Today’s weather forecast is predicting partly cloudy skies in the morning which will give way to cloudy skies in the afternoon with possible rain or wet snow with a high of 40 degrees and a low of 15 degrees. For the rest of the weekend, it looks like it will be pretty sunny with temperatures in the mid 30’s and 40’s.

MSU introduces new Title IX protections for pregnant students and employees

MSU’s Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance, or OCR, introduced a new policy outlining protections for students and university employees who are pregnant, are experiencing childbirth or pregnancy-related conditions or are parents.

The policy, shared through a campus-wide email from Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance Laura Rugless Wednesday afternoon, is meant to “clarify the robust framework in place to assist students and employees” in addition to aligning with federal laws.

According to the policy, students who seek a “modification based on pregnancy, childbirth or pregnancy-related conditions, or parenting” will be contacted by OCR with information explaining their rights, resources and details into the accommodations process.

After a student submits documentation from a healthcare provider establishing “medical necessity” and the Title IX Coordinator determines what modifications are reasonable, that student can be granted academic modifications, including periodic absences from class, extensions on assignments and being permitted to take breaks during class for expressing milk.

Additionally, the policy details the “reasonable accommodations” MSU can provide for qualifying university employees, including but not limited to having flexible working hours, receiving closer parking and receiving additional break time to use the bathroom, eat and rest.

The policy also states that for up to one year following childbirth, any MSU employee who is breastfeeding will be provided “reasonable times and locations” to do so. Those locations include the lactation rooms spread across campus but can also include makeshift spaces, granted they are shielded from view and free from intrusion.

Social media tips weren’t reviewed during MSU shooting due to “concerning” policy

During the evening hours of Feb. 13, 2023, as a gunman was still at large, a deluge of tips poured in from the thousands of MSU students sheltering in place.

Community members called MSU’s Department of Police and Public Safety’s (DPPS) public line by the hundreds and sent countless tips through their official social media pages.

But due to an outdated policy, no one reviewed tips submitted through social media in real time during the shooting, according to an outside review of the university’s communications response to the shooting, which was never released publicly. That’s now been changed, DPPS spokesperson Dana Whyte said.

The 22-page review, conducted by higher education crisis management firm Blue Moon Consulting Group, or BMCG, was completed and shared internally in October 2023. The State News obtained the review through a public records request.

BMCG found that MSU’s communications response was “effective, timely and transparent,” and “effectively protected MSU’s reputation.”

But it called the university’s then-policy to not actively monitor social media for tips during emergencies “concerning.”

MSU told investigators the prior policy was made “based on available resources and historical protocols” and was “consistent with a long-standing tag that stated all tips should be called in,” according to the review.

While Whyte still encourages community members to call 911 or text their official, anonymous tip line, a member of MSU’s crisis communications team is now assigned to monitor tips in real-time during emergency situations.

Archives Book Shop to close at the end of February, owner shares sentiments over closing

Archives Book Shop, one of East Lansing’s bookstores, is set to close at the end of the month.

The bookstore sits on West Grand River attached to Tabooli and is expected to shut down in the next few weeks.

Owner Ray Walsh opened up Archives Book Shop in 1987 and doubled the size of it within a year. Walsh is also the owner of Curious Book Shop, which he opened when he was a student at MSU from 1967 to 1971 and earned a degree in communications.

During his time at MSU, he was searching for science-fiction paperback books. A professor at the time reached out and offered Walsh 1,000 paperback books for a reasonable price. Walsh purchased them, read 700 of them and put the rest up for sale.

“All of a sudden I was a bookseller. I wasn’t really planning on it,” said Walsh.

Walsh also said he had no intention of opening up another bookstore after opening Curious Book Shop in the late 60’s. Walsh said he was driving by the location of Archives and saw there were bookshelves for sale, and upon closer inspection, he saw a For Rent sign.

He said the store has not had enough people coming in. Location has been an issue for Walsh. Curious Book Shop is in downtown East Lansing where there is more foot traffic for visitors and Archives does not get the traffic it needs to remain open.

After closing, the books will be sent off to different places and sold. A majority of the books will head over to Curious Book Shop, including the children’s books, fine bindings and the “better rare books.” Walsh said they also sell online on various websites including eBay, Amazon and Etsy. Walsh said they are donating books to “different organizations.”

Based on original reporting by Emilio Perez Ibarguen, Theo Scheer and Anna Rossow.

To end our last episode of the week, here are a few announcements!

Here is the MSU home Athletic line-up for the weekend…

Today

• Wrestling will go up against Central Michigan at 6:30 P.M.
• Hockey will play Ohio State at 7 P.M. at Munn Ice Arena.

Tomorrow

• Women’s Basketball will vs. Rutgers at 2 P.M.
• Hockey will play Ohio State again at 6 P.M.

Sunday

• Women’s Tennis will take on Columbia at 11 A.M.
• Men’s Basketball will vs. Ohio State at 4 P.M. at the Breslin Center.

For our last announcement, we won’t have any episodes airing next week for the podcast due to MSU’s spring break. I hope everyone has a safe, healthy, and peaceful week off!