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By Demonte Thomas dthomas@statenews.com
Michigan State University is preparing to celebrate its Spartans with this year’s fall commencements on Dec. 13 and Dec. 14 at the Breslin Center. From speakers to times of ceremonies, here’s everything you need to know before attending.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
The deadline for students to register to participate in this semester’s commencement is Friday, Dec. 6 at noon. Seniors can visit Eventbrite to register. There is no cost for registration.
TIMES OF CEREMONIES
The ceremony for students receiving doctorate, master’s and Educational Specialist degrees will be held on Friday, Dec. 13 at 3:30 p.m.
Another ceremony take place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. for seniors graduating from the following colleges:
• Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
• College of Arts and Letters
• Eli Broad College of Business
• College of Education
• James Madison College
• College of Music
• College of Social Science
Later on Dec. 14, there will be a ceremony at 2 p.m. for seniors graduating from the following colleges:
• College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• College of Communication Arts and Sciences
• College of Engineering
• Lyman Briggs College
• College of Natural Science
• College of Nursing
SPEAKERS
The keynote speaker for the advanced degree ceremony will be Teresa Sullivan, a former
MSU interim provost and president emerita at the University of Virginia, where she is also a university professor emerita. Sullivan will address doctorate, master’s and Educational Specialist degree recipients and will receive an honorary degree of humanities.
Jillian Lorenz, an MSU alum and co-founder of The Barre Code, a barre fitness company, will address the 10 a.m. group. Lorenz, who graduated from MSU in 2000 with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering, will receive an honorary doctor in business.
Darius Adamczyk, an MSU alum and chairman of Goldman Sachs Private Asset Investments and Operations, will address the 2 p.m. group. Adamczyk, who graduated from MSU in 1988 with a bachelor in electrical engineering and computer engineering, will receive an honorary doctor of engineering.
LIVESTREAM
All commencement ceremonies will be livestreamed on MSU’s Commencement Ceremonies webpage. Social media users can
follow the event using #SpartanGrad24. Friends, family and alumni can send personalized messages and photos prior to the ceremonies. Those who wish to support grads can do so through message submissions for each ceremony, at the following times:
• Doctoral, master’s and educational specialist degrees
• Baccalaureate ceremony – 10 a.m.
• Baccalaureate ceremony – 2 p.m.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Only bags that are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12” are allowed. A small clutch bag, camera and binocular cases not exceeding 4.5” x 6.5” are also allowed. Outside food and beverages are prohibited. There will be a limited concessions menu during the ceremony.
Prohibited items include weapons of any form, noisemakers, selfie sticks, pets and signs. More information on items allowed inside the Breslin Center can be found here.
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Justina Gaynor closes final chapter with MSU women’s soccer
By Satvik Shubham sshubham@statenews.com
On a crisp autumn evening, MSU women’s soccer graduate midfielder
Justina Gaynor stood in the center of DeMartin Stadium, taking in the surroundings that had become her home over the past three years.
The field, illuminated by floodlights and filled with echoes of cheers from unforgettable moments, symbolized everything she loved about the university and program.
Gaynor’s journey with the Spartans began in the fall of 2021 when she transferred from Butler University. In her first season at MSU, she quickly established herself as a critical part of the team, appearing in 17 matches and starting 11. That foundational year set the stage for her rise as a leader in a program on the cusp of greatness.
By her second season in 2022, Gaynor had become a cornerstone of the team. It was a season for the history books, as MSU achieved an impressive 17-3-3 record and went undefeated in Big Ten play. The
remarkable campaign earned the Spartans their first-ever outright Big Ten Championship and solidified their place as a rising power in collegiate soccer.
“Two years ago, everything was so new,” Gaynor said. “Our familiarity with success was super new. We went undefeated in the conference. That was the craziest, real feeling, and it was our first time for most of the girls on the team to ever play in an NCAA Tournament game.”
The Spartans didn’t stop there. Building on newfound success, Gaynor and her teammates continued to elevate the program in 2023 and 2024. Gaynor’s ability to read the game, deliver pinpoint passes and guide the team made her one of the most respected midfielders in the country.
In 2023, she recorded six goals and a team-high 12 assists, starting all 22 matches and logging more minutes than any other field player. Gaynor’s consistency earned Big Ten Midfielder of the Year honors and cemented her legacy as one of MSU’s all-time greats.
“Each year brings new challenges,”
Gaynor said. “Figuring out leadership roles, bringing our transfers in and getting them into our system was difficult. Each team is different, has different strengths, so working through that every season to figure out what those strengths are and really build on that is important.”
