanlon practice disc golf Wednesday at the MSU Disc Golf Course, 3600 Mount Hope Road, in East Lansing.

PHOTO: dylan vowell

the last couple years. It’s sort of been the people that were the most interested that took the positions,” Savoie said. “At the end of October, I’m actually going to be having formal elections to fill our four vacant e-board positions. I’m in the process of restructuring our constitution just to help our club be successful for years to come.”

Last year, the club qualified for the National Collegiate Disc Golf Championships, which are held in

First MSU study abroad production premieres MSU students traveled to India this summer to experience the culture and film their feature production, “A Connection.”

North Augusta, S.C., but did not have the funds or enough players who had the time or money to go.

However, the club recently qualified for nationals for this upcoming April and Savoie is hoping they can make the trip.

“That’s one of our primary goals for this year, to raise enough money as a club to be able to send our players without them having to take any money out of their pocket, and so we can represent

By Lizzie Nagel Lnagel@statenews.com

Film production went above and beyond Bollywood in a unique study abroad experience.

Over this past summer, several students took part in Beyond Bollywood, a study abroad program in India designed to teach about film production and media in Bollywood. As their final project, the students created a short, Bollywood-style film titled ”A Connection.” This is the first time that a production-based study abroad has taken place.

“From the beginning, we wanted to showcase what we experienced and what we learned while we were in India in our film,” said co-producer media and information senior Katie zurBurg.

“We wanted to show little touches of everything that happened to us during the movie, while also wanting to show an American who was experiencing India for the first time,” she said. “‘A Connection’ is exactly about the experiences we had while we were in India,” said senior and executive producer, Archit

MSU,” Savoie said.

Another goal the club has for the year is to gain more respect from MSU and to change the perception of disc golf as a whole.

“A lot of people, the first thing they think of when they hear disc golf is smoking weed or drinking beers. I do want our club to have a good time but I don’t want that to be the emphasis, and I don’t want to have that stigma attached with disc golf anymore,” Savoie said.

Savoie credits the accessibility of the sport as the reason he got into disc golf in the first place, in contrast with golf, a more expensive hobby.

“Over 90 percent of disc golf courses in the U.S. are free to play. It’s really nice that you don’t need to have a tee time and Frisbees are only around $10,” he said.

The club had about 30 members last year and is still registering members for this year. There was a registration fee to join the club last year, but Savoie has decided to make the club free in hopes that more people will want to join.

“Something that bothered me is that I would go out on the course and see a bunch of people playing that weren’t a part of the club. The club really does have a lot to offer,” Savoie said. “Not only can you learn a lot more from the sport by playing with other people, but it’s just a lot of fun playing in groups. So I’m hoping by making it free, more people will become a part of it.”

On Oct. 18, the Disc Golf Club will be having a clinic open to anyone at the MSU disc golf course, located at 3600 Mount Hope Road. The clinic will be hosted by disc golf professional Mark Ellis and other Lansing professionals.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to learn from one of the most knowledgeable disc golf players in the U.S.,” Savoie said.

Batra. “Getting to encounter an extremely different culture molded us in a way so that we could include some of our personal experiences in the movie.”

Those experiences were had while traveling across India for three weeks before production on the film began.

“We traveled a lot. We traveled to six or seven big cities, which was the main experimental learning we got,” Batra said.

“We got to see different cultures, we saw a cricket match, various historical monuments, the Taj Mahal. We experienced all different types of food, we went to temples. It was truly a formative way to create our film.”

After traveling around India and experiencing the culture for three weeks, their final week was spent in production for their Bollywood-style film.

In Hollywood, everything is very organized and very strict, zurBurg said.

A lecturer spoke to their group and said, ‘That’s not how we do things in Bollywood.’

When they started shooting, zurBurg said she felt like it was complete nonsense.

“The first day on set we were all so new, we were experiencing these new roles of T hursday, octoB E R 2 , 2 01 4

director, producer, actor, for the first time,” zurBurg said. “We knew we were going to be shooting in three different locations for one day, so the writers just wrote those scenes and said, ‘OK, here you go.’ It was crazy and hectic, but a lot of fun and a good learning experience.”

Senior producer and CAS media specialist Amol Pavangadkar mentored the students on the trip.

“They were really hardworking students,” Pavangadkar said. “Not only did they adjust to a foreign environment but they actually produced something that was pretty good quality work in about six days of actual production, so it can be done.”

Pavangadkar said that he himself may have learned more than the students did on the trip.

