By Kevin Burrows

Starting new clubs on campus may be challenging, but after jumping through a few hoops, four girls successfully created a competitive dance team for Michigan State University.

MSU Elite Competitive Dance is a student-run organization, established in June 2011, which provides students with the opportunity to dance competitively at the college level.

MSU Elite focuses on jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and some pom. Group members and guest choreographers choreograph pieces. They will have a spring showcase toward the end of the spring semester.

MSU Elite Dance Team

“We wanted to start our own dance team because we still wanted to be at a competitive level, but not too intense. We wanted to have time to enjoy college life and not be overwhelmed,” said Rachel Bonello, communications student and vice president of MSU Elite.

MSU Elite host events including competitions, conventions, philanthropies, fundraisers, performances and other on-campus events such as Sparticipation and the Homecoming parade, Bonello said.

“Team building, community service and excelling in dance are three important things MSU Elite supports,” said Heather Popoff, MSU nursing student and president of MSU Elite.

The team is eager and excited to start their first year as they have just completed their first dance competition that took place at Cobo Hall in Detroit on November 12.

The competition was hosted by JAMfest, which is international event productions company that hosts about 70 cheer and dance competitions across the United States, Europe and Canada.

After their first and successful competition at the Cobo Center in Detroit, MSU Elite placed first in both the hip-hop and jazz categories. MSU Elite was also awarded best chorography for their hip-hop dance.

“The team worked really hard these past few weeks to make sure we were ready for our first competition,” Bonello said. “It was a great competition to get our foot in the door.”

Bonello added that it was a great feeling to compete with fellow Spartans for the first time.

The team said they are very happy with their accomplishments and excited for future events and are very happy with the support they’ve been getting and hope it continues.

“We all had a lot of fun at our competition and are proud to place first for only practicing for a month, and I am looking forward to growing with the team” Popoff said.

Being a student-run organization offers members the opportunity to choreograph, teach and learn a wide variety of styles.

“Winning isn’t everything. To get awards, work together and represent MSU as a talented university is what we’re looking to do,” Popoff said.

One of the biggest obstacles MSU Elite faced was stabilizing their financial status.

“Finances have been our biggest obstacle, trying to find practice space and costumes that are affordable to us students paying tuition can be a challenge,” Popoff said.

The team is involved in fundraisers such as selling fan shirts and hosting events at local restaurants. They recently held a fundraiser at Dublin Irish Pub on November 9.

MSU Elite would appreciate all and any support from other Spartans, especially for their first event of this new dance team.

If you’re interested in supporting MSU Elite in any way and want more information on all their upcoming events you can visit their Facebook page.

By Maddie Fetchiet

The Residence Halls Association (RHA) at Michigan State University provides students with cheap entertainment options by putting on campus events such as the upcoming performance by Saturday Night Live comedian, Paul Brittain, and performance by Mac Miller in October.

According to Chelsea Satkowiak, director of public relations at the RHA, they are responsible for 10 major campus events per year, from concerts to celebrity speakers.? Events are made so affordable for students due to an RHA imposed tax of $25 on tuition bills.

Paul Brittain will perform at the Pasant Theatre on Nov. 21. Tickets for students will sell for $5, and $10 for the general public.

The RHA brings many big names to MSU and the surrounding community from comedians to musicians.

Back in October, the RHA hosted hip-hop artist Mac Miller, 19, at Fairchild Auditorium. The concert sold out to a crowd of mostly MSU students, who were able to purchase tickets for only $15.

While Miller kept the crowd enticed throughout the event, students say one of the best parts about the concert was the affordable ticket price they paid to attend. Sophomore advertising major, Devon Coates said the low cost of tickets were what really attracted him to the Mac Miller concert.

“I bought the tickets because they were $15 a piece. If they were $30 I might not have gone. Because they were $15 it was easy,” Coates said.

Satkowiak said the RHA-imposed tax is for students living on campus and is responsible for keeping ticket prices low. Although ticket prices vary depending on the popularity of the performer, the RHA is committed to keeping campus events cheap for students by relying on taxes to fund their affairs.

“Our goal when we bring shows to MSU is not to make profit, but to bring quality, low cost or free events to students,” said Satkowiak.

Students can find the RHA tax listed under the “general fees” category on tuition bills.

Satkowiak said the RHA rarely has fundraisers that benefit their organization. The fundraisers held by the RHA focus on donating money to charities, such as the 5K Race held to donate money to Ele’s Place, a center for grieving children.

Rodney James, director of special events for the RHA, said in an email he operates under the notion that college students are often strapped for cash and tries to provide reasonably-priced tickets for events like concerts.

sxc.hu

“When doing concerts with RHA the whole point of it is to have affordable ticket prices for students. In my tenure I haven’t had a ticket price over $20,” James said in an email.

Even given the recent economic downturn, the RHA remains unaffected by the turmoil, boasting steady numbers for event prices.

“I also do things with the mind set that most college students are broke, so the fluctuation of the economy has minimal if any effect on event ticket prices,” James said in an email.

No one appreciates cheap concert tickets more than college students who often have limited funds. However, students say the impressive roster of musical artists and other performers the RHA schedules keeps them returning to events.

Coates, who attended Miller’s as his first-ever concert, said he was satisfied and plans to attend more RHA events in the future since the concert was such high quality.

From knowledgeable ushers to fast-paced ticket lines, the RHA staff made a positive impression on students like Coates.

“The people working there were professional and it was an awesome, great place for a concert. Everything went really smoothly, they picked a good person to do the concert,” Coates said. “They couldn’t have done any better, I would definitely go to something again.”

MSU arts and humanities graduate Zach Desprez, a veteran attendee of RHA concerts, has seen big-name artists like Big Sean, Drake and Lupe Fiasco through the RHA.

Desprez said he was equally impressed with the quality of the Mac Miller concert and past events hosted by the RHA.

“It was packed, and everyone seemed to be having fun,” Desprez said. “Ushers were where they were supposed to be, security was tight and it was pretty smooth.”

