“At the end of last semester, (or) early this semester our folks at REHS began the discussion,” he said. “That was when a lot of the reports on the exploding lithium batteries starting coming in nationally.”

Previously, a ban on riding or possessing the boards in residence halls was in place. No incidents regarding the boards had been reported, Cody said. 

“We didn’t want to wait until there was an incident,” he added.

Cody said the decision was made in consult with MSU’s fire marshal. 

In a previous State News article, fire marshal for MSU police Dennis Zietlow said although no fires were reported on campus, numerous incidents of hoverboards catching fire have occurred. 

Some students agreed with Cody that hoverboards are not a particularly common fixture on campus and the dangers they posed outweighed any potential benefits.

“I don't really see people use them that often, but I think they’re pretty dangerous,” predental freshman Abbey Olson said.

Accounting senior Matt Miller also said he felt the ban was a fair decision.

“I don’t think the university is going too far,” Miller said. “The concerns about them are enough to install a ban.”

Other students were disappointed by the ban.

“It’s an easy way to get around campus,” electrical engineering freshman Maddie Meloscia said. “I was hoping to get one, but now there is no point really.”

Zietlow said in the previous article the hoverboards tend to catch on fire when being charged. He said the hoverboard ban could be lifted if companies producing the scooters better tested the product.

“Down the road, once the companies begin to test the units, it could be an issue that would change down the road,” Zietlow said in the article.