Her efforts weren’t just about individual accolades. Gaynor’s leadership was instrumental in guiding MSU to its deepest NCAA Tournament run at the time in 2023, highlighted by a 1-0 victory over Harvard in the second round. The Spartans became a force to be reckoned with, and Gaynor’s fingerprints were all over their success.
Gaynor has a familial history of soccer excellence, with her sister, Celia Gaynor, also playing for MSU before being selected in the NWSL draft by the Chicago Red Stars.
Off the field, Gaynor was the epitome of the student-athlete ideal.
A United Soccer Coaches Scholar AllAmerican and recipient of numerous academic honors, she excelled in her studies while balancing the demands of elite athletics.
In 2024, her final season, the creative midfielder was sent off with the program’s joint-best run in the NCAA Tournament. Gaynor has experienced all of head coach Jeff Hosler’s esteemed tenure thus far, three seasons in which MSU captured three of its seven-ever NCAA Tournament appearances.
Now, as she prepares to leave MSU, Gaynor’s emotions are a mix of gratitude and pride. She knows her impact on the program will endure, and the legacy she leaves behind is one of resilience, brilliance and unyielding love for the game. After MSU’s first-round NCAA Tournament win against Western Michigan, Gaynor reflected on her time playing in East Lansing.
“I love this place, I love this field, I love the team,” Gaynor said. “Before the game, I just took a minute to be super thankful and grateful for all the time that I’ve spent here.”
While Gaynor’s time on the pitch at DeMartin Stadium has come to an end, her story will inspire future Spartans to chase greatness, just as she did.
Michigan State senior guard Jaden Akins (3) taking in a view of the game played against the University of Nebraska at the Breslin Center on Dec. 7, 2024. Photo by Maya Kolton.
Spartan graduate student midfielder
Justina Gaynor (18) runs toward the Red Cedar Rowdies to celebrate making the game-winning goal against the University of Michigan at DeMartin Stadium on Oct. 5, 2024. Photo by Brianna Schmidt.
MSU won’t make statements on current events under new ‘institutional restraint’ guidelines
By Theo Scheer tscheer@statenews.com
Michigan State University is now telling departments to refrain from issuing statements on current events unless they threaten MSU’s mission or have a direct impact on the university community.
Guidelines released Wednesday attempt to position the university “as a forum for debates, not proponents within them.” They advise against university departments, colleges, administrative units and individual employees releasing statements that appear to represent the university.
This is the first time MSU has publicly articulated the university’s stance on current events, though it has been moving toward such a decision for months.
Earlier this year, MSU requested the removal of department statements on the Israel-Hamas war and told administrators that the university’s “tone” on the war is “neutral.” University leadership also cautioned faculty not to express personal views on the presidential
election in ways that would silence students that feel differently.
Unlike the increasing number of universities moving toward “institutional neutrality” — a term used to describe formal policies barring universities from issuing political statements — MSU describes its new guidance as “institutional restraint.”
“’Neutrality suggests that there is no position the university may have on a particular issue,” MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz told The State News earlier this week. “But (restraint) is saying that we may have an opinion, but we’re gonna allow others to express themselves and to not marginalize any particular opinion.”
Institutional statements could silence alternative views, “numb the community to leaders’ voices, appear performative and/or exacerbate the situation,” Guskiewicz wrote in a letter to deans and department directors Wednesday.
MSU argues that institutional restraint can go hand-in-hand with academic freedom. Faculty shouldn’t “sideline themselves in any public
conversation,” Guskiewicz wrote. But they cannot make personal statements on behalf of the university, like by using a university listserv or website, or by “using their administrative title.”
Comparative Cultures and Politics
Professor Jennifer Goett, who has been outspoken about MSU’s investments in Israel, said the ambiguity of the guidelines could still have a chilling effect on academic freedom.
The guidelines include exceptions for addressing “incidents that threaten MSU’s core mission” and “incidents that directly impact the broad university community” — carve-outs that Goett described as vague.
“There is a wide range of interpretation about what constitutes permissible and not permissible speech on campus,” Goett said. “I think we’re going to have to see how the policy is applied moving forward.”
The Supreme Court’s 2022 repeal of the federal right to an abortion, future federal decisions around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies, or incidents like the 2023 campus shooting are examples of issues that would warrant institutional
statements, said MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant.
The guidance, which took the form of a statement from the university rather than an official,
The decision was made after consulting with deans, faculty leaders and the board, Guskiewicz said. Senior Reporter Alex Walters contributed reporting.