Aside from major events like concerts and comedy shows, which according to James are the most popular of events, the RHA also offers smaller events throughout the year.

The RHA sponsors events like the Spartan Leadership Conference, free movie nights in residence halls and an annual stress relief program during the first semester finals week.

“We want to bring special events and programs that will benefit students. We want to bring shows and events to campus that students will enjoy and that they’ll actually attend,” Satkowiak said.

Upcoming RHA events promise to keep students returning. Even after graduating in May, Desprez wants to stay involved on campus by attending RHA events, he says.

“I’m from around here and have buddies that are still around,” Desprez said. “If I’m here into my masters program and can still take advantage of this kind of stuff, I’m going to. I’m just trying to have a good time.”

By Cait McKeon

Twitter, a social media phenomenon created by software architect Jack Dorsey, has swept its way across the world on the back of the little blue bird they hold as their logo.

As an easy access social media site, Twitter has recently been recognized for playing a practical part in the lives of college students. It cannot be compared to the camaraderie of Facebook or the wishy-washiness of MySpace–Twitter has been holding its own. This once small, podcasting company is now helping to secure the future of many college graduates, as well as students still currently enrolled and grasping at their future job prospects.

Photo taken by Ron Brown

Kevin Burrows, a broadcast journalism sophomore here at Michigan State University, has discovered a way to use Twitter to his utmost advantage. After following his idol, news anchorman Vic Faust of Channel 7 Action News Detroit, on Twitter, Burrows decided to take the opportunity and contact Faust about following him on a job shadow.

“I just tweeted at him, ‘Hey what do you think about me doing a job shadow with you, it’s a requirement for my JRN 200 class’, then he asked me to call him,” Burrows explained. “The opportunity definitely made me realize that this was exactly what I wanted to go into.”

For Burrows, this opportunity was one that may have placed him on the map for future job prospects in the field that he truly aspires to be in. Across the country, students, professionals, and everyday citizens are using Twitter to grab at small and large breaks for their careers.

“Start by having a professional Twitter account – think of your future employers. Follow people of your professional interests so they can tell that you’re serious about this career. I followed Vic, but also many of his co-anchors and also many larger anchors such as Katie Couric,” said Burrows. “Think about what’s important and what you want to say. The first tweet should be simple but meaningful… that first tweet is crucial.”

While many of us are currently still getting into the swing of Twitter, companies are using it to their full advantage to see who is available to them, and also how they can make themselves available to their consumers.

Lauren Simonetti, a recent advertising graduate of Michigan State University, uses Twitter and LinkedIn to connect with companies that she has a personal or professional interest in.

“Twitter can be a great resource of information. Companies I followed would often post job opportunities on social networking sites before I found them using another resource,” said Simonetti.

Twitter offers a particularly easy and acceptable way to be able to stay in contact with opportunities one might be interested in.

“I used Twitter to connect with professionals and companies that I had previous interaction with. I made it a point to connect with professionals via Twitter after we had met at a career fair or through any of my internships,” Simonetti explained.

The ease and availability that Twitter is able to offer to college students, as well as the general public, is something that works well in the favor of those who are using the social media tool for professional reasons.

“Twitter is more legitimate than say, Facebook, because it’s more personal,” said Burrows. “You know it’s them and that you’re contacting them directly; anyone could pretend to be someone. Think of twitter as being trustful for professional interests.”

Twitter is a social media of give and take – what you put into Twitter is what you will get out. When close to 65 million tweets are being pounded out of computers, iPads, iPhones and other electronics daily, to be noticed, one needs to stand out from other generic tweets that are being tweeted by millions of people around the world.

“Demonstrate that you are engaged in the industry you are studying and people will take notice! Even if it doesn’t gain you an interview, it may play a significant role in getting you the [right] job,” said Simonetti.

Bonnie Bucqueroux, a journalism professor at Michigan State, uses Twitter as a learning tool in her classrooms to expose her students to social media.

“I encourage my students, rather beat them over the head, to use Twitter as crowd sourcing. Here are your story leads and where you build connections,” said Bucqueroux. “They need to begin following those in different communities to build connections, promote their stories, and gather better leads.”

Twitter does not stop being beneficial once college has come and gone away, but continues throughout when graduates search for more professional opportunities.

“Twitter has continued to be a great networking tool now that I have began my professional career. Many of the prospects we target come to us–a marketer’s dream–because we are providing relevant, compelling information that they want,” said Simonetti.

The help that Twitter lends does not stop with helping to secure professional opportunities, but also keeps people in tune with the most current and up to date proceedings of news, events, and promotions. While learning of news happenings in America, one can also hear the comings and goings of news all of over the world as Twitter is currently international and able to be read in sixteen different languages, expanding the marketplace for professional opportunities that much more.

While Twitter is a fun and interactive social media site, it can be used to a much higher potential by students and employers alike.

“Like you’ve been told by every professor at Michigan State University, human resource professionals pay attention to who you are on social media sites,” said Simonetti.

With this advice said, students should remember to keep their Twitter as professional as possible.

“Jay Rosen, a professor at New York University, once said that on Twitter there is mind casting and life casting,” Bucqueroux said. “Life casting is when you always tweet about how you’re going to grab a latte. Mind casting is tweeting about how making a latte works, news about recent events surrounding the latte, rather than just the latte itself. In this, you can deal with serious matters on twitter, not just use it as a marginal communication device.”

Your teachers were never pulling your leg about professionalism and your future, and now Twitter can truly help and secure that position you once thought was out of reach. With the help of professors and peers, that small blue bird may one day take a hold of the current job market and transform it into something much more futuristic than this world could have imagined.

1. “my bank account took quite the hit this weekend. definitely sparty’d out for the weekend. #worthit #gogreen”

2. “Poor U of M fans they are running out of reasons why they lost, can’t accept the fact that Denard is NOT a qb. #MSU“-devalu1981

3. “I usually see a lot of UM apparel while about in metro Detroit on Sundays. Hardly any today. Hmm… #MSU #PaintingTheStateGreen“-SaraAmanda

4. “#MSU wins, and #Redwings win. #Lions tried, and #Tigers blow. Oh well.”

