I was taken aback by the message the group used to rally around the Rock which read: “Rapists Beware” with a depiction of a semi-automatic underneath (seen at 0:42). I welcome any explanation for this, and look forward to attending the debriefing session that the Coalition will be hosting after spring break.

Sexual assault is an emotionally driven issue. If it weren’t I wouldn’t have spent the last three years battling it on our campus and in our community. I understand the anger that the Coalition members foster, because I feel it too. However, in my experiences as a leader on campus, I have found that making the world a better place is the best revenge.

A foundation of hostility does not create an atmosphere of change. For the past few months that the Coalition has been assembled, many bridges have been burned with the university and its administration, and I would say that this is understandable on the university’s part.

Since before the Coalition was formed, I have supported the efforts our university has to offer surrounding the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses and I constantly advocate for their collaboration and expansion.

One of the most under appreciated programs on campus is the Sexual Assault Program, which is a division of the Counseling Center and located in Room 13A of Student Services. For 30 years, it has been providing direct services to victims and survivors of sexual assault through crisis intervention; medical, judicial, and legal advocacy; and therapy. This program is also supported by over 100 student volunteers in the Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention (SACI) Team – one of the most influential and unrecognized Registered Student Organizations on campus. (Full disclosure: I am president of this organization, but would not like to associate it with this post, as some volunteers are in the Coalition Against Sexual Violence.) One solution the coalition could approach the administration with is the expansion and greater funding of this program to increase student awareness which could contribute to more peer accountability and an atmosphere of support.

Many members of the Coalition were unaware of the Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence (SARV) Prevention Program. In the first three years of its existence, peer educators have conducted two hour workshops with thousands of freshmen and are currently running pilot workshops within the Greek Community. This program has been nationally recognized; its director and two peer educators were invited by Vice President Biden to attend a reception honoring the 16th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. Our program was chosen due to the innovative use of peer educators, as well as its enormous reach and knowledge retention rate. A solution the coalition could offer to the administration surrounding SARV is to make the workshops a hard mandate. That is to say, freshmen would be required to take the workshop or they would have a hold on their academic account and be unable to sign up for classes until the workshop is completed.

These are just two of the many branches of our university that are fighting day in and day out against sexual assault and their efforts deserve to be celebrated.

(Note: I would speak on the Mentors in Violence Prevention Program (MVP) used to educate our athletes, as a basketball controversy was the catalyst for the Coalition, but I am not familiar enough with the particulars of the program to truly evaluate it. I would say given recent events that it should be revisited, but I have no specifics at this time. All I know is that it was created by one of the most respected names in sexual assault prevention today, Jackson Katz.)

Sexual assault is a universal issue. To truly make an impact, we must keep our passion, but forge ahead with tact and a solutions-based mindset. I am open to talking to anyone who would like to explore real options for our university.

Lastly, I challenge our administration to truly recognize the emotion of these protestors. Their concerns are real. 1 in 4 college aged women and 1 in 10 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. This issue must be a priority. Michigan State has a unique opportunity to truly shape the lives of its students and promote a sense of responsibility, accountability, and a healthy community – particularly in the area of sexual assault. Let’s foster this passion and fight against sexual violence together.

If you or someone you know has questions or needs resources about sexual assault support programs in our community, please call the 24-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Line at (517)372-6666 or visit the Sexual Assault Program in Room 13A of Student Services.

Bob Benenson is an MSU Alum who has worked at Congressional Quarterly for almost 29 years as a political analyst specializing in elections. He definitely found the way to my heart through talks of politics, all things Spartan, and a delicious lunch.

Our lunch left me feeling extremely optimistic about where my life is headed, but he also taught me that no matter how much we plan, our dreams may change. That is nothing to be afraid of, as long as you are up for the challenge of pursuing your passion.

Bob also made an analogy that I haven’t been able to let go of. On Saturday, September 18th, Coach Dantonio called a play that pinnacled in the touchdown seen across the nation. Whether you wear green and white or blue and gold, the magnitude of that unexpected moment could not go unnoticed. Bob spoke of risk. Not only the risk of that trick play, but also the risk that we all have to take to survive these hard times – the risks Michigan must take if we are going to transform potential into success.