A Michigan State University sign on Beal Street. State News file photo.
Producer, show-runner, writer: MSU sophomore wears many hats in CAS department
By Hannah Locke hlocke@statenews.com
If you have checked out audio visual equipment in the Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS) building this semester, then you likely met digital storytelling sophomore Aiden Myerson. He is a familiar face for many in the department, as he works five days a week in the equipment room. This job is one of the many things Myerson is involved in on campus and within his major. In addition to working five days a week, he is on MSU Telecasters as a producer and the events director, he works for Impact FM, is developing his first short film, acts and writes for The Show and even plays in a band with his friends in his free time.
Media production and audio are where Myerson’s true passions lie, and after speaking with quite a few seniors in his freshman year, he realized that in order to be successful he needed to start building his portfolio.
MSU Telecasters is one of the first organizations he joined. He is a producer for the Beaumont Bulletin, a parody news show that pokes fun at global, national and MSU news. Soon, he will be transitioning out of that role to develop an entirely new show for MSU Telecasters.
“We’re in what we call a pilot semester, where we have to produce three full episodes of this show successfully by the end of the semester, starting next semester,” Myerson said. “If it is unsuccessful, then it simply gets canned, and we never see it again. If it is successful, it gets green-lit, and we move on and we create the show going forward.”
The new show is a trivia game show
called “Niche.”
“We give contestants one week to study, and we give them a general topic… They get in the studio, we start filming, and we give them three specific subtopics… then we get very, very specific,” Myerson said.
Myerson came up with the entire idea on his own and then enlisted his friend, games and interactive media sophomore Mannix Muir, to help with the software that the game show will use.
“Our goal is to make it similar to certain shows, but just different enough to make it its own thing,” Myerson said.
With the many resources available at the CAS building, the group creating “Niche” will be able to conduct a professional production as college students.
“We shoot this thing the same way you would shoot a professional game show with a
full control room, multi-cam setup,” he said. “Everything will be the exact way that you do it professionally.”
Myerson enjoys multi-camera production, so he will be able to get valuable experience on top of what he already has with the Beaumont Bulletin.
“It’s gonna be a lot of work, but it’ll be worth it, if, both in general, because it’ll be fun, and also to be able to put on my resume that I started, produced and ran my own show for two and a half years,” Myerson said. “That’ll be a really great thing to have too.”
Outside of MSU Telecasters, Myerson has also created his own production company, ANM Productions, and his first project under this company is currently in the works: a short film entitled “The Hat of Confidence.” Working alongside the director and writer, senior Cole Bennett, Myerson will be an executive and lead producer for the film. This will be another main
focus of his for the coming semester.
“Full production will take multiple weekends to film the whole thing and then we’re trying to get it in film festivals and do that sort of route,” Myerson said. “So that’s mostly what’s going to take up a lot of my time, on top of classes as well.”
The various projects that Myerson is involved in supplement his digital storytelling classes, but his biggest focus is getting hands-on experience.
“I personally feel that the classes are really helpful when it comes to learning how to do things, but in order to get a job in the future, you need to have a lot of extracurriculars, and you need to be able to build your portfolio up,” he said.
Myerson credits the process of building his portfolio with helping him build a lot of connections, both personal and professional.
“I love all of the different organizations that I’m in, mostly because of the people. A lot of the people that I hang out with, a lot of my closest friends, I made through these organizations,” he said. “We stay busy together, which is kind of the important part of this.”
Despite large workloads and various projects, Myerson is doing what he loves and what he has wanted to do since he was young. He encourages others to go for what they are passionate about and try to get as much experience as possible.
“One of the biggest pieces of advice that I have, is that it doesn’t matter how young you are, you should always go for whatever you want, because there’s no hurt or harm in trying,” he said. “It’s always a good experience to try for it, no matter how young you are. Either it shows ambition, that you really want it, or it shows that you’re trying to learn.”
Sophomore Aiden Myerson checking out equipment for a student at the SA desk (DMAT Equipment Checkout) at the Communication Arts and Sciences building on Dec. 6, 2024. Photo by Maya Kolton.
MSU AND EAST LANSING LIQUOR LAWS, EXPLAINED
By Hannah Holycross hholycross@statenews.com
In a college town like East Lansing — lined with bars and next to a campus that sees an influx of visitors on game days — sipping an open beer could have different consequences or none at all depending on who or where you are.
When it comes to who you are, it is a nationwide law that persons under the age of 21 cannot consume or purchase alcohol, potentially resulting in a Minor in Possession (MIP) charge. When it comes to where you are, MSU and East Lansing have different ordinances dictating where and when you can be out-and-about with an open alcohol container.
