Today’s weather forecast is predicting some sun in the morning with increasing clouds during the afternoon with a high of 64 degrees and a low of 45 degrees.

MSU seeks community feedback for campus shooting memorial

Michigan State University is seeking community input on a memorial for the Feb. 13, 2023 campus shooting that killed three and injured five students.

“The permanent memorial will serve as a central location for families, loved ones, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to gather or visit alone — in the way that makes the most sense for them — to reflect, grieve and honor those lost, injured and all impacted by Feb. 13,” the press release said.

MSU set aside an amount money that was donated to the Spartan Strong Fund, which was created after the shooting to support those most impacted, for the permanent memorial.

A committee of students, faculty, staff and community members will “guide the process of establishing a memorial in honor and remembrance of those we lost,” according to the memorial planning webpage.

The university will hold focus groups this month to hear community feedback on what that reflection place should look like.

Specific session times and places can be found on The State News website.

TicketTime: The student-made app allowing students to track parking enforcement, limit tickets

MSU students have been receiving parking tickets far and wide and with increased prices, many are trying to figure out the best way to park on campus without breaking the bank. This common problem served as the inspiration for computer science senior Keshav Babu to create the app TicketTime, an app where students can report the presence of parking enforcement in specific lots across campus, giving students the opportunity to avoid the dreaded paper slip under their windshield.

Initially an entry for SpartaHack, MSU’s student-run invention marathon and hackathon, Babu later developed the app into what it is now this past fall.

Today, the app allows users to track MSU PACE through reports sent in by users when they see enforcement in a certain lot. Those parked in the lot with a sighting will receive a notification allowing them to log onto the SpotOn app and pay for more time in their spot.

Babu said that the app utilizes crowd-sourced data, meaning that the more people that use it, the more efficiently the app will work.

Babu is trying to add more features to his app such as a machine learning algorithm that can predict what days and/or lots get the most PACE activity depending on the day of the week.

Babu’s main focus currently is trying his best to improve the app to help students and to make himself a better engineer. He said that he has been taking in feedback from users and trying to create a model that is easy to navigate, making the map on his app similar to the one seen on Apple Maps.

5k Race for Humanity held to support Palestinian Refugees, raises over $16,000

With over 400 participants, The “Race for Humanity” 5k to help Palestinian refugees was held Sunday, and organized by Michigan State University’s Students United for Palestinian Rights and Arab Cultural Society.

The race was supported by numerous organizations, including Spartan Muslims, Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Detroit Mercy SJP, Islamic Center of East Lansing, SAFEumich, Palestinian Youth Movement and Jewish Voice for Peace.

Social relations and policy senior and Race for Humanity volunteer Mady Grant said the 5k was a way for her to help support a “good cause,” something she highly values.

Based on original reporting by Theo Scheer, Hannah Holycross and Ridhima Kodali.