We the students of Michigan State University are saddened and outraged at the administration's handling of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. 

In March of 2020 MSU made the executive decision to go fully online because of the pandemic, since then there have been many changes. We as students have had first hand experience with how hard it has been to navigate everyday lives in a fully virtual setting. We appreciate MSU’s admin for working tirelessly to transition us back into an in-person setting after a full year (and some) of being online. 

As students we were eager to resume our college careers in person and try to get back to the norms that we once knew. However, with the resume of an in-person MSU we have witnessed that our Spartan Community is not as protected as we thought we would be. We as students of Michigan State University are fearful for our health and safety on campus. We have witnessed the administration's response thus far and are disappointed. What is being reported is not what we are experiencing daily as we navigate campus. 

We came back to campus believing that MSU had a secure plan for the university in terms of dealing with COVID-19. Instead of seeing social distancing in classrooms, we are witnessing lecture classes filled with students sitting less than 2 feet away from each other. We are witnessing the mask mandate not being followed. We are witnessing  professors having attendance policies that don’t align with the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are witnessing classes and dining halls operating  at full capacity. 

We all have witnessed how things can shift overnight concerning COVID. We have come to know how adaptable we must be in these circumstances. Because of this we demand that MSU adapt to the needs of the students.

We are asking you the MSU community to sign this petition to get MSU’s administration, The Board of Trustees, President Stanley, and specifically Provost Woodruff to:

• Inform both students and professors if someone in their class has tested positive for COVID-19
  •  Allow professors the autonomy to choose whether a class will be held virtually once a student in that class tests positive for COVID-19 
•  Require professors to post Record and post lectures for all students not able to make it to class for health-related reasons (including, but not limited to COVID-19)
• Require professors to change attendance policies in which missing class cannot directly affect a student’s grade in the course (I.e., not making attendance mandatory or for points that are not considered extra credit)
• Bring back the 6 feet social distancing policy for all in person classes
• Require campus spaces be disinfected after each class session
  
  • Have hand sanitizer, masks, and disinfectant wipes available in all in person classes and gathering spaces on campus
• Require all persons coming to campus to re enroll in MSU’s early detection program (i.e., submit a spit kit weekly)
•  Reenforcing the mask mandate in which students are penalized for not following the protocol inside buildings on campus (personal responsibility ambassadors) 
•  Requiring students to wear masks during outside events with more than 100 people (I.e. football games and large tailgates)
  
  • Limit all in person campus events to only those that are fully vaccinated
  • Require proof of vaccination at all in person events
• Provide proof (verification card/form) for all people with medical or religious exemptions
•  Limit the amount of people able to ride a CATA bus at a time (varies based on size of bus)
• Require that anyone that is exposed to COVID-19 quarantine for 48 hours and receive a covid test regardless of if symptoms are present
• Deny student workers the right to come into work on campus if they are exhibiting symptoms of or had an exposure to someone with COVID-19 
• Obtain more accessible COVID-19 testing resources on campus (i.e., no appointment or referral necessary and faster result times) 
• Provide rapid-result COVID-19 testing on campus (get results within 24-hours)
• Provide “dine to go” and mobile ordering in all campus dining areas
•  Limit the number of people able to eat in a campus dining hall at once
   

We believe that MSU has the ability to make the changes necessary to keep our Spartan Community safe. We believe that MSU can set the standard of what excellence looks like in terms of health and safety. Michigan State has historically not been a leader in the BIG 10 when it comes to making changes, but we are hoping that this can be rectified now. Please MSU don’t let our Spartan Community down. 

For more information: https://linktr.ee/msucovidchange