After a long, dark and cold winter we celebrate the coming of spring with all things green! Spartans everywhere love the month of March and proudly wear and display our green while cheering our men’s and women’s teams to victory in regular and post-season games. Breslin Center is not only the home to Spartan men’s and women’s basketball, it’s also the home of Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Boys and Girls State Championships, being played in mid-March. Note that these tournaments increase traffic on campus as we welcome could-be future Spartans to campus with dreams of being state champions!
March also means the coming of spring holidays. St. Patrick’s Day is always a favorite, and we’d ask that you remind your Spartan of MSU’s Medical Amnesty Policy, to stay in their group and to be sure everyone gets home safely. Religious holidays are also often celebrated in springtime, and MSU offers a Religious Observance Policy to enable students and faculty to observe religious days set aside by their chosen religious faith. While it is important to read the entire policy, a key piece is the responsibility of students who need to be absent to inform and make arrangements with their instructor at least two weeks before the observance day. Culinary Services also has special dining menus for Ramadan, Passover, and Lent and Easter to ensure students and guests have the nutrition they need.
Speaking of Culinary Services and nutrition, for years we have been asked about recipes from the dining halls, past and current. Turkey tetrazzini or Wisconsin cheesy chicken, anyone? Now you and your favorite Spartan fan can bring the flavor of campus to a kitchen you love! Purchase the Spartan Family Cookbook for an upcoming graduate, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift, or just because you love MSU. Available online and in MSU Union and 1855 Place Spartan Spirit Shops.
Wishing you a month of sun and warm spring days,
Laurin
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Interested in Becoming a Spartan Family Ambassador?
Spartan Family Connections is offering a new way for families to get involved!
We are seeking families with campus experience to share their knowledge with new Spartan families as we continue to build a strong, connected Spartan community.
If you’re interested in becoming an ambassador for Spartan Family Connections, please complete the interest form. Volunteers will assist with campus-wide events and help create positive and welcoming experiences for the Spartan Family community. If you can’t come to campus, there are still opportunities for you to get involved!
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Fall Class Enrollment
Enrollment for fall semester 2026 classes begins by assigned date and time March 16, and open enrollment begins March 30. Students will have received an email notifying them of their assigned enrollment date/time and can find that time in their SIS portal. Most colleges offer drop-in advising during enrollment time for quick scheduling questions. More involved scheduling or conversations around major changes will require a full advising appointment which needs to be scheduled through a student’s SIS portal.
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Legal Forms
The Office of Accreditation, Assessment, Curriculum, and Compliance (AACC) and partner offices share important information with students on a regular basis, as required by law. Copies of these notices are available on the AACC website for students and supporters to review at any time. Individuals interested in reading these disclosures can visit the website at aacc.msu.edu/about/communications/disclosures.
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what3words Has Been Added to the SafeMSU app!
what3words is an innovative location technology that has divided the world into 10-foot-by-10-foot squares and assigned each square a unique three-word address. This simple system makes it easy to communicate precise locations, especially in places that don’t have a clear street address or are difficult to describe.
In emergency situations, being able to quickly and accurately share a location can make all the difference. Whether someone is in a large parking lot, on campus grounds, along a trail or inside a large facility, what3words helps ensure responders can pinpoint exactly where assistance is needed. By integrating this tool into the SafeMSU app, we’re enhancing our ability to support faster response times and improve overall campus safety.
Encourage students to explore the updated app and familiarize yourself with the new what3words feature!
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2026–27 Current Student Housing Sign-Up
Several housing processes for current students for 2026–27 close Friday, March 6, at noon. Please remind your student to complete anything they need before the deadline.
Closing March 6, at noon:
- Housing contracts
- Special Community Preference Form
- Requests for single rooms, substance-free housing, and gender-inclusive housing
- Rock the Block registration
Special Community Options:
Students interested in single rooms, gender-inclusive housing, or substance-free housing must submit the Special Community Preference Form by March 6, at noon. Students applying for single rooms will find out that same day if they receive a March 9 selection time.
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Residence Hall Spring Closing Information
Residence halls will close Friday, May 1, at 8 p.m. If your student needs to remain on campus for Friday, May 1, and/or Saturday, May 2, they should log in to their My Housing account in April to request a Late Stay. There is no charge to stay Friday night, and a one-night fee applies only if they stay from Saturday night into Sunday. The final checkout time is noon, Sunday, May 3.
