EAST LANSING, Mich. — A change.org petition aimed to make Michigan State University consider online learning options in light of Monday night’s mass shooting has received more than 18,000 signatures. The goal is set at 25,000.
It comes after university officials stated that classes would resume Monday, Feb. 20.
On Feb. 13, a 43-year-old gunman opened fire in two areas of MSU's campus, killing three students and wounding five.
Created by MSU student Kameron Cone on Tuesday, the petition states that students are “ill at ease with returning to a campus that is not fully equipped to fulfill their safety concerns.”
When questioned about the petition, MSU interim president Teresa Woodruff replied saying the possibility of remote or hybrid learning is still actively being discussed.
“We're considering all options for the manner in which we continue the continuity of education, research and outreach on this campus,” Woodruff said.
On Thursday, staff members for the university’s independent student newspaper released an editorial entitled, “We’re not going to class Monday.”
The opinion piece said in part, “We can’t physically sit in a classroom on Monday. It’s been less than a week since we lost three fellow Spartans in those classrooms. We aren’t ready. But we also can’t log onto Zoom on Monday and meaningfully engage in our classwork. We’re processing trauma. We’re coming to terms with grief. We can’t be worried about a deadline or an exam.
“We need more time to process without a class to worry about. MSU must extend the pause they’ve given us so we can decide how we need to proceed to feel safe and secure.”
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