“It was great working with them and also great being able to work with the other people who came in to help on the set, with guest lectures, organized workshops, and that sort of thing,” Pavangadkar said.

“It was a massive, successful team effort.”

“A Connection” will premiere at 6:45 p.m.

Oct. 2 at the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, room 145.

Th e Stat e N e ws

9

Sports

Omari Sankofa II Sports editor sports@statenews.com @thesnews_sports

Men’s and women’s tennis teams back in East Lansing after strong weekends Women’s tennis will take on the Akron Invitational this weekend, while men’s tennis will head to Ann Arbor after a bye week for the ITA Midwest Regional Championships.

Sophomore Erin Faulkner returns the ball Sept. 13 at the MSU Outdoor Tennis Courts on Wilson Road.

Faulkner won her first match against IPFW player Mayu Satoin in three sets.

By Katie Winkler kwinkler@statenews.com

After competing in Evanston, Ill. and Tulsa, Okla. this weekend, the men and women’s tennis teams return to prepare for upcoming matches.

For their season kickoff, the men’s team separated and competed at both the Western Michigan Vredevelt Invitational and the ITA All American Tournament in Oklahoma.

Sophomore Brett Forman and junior John Patrick Mullane competed at the ITA All-American Tournament, where they attempted to qualify for finals. These two Spartans traveled back to East Lansing on Wednesday after losing in qualifying doubles Tuesday night.

“The top players from each country universities go there,” men’s tennis head coach Gene Orlando said. “They represented well.”

Vredevelt wrapped up on Sunday, where the Spartans had four advance to the championships for their Flight bracket—senior Gijs Linders (A bracket), sophomore Mac Roy (B bracket), senior Harry Jadun (B bracket) and freshman Michael Dube (E bracket).

“We are trying to maximize our full potential and push each other to their highest limit,” Orlando said. “Competing let’s us see where we are as a team and improve during the process. We are not evaluating, but looking to improve with each practice, day and workout.”

The women finished the weekend tournament at Northwestern University with five single match and three double match wins.

PHOTO: JESSALYN TAMEZ

“(Associate head coach Tyler Faulkner) and I were really happy with the results, but also the way we competed,” head coach Simone Jardim said. “I think we are definitely getting better. The teams that were (at Wildcat Invite) were definitely good and we stepped up and beat some of those good players.”

In singles, freshman Aslina Chua went 4-1, freshman Lexi Baylis 3-2, sophomore Erin Faulkner 3-2, junior Emily Meyers 3-2 and sophomore Athena Trouillot 2-3.

“Those results are really important because it gives us confidence and it sets us up well for the spring,” Jadrim said.

Chua beat Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-1, 4-6, 7-7, Baylis beat Caroline Aleck (WMU) 6-4, 6-0, Meyers defeated Alejandra Barcelo Almoyna (EMU) 6-2, 6-1 and Hilary Hager beat Ella Perinovic (WMU) 3-6, 6-1, 10-8.

Freshman Allie Baer and senior Catherine Parenteau won doubles against NU 8-1, Meyers and Baylis over Kentucky 8-4 and freshman Colleen O’Brien and sophomore Emmy Virkus over WMU 8-4.

“I think we can be, from what I see so far … just from seeing what we saw this weekend, I think we have the potential to be really good,” Jardim said.

“If we can’t come together and work as a team, then it’s hard. But if we can, anything can happen. We could be better than last year.”

Next up for women is the Akron Invitational in Akron, Ohio this weekend. The men’s team travels to Ann Arbor, after a bye week, from Oct. 16–20 for the ITA Midwest Regional Championships.

Back from Ann Arbor loss, women’s soccer prepares for Iowa and Nebraska at home After three road games over the past two weekends, women’s soccer will return to the friendly confines of DeMartin Soccer Stadium for a Thursday-Sunday set against two challenging teams.

Iowa (8-3 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) will visit MSU (6-4-1 overall, 0-4-1 Big Ten) on Thursday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

“We know we only have four left at home, so we’ll be ready,” head coach Tom Saxton said. “We’ll be at our best. We’re going up against one of our toughest opponents of the year, without a doubt.”

The Spartans are 3-2 at home this season, but their two losses have been to conference opponents. Iowa has been solid on the road this year, posting a 4-1 record away from Iowa City.

Iowa’s defense is one of the best in the Big Ten, led by junior goalkeeper Hannah Clark. Clark has been terrific in goal since she became the start-

er on Sept. 7. She put together four consecutive shutouts and was named the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 22.

MSU’s offense has been stagnant of late, and the Spartans are in need of more contributors.

