What is Reclaim MSU?
Reclaim MSU is an alliance of students, staff, faculty, and alumni at Michigan State University demanding transparency, accountability, and equitable distribution of power and resources from the MSU administration.
We are organizing against all instances of discrimination, violence, and harassment in our community further enabled by administrative neglect. We stand in solidarity with all those affected by institutional and cultural injustice on our campus and envision a future of substantive justice for the MSU community.
Our current actions include: maintaining this central Activism & InfoHub, recruiting volunteers, mobilizing action, and drafting policy recommendations available for any group to use. Any individual or group can join Reclaim MSU.
What do we mean by “Reclaim”?
We are calling for the Michigan State Community to unite and retake our agency from the Administration and Board of Trustees. Our rights to safety, health, justice, voice, equity, and respect to which we are entitled as invested members of the university community are currently not, and for some have never been, fulfilled by our system. We as faculty, staff, and students demand change and are thus working to regroup, recreate, and reclaim our rightful place at Michigan State University.
MSU's long-term crisis of transparency and resulting abuses of power have come to a head in the wake of the Nassar sentencings and the unilateral appointment of Interim President John Engler by the MSU Board of Trustees.
MSU Spartans are acting. This hub keeps track of all the public info for campus actions to aid transparency, networking, and synergy. We prioritize info that is not readily available in other news sources. For example, we look for open letters, events, demands, emails, and meeting minutes sent through the MSU community.
To submit info, ask questions, or suggest revisions, email reclaimmsu@gmail.com or visit our Take Action page.
What principles does Reclaim MSU stand for?
Our Manifesto
We, Reclaim MSU, are an alliance of students, faculty, staff, and alumni at Michigan State University formed in response to the insufficiency of our institution’s ability to respond to, prevent, and investigate instances of sexual misconduct, violence, and discrimination.
We condemn sexual violence and rape culture plaguing our campus. We condemn all discrimination based on ability, age, citizenship status, gender, HIV antibody status, nationality, parental and pregnancy status, race, religion, seniority, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and weight on our campus. We condemn the lack of functional institutions to investigate instances of sexual misconduct, prevent sexual assault, and support the survivors.
The current administration’s attitudes and inactions towards discrimination, harassment, and sexual violence on our campus are unacceptable. In their shameful negligence of these issues they have betrayed the trust of the MSU community. The administration’s lack of accountability has enabled them to act against the best interests of the MSU community. As public servants, the Board of Trustees has failed to be accessible, accountable, and transparent. It is time to stop prioritizing the brand and reputation of Michigan State University.
We must Reclaim MSU. This means valuing the health and wellbeing of the community through equitable distribution of power and resources. This means the direct participation of faculty, students, and staff within the administration and the Board of Trustees. This means procedural justice where different social groups and stakeholders are represented and have a seat at the decision-making table. This means a safe and inclusive campus that is empowering and fosters learning environment. This means fostering a culture of both consent and transparency on part of the Board of Trustees and the administration.
We stand behind the demands of the students, faculty, and staff of Michigan State University. We’re here to fight. Together we will Reclaim MSU.