Michigan State University Board of Trustees approve memorial to commemorate 2023 shooting tragedy

BY ERICK DÍAZ VELIZ, MICHIGAN ADVANCE

In an unexpected “special” Zoom meeting on Friday, the MSU Board of Trustees unanimously approved a plan to build a permanent memorial to honor the victims of the shooting that gripped the MSU community on February 13, 2023, in which three students were killed and five others were injured by a gunman.

“This memorial will honor those affected and will stand as a lasting tribute to the loss and resilience of the Spartan community,” the agenda materials said.

Even as the university navigates financial “uncertainty” and a 9% budget reduction announced by MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz  in June of this year, plans for a memorial on campus have been under discussion since fall 2023, prompted by the Spartan community’s demand for a space to commemorate the tragedy.

The total construction costs are estimated at $3.2 million with $300,000 provided by the Spartan Strong Fund and the remainder from capital reserves. Additionally, according to the agenda materials, the maintenance of the memorial will require an annual cost of $22,500 for the upkeep of the fountain and surrounding landscape, which is described as the “highest level of service.”

In an email statement to the Advance, a MSU spokesperson, Mark Bullion, said “the memorial will be funded by $300,000 set aside from the Spartan Strong Fund, and the rest will come from the university’s capital reserves, not general fund dollars.”

The memorial’s approval followed MSU’s decision earlier this month to pause its plan to lay off psychiatric providers and transition those services to MSU Health Care as part of previously announced university-wide budget reductions.

Following the announcement of the proposed changes, an unsigned online petition circulated, calling for the reinstatement of Dr. Swapna Hingwe, the first woman of color to lead the university’s counseling and psychiatric services.

While the petition, with approximately 1,500 signatures, applauded the decision to suspend the dismissal and other changes, it also expressed apprehension about future actions.

“We remain concerned about the damage already done and the lack of transparency surrounding the future leadership and direction of Mental Health and Trauma Support Services,” the petition stated.

Seeking to delve into healing and memory, the approved project, named the “Permanent February 13th Memorial,” as stated in the agenda documents, was designed by artists Carlos Portillo and Jessica Guinto, who described it months ago as a “communal space that fosters healing, honors, and respects the process of grieving and remembrance.”

Bullion also highlighted the importance of the memorial for the MSU community in offering a place for reflection, healing and remembrance. “A space where our community can honor the lives lost and those who were injured and affected,” he said.

The memorial will be located between the Student Services and Natural Sciences buildings on the east side of campus. It will replace an existing fountain in the former horticulture garden, and benches and seasonal plants will be added, as illustrated in the project models.

About 5,000 people participated in the process to choose the design for the future memorial, highlighted MSU Vice Provost for University Arts and Collections, Judith Stoddart, who congratulated the community for their support and involvement.

“From the earliest stages of this project, including input from those most directly impacted, through the final design selection, the MSU and surrounding communities played a vital role in shaping the memorial,” Stoddart said.

Guskiewicz emphasized the impact on the Spartan community of the violence experienced on the cold night of the shooting.

“This permanent memorial offers a place for reflection, healing, and remembrance, a space where our community can honor the lives lost and those who were injured and affected,” Guskiewicz said.

This coverage was republished from Michigan Advance pursuant to a Creative Commons license.