5. Spartans up to 13 in USA Today/Coaches Pollhttp://tinyurl.com/3rr3ny3 #msu #michiganstate

6. “SportsCenter is comparing Wes Welker to Megatron. Welker is good, but Megatron is on a completely different level. #lions“

7. “This girl was cute, then I noticed her michigan hoodie.”

8. “You cant climb a cat to get anywhere”

9. “#MSU 1st class to sweep Michigan… since Freshman couldnt play till 1972 @MikeValenti971”

10. BREAKING: ESPN’s @CollegeGameDay just confirmed they will be coming to East Lansing for MSU’s matchup with Wisconsin next Saturday. #MSU

Photo credit: Kaleigh Robichaud

Choosing to live completely on your own for the first time is a big deal, and while it’s exciting, there is a lot to consider. Moving off campus could mean cooking your own meals, changing your transportation methods to classes and having a new freedom not often found in dorm life. So with so many choices between apartments, houses, co-ops and dorms, making the right decision requires some serious research.

Students at MSU are able to move off campus after they have successfully completely their freshman year, or have completed 28 credits to become sophomore status. There are approximately 13,972 students on campus here this year, or about one-third of the student body. Similar numbers for students living on campus are expected for the 2011-2012 academic year, with an incoming freshman class of about 7,200.

About two-thirds of the student body is living in off campus residents of some sort, whether they commute or live in an apartment or other living arrangement. So how do the majority of MSU students make the important decision to live on their own, free of the restrictions of the dorms? Some students attribute their decisions to financial reasons, while some say it’s all about the exploring the new found freedom of living as an adult.

Psychology freshman, Courtney Jarvis, explains how a need for independence was the driving force for her decision to live in the Delta Arms apartment complex for her upcoming sophomore year. “The prime reason for moving off campus was the independence, but there are added benefits such as being able to make the food I want to eat, and not having to worry about Resident Assistants,” said Jarvis.

Appealing perks for living in any off campus residence include freedom from authority figures like Resident Assistants (RAs), having more choices regarding students’ diet, locations in close proximity to popular places to study and of course places for entertainment. For many college students, living near local bars and restaurants, fraternity houses and places to shop are high-ranking priorities when selecting a place to move off campus. Jarvis admits location is key when choosing to live off campus.

“Price and location were the most important factors in making my decision to move out of the dorms next year. In my opinion, I’d rather live closer with a smaller square footage than far away with a larger living space. I’d feel distant and more of a commuter than full time student,” Jarvis explains.

Campus Village apartments (Photo credit: Jenna Chabot)

However, with a diverse student body at MSU, not all prefer to be on their own so young and in the mix of the Downtown East Lansing setting that many of the student apartments and homes are in the middle of. Packaging freshman, Sam Savich, and pre-vet freshman, Emily Von Linsowe, rooming together next year in Gilchrist hall, located in the West Circle neighborhood on campus. Savich claims that the dorms still provide a certain convenience that you cannot necessarily find in off campus apartments and other types of housing

“The convenience of being close to class is more motivating to do good in classes. I just love actually living on MSU’s campus. Some benefits of the dorms are having a food plan, having many areas to study, and the proximity to classes and the library,” said Savich.

Just as selecting an optimal place to reside of MSU’s campus is based on location, price and other contributing factors, choosing a dorm to live in for students staying on campus is no cake walk either.

“Since campus is huge, picking a dorm can be quite tricky. It all depends if you want to be close to classes, sporting areas, or Grand River. I am living in Gilchrist and choose to live there because I am always on Grand River. I also think that west circle holds the most beauty throughout campus,” said Savich.

Savich’s roommate, Von Linsowe sees similar benefits to remaining in the dorms for her sophomore year at MSU.

“It’s just more convenient for me and it’s easier to just walk to places. Cafeterias are always pretty close to you as well, which is an added benefit,” said Von Linsowe.

Since MSU has such a large campus and student population, it also offers a wide range of living options. While dorms are home to one-third of student population, including MSU’s freshman, many students look to apartments, houses, co-ops and university owned apartments for alternative living arrangements.

University Village, Spartan Village and Cherry Lane Apartments are considered university owned apartments, meaning MSU is the owner of these establishments and leases them to different demographics of students.

University Village, located on the West side of campus on Kalamazoo Street, provides living space for about 300 students. For students looking for an apartment with similar freedom to living off campus, yet the benefits of living on campus, this is the place for that. University Village offers ample parking (something many off campus apartments unfortunately lack), convenient meal plans suitable for living in close proximity to the dorms, community centers and four large, private bedrooms for each apartment. Sounds like it’s too good to be true? While there are a myriad of benefits to living in an establishment like this, naturally, there are also downfalls.

University Village seems to have all of the convenience, space, privacy and other perks that are appealing to our student body, but one major draw back students note about the university owned apartments are the presence of Resident Assistants, people students often try to avoid by moving into an apartment.

Additional university apartment options include Spartan Village, apartments typically reserved for families, graduate students and single room undergraduate students. Spartan Village makes a great community for people looking for a more serious academic atmosphere and for people looking to expand their worldview right here on campus. Spartan Village offers suitable arrangements for international students looking to acclimate to a new setting.

Cherry Lane apartments as well as Faculty Bricks apartments, originally part of the university owned apartments have been approved for demolition beginning in July 2010, according to www.liveon.msu.edu.

With so much to consider when choosing where to live in the East Lansing or Lansing community, location and apartment/home amenities are certainly factors to explore. But for most college students, living arrangements must be made with their wallets in mind, and budgets become very important.

As recent as the 2010-2011 academic year, living in the MSU dorms cost approximately $7,820 per semester, including a Silver meal plan, which is the smallest meal plan offered of the three (silver, gold and platinum.) This price is noted for a double room and with the smallest dining plan, meaning students seeking more privacy who choose a single room, or request a more filling meal plan, have an even larger bill. However, scholarships often cover students’ room and board, which can help with the pricey listings.