MIPS
MIPs involve an underage person being in possession of an open-alcohol container, trying to purchase alcohol, or having a blood alcohol content of 0.02 or more.
East Lansing Police Department Lieutenant Travis Bove said the punishment for an MIP is based on an individual’s number of offenses.
The City of East Lansing’s website says a first MIP offense will usually be written as a civil infraction, not a criminal offense, and is punishable by a fine and court costs.
If a second or third offense occurs, there is potential to be charged with a misdemeanor, which could lead you to have a suspended license for a set amount of time. Second offenses also often come with possible probation and/or referrals to substance abuse treatment or community service.
From Jan. 1 up until Oct. 11, East Lansing had a total of 66 MIP offenses, 86 open-alcohol violations and 39 cases of false identification.
Bove said the false identification numbers aren’t only for cases in which false identification was used to purchase alcohol, as they can also apply to people falsely identifying themselves during traffic stops.
MIP arrests this semester have been slim, with six in East Lansing from Aug. 26 to Oct. 21.
Disorderly conduct, which often ties in with alcohol-related offenses, is more common, with 32 cases in East Lansing in the same time frame. Bove said disorderly conduct can be
anything from disorderly fighting to providing false identification to a police officer.
East Lansing’s MIP ordinance states that any person suspected of being in possession of alcohol while under the age of 21 is required to show proof of age and may be asked to take a breath alcohol test. The disorderly conduct ordinance prohibits public intoxication and any behavior directly endangering the safety of another person or property.
OPEN ALCOHOL RULES
East Lansing’s open-alcohol ordinances prohibit the possession of alcoholic beverages in either an open container or a container with a broken seal in any public place that isn’t a licensed liquor establishment. So, if you plan on finishing your drink on your walk home from a party or the bar, think again.
Bove said that in East Lansing, MIP offenders often get caught initially for breaking the openalcohol ordinance, which draws attention from officers.
“You’re walking down the street
with open alcohol, you are violating the law for open alcohol and then also potentially being, if you’re under the age of 21, a minor in possession of alcohol,” Bove said. “It is the discretion of the officer who has contact with that. They can issue a citation for open alcohol, they can issue a citation for MIP, or they can (do) both.”
Liquor law violations are more common during the times of year that see an influx of people in the city, such as the beginning and end of the school year when it’s warm or on game days, Bove said.
“We will staff at a heavier rate, just to provide safety,” he said. “That’s not solely because of any singular event. It’s just there’s more people; we have to have more staffing to provide resources and have the ability to help people when they call.”
MSU’S RULES
MSU’s alcohol ordinances are similar, but there are exceptions to the open container rule for specific events, such as on home football game days.
for assessment and treatment, relocation to a new living environment and suspension from MSU for repeated violations, according to MSU’s 2024 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Vizueta said MIP cases aren’t as common on campus, but when they do occur, they often involve minors with open containers or that are above the legal bloodalcohol concentration.
MEDICAL AMNESTY AND OTHER RESOURCES
When it comes to alcohol-related crimes, Bove said it is also important to recognize the presence of medical amnesty, which is applicable at MSU and in East Lansing.
Medical amnesty is an exemption from discipline for violations of drug or alcohol-related policies for people seeking immediate medical attention for themselves or on behalf of someone else.
“While there is a portion of our job that is enforcement, our main goal is to make sure people are safe,” Bove said. “We want people to know that if someone is intoxicated and needs help and is under 21 years of age, medical amnesty covers that.”
“Our alcohol rules are particular just to any special events that have been approved by the university,” said Nadia Vizueta, the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety communications manager.
“So, for example, the more common ones would be like a football game, but those are limited to very specific days that the university allows.”
So, if you are carrying an open container on game day, make sure you stay within the bounds of campus. That’s defined as “bounded by Grand River Avenue, Hagadorn Road, Mount Hope Road, Harrison Road, and Michigan Avenue.” Once you cross over the line into East Lansing, then you are in violation of the city’s ordinances.
The MSU ordinance also states that no alcohol is to be sold or distributed on campus except at the stadium or for an event in which it was pre-approved by the board.
Those who violate these ordinances could face a variety of punitive measures: disciplinary probation, required attendance at educational programs, referral
MSU also offers the Alcohol and Other Drugs program, commonly referred to as the AOD program, which is a resource for students suffering from alcohol or drug abuse where they can attend events to learn about recovery.