What Dantonio did was certainly unexpected. It could have backfired, but if he hadn’t taken the risk, the game would have ended differently. As the coach and Bob can attest to, there are consequences of living a high stress, risky lifestyle. Coach Dantonio works hard to take players from all walks of life and mold them into Spartans. It is an uphill battle to be sure – one that mirrors the fights we will have to win as Michiganders.

What we need to remember is that the best rewards often come from the greatest risks and the most adamant persistence.

You can find Bob Benenson on LinkedIn and Twitter. These are my LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.

We are making posters in the Union TONIGHT at 7pm.
If it is easier for you, posters will also be made at a house in Lansing. Please contact me if you would like the address.

The protest will be in front of Prosecutor Dunnings’ office (303 W. Kalamazoo St. – Grady Porter Building, Lansing, MI 48933) TOMORROW Friday, October 1st from 9am-5pm. You can drop in any time you are available that day.

There will be a large community presence there, and we should try and get as many students to attend as we can.

Thanks for all of your help, and please let me know if you have questions. This is our chance.

~Elizabeth

_______________________________________________

Elizabeth Battiste
President
Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention
Michigan State University
battis12@msu.edu
(248)404-7846

24-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Line: (517)372-6666

How can we work together as a community to bring an end to sexual violence and hold perpetrators accountable? We can start with some of these:

- Be supportive. If someone tells you about an experience they have had, don’t brush it off. The Department of Justice reports that “made up” sexual assaults only happen about 2% of the time, which is the same for any felonious crime.
- Contact Prosecutor Dunnings’ office at (517) 483-6108 or sdunnings@ingham.org and let him know how outraged the community is.
- Ask questions. Where was the Athletics Department? Why weren’t charges pressed? What resources are available on campus for these instances? I certainly don’t have the answer to all your questions (and I can’t answer some of them), but I will try!
- Spread the news. Let’s make sure everyone knows that we are AWARE of this issue! One of the biggest problems surrounding sexual assault is that no one TALKS about it. We need to stop this culture of silence.

I wish I could tell you our community is safe, but I wouldn’t have a job if that was completely true. We need to start working together to create a climate of open conversations and intolerance for sexual violence and injustice.

Thank you for reading and being a part of the movement. Please contact me (via blogpost comment) if you have any comments/questions/concerns.

However, please keep in mind that rude, inappropriate, and ignorant comments will be deleted.

As we waited for the vice president and his wife, Dr. Biden, we were served delicious appetizers and sparkling water. I had the pleasure of meeting some of the key players in the sexual assault and relationship violence prevention arena, including cabinet members, law enforcement officers, and representatives from some of the most notable organizations in the country.

It was an honor to be invited to Vice President Biden’s house to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), to say the least. The MSU Sexual Assault & Relationship Violence Prevention Program (SARV) was asked to attend, which speaks volumes of the caliber of our program.

Vice President Biden’s speech was inspiring, but realistic. He spoke about the battles we’ve lost, particularly the women who have died due to relationship violence and sexual assault, but he also spoke of the progress we’ve made. He acknowledged that while we’ve been working hard, day in and day out, there is still much work to be done.

SARV is a peer education program that hosts mandatory workshops for freshmen in the area of sexual assault and relationship violence awareness, prevention, and bystander intervention, as well as provides resources for freshmen to utilize in the MSU community. We are one of the only college programs in the nation that is peer-led, which has proven to be a tremendous factor in it’s success. Further statistics will be gathered across the next few years, but over one thousand freshmen have taken the workshops and have demonstrated a substantial learning curve and retention rate.

Vice President Biden penned the VAWA in 1994. It has proven to me to be one of the largest steps in the fight for equality for all people. It is a human right to live free of violence or the threat thereof. We must work together if we are going to eliminate sexual and relationship violence within out communities.

Perhaps the most inspiring part of this reception to me was the passion behind the vice president’s support for organizations like SARV, as well as other programs across our nation and in our universities.

“I was raised to believe that the cardinal sin any human could commit was to abuse power: economic, physical, or any other kind,” Biden said at the reception. “Violence against women is the very worst abuse.”

Federal legislation shows the priority of our administration to continue the fight against these issues.

Bringing this home, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men will be sexually assaulted by the time they receive their college diplomas. Everyday, people like me and those gathered around the Biden’s pool that night are fighting a battle that probably (unfortunately) will never stop. But we have hope. We have hope that programs like SARV will begin to make a difference in the lives of college students, who will instill a sense of intolerance to sexual violence in their children and grandchildren.

