What MSU students should know before they move to East Lansing

Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING — If you're a Michigan State University student preparing for a move to East Lansing, you have a lot to get ready for.

Expect this academic year to be busy as thousands of students adjust to drastic changes in the city and on campus.

"It's definitely a new East Lansing," said City Council Member Aaron Stephens, a 23-year-old MSU alum. "And I think that's a really good thing."

The city's downtown business district has been a construction zone for months as crews make way for luxurious housing complexes and new businesses.

And MSU officials overhauled the school's leadership by welcoming Samuel L. Stanley Jr., formerly of Stony Brook University, as their new president.

Below is your guide for a smooth, stress-free transition from home to East Lansing.

MSU students can move into their residence halls by the end of this month. Students who join the university's Welcome Team can move in early and get free food.

Remember your move-in date

If you're a new incoming student moving into an on-campus residence hall this month, follow these guidelines:

Students who live on an even floor can move in Aug. 24.
Students who live on an odd floor can move in Aug. 25.

A move-in day time slot is expected to be listed on each student's My Housing account, accessible by logging into this website: liveon.msu.edu/user/login.

Returning MSU students can move into their assigned residence hall starting Aug. 26.

Each student is expected to get an email from the university with details.

Students can move into their residence hall early and enjoy free meals if they are selected to be part of MSU's Welcome Team.

Applications for the team are available until Aug. 16 through the My Housing website.

Team members must be available to move in Aug. 22, attend a mandatory Aug 23 orientation and work between Aug. 24 and Aug. 26.

MSU students need to know several things about parking in downtown East Lansing. There are ramps and meters that take debit and credit cards.

Know where to park

If possible, avoid parking on MSU's campus.

There are meters and gated lots, but they can get expensive. Parking is enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week — except during official university holidays.

The average parking violation is $25.

For everything you need to know about on-campus parking, visit police.msu.edu/parking-services/permits

Downtown East Lansing also has strict parking rules.

The good news: Downtown parking is free on Sundays, and more than 40 downtown businesses validate parking during the week.

What you may not know: Each off-campus East Lansing household can park a vehicle overnight on a city street for free up to 20 times per year.

To do so, Stephens, the council member, said residents must call the East Lansing Police Department in advance and give the license plate number for their vehicle or their guest's vehicle.

For more on off-campus East Lansing parking visit cityofeastlansing.com/parking.

The skyline in downtown East Lansing is changing with the addition of high rise condos and apartments.

Explore 'new' East Lansing

With so many changes throughout the city, and millions of dollars worth of investment, you may want to designate a day for discovery.

Literally get lost and explore EL either by foot or on wheels.

Much of the construction work is expected to be finished in the city by Labor Day.

A few projects to be aware of:

Harrison Road, north of Michigan Avenue, closed Monday for infrastructure improvements and is expected to re-open to traffic by 5 a.m. Aug. 12.
Westbound Michigan Avenue will be closed to traffic east of Harrison Road beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10. It is expected to re-open Aug. 12.

If you're living on or near campus, the new 22,000-square-foot Target store at 201 E. Grand River Ave. may meet your basic needs.

The store carries everything from produce to Britney Spears T-shirts.

Some new housing complexes to open this month, also expected to increase downtown foot traffic:

The Hub at East Lansing: Near East Grand River Avenue and Cedar Street with 347 apartments and a rooftop pool.
The Landmark: A 12-story apartment building on the 100 block of Grand River Avenue with 273 units of student and young professional-focused housing. The housing is above the new Target.

Don't overlook Lansing

City of Lansing officials, neighborhood groups, community leaders and business owners have stressed in recent years the economic and social benefits of embracing MSU students.

There are several parts of the city that appear to be catering toward them with public art, innovative stores and restaurants, recreational opportunities and year-round events.

If East Lansing is too fast-paced for your liking, you may want to consider spending more time along Lansing's East Michigan Avenue corridor.

Students are welcome, unlike several years ago when the area of US-127 and Michigan Avenue served as "an invisible Berlin Wall," 33-year-old Lansing resident Scott Bell said.

The Avenue, Strange Matter Coffee and The People's Kitchen are some neighborhood attractions.

"You could put those in any major city and I wouldn't feel they were out of place," said Bell, an eastside resident.

Lansing also boasts the REO Town and Old Town neighborhoods and has plans to unveil an urban Grand River beach downtown at the end of this month.

Plan ahead for Spartan sports

Both MSU's football and men's basketball teams have the potential to contend for championships this season.

The football team, according to some preseason polls, could creep into the Big Ten title race because of its veteran defense.

ESPN's Football Power Index currently ranks the Spartans No. 14 among the country's top 25 teams.

Tom Izzo's basketball team is considered a favorite to win the national title after last season's run to the Final Four in Minneapolis.

If you're on a tight budget as an MSU student, plan ahead and purchase game tickets early. Prices found online for most home football games are lower than face value.

Tickets for some home football games are currently going for as low as $6 on StubHub.com and VividSeats.com.

Fans who are MSU students and plan on going to several football and basketball home games this season should consider joining each team's student section.

For information, visit MSUSpartans.com/STX or call the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610.

MSU to open allergy-free dining hall

Editorial: New MSU president Samuel Stanley Jr. must do these four things

Developments to watch in the Lansing region this summer and fall

Detroit Pistons to conduct training camp on MSU's campus

Eric Lacy is a reporter for the Lansing State Journal. Contact him at 517-377-1206 or elacy@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricLacy.

Want to read more stories about MSU and East Lansing? Support local journalism by subscribing to the Lansing State Journal. For current offers, visit bit.ly/2UnxlJE.

McLaren Greater Lansing has recently partnered with the MSU Alumni Association to support the Sparty Mascot Program by offering Sparty growth charts to local children.

Spartan community

A look at Michigan State University's reach on and off campus:

50,351 students enrolled for fall 2018 (39,423 undergraduate, 10,928 graduate)
More than 200 programs of undergraduate, graduate, and professional study
5,200-acre campus with 566 buildings
5,722 faculty and academic staff
7,201 support staff employees
576,000 living alumni