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ASMSU passes sanctuary campus bill

ASMSU passed a sanctuary campus bill at its Feb. 2 general assembly meeting.

A sanctuary campus is a term taken from the Sanctuary City Movement that establishes a college campus as a place in which there are certain policies to safeguard students and/or faculty that are undocumented immigrants. This includes limiting what information about students is given to federal immigration authorities as well as providing many resources for students and faculty.

The bill encourages working to establish Michigan State University as a sanctuary campus to further help its student and faculty.

The bill was officially presented during the time dedicated to new business.

Senior class president and general assembly liaison Jack Metty said the sanctuary campus provides a safe and secure environment for those who need protection.

Most representatives agreed to support the bill.

Lansing Roller Derby skates into new season after three-year hiatus

Lansing Roller Derby is back for a regular season, after a three-year hiatus from normal gameplay.

Lansing Roller Derby president and coach Ali Jahr broke down the sport for those who may not be familiar: Roller derby bouts comprise two 30-minute halves, where each team has five players from each team on the track. One is a “jammer, they are the point-scorer.” Four blockers work to prevent the jammer from scoring points.

Before joining Lansing Roller Derby in 2017, Jennifer Hume, who is on the adult team, never put on skates.

Now, Hume, who goes by her derby name, “Highland Kapow,” has played blocker for both the A team and the B team.

A poll by Lansing Roller Derby finds that 41% of their team members considered themselves athletic before joining a roller derby team.

The season consists of one home game each month, where the league plays amongst each other until May. From May to November is the travel season, where the team will travel to other cities and states across the Midwest.

At the end of the season, Jahr said there is the “Mitten Kitten Tournament” where “all of the teams come together and play against each other to see who’s the best in the state.”

The season will look different than those past because of how COVID-19 altered practices and gameplay.

Jahr is ready to play and be with players and teammates like she was pre-pandemic.

A list of Black-led clubs at MSU focused on empowering Black students

With over 1,000 registered clubs and organizations, MSU is home to many that are Black-led and Black-focused. If you are looking to get involved especially with the celebration of this month being Black History month, here are a couple of clubs that can offer a safe, relatable and representative space to Black students.

First, is Black Mental Health Coalition Club.

Psychology senior Ajhané Kindle is the president of the Black Mental Health Coalition Club – an organization focused on the stigma surrounding Black mental health. Through events, students work to empower its members in a safe environment.

Kindle said that the club can act as an outlet for minorities attending a predominantly white institution. She said minorities come to the club feeling like they do not “have a really big space on this campus.”

Next, Black Girl Fitness which works to increase the number of women that practice healthy lifestyles, by providing a “comfortable setting to reach their fitness goals.”

The club discusses healthy eating, living and partaking in physical activity, which includes various fitness workouts. Previously, the club has attended Black Girl Day of Play at the State Capitol.

Finally, the Black Media and Entertainment Club, or BME, calls itself “the voice of campus.”

Black Media Entertainment provides quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs for MSU’s campus, according to their website. BME has hosted events such as vision board parties, game nights and bar crawls.

More clubs and organizations can be found on The State News website.

Based on original reporting by Maddie Dallas and PJ Pfieffer.