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President Simon opens the new academic year seeking more “civil discourse around difficult issues”

Lou Anna K. Simon, Russ White

It’s time for another school year at MSU, and President Simon is looking forward to it.

She’s hoping to spur more civil discourse around difficult issues within Team MSU while the university develops more citizen scholars.

“We open the school year with a lot of issues swirling around us,” says Simon. “At the same time, we have to realize that ideas can have rough edges. I’m excited about how this will unfold for the year. Ultimately, we have to learn and grow together.”

President Simon highlights the many physical and facility enhancements to the campus this year. And she says the new Food at MSU initiative being led by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has MSU rethinking food more broadly and listening to consumers about how it impacts them and the planet.

“And if we can do that around food in Michigan, then we can do that around food and food issues for the world. If you look at the role oil has played in conflicts, food could play that role moving forward for the world if we’re not careful. And we need to get out ahead of those issues.”

Simon highlights the important role arts and culture play at MSU and many of the MSU initiatives underway in Detroit.

“I’m excited because I can’t predict the discoveries that are going to happen by faculty who are doing extraordinary things. I’m optimistic about athletics, too. I think we have the right people leading the programs. We had a bump in the road. We’re getting over that; people are learning from it. Sometimes your mettle is determined by how you handle bad things. And I think by the end of the year we’ll show that we’ve moved through this rough patch and are gaining momentum again.

“And how can you not be excited about basketball?”

MSU Today airs Sunday afternoons at 4:00 on 94.5 FM and AM 870.

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