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2026–27 Move-In Dates!
We’re happy to announce the 2026–27 move-in dates! This summer, students will choose a time slot on their assigned move-in date. Make sure they continue checking their MSU email throughout the summer so they stay up to date on everything they need to know.
Aug. 1: university apartment move-in begins
Aug. 21–23: incoming international student move-in
Aug. 24: New International Student Orientation programming begins
Aug. 25–26: incoming student move-in
Aug. 26: New Student Orientation programming begins
Aug. 26–27: returning student move-in (returning students can arrive after Aug. 27 if desired)
For more information, visit liveon.msu.edu/move-in-details.
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Off-Campus Dining Plan Rate Increase in May: Lock in a Lower Rate Now
MSU Culinary Services will adjust dining rates starting Monday, May 4. Off-Campus Block Dining Plans will increase from $9.50 to $10 per meal. Dining hall door rates will also rise by $0.50 (plus tax for non-students):
Breakfast: $10
Lunch/Dinner: $14
Children age 2–9: $7.75
Off-Campus students or students moving off campus next year can lock in the current $9.50 rate by purchasing a Block Plan before Monday, May 4. Any meals added before the price change remain valid for next fall.
The Off-Campus Block Plan provides flexible access to campus dining, including chef-crafted meals, dietary accommodations, Combo X Change options and mobile order pickup. This plan also offers students a convenient way to stay well-nourished while managing busy academic and extracurricular schedules.
Please note: On-campus students will continue to use their unlimited meal plan for the remainder of the semester. They should continue to let the entrance host and retail cashiers know they are "on campus" to ensure they do not inadvertently use their Block Plan meal swipes.
For details about Block Plans, visit eatatstate.msu.edu/diningplans/residential or contact Culinary Services, 517-884-0660 or info@eatatstate.com with questions.
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MSU Culinary Services Invites Students to Choose Menu Items for End-of-Semester Dinner
Culinary Services is once again inviting students to help choose menu items for the End-of-Semester Dinner Wednesday, April 22. Students living on campus will receive the survey Monday, March 9, right after spring break. It will remain open for two weeks, with results finalized Monday, March 23. The top-voted dishes will be featured in dining halls across all neighborhoods.
The End-of-Semester Dinner is a popular MSU tradition that gives students a chance to relax and enjoy a special meal before finals. Their input helps shape the menu — whether they prefer comfort food, international flavors or campus favorites.
“We’re excited to bring this opportunity back for a second year,” said Rebecca Selesky, assistant vice president of Culinary Services. “Students really enjoyed having a voice in last year’s menu, and their feedback made the event more meaningful.”
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26th Annual Shamrock 5K Sunday, March 22
Join the 26th Annual Shamrock 5K as we run, walk, and roll together! Members, friends, families and community supporters are all welcome. Your participation helps raise funds for Michigan State University’s Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities. Registration can be found online.
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MSU Nutrition Services
Does eating feel off for your Spartan? Help and healing are available. MSU students can call 517-353-4660 for a free, compassionate nutrition consultation.
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AI Tools Available to MSU Students
MSU now offers students free access to Google Gemini, NotebookLM and Microsoft Copilot Chat for writing, organizing and coding help. Using MSU’s versions is recommended since they provide better privacy and data protection. Learn more at tech.msu.edu/ai.
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Updated MSU IT Service Desk Hours
Starting on Sunday, March 15, the MSU IT Service Desk will be available to support your student Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. This adjustment aligns our service hours with staffing resources and student demand, ensuring consistent and dependable support while making the best use of university resources.
Outside of these hours, students can still access a variety of self-service tools for IT support. For additional information or assistance, please visit ithelp.msu.edu.
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Reminder from the MSU ID Office
To pick up or replace your Spartan Card, bring a physical government-issued photo ID like a driver's license, state ID or passport (digital or photocopied IDs aren’t accepted). The Spartan Card gives access to campus facilities and lets you buy CATA bus passes, either a 31-day pass or a semester pass. Having your ID ready makes the process quick and easy.