“Paige Wester has been spectacular in the run up to chances,” Saxton said. “I’d love to see her break through because if she can get the ball in the back of the net, I think it will free her up. She’ll get in front of the goal a lot here down the stretch.”

The players understand that the offense needs to hold its own as well.

“Scoring in the Michigan game definitely gave us confidence that we needed,” junior forward Allyson Krause said. “Our defense has saved a lot of goals for us, so I think it’s time for the offense to step up and do what we need to do.”

On Sunday, MSU will take on Nebraska (5-4-2 overall, 1-2-2 Big Ten) at 1 p.m. MSU, still searching for its first conference win, will see a familiar style of play from both the Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers.

10

Thursday, octoB E R 2 , 2 01 4

by John neidhart jneidhart@statenews.com

The State N e ws

“We know we only have four left at home, so we’ll be ready. We’ll be at our best. We’re going up against one of our toughest opponents this year, without a doubt.”

Tom Saxton, women’s soccer head coach

“Both of them play a little more similar to us, defensively. If they don’t get the opportunity to press, they’ll drop in, kind of like Wisconsin did,” Saxton said.

Nebraska’s senior forward Mayme Conroy was recently named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, after scoring three goals in two games last week. The most impactful of these goals came last Sunday, in the form of a game-winner over Maryland in the 96th minute.

The outlook for Nebraska was very bright entering this season, as the Cornhuskers were coming off a year in which they won both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles. Nebraska

entered its 2014 campaign at No. 13 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Division I Preseason rankings but has since struggled.

MSU has dealt with off-thefield concerns over the past week, but Saxton believes his team is ready for another weekend of games.

“We are very focused,” Saxton said. “They (the players) did a great job of handling things.

They handled the distractions very well. It was not an issue.”

As with most games in the Big Ten, MSU will see two very talented teams this weekend. If the Spartans hope to re-enter the talk of the conference, they will need to scrap together a victory in the next two games.

Quick reads MSU announces new Munn Ice Arena renovations With the hockey season right around the corner, MSU made a splash on Wednesday announcing a renovation project of Munn Ice Arena that will include new theatrical lighting, high-definition video boards, LED ribbon boards and more.

“As Munn Ice Arena approaches on its 40th anniversary, we’re excited to announce the upcoming improvements that will significantly enhance both the fan and student-athlete experience immediately,” MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis said in a press release. “Our goal is for Munn Ice Arena to represent a tribute to Michigan State’s rich hockey past and a commitment its future.”

The project will start this upcoming season and is the latest addition of a complete building renovation. Also part of the current renovation plans is new seat chairbacks, new concourse decor and dressing room decor. The project will be funded by private support and will be finished within the next 12 months.

The announced renovations of Munn Ice Arena are just the latest addition of the complete project. During the offseason, MSU upgraded its building’s HVAC systems, ice surface, dasher boards and glass, with that project coming in at more than $6 million. Before the 2013-14 season MSU also improved its lighting with a

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new energy-efficient LED lighting system that cost $575,000.

The latest additions to MSU’s home arena is something head coach Tom Anastos is excited about. He said he considers it a stepping stone in regaining a prestigious title for Spartan hockey.

“These initial upgrades demonstrate yet another example of the commitment to Spartan hockey by our athletics department, alums and supporters,” Anastos said in a press release. “The immediate enhancements are part of a broader plan for Munn Ice Arena that will ensure it continues to be one of the marque college hockey venues in the country. It’s an exciting time for everyone involved with Spartan hockey.”

-ROBERT BONDY

Homecoming weekend crime rates relatively normal Both MSU and East Lansing police reported a relatively normal Homecoming weekend when it came to crime rates, each experiencing minor fluctuations in open intoxicant, minor in possession and parking-related crimes.

MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said her department only facilitated 12 arrests, compared to nine last week and 36 during welcome week.

“It’s nothing extraordinary,” McGlothian-Tay-

lor said.

East Lansing police issued 23 minor in possession charges and 27 open intoxicant charges. In addition, East Lansing police initiated 129 traffic stops and received 50 parking complaints.

East Lansing police Capt. Jeff Murphy said the crime this weekend was not necessarily related to Homecoming, but was typical for a home football game on a warm weekend. Murphy said the crime rates this Homecoming weekend were comparable to last year’s.

“Our (statistics) also depend on how many officers are on duty,” he said. “At times it could be really busy and staff could appear to be very low because there comes a point where officers are too busy to enforce open intoxication or minor in possession laws, but that was not the case with this weekend.”

