MSU Police

Assault is defined as an attempt to commit a battery, or an illegal act that caused the victim to reasonably fear a battery.  Aggravated assault is an assault and battery where physical injury occurs requiring immediate medical attention or that causes disfigurement or impairment, according to the MSU Police Department.  Assault as a first offense is a 93-day misdemeanor.  As a second offense, assault is punishable by imprisonment for no longer than one year and is considered a misdemeanor.  However, as a third offense it is considered a felony and is punishable by imprisonment for up to two years, according to the MSU Police Department.

The annual crime rates at MSU are around the same as other Big Ten Universities, said Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor of the MSU Police Department.  However, the total crime rates for MSU may be higher than other universities because the MSU police have been reporting campus crime longer than many other colleges.
"I can tell you that our department has always reported crimes," said McGlothian-Taylor.  "Now we are required to under The Jeanne Clery Act, but we were reporting prior to that act coming about."

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act was originally enacted by Congress in 1990 and was called the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990.  Further amendments were made to the act in 1998 and it was renamed at that time.

Assault at MSU

Only nine cases of aggravated assault, which took place on campus, were reported to MSU Police in 2009, according to the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.  An additional case of aggravated assault was deemed a hate crime and there were no simple assault incidences reported to police.  Alyssa Baumann, MSU Safe Place Volunteer and Advocacy Coordinator, said the assault numbers seem small when compared with such a large university.  However, assault in domestic relationships is one of the most under reported crimes on college campuses today.

"A good number of people we work with are not in contact with the police," said Baumann.

MSU Safe Place is the relationship violence and stalking program on campus, said Baumann.  MSU Safe Place offers a variety of help and guidance to the victims.  Generally, about 65-75 victims enter the Safe Place temporary shelter each year.

Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor of the MSU Police said she knows students do not always report crimes, including assault, to the police.


"Assault may not be reported because the victim is embarrassed," said McGlothian-Taylor.  "The person might go to a counseling center as opposed to the police department for help."

The victim may also be afraid of the repercussions of reporting incidents to the police, said Baumann.

"Some victims are scared of what can happen if they tell and others just don't trust police," said Baumann.

Elementary education freshman Annah Bravo said she is concerned with safety on college campuses and said she attended a two-hour self-defense program that was held at the Brody Complex earlier this year.

"The first hour was all about statistics on crime, but during the second hour they taught us some easy self-defense techniques," said Bravo.

Concussions at MSU

When incoming freshmen athletes arrive on Michigan State's campus, they take a test called ImPACT, the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing to examine their baseline levels.  If a head injury were to occur, the concussed athlete would take ImPACT to assess the severity of the concussion, Bratta said.
"ImPACT assesses memory, cognitive ability, and function of the brain," said Bratta.

After reviewing the test results, Bratta said the athlete may be cleared to begin progressing slowly back into their sport.  They start with light exercises such as jumping jacks and biking, advance to running and finally back into practices and games.

Despite the technology, the biggest indicator of concussions is the presence of symptoms associated with them.
"If you still have the symptoms, we hold you back," Bratta said.

Right after the concussion occurs, the athlete is pulled from the event and given SCAT, the Standardized Concussion Assessment Test.
"Basically SCAT is a checklist of common concussion symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and double vision.  It also tests the athlete's balance," said Certified Athletic Trainer Yume Nakamura.

Dr. Homer Linard, a sports specialist and orthopedic surgeon who works with Harrison High School's football team said, "The major concern with letting an athlete play is brain injury which increases with recurrent events."

Big Ten Concussions

There are over 300,000 sports-related concussions that occur in the United States each year.   The likelihood of suffering a concussion while participating in a contact sport is around 19 percent, according to the Brian Trauma Research Center.  Despite those statistics, the NCAA does not have guidelines or regulations specified for athletes who have suffered a concussion.


The Big Ten conference, the conference that MSU competes in, has been trying to mandate a one-week resting period, no questions asked for athletes diagnosed with a concussion.  Athletic Clinical Coordinator Brian Bratta said MSU is not pushing for this because the severity of a concussion differs with each individual case.

MSU women's soccer 2009 All American Laura Heyboer said she agrees with MSU and does not think there should be mandatory guidelines.
"I think it differs with every person and if you're ready to play after a concussion then you should be able to play," said Heyboer.

MSU women's soccer goalkeeper Liz Watza has suffered five concussions and said she believes the NCAA and Big Ten should create concussion guidelines due in large part to Second Impact Syndrome.
"A second one in a small time frame can kill you or at the very least give you brain damage," said Watza.  "No sport if worth risking your life for."