While living in the dorms may provide the convenience and structure many students find appealing, the prices can’t exactly be met with pocket change. Many students choose to live off campus because they find the majority of listings are cheaper than university housing, but there are some exceptions. Properties range from homes, to apartments, to duplexes and townhouses, so a wide variety of living styles often suites a lot of people.

Photo credit: Emily Lawler

According to Jarvis, she is looking forward to living in the freedom of her apartment next year, but still sees perks to dorm life. “The benefits of the dorms are that many of my friends were on the same floor so i never had to travel too far to chill with people, places to eat everywhere, bus stops right outside, classes in my building,” Jarvis said.

As for prices, apartments can range anywhere from $200 per person per month, to roughly $1,500 per month per person, so a myriad of budgets can be met. Houses, townhouses and duplexes are often filled by a larger group of students to compensate for the higher prices.  However, many of the homes and other living arrangements are sometimes still cheaper than the dorms at MSU.

A large property company called DTN Management owns many of the properties near campus including houses, townhouses, apartments and duplexes. With several leasing offices all over campus, DTN is one of the more well-known companies that MSU students lease from, including Jarvis, who is excited to move into her apartment at Delta Arms this coming school year.

Whether you’re pushing a budget, looking for a great location near campus buildings or Downtown East Lansing, or seeking the privacy of a place to yourself, MSU’s campus and the surrounding community has a variety of options for students in a wide range of situations.

Choosing a place to live is exciting no matter if you select an MSU dorm or a place off campus, but one thing is certain, the decision is not an easy one, and people cannot forget what they are at MSU for in the first place.

“Regardless of where you live, you still need to go to class and if it’s not easily accessible…that’s a problem. But I do agree that if you’re a more independent person, you can live more successfully farther away from campus than someone who is deeply involved with on campus activity,” said Jarvis.

Spartan Stadium. (Photo credit: Jenna Chabot)

When the Spartans stampede the football field at Spartan Stadium every fall, their proudly displayed green and white uniforms do not go unnoticed with their eye blacked cheeks, their bulging biceps or the wrath on their faces. But what often goes unnoticed is the lush green grass with the colossal white “S” marking the center of our field, the perfectly even playing surface and the environmentally friendly products used to maintain the fields that turf grass experts and athletic turf managers at Michigan State University provide our players with.

MSU is known for our Turf Grass Management program and in compliment, our high quality athletic fields. Students of the turf grass program at MSU learn reactions of different grasses, mowing and fertilizing techniques, weed control, irrigation methods, fertility information and even how to construct athletic fields. Classes range from language classes to match the demographic of their workforce, to pesticide and fertilizer application lessons.

MSU Professor of turf grass management Trey Rogers, is an expert in turf grass education and a vital part of the system MSU has to actively maintain our athletic fields.

“Maintenance determines the field quality, not the grass,” Rogers explains. “MSU is known worldwide for providing outstanding playing conditions,” said Rogers.

But what exactly goes into keeping MSU’s football, baseball, softball, soccer fields and golf courses Spartan green? According to Rogers, it takes a realm of daily activities to keep up the field’s safety and playability.

“The environmental aspects and the aesthetics are important, but the most important part of the maintenance is assuring athletes that the field is playable and especially safe. If the fields are unsafe for players, it’s a liability for MSU, and we’re preparing the fields for, not only daily practices, but also games with visiting schools. Visitors have expectations of safe playing fields,” said Rogers.

Maintaining the fields that host so many Spartan victories is not an easy task, however. During the athletic seasons someone is maintaining the fields on a daily basis, whether it is mowing the grass, fertilizing it or laying down pesticides, according to Rogers. While the grass requires the most upkeep, the skinned areas, or areas where grass is absent, are not to be forgotten. The holes on the baseball fields call for repair after every game, for instance.

MSU’s campaign to “be Spartan green” is an underlying guideline for the methods of maintenance chosen by the athletic turf managers and turf grass experts at our university. “Bad application of bad pesticides and fertilizer will kill grass,” explains Dr. Rogers. “I feel very confident that our staff are environmentally conscious. Pesticides coming to the market now are different than the products used in the 60s and 70s that were troublesome. Pesticides used now are biodegradable, and the turf grass absorbs the pesticide, so the problem with chemicals getting into the water is rare and the issue is minimized,” said Rogers.

With the Red Cedar River flowing throughout our campus, MSU has valid concern with the safety and purity of our river water and the resources we have access to.  A popular item on the market now for field maintenance is “designer pesticides” that are designed specifically to kill harmful organisms, yet leave beneficial ones alone.

“I’m quite happy with the pesticides we have now that are targeting specific organisms,” said Dr. Rogers.

The turf grass management program at MSU has served many graduates since the 1950s when it began, including Athletic Turf Manager Amy Fouty.  Fouty, accompanied by a staff of anywhere from two to fifty people, is in charge of athletic field preparation on our campus. The staff is a combination of people who have graduated with a degree in Turfgrass Management, or are in the process of completing that degree now, according to Fouty.

But when it comes to managing the fields in Michigan, there are sure to be some challenges, including typical unpredictable Michigan weather and adequately maintaining the football fields for the pressures of a Big 10 football game.

“Dealing with the challenges of the weather and consistently providing the best conditions as the number of events that occur in those facilities increase, are challenges. I have one full time staff person, and in the seasons March-November staff increases to 4-11 people during the summer. But during football game days, my staff can range from 5-50 depending on the preparation needed,” said Fouty.

As expected, the Big 10 football season for MSU is the most hectic time for athletic turf managers due to the sheer popularity of the sport and the high profile status it embodies. Fouty and her staff use a myriad of techniques to assure our athletes, coaches and fans that Spartan Stadium is prepped for victory.

“Our goals for every facility are, that they are first, safe for participants and spectators, have the best playability possible for the athletes, and then look great.   In the football stadium we prepare the stadium grass through proper fertilization, irrigation practices, aeration, top-dressing, and seeding. Our growing window in Michigan is end of April-beginning of October, so the grass must be very dense and healthy to stay stable for the later part of the Fall football season.  This can be very challenging,” Fouty explains.

