"We were loud, we were boisterous, we were combative," Stallworth recalled.

Leaders eventually agreed to set aside funding for designated spaces in residential halls for Black students to congregate in, among other things, he said.

MSU’s administration was "fairly tolerant" of their activism, and the students involved "didn’t face any repercussions," Stallworth said. 

Stallworth is proud that he got the message across that students are key stakeholders in their education. And he’s impressed the university listened.

Decades since his time as a student activist, Stallworth is now aiming for a key spot on the other side of the table. He’s one of eight candidates competing for two open seats on MSU’s Board of Trustees this November.

Stallworth, a Democrat and longtime Detroit public servant, hopes to make the university more affordable and safe for students.

Campus activism

If elected trustee, Stallworth would have to choose how to respond to activism on par with his own. 

In the past year, students calling for the university to divest from Israel have disrupted board meetings and a presidential investiture, held countless demonstrations, and recently staged a sit-in at the administration building.

Stallworth says he appreciates the activism, especially considering his own experience.

"That’s what drives change for the better," he said.

But Stallworth said he isn’t sure whether divestment will get "the aggression to stop."

"The turmoil and conflict in the Middle East has been ongoing for centuries," Stallworth said. "We're not gonna have a single approach that's going to drive a resolution to it."

Stallworth said he supports a cease-fire and a two-state solution, and wants to listen to students on "both sides" to see whether their arguments "lead to the outcomes I'm interested in."

Divestment might be a "viable solution" if it "helps move Israel to the table without risking their security," Stallworth said.

Two unionization efforts on campus — MSU Extension and tenure system faculty — have also done their fair share of activism, and have claimed the university is trying to block their efforts.

Stallworth says he believes that workers have a right to organize, but management also has the right to argue the "benefits of a non-labor environment."

Affordability

Despite the university’s efforts to lower costs, Stallworth says MSU — and higher education in general — isn’t affordable.

To change that, the university needs to campaign the state government for more funding in higher education. But the university also needs to make sure it's spending its own money wisely, he said.

Part of that involves changing the culture of MSU to avoid situations that end in costly lawsuits, like the recent bout of litigation spurred by the Mel Tucker scandal. That can be achieved by "building a culture that rewards the appropriate behavior and punishes the inappropriate," Stallworth said.

But Stallworth has a different view of another recent costly controversy. 

In March, the board voted to ask the governor to consider removing two of its own members for violating university policies. 

The decision came after an outside investigation found that Trustees Rema Vassar and Dennis Denno interfered in university investigations and lawsuits, accepted gifts from donors, and encouraged students to embarrass and attack their colleagues.

MSU paid upwards of $1.5 million for the firm’s work and for legal representation for Vassar and Denno. (Vassar’s lawyers are suing the university for refusing to pay a portion of her legal fees, and both Vassar and Denno have indicated they might pursue legal action against MSU.)

Stallworth hasn’t read the report that spurred the call for their removal, but based on media coverage of the situation, he says he hasn’t seen any "egregious" behavior that warrants removal.

"The degree to which any of (the firm’s findings) occurred I would have to do a lot deeper analysis of," Stallworth said. "But I can say this: … the board and its members are a reflection of the people who elected them. So, don’t like what you got? Get some new board members."

Safety

Stallworth’s highest priority, he said, is ensuring student safety. He said he "can’t even imagine the kind of trauma" created by the 2023 campus shooting that killed three students and injured five.

"Investments that may need to be made in that space should be made promptly," Stallworth said.

Asked where he thinks those investments should go, Stallworth said a review of what changes could be made to MSU’s infrastructure to enhance safety could be a good option. 

"I don't know if an audit has been done or a review has been done," he said. "If one hasn't been done, there probably should be one."

When told that MSU did hire an outside firm to conduct a review of the shooting and changes that could be made, Stallworth said he would continue to ensure the review's recommendations are being followed.

Investigators recommended MSU upgrade its surveillance technology, continue installing locks on classroom doors and hire more police officers. MSU has followed through on several of the recommendations.

Stallworth’s Detroit legacy

Stallworth was a former state representative, chairperson of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus, chairperson of the Detroit Caucus and a Detroit Public Schools board member.

He currently serves as president of the Stallworth Consulting Group, where he’s assisting in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s response to the opioid epidemic.

He’s been endorsed by Whitmer, U.S. Senator Gary Peters, Planned Parenthood of Michigan and several union groups.

The Stallworth name has deep roots in Detroit. Stallworth’s mother, Alma, was a long-time Detroit lawmaker and founded the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan. His wife, Nicole Wells Stallworth, was recently named the CEO of Detroit-based nonprofit The Children’s Center. His daughter, Misha Stallworth West, serves as a Detroit Public Schools board member.

"Public service is in his blood," former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Brandon Dillon told The State News. "I’ve never been more excited to vote for an MSU trustee."

But Stallworth himself hasn't always escaped scrutiny. Bridge Michigan recently reported that Stallworth, who is currently advising the governor on the roll-out of opioid settlement funds, proposed disbanding an advisory committee that has been critical of the governor’s efforts.

Stallworth said the context of the story was not accurate. He had only been contemplating whether it would be more efficient to merge the committee with another advisory group with a similar purpose, Stallworth said. Having two separate groups overseeing the opioid effort is "duplicative," he said.

"There's nothing nefarious about it," he said.