http://www.statenews.com At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, student bloggers have found themselves officially sanctioned to offer their viewpoints on the school’s Web site. en-us Gryphon 2.2.3b-tsn (woodward)/Foundry5 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:20:27 -0400 webmaster@statenews.com http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45821 I’d like $40 a week for blogging about MSU! Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:43:47 -0400 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45821 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45822 “There is a potential risk in letting students freely speak their mind on the MSU Web site. MIT probably has less to worry about because it is one of the premiere institutions in the world. For MIT, putting up student blogs is less of a risk because the majority of the competition is a major step down.” While the truth is that MIT has better academics due to their research capabilities that attract the most prominent scholars, that doesn’t mean that the students are not capable of ridiculous behavior. In my couple of years at MSU as an undergrad student, I’ve found out that the general reputation and perception of a school among the average educated citizen does not rest on undergrad students but on the administration, faculty and graduate students. Undergrad students are undergrad students at MSU, at MIT, at CMU and everywhere. The difference? Some of us are more competitive than others. But if you take a look at the universities with good reputation and those with bad reputation, the ones with better research capabilities are the ones with better reputation and perception from the general population. Teaching? That’s for liberal arts, and not many people care about them. I mean, they do provide excellent undergraduate education but their research capabilities are very small and, in general, the opportunities for students are reduced. Therefore, I would have as much care with this with an MIT students as with a student from any college. A student population is so diverse at research universities that you never know who you’re dealing with. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:47:24 -0400 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45822 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45916 It’s not a horrible idea… When I want the on-the-ground view of a college, I often check the websites for articles which include student testimonials. They are more apt to give students the real-deal about what the school is about; to talk student-to-prospective student and not the dreaded Admin. Speak: (ie: MSU Is Advancing education and Transforming lives by…).. But it is risky for MSU and, I agree with the SN statement, that for the schools cited by the SN as using the blogs (MIT, Vassar, Amherst, etc.) there’s much less risk because all these schools are fawned over by the public as the top schools, so a) the bloggers are going to fall in line and, b) the public won’t be dissuaded by the occasional loose screw who trashes one of those schools)… And like the SN hints at: if a student raves about how cool the party scene is at MSU (which it is), it may scare potential students away who may not know MSU much from the U-M fed image of couch burning and rioting… … I’d proceed with caution and lean towards not doing it. Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:40:41 -0400 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45916 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45940 We already have a reputation problem at MSU. Tell someone you go to MSU, many people just giggle… Now all we need is a form were some of our less than intelligent peers have the opportunity to present to the world how to burn a couch or their lifetime beer pong record. Certain schools can do this, usually smaller, selective privates. Not for MSU. Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:20:27 -0400 http://www.statenews.com/index.php/comment/view/45940