MSU officials discuss school's reputation after Cedar Fest riot
Former MSU Trustee Dee Cook sounded close to tears as she expressed her disgust at the riot during Cedar Fest this weekend.
“Here we go again,” Cook said she thought when reading the news. “When I saw it, I said to my husband, ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’”
Cook, a trustee during the riots at MSU in 1999 and 2003, as well as the civil disturbances in 2005, said she hoped students had an idea of how much their actions damaged MSU’s reputation.
“All the people I know in the administration and the members of the Board of Trustees constantly try to show the people of the state of Michigan what they can expect with their tax money,” Cook said. “It takes a long time to put the ship back on the right course when students do this.”
Whether the riot will impact the value of an MSU degree is something that needs to be studied for a definitive answer, said John Hill, director of MSU Alumni Career Services.
But even if it does, MSU has a track record of turning out great students, Hill said.
“A talented student is a talented student. Recruiters are still going to come to campus and look for talent, and that’s because they have needs to be met,” he said. “This one incident doesn’t derail that at all.”
Political science sophomore Tom Murtiashaw said the riot isn’t a good representation of most MSU students.
“I read on CNN that half of the students that got arrested weren’t even from MSU, so I don’t think it’s the students’ problem. It’s more about the other rioters,” Murtiashaw said.
Police estimate about 5 percent of MSU’s undergraduate population participated in the riot, which has raised some discussion in the community as to whether the admission standards at MSU need to be reviewed.
June Youatt, senior associate provost, said it’s hard to predict which students would engage in a riot when the university goes through its admissions process.
“We do look at whether students have a history of academic dishonesty or a criminal record, but that’s the only information we have,” Youatt said.
Youatt said MSU’s academic standards have increased significantly during the last decade, but the behavior has continued.
“I don’t know how we screen for it at the front door,” she said. “What kind of things do you look for to suggest someone would ruin the reputation of your institution?”
One donor said his perceptions of MSU weren’t tainted by the riot.
Bob Skandalaris, who donated $5 million to expand MSU’s football facilities, said protests and riots aren’t unique to MSU.
“In the early ’70s, with Vietnam protests all over, my parents would have said I was crazy,” he said.
“I can’t speak for all the donors. Donors are individuals and have their own view, but it doesn’t affect mine.”
Staff writer Whitney Gronski contributed to this report.
Published on Monday, April 7, 2008
Comments
dl
04/08/08 @ 10:24am
Yes, half of those arrested during the riots were not MSU students. But who planned the riot ahead of time and advertised it online? MSU students. Students are largely to blame for the high numbers of non-MSU students at this. The losers who rioted are not representative of all MSU students, but these few give MSU as a whole a bad name – it’s guilt by association sadly. These few bad apples are not true Spartans and don’t care much about their school, community, and their reputation. MSU is a fine school, and I would like my degrees from this school to continue to be worth something.
Holland
04/08/08 @ 10:42am
Di, i gave up, my degree from long ago aint worth crapola.
I went to my lawyer yesterday and changed it all. My self made millions are now going to Hillsdale. They were going to MSU to rebuild the old DEM Hall.
So it did have an effect. I left all to another school that has a great reputation. All the wealthy go there. And most of the leaders of tomorrow. I urge all real Spartans to take there money and walk.
This continuation of do nuthing MSU Adm to these drunk idiots is PATHETIC>
Kristin
04/08/08 @ 11:04am
To HOLLAND above: You are obviously ridiculously as smart as you sound—going to another school, taking your money and walking, and spelling the correct THEIR. you are the pathetic idiot. Too bad it has nothing to do with YOUR degree.
holland
04/08/08 @ 11:24am
Sure got your goat Kristin. Made millions on my own..no help. Travel the world and enjoy life. Made it and spending it, not on my alma matter. Bingo Bango.
PHD, Speak three languages, taught in Germany, fought in NAM, Africa, and other places you wouldnt know and wouldnt be allowed to
walk in my footsteps.
Chris
04/08/08 @ 11:32am
Must be a sad life, then, if you have nothing better to do than brag about it on the Statenews website.
Spartan Weekly
04/08/08 @ 11:34am
The students that riot represent the bottom ten percent of MSU, also known as the Dumbass quotient
JR
04/08/08 @ 12:13pm
Not condoning ‘rioting’ at all… but MSU and East Lansing don’t have a ‘Bud Bash’ like Ann Arbor (the city which is home to U of M) and they’re still considered a great school by most. It may be worth mentioning though that at least Ann Arbor caters to their people, and ordinances are enacted to be more lenient on frequent occurrences in ann arbor, whereas in East Lansing, our students and people are tear gassed, punished to the maximum extent, and even kicked out of school.
JR
04/08/08 @ 12:17pm
And Holland, good for you… take your money to Hillsdale. I don’t believe your views are common with most true Spartans, and we don’t need any fair-weather Spartans here. There are plenty of us real Spartans who will keep supporting MSU, even if a few knot-heads stir up a little news once in a while.
JB
04/08/08 @ 12:19pm
I love how after every riot the university tries to dismiss the revelers as mostly non-students. Yes there are students from other schools, but this 4000 was most likely 80% or more students. The arrest figure is only half because MSU students know how to toe the line between riot and arrest.
A
04/08/08 @ 12:26pm
JR, You have no idea what you are talking about. For one, the ‘Hash Bash’ began as a political protest in 1972 that was organized after John Sinclair was arrested. It was not a premeditated riot, where the intention was to gather as many drunk students in one place as possible. Secondly, since it occurs on U of M property, none of the lenient laws that you are talking about apply. Homework before you talk next time please.
