Today’s weather forecast is predicting mainly cloudy skies with a high of 43 degrees and a low of 26 degrees.
East Lansing police investigating sexual assault at TKE; other frats reported to MSU
Here’s a quick update on a significant investigation happening at Michigan State University. The East Lansing Police Department is looking into a sexual assault that allegedly occurred at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity in September. This comes as a rare instance where law enforcement is actively pursuing such a case, especially since reports of hazing and sexual assault at fraternities on campus often go uninvestigated due to a lack of victim cooperation.
The TKE fraternity president, Logan Thurber, said he believes the assault likely involved an outsider at one of their open parties. He added that no fraternity members were contacted by police, but East Lansing Police stated there could be multiple reasons for this. MSU spokesperson Amber McCann mentioned that MSU Police typically refers such cases to East Lansing Police, but it’s unclear why the other reports of sexual assault and hazing at different fraternities–like Sigma Pi and Zeta Psi–haven’t been fully investigated.
At this point, it’s still unclear whether charges will be filed, or if the investigation will result in further action.
MSU issued nearly 90,000 parking tickets in 2024
In 2024, Michigan State University’s Department of Police and Public Safety issued over 85,000 parking tickets. According to department spokesperson Nadia Vizueta, about 9% of those tickets were appealed, with over 4,000 resulting in reduced or dismissed fines. The revenue from parking tickets helps fund the maintenance of parking structures and covers half of MSU’s contract with the Capital Area Transportation Authority, which operates bus lines on campus.
Parking has become a frequent point of frustration for many students.
In fact, MSU issued 1,000 fewer tickets in 2024 than in 2023, possibly due to students becoming more cautious about where they park, or fewer enforcement officers working throughout the semester.
Some students have even turned to creative solutions, like using TicketTime, an app that warns users about parking enforcement officers nearby. The app had over 500 downloads as of March 2024, and large GroupMe chats dedicated to reporting enforcement sightings are also growing in popularity, with one group nearing 2,000 members.
TEDxMSU hosts 11th annual conference
On Sunday, Michigan State University hosted its 11th annual TEDxMSU conference at the Wharton Center’s Cobb Great Hall, featuring a diverse range of topics from healthcare to juggling, weed science to imaginary friends. Public relations junior and TEDxMSU speaker’s director Aahan Gohil led the effort to curate the event’s lineup, focusing on giving local voices a platform to share new perspectives.
“Our goal is to highlight voices in the community and create a space where people walk away learning something they haven’t heard before,” Gohil explained.
After reviewing around 150 applications, Gohil and his team selected eight speakers who covered a broad spectrum of subjects. From juggler Nick Thomas’ talk on mental limits to MSU grad student Destiny Kanning’s discussion on healthcare literacy, the event’s talks were as varied as they were engaging.
Kanning, passionate about public speaking, shared her insights on the importance of health literacy and how better understanding the healthcare system can empower communities. Her talk tied into the conference’s theme of “inversion,” which focused on changing perspectives to create meaningful transformation.
“We wanted to flip the script on life’s challenges,” Gohil said, referring to the theme’s aim of offering fresh viewpoints. The conference featured playing card decorations, symbolizing the idea of flipping the deck and transforming perceptions.
Attendee Ella Rades, a kinesiology senior, was moved by the variety of stories and how the speakers’ mindsets shifted based on their unique experiences. She also appreciated the chance to experience a TED talk live, offering a more personalized and engaging atmosphere than watching online.
TEDxMSU’s mission is to make these talks resonate with the audience, ensuring that each speaker’s message can connect with a broad range of people. Gohil emphasized, “we want to make sure there’s something in every talk that sticks with the audience.”
Based on original reporting by Owen McCarthy, Theo Scheer and Amelia Fraser.
