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In the news today: For our first story of the week focusing on campus news, MSU board to vote on rate increases for housing, dining plans. For our second story focusing on more campus news, MSU student arrested after flipping table, striking two students. For our final story of the day focusing on student life and events, MSU hosts Pride Showcase, provides safe space for queer students to express themselves.
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What is The State - A Podcast from The State News + Impact 89FM?
The State is a daily rundown of the headlines that matter to the East Lansing, MI community.
This is The State for Wednesday, April 10th where we bring you the headlines that matter. I'm Rachel Fulton.
For our first story of the week focusing on campus news,
Michigan State University's Board of Trustees will consider a 6.89% increase in rates for residence halls and dining plans at its meeting this Friday. The change is recommended by the university's department of Student Life and Engagement, which says an increase is needed to keep up with rising inflation and residence hall renovations.
The proposed hike to dorms and dining plans would only apply to incoming first-year students.
"(Student Life and Engagement) is sensitive to the need to keep housing and dining rates affordable for students, especially as the pressures of individual contribution to the cost of higher education continue to increase," the proposal states. "This proposed rate attempts to strike a balance between affordability, enhanced services for students, and the continued renovation and required updates of aging residence halls and apartment buildings."
The proposal also recommends a 5% increase in rent for 1855 Place and University Village apartments.
The recommendation notes that in six of the last eight years, room and board rate increases were below 3%, and that this change would help the university "mitigate the impact of inflation." It also argues that even with the increase, MSU's room and board pricing will remain "competitively positioned" with other Big Ten universities.
MSU approved similar rate hikes in April 2023, which raised rates 7% for first and second year students, 5% for 1855 Place and University Village Apartments and 3% for Spartan Village Apartments.
For our second story focusing on more campus news,
An MSU student was arrested last Thursday afternoon after flipping over a table and striking two students at a demonstration in Brody Hall, according to MSU Police and Public Safety Spokesperson Dana Whyte.
The demonstration, set up by student organization Young Americans for Freedom at Michigan State University, or YAFMSU, featured a transgender pride flag with the words "DO NO HARM" written over it as well as flyers that stated "men cannot be women."
The group received prior approval to set up the table in Brody Hall, Whyte said.
After the group's table "drew attention from other students," officers were present to mediate the situation. At that point, Whyte said, a student approached the table and flipped it over before striking two students from YAFMSU.
The student was arrested for simple assault and violating MSU Ordinance 15.03 which states "No person shall obstruct, hinder, or impede the normal use or operation of any campus building or area which has been assigned or scheduled for educational or extracurricular activities."
Following the arrest, the student was processed and released pending a review of the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office.
For our final story of the day focusing on student life and events,
Last Wednesday, Michigan State University hosted its annual Pride Showcase for the university's pride month. Pride month, a celebration of the queer community and queer history, takes place every year in June. Since the school year is done by that time, MSU chooses to celebrate Pride month in April.
The Pride Showcase is one of the many events that the university has planned for this month. The event itself was organized by the registered student organization Arc, the University Activities Board, or UAB, MSU Libraries, Spartan Pride Alliance and the Broad Art Museum.
Prior to the event, students were able to register to showcase their different forms of art and performance. During the event, student paintings, photography, designs and prose were laid out for attendees to see. There were also on-stage performances, which included song covers, poetry, lip syncing and drag.
Before we end our episode, today's weather forecast is predicting partly cloudy skies in the morning which will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon with a high of 67 degrees. and a low of 48 degrees.
Thank you for joining us for The State... Produced by The State News and Impact eighty-nine F-M. You can find us online at State News dot com and Impact eight-nine F-M dot org. We'll be back tomorrow with more.