It’s time to stand up for those too scared or unable to stand for themselves. If we are to eliminate this violence, we need to be one community fighting for the same goal. Some ways you can help in our community ranges from having honest conversations about the real issues our society faces, to donating to local support organizations (maybe the MSU Sexual Assault Program or MSU Safe Place), or even volunteering! We have a volunteer informational meeting that welcomes all Spartans (students, faculty, staff, and alumni) to learn more about being active in our program. The meeting is Wednesday, September 29th at 6pm in Room 6 of the Student Services Building.

I was honored to represent MSU at the vice president’s house, and I hope that my experience might inspire every Spartan student, faculty, staff, and alumni to do whatever they can to help us with our fight.

Thank you to Tom Randall and Nathan Bashaw for helping me with the draft of this post!

Prompt: Write about a media effect that you have experienced, witnessed, or heard about that you think is particularly powerful. Tell us why it was powerful.

What was created as a means to chat harmlessly to your friends in 140 characters began to gain credibility as it was quickly adopted by the tech community. Twitter has transformed the way we communicate and do news.

Communication

Many argue that Twitter is having negative effects on the way we communicate. Users often have to cut apart language to ensure their message is under 140 characters. People believe that abbreviated speech will ultimately destroy the English language.

I believe that the overall positive effects of Twitter far outweigh the risks of spelling words differently. Using Twitter as a tool of communication provides limitless possibilities. In Michigan alone, there are many events and groups stimulating conversation and idea sharing. In Lansing alone, there are Mid Michigan Tweetups, Breakfast Club, Lansing Happy Hour Club, TEDxLansing, and more.

These events, all enabled by Twitter, are full of people from across the state that are looking to come together to share ideas and get Michigan out of the doldrums. People go to these events to learn and interact, and Twitter allows the communication to continue for years to come.

News

The effect Twitter has had on news media is certainly note-worthy. When a plane landed safely in the Hudson River in January of 2009, Twitter was acknowledged as the first place the story broke. Users sent pictures and minute by minute updates of the “Miracle on the Hudson” that were picked up by larger media outlets. It was one of the first times we heard “according to Twitter…” (or any other social networking site, really) on credible news stations.

The influence of Twitter surrounding the turmoil in Iran following the disputed presidential election in June 2009 was a true testament of the impact networking sites like this can have on social movements. Efforts by users of Twitter provided continued internet access to hundreds of Iranians after their connections were destroyed by the government, and also served as a way to grow and sustain international awareness. In fact, Time deemed Twitter “practically ideal for a mass protest movement…”, noting that the US government reached out to Twitter to stall an update so service for Iranians wouldn’t be compromised.

Twitter has held news networks more accountable. They must now provide not minute to minute, but second to second updates. Viewers are also more critical of the validity of the major news networks now that a tremendous amount of information is more accessible to them via the internet and its users.

Wrapping it up…

Twitter has obviously had an impact on the way we communicate and do news. As technology progresses, we begin to rely more on our social networks to gain input on everything from news to purchasing a new car. One thing is clear: technology will continue to progress. As a society, we must try to acknowledge the media effects this process will have on our history.

The first time I saw my father, Peter Battiste, in the Alzheimer’s unit of a nursing home was in Fort Collins, Colorado, when I was about 13. I don’t know if there is a feeling as overwhelming as I experienced when my father didn’t look at me, but looked right through me. I couldn’t call him Dad, because he wasn’t a dad anymore. He was just Peter.

He spent time in two nursing homes in northern Colorado. The first was infested with cockroaches, and he also lost close to 50 or 60 pounds due to malnutrition. If you knew my father, you wouldn’t have been able to recognize him – he definitely didn’t look like Santa Claus anymore. The second didn’t have a bathing regimen, so he was covered in painful and dangerous rashes.

By some act of fate, my father’s brother and sister were able to find him a bed at a wonderful facility in East Jordan, Michigan that would accept the disability payments he receives from the government, as well as his Medicaid coverage. They have brought him up to a healthy weight, control his medication, provide him with memory exercises, and give him opportunities to get outside for some physical activity. On top of that he is in one of his favorite places in the world, northern Michigan.

But his medical coverage is in jeopardy, and so is mine. As it stands, the Michigan Legislature has cut a substantial amount of Medicaid benefits in a blind attempt to balance the budget while cutting aid to those who need it most.