As Rogers previously addressed, a main concern for the athletic field staff and turf grass professors at MSU is being stewards of the environment, and Fouty and her staff are no strangers to this notion. Methods to stay “Spartan green” include using efficient and proven products such as the designer pesticides, and paying attention to the detail of the labeling of products to make certain they are friends of the environment as well. But with a small budget, as Fouty noted, the emphasis in maintenance remains on productivity and efficiency.

MSU’s world renowned, environmentally friendly turf grass program has been recognized internationally. Countries including China have adopted our methods and programs similar to those that have been implemented at MSU are beginning in China.

Dr. Ronald Calhoun, an Environmental Turfgrass Specialist at MSU, is responsible for creating a turf grass program in Beijing, China. The program is similar to ours at MSU. Chinese universities now offer a turf grass management major through their institutions and online learning. Uniquely, MSU did not construct any facilities for the teaching of our program. Instead, classes are taught in Chinese facilities, but are recognized as a program of MSU, meaning students graduate with the names of both their Chinese university and Michigan State University on their diplomas.

According to Dr. Calhoun on www.mlive.com, the turf grass program in China is very successful so far.

“We actually have more undergrads in our turf grass program in China than we do in East Lansing, and we’ve doubled the number of trained turf grass professionals in China in the last five or six years we’ve had the program going,” said Calhoun.

MSU turf grass experts, athletic turf managers and turf grass professors at this university have stretched their talents not only to improve our campus, but have served other campuses internationally as well. While remaining a friend to the environment by selecting non-damaging maintenance methods, the experts at MSU portray fine examples of what it means to “be Spartan green.” And to the approximately 1,500 turf grass majors and graduates also watching the game, that grass underfoot is something to be just as proud of as the entering team.

One of many Spartan Saga banners hanging around campus. (Photo credit: Justine McGuire)

Every day Spartans spread the green. Spartan Green that is; locally, nationally, and internationally. MSU students come from all over the world. According to MSU’s Student Profile Report, there are students from 43 different countries and all 50 states in just the entering class of  2010 (freshman and transfer students), many of whom will be returning home after their respective graduation dates.

Chapter President of PRSSA and senior advertizing major, Julia Wendzinski said, “On the [Spartan Sagas] site, the accounts from Spartans are coming in from around the world in every field of study, which shows the diversity of MSU.”

Every Spartan has made a difference in some way and has a story to tell. Spartan Sagas is a new tool for students, staff, faculty and alumni to tell their unique narratives.

“Spartans do great work, but they’re often not willing to toot their own horn. We’re trying to help facilitate that,” said Kurt Stepnitz, university photographer with University Relations.

The inspiration for Spartan Sagas came through MSU’s new branding operation.

“The concept that ‘Spartans Will’ do things that make a difference in the world every day was the inspirational kernel that lead to telling the stories of notable and hard working Spartan graduates, students and staff. It’s an easy connection to make, being around so many amazing people and seeing what they do day in and day out, trying to solve local, regional and worldwide problems as Spartans,” said Stepnitz.

Executive Producer of academic programming for the Big Ten Network for MSU and Director of Photography/Videography with University Relations, Jim Peck added, “[Spartans Will] is kind of the tagline, the notion that we want to leave people with. It’s a powerful thing; it speaks to what people are doing or what they will do. I think people can’t help but fill in that blank.”

Work on the Spartan Sagas project began in the late spring of 2010 and the first sagas were posted to the website that July.

http://www.spartansagas.msu.edu

Stepnitz is one of several staff members at University Relations who helps document featured Spartan Sagas. Stepnitz, lead still photographer, has been all over the U.S. and even to the U.K. to catch up with exceptional Spartans.

“I travel, generally with our executive producer and one of our videographer/producers to put together multimedia pieces that tell the stories of our subjects,” said Stepnitz.

Sending several people all over the world to document Spartans costs one pretty penny, $189,086.34 to be exact. According to some, this is money well spent.

“I do think that it is important for MSU to be conducting the Spartan Sagas campaign. I remember seeing commercials and billboards in the past for other universities and wondering why I never saw anything like that for MSU. It’s important for MSU to communicate the value of a Michigan State education,” said Wendzinski.

“Possible Spartans to be profiled have been (and continue to be) nominated by the collective Spartan family. Featured Spartans are considered for the Sagas, by simply doing extraordinary things, locally, nationally or even internationally. Making a difference somewhere in the world,” said Stepnitz.

“Some [sagas] are big stories with people that you would know about and others you would have never heard off. What connects them all is Michigan State,” said Peck.

“By showcasing the impressive talents currently at MSU and that have graduated from our college I think MSU will become an even more respected in the realm of top-performing universities,” said Wendzinski.

Unfortunately, the Sagas team cannot produce all the stories that are submitted to them, “They’re all wonderful, it’s a question of which ones stand out and which ones are visual. It’s not that we throw any out, we can just get to so many at a time; we usually do about 3 a month,” said Peck.

As a result, some of the Spartan Sagas website is devoted to what has come to be known as community sagas.

“A large part of the Saga website is dedicated to encourage others to post their own stories, or those of another Spartan they know. The pieces that we produce professionally are designed to help encourage Spartan students, faculty, staff and alumni to contribute their own sagas to the project,” said Stepnitz.

All Featured Spartan Sagas are shown on the MSU Today Show which airs on both PBS and the Big Ten Network. There is even a possibility of eventually putting community sagas on the show.

Check your local listings: http://www.msutoday.msu.edu

The Spartan Sagas project is part of MSU’s new branding campaign.

“The goal is to raise the profile and reputation of the university. We want to let people know about the good work that’s going on here,” said Peck.

University Relations, MSU’s public relations (PR) department is in charge of everything sagas; nevertheless, Peck does not see Spartan Sagas as a PR move.