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Student Accounts
Enrollment for the fall 2026 semester is just around the corner. Students should make sure their account is in good standing and free of enrollment holds ahead of their enrollment appointment. Reach out to the Spartan One-Stop at 517-432-8000 or onestop@msu.edu with any student account or overdue account hold questions.
Reminder: Student Accounts only issues billing statements if there is an account balance or there was account activity during the prior billing cycle. Charges such as Education Abroad application fees, off campus meal plans, ID replacements and print credits may be added to an account after the initial semester billing statement balance has been paid. Be sure to review your student account each time you receive a billing statement notification to avoid late fees and enrollment holds. If you are enrolled in the spring payment plan and incur additional charges, these will not automatically be included in your next payment. You can choose to pay these separately or consolidate them into your payment plan.
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Grad Fest
Spring 2026 Grad Fest will be held at the MSU Union March 25 and 26. Grad Fest specials include 20% off diploma frames, 25% off alumni gear, commencement T-shirts, special pricing on graduation packages, savings on class rings from Jostens and the all-new Alumni Starter Pack. Preorders for these items will be available on the online store from March 20–22 to be picked up during the grad fest event. A photographer from Grad Images will be available to take graduation and professional photos, and a representative from CB Grad Announcements will be present to take orders for graduation announcements priced at 20% off.
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Give Green Day
March 10 is Give Green Day! This is a day when our community comes together to create a better tomorrow. Spartans give back to causes across campus, and last year more than 1,700 Spartan parents made gifts to help our students thrive. This year we are hoping you will join our parent and family community in giving back to support students on their journey through MSU. With your support, we can create a far better world. Learn more about how you can make an impact here.
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Have You Read This Far?
Let's celebrate with another MSU Dairy Store single scoop coupon giveaway! Enter here by 11:59 p.m., March 31 for a chance to win two coupons to enjoy a single scoop on us!
Congrats to Kathleen W., our February winner!
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Helping Your Spartans Celebrate Safely This March
Your student’s safety is our priority. Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day festivities and March sports tournaments, University Health and Wellbeing will launch a campus-wide campaign to educate students on celebrating responsibly. UHW will encourage students to make a plan before celebrating, set personal limits, call for help in an emergency and get home safely. Messages will appear on social media, residence and dining hall materials, digital monitors and a mobile billboard. We remain committed to supporting a safe, healthy and enjoyable campus environment for all Spartans.
To support this campaign, you can talk to your student about celebrating safely. To help guide this conversation, visit University Health and Wellbeing’s Party Smart web page to find tips and resources about safe substance use.
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Financial Aid
Significant changes to federal student loans take effect July 1, 2026. Visit finaid.msu.edu/obbba for the most up-to-date information on the new regulations.
2026-27 financial aid packages are now available to view in the student financial aid portal. If you haven't done so, the 2026-27 FAFSA is available to complete.
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Upcoming Events and Important Dates
March
Various career fairs and events
1: Spring semester payment installment due
6: Current first year students’ signed Housing Contract due to receive sign-up window
8: Spring break ends
8: Daylight saving time begins (*please note, this date was incorrect in the February newsletter)
9: Middle of semester and last day to drop a full-semester course with no grade reported
16: Enrollment for fall 2026 classes begins by assigned date and time (available via email and in SIS)
17: St. Patrick’s Day
19: Ramadan ends
30: Enrollment for fall 2026 classes begins for all students
April
1: Spring semester payment installment due
1: Passover begins
5: Easter
7: College Nights at Wharton: "Clue"
9: Passover ends
11: Admitted Students Day
15: Student Recreation and Wellness Center student open house
18: MSU Football Spring Showcase, noon, Spartan Stadium, free admission
26: 7th annual Izzo Run/Walk/Roll
26: Spring semester classes end
27–May 1: Final exams for spring semester 2026
May
1–3: Commencements for spring semester 2026
1: Spring semester payment installment due
1: Residence halls close for semester 8pm, limited dining available
9: Summer semester initial tuition billing available
11: First and full summer sessions begin
13: Add period for first summer session classes ends at 11:59 p.m.
15: Add period for full-term summer classes ends at 11:59 p.m.
21: End of tuition refund period for first Summer session 2026 classes
25: Holiday – university closed
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