I am nineteen years old. I shouldn’t be awake at 3:30am tossing and turning over what I will do if my father loses his bed, or wondering what will happen to me if I get hurt. I should be sleeping, so I can get a full night’s rest to make the most of my education while I can still afford it.

But there is still hope.

The House of Representatives will be voting (and most likely passing) a series of bills that will restore funding to valuable programs (like Medicaid and also the Michigan Promise Scholarship). Closing tax loopholes for big business, a tax that will actually increase the amount of patients doctors have, and a rise in tobacco taxes are a small price to pay to ensure the safety of our community.

I have listed below the Michigan State Senators that have to be targeted to ensure that the most vulnerable of our state are protected. If you have time today (October 7th), please call their offices or send them an email to express the importance of supporting the additional revenues passed by the house. We cannot build a state or a nation that tries to reconstruct itself on the burden of our youth, elderly, or mentally impaired.

Busy? I understand. Please keep this effort in your thoughts and prayers.

If you don’t want to think about the thousands of Michiganders that will benefit from these revenue bills, or even the millions of American citizens who will benefit from health care reform, maybe think of my Dad – maybe think of me.

Thank you.

~ Elizabeth

Senators to be Targeted:

Senator Roger Kahn – 517-373-1760 – SenRKahn@senate.mi.gov

Senator Wayne Kuipers – 517-373-6920 – SenWKuipers@senate.mi.gov

Senator Bruce Patterson – 517-373-7350 – SenBPatterson@senate.mi.gov

Senator Valde Garcia – 517-373-2420 – SenVGarcia@senate.mi.gov

Senator Randy Richardville – 517-373-3543 – SenRRichardville@senate.mi.gov

On Friday, October 9th, I will be departing on a bus from Ann Arbor to Washington D.C. with one of my best friends, Christina Steyer.

We are going for the National Equality March that will take place from 12pm-5pm on Sunday, October 11th. I will be marching for those who cannot make it themselves to make sure lawmakers know that it is not acceptable to deprive a large portion of our society their basic civil rights- to love whomever they choose.

But we can’t do it alone! There is a cost associated with the bus ride ($60/per person) as well as the hotel, food, and other expenses. Can you help us with a $20, $40, or $50 donation?

Please help us stand up for those too intimidated or otherwise unable to stand up for themselves.

Feel free to email me @ elizabethbattiste@gmail.com, post below, or give me a call at (248)404-7846 if you are able to lend a hand to this awesome cause.

Thanks for stopping by, and please keep us and our efforts in your thoughts!

How can you say no to faces like those?

This past Tuesday, March 17th, ASMSU – our representative body – voted down a bill in support of tuition freezes by a vote of 7-8 in a disgraceful display of the neglect of their constituents.

One of the most upheld argument against support of the bill stemmed from the infeasibility of the freeze. I will be the first to acknowledge that, no, a tuition freeze is probably not a realistic policy. However, ASMSU has forgotten that it is the voice of the students they represent and not policy makers.

I endorse the adoption of the ASMSU bill as is, with a zero percent increase. If the student voice is to be heard loudly and effectively, we must represent the foundation of our beliefs. Supporting, for example, a 5% capped increase cap further takes negotiating power from the students. We need to let the administration and board members know how much of a stake we hold in our own education. Again, this bill would serve as a symbol of undergraduate students’ stance, not as a rough draft of policy for next year.

Representatives also claim that they did not have enough information to support the bill. Besides that blurring line between voice and policy, the representatives seem to have forgotten all of the resources provided for them, including a presentation of the budget by President Simon during a biweekly meeting.

President Obama intended the stimulus money to directly relieve students of the financial burden of college, as well as allowing for more students to be able to afford a better education to form a more educated, and thus more successful, workforce. The university needs to be held accountable for wasteful spending to ensure that students can truly benefit from an education here. Sacrifices must be made and that should begin with the operating budget, not tuition.

Increases in tuition are being supported with hyperbolic increases in Pell Grants. As tuition is increasing much more rapidly that Pell Grant and other aid money, students are falling through the cracks.

I do not pay tuition to MSU. I am simply a student who cares about my peers and is concerned when my friends and family are being taken advantage of. It is time for President Simon and the board to set aside the animosity of past federal and state funding and realize that students can’t afford what this wonderful university has to offer.

