Today’s weather forecast is predicting cloudy skies early then partly cloudy in the afternoon with a high of 51 degrees and a low of 35 degrees.

Stanley to cooperate with interim president search, university council votes no confidence in board

President Stanley said he will cooperate with the Board of Trustees in its search for a new interim president, an announcement which came five days after his 90-day notice of resignation.

Stanley stated these plans at the Oct. 18 university council meeting. At the meeting, the council, which is composed of administrators, faculty members and students, also passed a no-confidence vote in the MSU Board of Trustees.

The no-confidence vote passed 85 to six, making it the third vote of no-confidence in the Board of Trustees to pass in MSU governing bodies recently.

At the council meeting, several members of the university council also shared they will be meeting with the board tomorrow via Zoom to discuss the selection of an interim president and to voice concerns regarding the board’s conduct. The meetings will include deans and associate provosts, members of the faculty senate and student leaders from various governing groups.

Councilmember and Faculty Senate Chairperson Karen Kelly-Blake said in order to accurately educate people on the board actions that led up to the vote, they will also be emailed information, links, statements and reports to inform their decision. She also encouraged students and faculty who want to learn more to attend the teach-in on academic governance on Oct. 21 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility.

Less than a month from Election Day: Polling, ballot proposals and making a voting plan

The 2022 midterm elections are now less than a month away. Here’s an update on key races and issues in Michigan, along with helpful information on making sure you’re geared up to vote on Nov. 8.

The gap between gubernatorial candidates Gretchen Whitmer and Tudor Dixon is beginning to tighten as the campaign season heads into its final weeks. Polling released last week indicated that Whitmer sits at a still-comfortable 11 points ahead of Dixon, at 49% and 38%, respectively. This is a decrease in Whitmer’s lead, which was clocked at 16 points in mid-September.

The candidates participated in the first of two televised debates on Oct. 14 in Grand Rapids, sparring on several key issues facing voters in November. It marked the first time in Michigan’s history that two female candidates seeking the governor’s office appeared side-by-side for a debate.

Democratic incumbents Dana Nessel and Jocelyn Benson are still leading in Michigan’s races for Attorney General and Secretary of State. They’re challenged by Matt DePerno and Kristina Karamo, both of whom have been endorsed by former president Donald Trump.

The Attorney General race between Nessel and DePerno is the most competitive out of the three top-of-ticket midterm battles, with recent polling placing Nessel only five points ahead of DePerno – just outside the margin of error. With the candidates at 43% and 39%, the race is close enough to be considered a statistical dead heat.

Three ballot proposals will be presented to Michigan voters on Nov. 8.

Proposal 1 deals with term limits, extending terms in the state legislature to 12 years in either or both houses.

Next, Proposal 2 would institute several voting reforms, including an additional nine days of early voting and requiring the state to pay for the postage of absentee ballots.

Finally, Proposal 3, arguably the most controversial of the issues on the ballot, would enshrine abortion rights in Michigan’s constitution.

Michiganders have several options when it comes to casting their ballots. You can vote by mail or in-person as long as you’re registered. In-person registration can be done up until and on Election Day. For online or mail registration, the deadline is Oct. 24.

An easy way to get registered or to change your voter registration is to visit the Michigan Voter Information Center.

East Lansing Farmers Market hosts annual Autumn Fest

East Lansing Farmers Market welcomed community members on Sunday Oct. 16 to celebrate the fall season during the annual Autumn Fest.

Participants, families and students alike had a variety of activities to choose from with a petting zoo, live music, crafts and vendors carrying locally grown produce.

The East Lansing Farmers Market requires their vendors to sell products that are 100% homegrown or homemade.

While the mission of farmers markets allows for small business vendors to get their produce and products out to the public, they also prioritize sustainability by minimizing the amount of waste and pollution they create versus corporate farms.

A visitor to the East Lansing Farmers Market can find a multitude of locally grown and sourced sustainable products every Sunday through Oct. 30 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m.

Based on original reporting by Kelsey Dantuma, Lily Guiney and Amalia Medina.