-OLIVIA DIMMER

Alumna and Baby Einstein founder to be speaking at MSU Aspiring entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to learn from somewhat of an “Einstein.”

MSU alumna, founder of The Baby Einstein Company and New York Times bestselling author Julie Aigner-Clark will be speaking to students and faculty about her success on Monday.

“This is a great opportunity to learn from a

leader within the industry. As founder of Disney’s “Baby Einstein” products, (Clark) is a visionary when it comes to entrepreneurship,” acting Dean of the College of Arts and Letters Elizabeth Simmons said. “Students will be able to hear about her experiences and what it takes to start a company from the ground up. [She] will also be discussing her recent startup companies.”

Clark’s success began as a startup company in her basement with “Baby Einstein,” which is a set of DVDs, CDs and flash cards designed to introduce babies to the arts. After growing into a multi-million dollar industry in just a few years, Clark sold Baby Einstein to the Walt Disney Company.

Clark is also an accomplished children’s author, having published “You are the Best Medicine” in 2010, a children’s picture book dealing with the importance of love while someone is going through cancer.

Clark began writing the book after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and 100 percent of the proceeds go to breast cancer research.

“We are excited to have [Clark] coming back to campus,” said Simmons. “Her insight and expertise offer a great learning opportunity for the MSU community.”

The discussion is open to all students and will take place in B310 Wells Hall from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on October 6. RSVP by October 5th.

-LIZZIE NAGEL

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Th e Stat e N e ws

11

Sports

Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah will test MSU Saturday The Heisman candidate has recorded 833 rushing yards this season, leading NCAA football

By Robert Bondy rbondy@statenews.com

The No. 1 objective for the Spartan defense this weekend will be to contain the most talented guy wearing red and white — Nebraska senior running back Ameer Abdullah.

“Ameer is a guy who can make guys miss, can prolong runs, understands where his blocks are, understands seeing the field (and) has great field vision,” senior safety Kurtis Drummond said.

Abdullah enters this week’s matchup as the nation’s top rusher creating a big-time challenge for the Spartan’s defense this week. Abdullah has recorded 833 rushing yards — which ranks No. 1 in rushing yards in all of college football — and eight touchdowns through the first five games, including 208 yards and three touchdowns last week against Illinois.

“When you’re playing a great running back, it’s about pursuit, it’s about leverage on a football (and) it’s about the ability to tackle in space.”

Mark Dantonio, football head coach

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Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah fends off Miami defensive back Artie Burns on Sept. 20, 2014, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. The Huskers defeated the Hurricanes, 41-31. PHOTO COURTESY OF MORGAN SPIEHS/THE DAILY NEBRASKAN

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On top of his staggering rushing totals thus far, Abdullah has played a role in the passing attack with 108 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Combining Abdullah’s effect in both the running and passing game has been a big reason why he currently ranks fourth in ESPN’s Heisman Watch.

In the last two meetings between MSU and Nebraska, Abdullah has eclipsed the 100yard mark. In 2012, Abdullah ran for 110 yards, helping lead the Cornhuskers to a 28-24 win, and last year Abdullah recorded 123 yards on the ground in a 41-28 MSU victory. And Huskers head coach Bo Pelini said on Monday that Abdullah is “better in every area” this year.

After playing against Abdullah the past two seasons, head coach Mark Dantonio understands the talent he brings to the field. Dantonio said it’ll be key for the “Spartan Dawgs” this week to improve in tackling and taking better pursuit angles to keep Abdullah in check.

“When you’re playing a great running back, it’s about pursuit, it’s about leverage on a

football (and) it’s about the ability to tackle in space,” Dantonio said during a teleconference on Sunday. “We’ll work on all three of those things this week, obviously, as we do every week.”

Pitting both MSU and Nebraska’s strengths against each other will be the talk of the town this week. The Abdullah-led Cornhusker rushing attack ranks second in the nation in rushing yards per game, but MSU is equally as good in stopping the run. MSU ranks No. 4 in rushing defense per game, averaging only 78.3 yards.

The opportunity to play against a talented rushing team like Nebraska is exciting for junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun. He said he looks forward to the opportunity of going up against a Heisman contender such as Abdullah, and uses it as just another chance for Calhoun to show his ability on a national spotlight.

“It will be nice to play against someone who is so versatile,” Calhoun said. “And give me the opportunity to showcase my talents.”

166.6 Rushing yards per game averaged by Ameer Abdullah this season, the secondbest mark in the nation

78.3 Rushing yards allowed per game by MSU this season, the fourth-best mark in the nation