I urge all students to get in contact with ASMSU representatives through their website as well as ASMSU representatives to directly communicate with their constituents. It’s time we let them know that enough is enough.

Elizabeth Battiste

Business/Pre-Law Freshman

MSU Democrats

(248)404-7846

elizabethbattiste@gmail.com

For a brief summary, Michigan State University’s tuition rises on average anywhere from 6-10% each year, according to the State News. These increases, President Simon told ASMSU as well as other presentations, go directly toward Michigan State for a better university. But my first question is this: What is a better university?

Our money is allocated to an entertainment room equipped with a Wii and other gaming systems in Holden, a theater in the Sparty’s in Holmes, and an outrageous ASMSU budget (almost $20 from each student per semester), yet programs such as the MSU Sexual Assault Program are fighting to keep up. This is a disparity that I cannot stand for.

I do not understand how Michigan State can continue to be an outstanding university if students can no longer afford to attend. More and more of our parents are getting laid off. More and more of us are enrolling in community colleges to desperately complete credits in the summer just so we can afford the next year. On top of this, working a full time job — and certainly a part time job — is beginning to not be enough. We cannot allow our university to remain on this path of wasteful spending.

I do, however, wish take the time to applaud the university for its advancement in the fields of research such as the upcoming Facility for Rare Isotope Beams as well as a successful Big Ten sports program (Go Green). These programs have not gone unrecognized.

President Obama’s stimulus plan specifically set aside funds for the purpose of higher education. Though some may say otherwise, these funds were directly intended to relieve part of the the burden off of students in hopes that we will be able to get an education and stimulate the workforce. Governor Granholm proposed that if Michigan’s public institutions froze tuition, they would receive the funding provided in the stimulus package. This was before her 3.1% proposed cut to MSU. And the past isn’t always the past.

At the meeting, President Simon pointed out that the state of Michigan has previously been less than gracious with funding for MSU stating, “When we had the money for education, it went to corrections.” She compares it to other Big Ten schools saying, “While tuition is high here and going up, in comparison to our peers- it is not as dramatic.” But nothing can distort the fact that we aren’t Nittany Lions from Pennsylvania, we aren’t Buckeyes from Ohio (thank goodness). We are from Michigan: the state with two of the most dangerous cities and the highest unemployment rate in the nation.

And enough is enough. There comes a time where sacrifices must be made. It is time to set aside the animosity between MSU and the previous lack of funding. I personally cannot allow the administration of my school to hide behind the facade of “trying not to build recurring commitments on nonrecurring money.” (see stimulus package) We need money! I need money! The fact of the matter is Pell Grants are not rising as rapidly as tuition and students are getting lost in the chase. President Simon said that we must make sacrifices in order to advance the university and make our degrees worth more. While this is an admirable aspiration, I know I cannot afford it.

I accept the fact that a tuition freeze is not a realistic possibility for MSU, but that does not put a damper the need for closer observation of university spending. I also cannot forsee the state totally witholding funds from MSU, what with all of the currently elected Spartan alumni.

The last point I am going to discuss (I know, whew! right?) is perhaps one of the most unnerving thing I have heard since I came to this school. When an ASMSU representative asked President Simon what we as students could do to get more funding for the school and to make a difference in this catastrophe that is happening around us, she replied that we really have no control over this certain issue. Instead, she suggested that we try to control who gets elected. This was minutes after she insisted that “No final decisions have been made” on this issue.

Wait a minute… I thought I already did that. I chose a president who understood the dire circumstances that is the state of Michigan. A president who understands that students like me with no parents to students with car executives as parents are searching couch cushions for tuition payments. For a president of a university who had the voter turn out and passion of MSU students during the last election to suggest that we cannot have a voice in the happenings around us that are directly influential to us is really quite absurd.

So in conclusion, I call upon everyone who reads this blog to help me. Help me spread the word to not only every Michigan State student, but every college student and alumni and future student and friends and family members. It is time for us to let the administration know just how big of stake we hold in higher education: in our future, and, most importantly, in our present. It’s time for Michigan State University to be given back to the students.

~Elizabeth

p.s. I could go on forever on this, and chances are I missed points I wanted to make or arguments I would like to counter. Please, feel free to comment with any questions, concerns, arguments. I am extremely open to exploring this topic more thoroughly and from different perspectives!