The State – 12/1/20

Haley Sinclair, Case deKoning

Michigan State University’s Spartan Solidarity Network announced its Furloughed International Student Mutual Aid fund for former MSU Residential and Hospitality Services, international student workers.

The fund is entirely student-run and provides international students with a monetary income that many have lost due to university unemployment.

In September, RHS furloughed more than 700 student employees. The decision disproportionally affected international students due to the current immigration laws regarding current student visa passes, these students can only apply for jobs on campus. Hence, the university’s decision to furlough these students eliminated a source of income for international student workers who relied on employment to pay rent, utilities, food expenses and other living costs.

For an international student to qualify for the FISMA fund, they must have been affected by the RHS furlough. The student must provide SSN with their student email address to confirm an employment position at the RHS employment center, and once that is confirmed, they are automatically qualified for the FISMA fund. dreaMSU and SSN are available to help navigate any international student through the process to be eligible.

 

Walt Drenth announced publicly on Monday that he is retiring as head track and field and cross country coach after 16 years at Michigan State. A release from MSU athletics confirmed that he made the decision Nov. 30.

Drenth was coach for the women’s program’s only NCAA Cross Country Championship in 2014. The same year he was named U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Women’s National Coach of the Year.

Prior to coaching at Michigan State, Drenth was at Arizona State from 1996-2004, Williams & Mary from 1990-95 and started his career in 1985 at his alma mater: Central Michigan University.