Today’s weather forecast is predicting a mix of clouds and sun early and becoming cloudy later in the day with steady rain later in the evening with a possibility to lead into potential heavy rainfall with a high of 54 degrees and a low of 40 degrees. For the weekend, it looks like some rain tomorrow leading into overcast skies for the rest of the weekend with temps in the high 40s.

MSU terminated former top HR administrator

Public records reveal that Michigan State University fired its former top HR official, Christina Brogdon, after a whistleblower complaint accused her of improperly gathering derogatory information on high-ranking employees. The complaint, first reported by The State News in March, claims Brogdon directed a junior staffer to pull specific personnel files, delete evidence, and keep the actions confidential.

This occurred in April 2023, with Brogdon allegedly telling the staffer to work after hours to gather files without anyone noticing. Emails obtained by The State News suggest Brogdon instructed the staffer to focus on negative information in the files and make sure the activity couldn’t be uncovered by public records requests.

The complaint also raised concerns that Brogdon’s actions were tied to the presidential search committee, which was active at the time, and may have been influenced by then-Board Chair Rema Vassar.

Despite Brogdon’s termination, MSU has not confirmed whether it was directly related to the allegations, and the investigation into the whistleblower’s claims is ongoing.

MSU attendance policy allows for flexibiliy; leads to confusion

At Michigan State University, the attendance policy for undergraduates is flexible but unclear. While students can be excused for reasons like illness, medical emergencies, or university-sponsored events, professors have the final say in determining whether absences due to things like mental health issues or family emergencies are excused. This flexibility can lead to confusion, as students often don’t know what will be accepted or what documentation might be required.

For some professors, like Jonathan Choti, this flexibility works well. Jonathan allows his students up to three excused absences, regardless of the reason. After that, participation points are deducted unless a specific circumstance justifies another excused absence. He appreciates the freedom the policy provides, allowing him to assess each situation individually and support his students.

However, for students like Anika Seri, a senior in political science, the policy hasn’t been as supportive. She recalls a time when she had tonsillitis and had to provide a doctor’s note to avoid losing participation points, even though MSU discourages this practice. University spokesperson Amber McCann explains that requiring doctor’s notes can be problematic due to students’ varied access to healthcare and privacy concerns. MSU’s Campus Health Services also recommends against requiring doctor’s notes for short-term illnesses, as this can lead to unnecessary doctor visits.

Despite this guidance, professors still have the discretion to set their own attendance policies, which means students face varying expectations from class to class. Anika feels this inconsistency makes it difficult to navigate her academic responsibilities, especially when some professors are more lenient than others.

Jonathan acknowledges that while the policy offers flexibility, some students may feel it’s being used against them. He believes that the system should always work in favor of the students, allowing them to make the most of their education.

Students who feel their professors’ attendance policies are unfair can contact the University Ombudsperson Office, where they can discuss their concerns confidentially.

As ASMSU elections open, student government tries to increase voter turnout

Ballots for the Associated Students of Michigan State University’s General Assembly elections are now open to undergraduate students, who can vote until Sunday, April 6. Students will elect representatives for the General Assembly, with candidates available from each college at MSU. Additionally, tax renewals for the Council of Graduate Students, the Council of Medical Students, and the Owen Graduate Association are also on the ballot.

In recent years, voter turnout for GA elections has been low, with only 3% of eligible voters participating last year and 8% in 2023. To increase engagement, Freshman Class Council President Noah Forman and the council have partnered with the MSU Dairy Store to offer an exclusive ice cream flavor, “Election Perfection,” in exchange for a vote. The flavor, a mix of strawberry with fudge swirl and dark chocolate chips, have been handed out across campus, with 18 to 20 gallons available throughout the week.

Noah hopes this new approach will energize students, saying, “I looked at what we were currently doing to promote the election, and how we could shift away from that and maybe find a more impactful way.” He stresses the importance of students taking just a few minutes to vote and have their voices heard.

ASMSU President Connor Le echoed the sentiment, reminding students that their General Assembly representatives play a key role in addressing issues affecting MSU students and the administration.

This year’s ballot also includes three important proposals. Proposal 1 seeks to allocate GA representative seats to each class council, while Proposal 3 would add a seat for the Transfer Student Advisory Board. Proposal 2, however, aims to repeal a referendum passed last year that would have allowed undergraduates to directly elect the student body president.

Connor explained that after the referendum passed, concerns arose about how to implement a direct election system in time for the 2026 election. The Student Body Presidential Election Implementation Ad-Hoc Committee has struggled with low attendance at meetings, making it difficult to meet the deadline. He emphasized that without more participation, the committee couldn’t adequately address all the questions around this significant change.

If Proposal 2 passes, ASMSU will continue working on the issue without a strict deadline, but Connor stressed that if it fails, the current system will continue. This could result in internal challenges for the 2026-2027 president, who would be the first to be directly elected.

Connor reassured students that ASMSU remains committed to finding a democratic solution for presidential elections, but he said the process needs more time and careful consideration to avoid rushed decisions.

Based on original reporting by Owen McCarthy, Somer Sodeman and Anish Topiwala.

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

• Track & Field will host the Spartan Invitational all day at Ralph Young Field.
• Softball will play Toledo for a doubleheader at 4 P.M. and 6 P.M.
• Men’s Tennis will go against Northwestern at 5 P.M. at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.

Tomorrow

• Men’s Tennis will play Illinois at 12 P.M. at the MSU Indoor Tennis Center.

Here is the MSU weekend events line-up…

Tomorrow

• Family Day at the Broad Art Museum will take place at 11 A.M. where you can make creative connections with the exhibitions through hands-on and interactive family fun throughout the museum.