Just an Opinion
04/08/08 @ 12:40pm
I can respect the fact that most MSU students do not appreciate their school being represented on CNN by thrown bottles, riot police and burning dumpsters. But to write off the entire history, tradition and academic success of MSU because of these instances is ludicrous. I am currently a graduate student here and did my undergrad here as well so I have seen MSU through some great and not-so-great times. People like Holland, who write off the university and take their money elsewhere, are making their own judgments, and that is fine. But do not dare surmise that I am not a real Spartan because I still have pride in my school. If you only support schools where “all the wealthy go” then by all means go ahead. I on the other hand will continue to support and attend the Univiersity and programs that are the right fit for me. Secondly, MSU is one of the largest universities in the nation. With roughly 45,000 students there are bound to be a few more disgraceful instances than a Division II school like Hillsdale. So as far as I’m concerned, Sparty On.
Response to A
04/08/08 @ 1:07pm
So you feel that Hash Bash is a better event than Cedar Fest for its University? It is thousands of students doing illegal drugs in public, how is that better than Cedar Fest. Everyone involved at Hash Bash should be arrested for drug-related charges whereas only the few idiots who did anything wrong at Cedar Fest should be charged. I am not aware why these laws do not apply to the UofM students participating, does the University of Michigan allow their students to gather in mass and do drugs? Please explain.
so dumb
04/08/08 @ 1:30pm
The thing that is so dumb about all of this was that Cedar Fest wasn’t even a riot. It was just a f***ing block party. Everyone is making such a huge deal about it simply because everyone is bored. This one even isn’t going to change MSU’s reputation either way (not that reputation even really matters for anything). We were a party school who has had “riots” before and we are still exactly that. And plus, let’s face it. What is our reputation if we don’t have the party one? The second best school in Michigan that requires average grades to get in? WWOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!! god forbid we mess that up.
tom
04/08/08 @ 2:31pm
holland seems like an awesome person! i wish we could hang out!!! yeah!
holland = tool
04/08/08 @ 5:19pm
holland, you may be as rich as you say you are but you are still a tool. I can speak multiple languages and travel too, but you are bragging about it. Nobody gives two shits if you donate money to MSU. Nobody cares who you are. Since when does an institution dictate your entire way of life? Bingo bango, take your money and get out of here. It is jerk offs like yourself that ruin reputations and make bad names for others.
Has everyone on this damn earth gone completely insane? Does everyone realize that you only live once? If I grow up and become like Holland I may as well call it a day and jump off a cliff.
Jen
04/08/08 @ 5:28pm
Being on the front page of newspapers and on the news is bad for MSU...it doesn’t help with sports recruiting, monetary donations, incoming freshman recruiting, grant money from the state, having world renowned profs come here, or with companies wanting to give students internships/jobs after graduation. All of these things will have negative impacts on the University, not to mention TUITION.
For people to say that we only have our party reputation and that is why people come here? There are people who are proud to go here that got a Supply Chain Management or Packaging, or Agricultural degree (all ranked #1 in nation), or teaching…..the list is long, and these are the things we should be concentrating on being recognized for, not on partying…and I think that the best thing about MSU grads is that we’re competant, but not full of ourselves, and yes we do know how to have a good time….that is one thing that people always get so annoyed with at U of M, is how full of it they are.
and for some of the people and their spelling in these blogs, I understand there isn’t a spell check, but people are using the wrong versions of to, too, and two, or there, they’re, and their…..it is definitely a good thing that minimum wage has increased recently, because anyone with spelling like that on a resume won’t be getting hired by anyone, except maybe The King, or Ronald McDonald.
also….can people stop saying that the police are to blame for this riot? Can anyone give me a logical explanation as to why the cops would want a riot to break out? So they can use their use toys? That is BS. It makes them look bad to have riots during their service….it makes them look like they don’t have any control and can’t maintain order in the city. Do I think the police are perfect? No, but c’mon…no one wants crap like this to happen on their watch.
Sigh
04/08/08 @ 6:24pm
Where I come from, we have a little saying.
“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”
If your degree from Michigan State University at ALL contributed to your ability to get your “PhD, speak three languages, and teach in Germany,” shame on you for denouncing our school now that you feel you are in a safe position to do so. (I have two degrees from MSU and it will always be “my school.”)
Same goes for everyone else.
P.S. I don’t know many people who got where they are with “no help.”
sparty
04/09/08 @ 9:16pm
this is seriously disgusting, “premeditated riot” are you fucking serious? to all the alums that are so shocked and appalled, take your money and shove it up your faggot asses. it’s amazing you guys managed to graduate with your narrow mindedness and sheer stupidity. if you think reading an article written by one person gives you the right to judge the integrity of a whole student body you are sorely mistaken. it was a block party plain and simple. YES, there were a couple fights that broke out, not good, but they happen. YES, a sign got ripped out, OMG those bastards. as far as the fires go, the “4 small fires” that were started, 2 were in dumpsters and were contained, and 2 of them were empty cases of beer, OMG the travesty.
let me say this so nobody misses it: THIS WAS NOT A FUCKING RIOT.
it was a peaceful celebration. quit putting halo’s on the police as well. i arrived around 10 and was told repeatedly by police to “get the fuck out, we’re gonna start gassing before long”. for 99% of the people there the intention was to hang out with friends and have a good time. i doubt you alums would have had any problem with the crowd singing the school fight song in unison at 11.
i’m going to end this poorly put together rant here, but for all of you claiming to be ‘educated’, please use the education you recieved and investigate and find out how things really happened.