Alex Walters

1 month ago | statenews.com | Alex Walters

This trustee sits on MSU’s board and the board of a construction company getting a lucrative contract When Michigan State University’s board voted earlier this month to approve the proposed "Spartan Gateway District," Sandy Pierce tersely recused herself. The trustee did not mention that she has long sat on the board of Barton Malow Company — a developer set to handle a $150 million portion of the ambitious campus plan.

1 month ago | statenews.com | Alex Walters

Military recruiters often make a simple pitch: enlist, serve, then college is free. It's a well worn deal. First established in 1944 under the G.I. Bill, Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court have repeatedly expanded the benefit as nearly 1 million veterans and dependents have used the funds, sending billions in revenue to colleges. But at Michigan State University, the exchange isn’t so simple. University-employed middlemen stand between students and the federal funds they’re entitled to.

1 month ago | statenews.com | Alex Walters

In the very front of Michigan State University’s boardroom, Barry Powers restlessly ruffled through a mess of documents and legal pads in his two oversized briefcases. As the trustees debated infrastructure plans and a new room-and-board rate, the Mount Clemens attorney popped mints and combed his hair, preparing to speak during the meeting’s public comment period. When his brief time-slot came, he pulled nine copies of a lawsuit out of an Adidas drawstring bag and walked up to the podium.

1 month ago | statenews.com | Alex Walters

In the very front of Michigan State University’s boardroom, Barry Powers restlessly ruffled through a mess of documents and legal pads in his two oversized briefcases. As the trustees debated infrastructure plans and a new room-and-board rate, the Mount Clemens attorney popped mints and combed his hair, preparing to speak during the meeting’s public comment period. When his brief time-slot came, he pulled nine copies of a lawsuit out of an Adidas drawstring bag and walked up to the podium.

2 months ago | statenews.com | Alex Walters

Brogdon was terminated last month and the investigation into her conduct is ongoing. An MSU spokesperson has suggested that the events are not connected. The previously unreported communications further contextualize — and perhaps even corroborate — some of the allegations MSU is currently investigating. Other records show how Brogdon instructed a junior staffer to improperly pull specific employee files and delete evidence of that task.