“I don’t think it’s a PR move in the sense we’re trying to sell something; whether they’re alum, staff or students, these are people that call themselves Spartans and are making a difference in the world,” said Peck. “These are people speaking from their hearts; we don’t script it or set anything up.”

But according to Wendzinski, that laid-back style is part of the campaign’s power.

“I definitely don’t think that it’s less of a PR campaign because the sagas are unscripted, that’s actually something that I think makes Spartan Sagas much more of a PR campaign than an advertizing campaign. I think Spartan Sagas is working to sell the idea of what it means to be a Spartan through the words of Spartans themselves,” said Wendzinski.

Peck admitted that Spartan Sagas is trying to sell something: an education at MSU. “We want people to want to go here, or to want to send their kids here,” said Peck.

“A lot of people think that PR means ‘spinning’ a story in favor of an organization and strictly monitoring what’s being communicated. Really, PR is about communicating openly with a public and telling an organization’s story,” said Wendzinski.

Those who have seen or been part of the sagas campaign have found it inspiring to see everything the diversity of things that Spartans are doing around the world to spread Spartan Green.

“[Spartan Sagas] has definitely impressed me so far. I can see the potential in the campaign because as a Spartan, seeing the commercials and Sagas instills a sense of pride in me,” said Wendzinski.

“None of these people have much in common, except that they are all Spartans,” said Peck.

He’s an MSU law student. He’s a skier. He worked with the Legislature in Lansing for six years and managed a political campaign fresh out of college. But he’s also the youngest member of East Lansing City Council, and up for re-election in November.

TBG sat down with Nathan Triplett to discuss East Lansing’s housing situation, his student-friendly moves and what’s next for this political player.

Photo Credit: City of East Lansing

Q: I remember you catering during the election to students, and coming at it with a student angle. I’m just wondering since you’ve been in City Council, what are some things that you think you’ve accomplished for students?

A: You know, I think the most important part is trying to bring more students into the process through commissions or appointments to boards and commissions, as well as trying to lend an opportunity for student views to be heard about a number of issues.

A couple of really good examples, rental housing has always been a tremendous issue in our community, especially with the advent of these rental restriction overlay districts and trying to provide a venue for students to voice their opinion about the impact that those overlays have had. I spearheaded an effort to create a committee that would evaluate the impact and make recommendations to the council about changes to the process of how overlays happen and also what the actual impact of those overlays would be, and students were a critical part of that.

Also, trying to get the human relations commission, which I actually served on before being elected to council, to focus a little bit more on making students aware that one thing that’s unique in East Lansing is our human relations ordinance actually prohibits discrimination based on student status, which makes us unique among communities, and try and make people aware of that.

Q: My next question was actually about those overlay districts. I think that there’s a feeling among students that the City of East Lansing is trying to push them out of East Lansing. Can you speak a little bit to that and how the rental laws have changed when you’ve been in office?

A: I think the most important ordinance that East Lansing has ever passed in regards to rental housing is ordinance 900, and that really changed the economics of renting in East Lansing. It limited the number of people who could be licensed to rent most houses to two unrelated or family. So it’s my opinion that that’s really been the ordinance that had the biggest impact on helping to stem the dramatic growth of rental housing in East Lansing and provide some balance to neighborhoods.

The challenge is that at about the same time ordinance 1035c, which was the overlay ordinance that was passed, and my conversations with a lot of the folks that have petitioned for an overlay in their neighborhood has led me to believe that overlays provide them with a sense of security, when they felt like their neighborhood was becoming unbalanced with rental properties moving in, but I don’t think there’s any evidence that suggests that they’ve really had a positive impact on property values or on neighborhood stability or on things like that, but I think basically they have a positive psychological impact for some folks. I don’t think that they’ve had the same impact that ordinance 900 has on really changing the economics of the rental market.

What’s been disturbing in recent years is we’ve gone from in the beginning where overlays were petitioned for in neighborhoods where there really was a huge influx of rental property and it was turning neighborhoods into primarily rental or majority rental rather than a good mix, we’ve gone from that to the completely opposite side of the spectrum, to what I call pre-emptive overlays where you have one person apply for a rental license and then the neighborhood quickly organizes to block the issuance of that license and then oppose any rental in that neighborhood with an overlay.

I wasn’t on the council when the ordinance was passed, but I don’t think that that’s what was envisioned. It was supposed to protect balance and neighborhood stability. It wasn’t supposed to be used as a tool for exclusion. So that’s a really disturbing development for me, which is why we’ve started to evaluate options in terms of changing the process and making residents aware of what it is they’re really doing when they’re imposing an overlay.

And the other side of that, which isn’t necessarily just student focused, is with the housing downturn we’ve had an increasing number of people come to the council and say “we just can’t afford to be in the home that we’ve been in before, we can’t afford to make the payments so we have to downsize, we have to move, we have to go back to renting, and we can’t sell our house.” But of course since many of those folks live in overlays they also can’t rent their house, which puts them in a tremendous situation of hardship. And it’s been unfortunate but so far we haven’t been able to unite the community around a solution for that that would allow an exemption to the licensing requirement for someone in the event that they’re having an inability or difficulty to sell, which is something that I continue to work on and I think we absolutely have to address.

But the last thing that I would say is that the umbrella of all of that is I think that there is a legitimate issue in East Lansing about the balance between rental housing and single-family homes. But the tools that were imposed 10 or 15 years ago, I think we have to look at whether or not they’re still serving a legitimate purpose and make sure that we’re providing housing opportunities for all different types of people in East Lansing, from undergrads to young families to working professionals to senior citizens who want to age in place. And they’ve got a lot of work left to do there, because I don’t think that’s what we’re doing at the moment.

Q: As far as housing goes too, I think that some of maybe the intended or unintended consequences of people not being able to rent here or not being able to rent cheaply here has been a lot of people moving out to Chandler Crossings. And from what I can see that’s taken business away from East Lansing, we just had Lou & Harry’s move out toward Chandler, new buildings are going up there that might have gone up here, and also there’s the recent violence there. I don’t know your perspective on that. But looking back on Chandler Crossings, was it a good idea?

