Three MSU graduate students who live in the village addressed the board with concerns that the demolition of of the village will displace families and make MSU less competitive in attracting international and graduate students.

However, Vennie Gore, vice president for Auxiliary Enterprises, said the university is committed to providing a family-housing option.

“There will be the kind of housing that student-families need — one, two and three-bedroom housing that’s affordable,” he said. “That’s our commitment. As we start down the planning process, we’ll make sure the student voice is heard.”

Residents were primarily concerned with future housing plans after the complex’s demolition.

“We know that the buildings in Spartan Village have served their time, they were constructed in the 1940s and there’s a life cycle,” said Vaughn Crichlow, a criminal justice doctoral student who lives in the village. “That point is not up for dispute. We are concerned about contingency planning and the future of family-oriented housing.”

The safety of Spartan Village is one reason it’s so valuable — children can play outside with minimal supervision and women can jog in the evenings without fear of being attacked, he added.

Crichlow lives in the village with his wife and three children.

Bernie Malonson decided to return to school at the age of 41 with his wife and two children. The family lives in the village. He said on-campus, family-style housing was a big part of his decision to attend MSU.

“It’s not just me going to school — it’s my family going to school and that’s very important to me,” Malonson said. “Many non-traditional students make significant personal and financial sacrifices. A TA position or fellowship does not go very far. The ability to plan and have one bill is crucial, especially when you’ve gone from a 2,100-square-foot house to a 750-square-foot, one-bathroom apartment.”

He advocated for uninterrupted family housing. There should be no gaps between the demolition of Spartan Village and other options for families, he said.

Batool Atta has attended MSU as a doctoral student of curriculum, instruction and teacher education and has lived in the village since 2009. She said when choosing a university, as an international student, her biggest concern was the safety and comfort of housing accommodations.

She said the lack of family housing would give other universities an edge over MSU in recruiting international students.

“As a Spartan in spirit, that’s unacceptable to me,” she said.

Gore addressed concerns by telling the students that the university is committed making sure no families are displaced.

“It will be apartment-style, it’s going to have the amenities that student families need, we’re going to do it at an affordable rate,” Gore said. “The planning process will give us the opportunity to figure out how to get there. We’re not going to put families in residence halls — that’s not appropriate.”