MSU students express mixed feelings about returning after shooting

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Michigan State University’s interim president, Teresa Woodruff, said that university leaders are meeting daily to discuss the needs of students and staff as they prepare to return to campus and classes on Monday, one week after the mass shooting on campus.

Related: Michigan State University addresses security on campus

“We will work together to make informed decisions, and lean on each other,” Woodruff said. “None of us have all the answers, but we do have each other.”

As university leaders make these difficult decisions, the plan is to have students and staff return to class on Monday. Students said they’re already getting e-mails from their professors about assignments and midterms, while they’re still just trying to make it through each day.

“I feel... ready. I didn’t get to see any of my friends after it happened,” said freshman Olivia Austin. “I left campus so I haven’t got like to hug them, or see them.”

Searching for a sense of normalcy, some students said they are ready to be back in the classroom. Others students said they can’t imagine returning so soon and many said they would prefer a hybrid or online option.

“It comes and goes in waves, it can make it hard to focus on one thing at a time,” said freshman Allison Chmielewski. “I think everyone feels differently.”

“You know for some of my friends, like they don’t want to return yet,” Austin said. “And for some of us like we want to return, we want to get back to normal. And so I feel like giving online options or hybrid options or ways to ask for extended deadlines.”

MSU’s president said the final decision hasn’t been made yet.

“We’re considering all options,” said Woodruff.

The return to deadlines seems to be the biggest hurdle for many. Students said it’s hard to focus on school right now.

“I know someone whose professor still had a thousand-word essay due yesterday, and like I have to do three chapters of work for a mid-term next Friday and I feel like for us, that’s not super fair,” said Austin.

“I think it’s going to be a struggle, having those expectations while still battling some of those you know, waves of like grief and like panic for some people,” said Chmielewski.

Students said they feel supported by MSU’s administration so far. They hope the university will take student feedback into consideration as they prepare to return to class.

Michigan State University is asking professors to modify their deadlines. Although students said they have yet to hear about any extensions.

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