A: I think what a lot of people are unaware of and they have to remember is that most of the apartment complexes that are in the northern tier weren’t actually built by the City of East Lansing. They were built by Bath Township and have subsequently come into the city through what’s called a 425 agreement with Bath Township. So the initial decision to build those complexes is not a decision that the City of East Lansing made. But it’s a reality that we have to live with now.

But I think you’re right, there’s clearly been a re-location of many student renters from neighborhoods in the downtown with proximity to campus into the northern tier. You see a higher vacancy rate of apartments or houses for rent in downtown neighborhoods because of that.

I think as you point out there’s a price premium that students pay for living close to campus, and that can be a disincentive. But I think part of it too is that a lot of that housing in the interior no longer meets the market demand for students. And people want a room of their own, they want a bathroom of their own, they want a parking space of their own and lots of those older houses just can’t accommodate that. So I think that there are structural challenges in the market that have led to that as well.

But I think you’re right, it has to be an important priority for the city to continue to provide affordable housing for MSU students in close proximity to campus. And I think that we’re making strides in that area and we have to continue to do so. But what’s been built in the northern tier obviously isn’t going anywhere, so you have to balance those two things looking forward.

Q: And on the trend of building things, what’s your feeling about City Center II? Because for as long as I’ve been here, it’s been an eyesore.

A: You know clearly we need to re-develop that corner. And you’re absolutely right, you look at those buildings now and you used the right word. It’s an eyesore at the moment. Redevelopment there is really crucial. I think the important piece of that though is that is a key entrance to our downtown. So what gets developed is important. It’s important that we get that corner right, not just get it done. And I think that what’s been proposed for City Center II is a really transformational redevelopment where you’re integrating mixed usage into downtown that will add vitality and opportunity for additional retail and restaurant space incorporated with housing and a theatre. And really providing a new anchor on the western side of our downtown. All of that I think is good. The timing was obviously very unfortunate. With the economic downturn happening, financing the project on the private sector side has proved to be difficult. And we continue to move on that.

But I think what City Center II really illustrates is a fundamental choice that East Lansing has to make. If we’re going to continue to grow, we can either grow out through more sprawl, or you can grow up through higher density. And in recent years you’ve seen us begin that trend with City Center I and the Abbott Place Condominiums and things like that. But if we’re going to recover more retail uses in the downtown and encourage people to live in the downtown that’s going to require allowing higher densities along the lines of City Center II and some of the other projects we’ve moved recently, and for my money I think that’s the right direction for our community rather than attempting to build out yet further with the infrastructure costs and everything associated with that.

Q: And with City Center II, is there any thought that that’s still going to happen? I know the builder was exposed as not having enough money to build a project in Ann Arbor, and are they even paying taxes on it right now?

A: They are paying taxes on the project, in fact the City’s charter, as I’m sure you know, prohibits the council from entering into a contract with someone who is not paying their taxes so that’s always been a constant concern. And there have been certainly some financial difficulties in the developer acquiring the necessary financing for the project and he continues to work on that. In fact there’s been some additional financing in recent weeks about finding more financing, but the fact of the matter is in a market as depressed as this, finding a hundred million dollars or thereabouts in financing would have been difficult for any developer. It’s not unexpected and we continue to work on it.

But the other thing is one way or another the city’s going to promote and ensure that there’s a development befitting our downtown at that corner. I hope that it’s City Center II, we’ve put a lot of work into getting that right, but in the event that it doesn’t pan out for whatever reason we’ll find another appropriate use for that street corner, it’s not just going to sit there in its current condition forever.

Q: So doom and gloom aside, what are you excited for that’s happening in East Lansing?

A: You know actually East Lansing’s weathered this storm better than a lot of communities so we continue to do exciting things. In my time on the council I’ve been particularly proud of some of the environmental initiatives we’ve pursued. We’re really a leader in that area with incentiveizing green building, promoting recycling, investing in non-motorized transportation. Things like that are all very exciting.

We’ve also done a lot in the area of entrepreneurship and job growth. Not the more traditional sort of economic hunting model where we all fight over who’s going to find the next factory or the next big job provider, but in an economic gardening model. We’ve got the technology innovation center in downtown East Lansing which is fully leased out with new businesses, with our providing opportunities for those entrepreneurs. We just recently opened the hatch there, which is a student job accelerator to try to tap into some of that creative energy that’s on campus, and that same space is shared by MSU Technologies and MSU Business Connect as well, so you have this real node downtown of creative energy and entrepreneurship which I think is a real positive for our community and a model for other communities around the state who are looking for how to be able to revitalize themselves. So I think that’s a real positive as well.

And we continue to be able to provide a level of service that you don’t find in a lot of communities, which we’re very proud of and have worked very hard to be able to maintain despite the downed economy. So things are certainly not easy, we have big challenges with what’s happening on the budgetary front, especially with the state, but we’ve been able to weather the storm and continue to provide a high quality of service and make East Lansing a great place to live for students and permanent residents alike.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about your involvement with Zipcars?

A: Zipcar has been expanding onto university campuses, obviously as a business decision it makes a lot of sense for them. MSU students aren’t all going to have access to vehicles, residents aren’t all going to have access to vehicles nor would they necessarily want that. And so the idea of having a way that you can get access to a vehicle to perform a particular errand or job just makes sense for a community like East Lansing. So we’ve been part of discussions with Zipcar, they’re deploying initial vehicles on campus and it’s our hope that once that model is proven on campus and it’s shown that that model can work it will actually expand that service into downtown East Lansing so that in a downtown parking lot or downtown garage there would be Zipcars available for use so that residents who are living in the downtown, are close to the downtown, who want to be able to run an errand without having a vehicle will be able to have access to that. I know it’s another example of the commitment we have to make downtown living more accessible, an attractive East Lansing, and have a more walkable more sustainable model of downtown redevelopment. And transportation is a key part of that and Zipcars are just one example of what we’ve done there.

Q: And what are your personal plans for the future? What’s the next Nathan Tripplett bumper sticker going to say?

