Michigan State University - Red Cedar Log Yearbook (East Lansing, MI)

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Michigan State University Becomes a Multiversity .. pls -I Q -gi A An 4 RP Qs The physical aspect ofthe University Cnow multiversityj has changed greatly also. Not too many years ago, the campus was confined to the area north ofthe Red Cedar River and those students with cars were even allowed to drive on campus. Within the past five or six years, this has all changed, With the great increase in student enrollment, the University ob- viously needed more money to build more classrooms and of- fices. The result has been the multiversity, a campus so large that it has broken up into smaller colleges in the form of liv- ing-learning complexes. With a faculty and the number of stu- dents who live in them, these complexes have become the equivalent of a small college. Yet, these small colleges spread around the campus are still a part ofthe multiversity, intimate- ly connected through proximity, common interest and common purpose. I , .n :nun n - . gn-lu u I Q. EEL. .. The East Campur Complex has practically become a mulliversily in itseM

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Student numbers, the multiversity was not always like this! The result which you live in now is a result of a steady and forseeable trend which began long ago. Actually, not so long ago, but it only seems that way to the student who is on cam- pus for only four years, a short enough time when compared to how long Michigan State has been in existence. At some time before the multiversity was recognizable as such, Michigan State was a different place. Students were somewhat a carefree lot who spent minimum time studying, got their C average and graduated. Dating was much the same then as now, parties were usually more formally arranged affairs than now, and students walked everywhere. Student cars were the exception rather than the rule. Scarred ground seems Zo be one ofthe more common sights continually xeen around the campus. ,pq 'lg

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Wells Hall fabrwej comes down to fha! the Library addition fbelowj may go up. If any single event could be named as a cause for the be- ginning of the transformation of the University into a mul- tiversity, it was the admittance of Michigan State College to the Big Ten. A feeling developed that if MSC had teams good enough to be in the Big Ten, then MSC also had to have a library, curriculum, professors and reputation good enough to be in the Big Ten. This desire for a good repu- tation among the other schools did indeed lead to a higher quality of academics at Michigan State. More and better students were attracted and this also applied pressure to upgrade the College.