In an email to The State News, AOD coordinator Hailey Green said the program offers educational programs designed for students who have received a sanction through MSU’s Dean of Students Office after being charged with a minor in possession. Those programs offer space for students to reflect on their attitudes and behaviors regarding alcohol in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.
She said they also offer the option to receive anonymous assessment tools that can be used to assess a person’s alcohol or drug use to help identify potential risks associated with substance use.
Other resources for students suffering from alcohol abuse include MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services and MSU’s Collegiate Recovery Community.
State News file photo.
By Grace Montgomery.
ACROSS
1 U.S. space agency, for short 5 Indirectly derogatory 10 Political and military pact with 32 members, for short 14 ____-mate
15 _____ Doubleday, thought to be inventor of baseball
“Come hungry. Leave happy.”
To grab or steal
Spiced beverage with black tea base
“...and so on”
Mongol comrade (military)
55 Stride angrily 58 “Happy ________!”,
seasonal greeting 60 Adjust guitar string
Plant life 63 Needed after car dies, perhaps
Lincoln and Vigoda, pl. 65 Lubricated with grease 66 Brazilian footballer
Freshwater fish
68 _____ Lee, lead vocalist and bassist for Rush 69 Russian emperor
DOWN
1 Ted ______, the “Motor City Madman”
2 “___ ___ Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
Hunchbacked sidekick
U.S. health organization, for short
Superhero accessory
Chopper landing area
Intricate
Word of affirmation
Furry friend
45 Deadpool nickname, “____ with a Mouth”
46 Peak-filled terrain, for short and pl. 47 Stands against
Undergrad. professor’s asst. 52 Make more profound 53 Beauty parlor
3 Accumulates reserves for future use
4 “thanK you _____,” a Taylor Swift song
5 Exchange for money
6 Pager official, for short
7 State of frantic fear
8 ___ Moines, capitol of Iowa
9 Poetic before
10 In Ecology, the role of an organism in an ecosystem
11 Exclamation of realization
12 “Frog and ____”, a popular children’s book series
13 Ron’s Andy Griffith role
21 Group of scouts
22 Camera type with a reflective mirror, for short
25 Rock band behind “Back in Black”
26 Begin to be
29 Frozen Starbucks drink, for short
30 Determines mathematically
31 Large primate with no tail
32 ___-Mex
34 Spirit flavored with juniper berries
36 Emergency lifesaving technique, for short
37 Sandwich filler
38 Ambulance Asst.
39 Johnny ____, played
Captain Jack Sparrow
41 Argentine footballer
44 Support for climbing
47 Supplier’s supplier, for short
48 Did during a nap, perhaps
50 Ignatius of ______, Jesuit founder
51 Response
52 Decorate artistically
54 Change to suit
55 Violently pierce
56 Brass instrument with three-six valves
57 Low-denomination bills
59 Female equivalent of Lord
61 Thick mist
62 Recline horizontally
MSU DOESN’T OWE STUDENTS FOR COVID LIMITATIONS, COURT RULES
By Theo Scheer tscheer @statenews.com
Michigan State University doesn’t need to refund students for limiting in-person services during the COVID-19 pandemic, a court ruled on Wednesday.
The Michigan Court of Appeals decided that MSU didn’t breach its contract with students because the university never legally guaranteed an in-person education.
Days after the first reported cases of COVID-19 in Michigan spurred a statewide state of emergency in March 2020, MSU announced it would move its classes online and offered a $1,120 credit to encourage students to move out of on-campus housing.
Then-students James Allen, Matthew Olin and Megan Placko — and several of their parents — filed a lawsuit against the university the next month, arguing that students paid for an in-person education and deserved partial reimbursement for tuition, room and board, and other fees.
In court filings, the university countered that the cost of tuition was based on the number of credit hours a student takes,
not the format of the class. It also argued that a provision in its residential housing contract allowed for the agreement to be terminated “in case of an emergency that would make continued operation of resident housing impossible.”
The court agreed, saying that even if informational materials distributed by the university implied that its educational offerings were in-person, the carve outs in its contracts gave MSU the authority to change how it delivered its services.
“Despite the pandemic, MSU successfully maintained the core of its educational mission — providing instruction and various services for students — throughout the pandemic,” the court wrote in its decision. “Furthermore, there was never an agreement stipulating that education and services had to be delivered in a specific format. Therefore, it is wholly fair and just for MSU to retain the tuition and fees it collected.”
An MSU spokesperson declined to comment. Law firm Milberg Phillips Grossman LLP., who represented the students in the suit, did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
