At their September 2016 meeting, the trustees approved housing rates for 1855 Place and University Village Apartments and approved maintenance projects like the reconstruction and expansion of Lot 92, which is more than 40 years old. They also moved to set aside $46 million for the construction of a data center.

In October, the trustees set aside $3.9 million to plan to renovate the IM Sports-West facility. The update is a part of the Healthy Campus Initiative. Updates approved include renovating the facility’s pool, locker rooms and electrical systems. In February, a budget of $2,816,000 was established, which will come from athletics and university capital renewal funding. IM Sports-West has not seen significant renovations since 2005.

At their October 2016 meeting, President Lou Anna K. Simon addressed freshman Reyna Muck’s controversial Instagram post, stating the family of the student mocked in the post called her and said, “it was an individual, not the university who made this action.” Simon had previously sent a campus-wide email condemning the post, calling it “deeply offensive.”

Also at this meeting, the trustees approved appropriation requests to the state of Michigan. Their request — return state funding to 2011 rates. Student activists and students of color also spoke to the board during public commentary. Latinx students called the trustees to consider students of color when discussing issues of campus climate. Climate Reality Project Campus Corps members asked Simon to be their “climate hero.” Other students noted the board’s silence on the Movement for Black Lives.

October and November 2016 came with election results and a new Board of Trustees member. Out of six candidates, in what might possibly be an effort to get rid of expensive complacency on the board, voters decided to appoint Republican Dan Kelly to the board and Democratic incumbent Dianne Byrum will continue to serve on the board. The election winners were welcomed to the board in January.

The trustees said goodbye to Diann Woodard during their last 2016 meeting during December. Woodard was not re-elected to the board in the November election. In this meeting, the trustees unveiled a new Mobility Plan to make mobility across campus easier and decongest traffic. More on this plan will be revealed December 2017. An initiative to make improvements to the campus water system was also approved. The preliminary budget for this project is $12 million to $32 million.

During this meeting, Simon’s contract as president was renewed, and she did not receive a pay increase this year. Simon most recently accepted a pay increase in 2014. Instead, $100,000 was set aside to the Lou Anna K. Simon and Roy J. Simon scholarship fund.

The board approved a new Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building to be constructed near the new MSU Bio Engineering Facility, where these two buildings with work in conjunction together.

Also during this meeting, the trustees discussed updates to athletic facilities, including Spartan Stadium and Jenison Field House. In February, MSU authorized these projects, and both are expected to be completed by the fall 2017 season. Spartan Stadium will see an addition to the south end zone, a $13 million project, and permanent field lighting, a $2 million project. Both will be financed through athletic funds.

Renovation projects were also authorized, like renovating the track in Ralph Young Field, Bessey Hall and the Veterinary Medical Center. Head coach of MSU football Mark Dantonio was reappointed to his position for 2022-23.

During this February meeting, Simon and the trustees commented on recent controversies surrounding ex-MSU doctor Larry Nassar, who has been accused of sexual abuse, the suspension of three MSU football players for allegations of sexual assault, which has now jumped to four players under suspension, and the way MSU’s Title IX office handles sexual harassment and assault allegations.

MSU Board of Trustees Chair Brian Breslin said two law firms are conducting internal investigations of MSU to explore the processes within the university. This was initiated by the university. Simon read a statement on the sexual violence cases MSU is dealing with. Trustee Mitch Lyons read a statement in response to his controversial tweet from Jan. 31, stating the tweet was not about the executive order on immigration. In addition, four were arrested after the February meeting.

At their most recent meeting, Simon and the board provided an update on the internal investigation and next steps. The university will be implementing new policies and practices for MSU HealthTeams, will engage independent experts to review MSU’s Title IX policy in fall 2017 and will roll out an enhanced youth protection policy.

At this April meeting, the trustees voted to increase room and board rates by 2.5 percent for the 2017-2018 academic year, the lowest increase in 19 years. They also discussed renovations to campus buildings like the Wharton Center, Olin Health Center, Cook Hall and the Engineering Research Complex. 

June 21-3, the trustees will meet to vote on tuition rates and will have a retreat.