The forum, which is scheduled for Sept. 10. 2026, seeks to “broaden participation and deepen engagement by building on last year’s inaugural forum,” according to the survey form. The decision follows last year’s controversial launch for the event, where attendees raised concerns of transparency and proper engagement.

Respondents can recommend up to three discussion themes and nominate up to 10 individuals affiliated with MSU, including themselves. The announcement stressed that invitations are not guaranteed by participating in the nomination process.

“We are especially interested in broadening participation and hearing from voices that may not traditionally be centered in institutional discussions,” the announcement email stated. “Lived experience, professional expertise and thoughtful perspectives are all valuable, and we welcome the chance to hear from you.”

The first forum, which included roughly 50 attendees such as university administrators, faculty and student leaders, also invited the MSU community to complete a survey the spring before the event. That survey also allowed for respondents to nominate themselves as attendees.

It is unclear how many participants were invited through the survey.

University spokesperson Amber McCann, in an email to The State News, wrote that the survey remains largely the same compared to last year's, with it allowing for respondents to recommend topics of discussion. Although four themes were predetermined when last year’s survey was released, McCann said a fifth theme, “undergraduate student experience” was added based on survey results.

McCann confirmed that some attendees were determined based on nominations from the survey, but emphasized that participants were selected through a variety of ways.

"The goal is to broaden that participation for this year’s event," McCann wrote.

Specific topics will be developed over the coming months and informed by survey results, she added. The number of attendees and the forum’s structure will be finalized closer to the event date.

The survey will remain open through June 30.

The forum originated from a December 2024 board vote to reduce the number of required meetings from six to five and explore alternative ways to discuss issues. As a result, administrators came to the consensus to hold a private forum in lieu of a September meeting moving forward.

That decision by the board and administrators was short lived however, as the push to increase public participation at this year’s forum came after the board made the move to reinstate its September 2026 meeting the day following the forum. According to the board meeting calendar a September meeting is scheduled in 2027 as well.