A: Well at the moment I’m pretty happy with what I’m doing at the City Council level, we’ve got a lot of great things going on in this city and there’s a lot of things that I’ve started here that I’d like to be able to finish. We really touched on one of the ones that I feel most passionately about earlier, and that’s the expansion of affordable housing and housing diversity in this community. We’ve taken some steps, but we’ve got a long way to go, and I will continue to promote that.

As far as some of the environmental initiatives that again we’ve got a good start but there’s lots that can still be done so for the moment I’m happy working on the local level and I’ll be running for re-election this November to hopefully finish some of those things that I’ve started.

Q: Do you plan to court the student vote again?

A: Absolutely. You know I think it’s more than a voting block in this community and I spent a lot of time on campus during the election, I spent a lot of time working with campus organizations since then because MSU students aren’t just visitors in the community, but they’re an integral part of what makes East Lansing East Lansing. If it weren’t for Michigan State University, this community wouldn’t be what it was. It wouldn’t have the vibrancy, or the feel that it does. So people talk about student residents and permanent residents, but for my money we’re all residents of East Lansing and I value the vote of an MSU student just as much as I value the vote of a current resident, and I think that we should look at issues that affect both communities that address them both and really treat us as what we are, which is one community that happens to have students and permanent residents living alongside each other.

Q: Those were all my questions, did you have anything you wanted to add?

A: The only thing I would mention is that folks like me can do a lot of outreach to Michigan State students to try to get them to engage in the process, boards and commissions and things like that, but you know it’s also important for students to step up and make their voices heard as well. And one of the things that’s been most surprising to me when I was elected is how few students have reached out when they’ve had a concern or an idea and contacted me. When I go on campus and ask people they’re more than willing to tell me exactly what they think and offer their ideas. But I’m sure every day something happens in this community that sparks an idea or a concern or a thought for students on campus and I wish that more of them would pick up the phone and call me, or send me an e-mail, or contact the city by getting involved. Because they really are absolutely integral to this community, but that would be, it would be easier for them to be fully integrated if they would step up and get more involved, and they’re always welcome and I hope that more students will choose to take advantage of that.

(Photo credit: Kaleigh Robichaud)

You and your friends tweet status updates. Your professors tweet homework assignments. Your mom tweets to tell you to get enough vitamins. Let’s face it: Twitter is here to stay, and State Side is celebrating that fact by bringing you ten of the best, most school-spirity, most right-on, most hilarious tweets with a #MSU tag each month. @TheBigGreen. Get at us.

Can anyone tell me why #MSU doesn’t recognize President’s Day? (@benjac33)

In 3 days, I’ve kissed center court of the Breslin & played music on the carillon in Beaumont Tower… How many #MSU students can say that? (@j_tink)

If you ask me what I miss about high school, my answer is and always will be one thing: cross country. Yes, I was one of those crazy runners that did 5Ks and fartleks and distance training. My team was small but close-knit – pasta dinners, rambling conversations during long runs, rattling bus rides on Saturday mornings to various parks in the Greater Lansing area for meets – and I loved every minute of it. I was by no means a star athlete and I knew my chances at running for a collegiate team were sparse, so I was sad when my final high school season ended in November of 2007. I didn’t have time to dwell on it for long. I had something bigger to prepare for. College.

credit: Lori Blanding

While I applied to a few different schools, I always knew I wanted to go to MSU. My parents both went there, I grew up basically living on campus while my father taught there, and I was incredibly partial to Buckeye Blitz at the Dairy Store (ok that wasn’t a huge factor in my decision-making, but being geographically close to good ice cream is always a perk). When I discovered MSU had a Running Club, I was sold.

What is a “Running Club,” you ask? It’s an organization on campus where students – both graduate and undergraduate – meet in front of IM West, typically 5 days a week, and go for a run. It’s officiated by a student e-board that also collects dues and holds monthly meetings to discuss upcoming races and other RC events. Carpools are arranged on weekends to races in the Lansing area, there’s an occasional team dinner or party, but it’s more than that – it gives students like me, who were used to running with people every day in high school, a chance to relive it. When asked why they joined RC, physiology sophomore Kayle Noble, mechanical engineering sophomore Amanda Boyd and animal science and agribusiness management freshman Rebecca Dow all said the same thing: They ran cross country in high school and wanted to continue running in college.

“I remember going to Sparticipation my freshman year with the intent of finding the Running Club booth. After finally finding it amongst the hundreds of other booths, I joined the club and have enjoyed being a part of it ever since,” said kinesiology sophomore Sarah Parks.

Naturally many of us are only in it now for staying in shape and camaraderie, but there are always a few people that just want to keep racing and didn’t want to deal with the constraints of running at a Big Ten School.

“When I knew I wasn’t good enough to compete at the varsity level, I knew running club was fit for me,” said kinesiology senior Eric Loveland. He’s since been a part of the club for four years. Two fellow teammates, computer science sophomore Jeff Girbach and history and English-secondary education freshman Colin Riley, wanted to continue to train together and do some local races.

credit: Jenny Barlage

“I like running club because it’s a chance to continue competitive running in college even if you aren’t on a varsity team,” said Riley.

MSU’s Running Club is also a member of NIRCA – National Intercollegiate Running Club Association, which is a network of running clubs from all over the U.S. This allows us to race against other colleges such as the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.

If you want to start running or you like to run but find that you’re lacking motivation, I highly recommend coming out to Running Club. Even if you can’t make it to a practice every day, find someone else on your floor or in your apartment complex and find a nice loop through campus. I’ve found that running with others motivates me to keep going when I might ordinarily stop.

Running for me is not just about keeping my body healthy – it’s a way to keep my mind healthy too. I’m addicted to endorphins – even a quick ten minute jaunt when I’ve had a hectic day clears my head like nothing else can. In all honesty, Running Club has been one of my favorite things about my time at MSU so far. I’ve met some amazing people, I’ve stayed (relatively) in shape and I’ve found something that allows me to hang onto the memories I have of my high school cross country days.

For more information about Running Club, check out their Facebook page.