MSU's Berkey Hall will remain closed, student Union future uncertain

EAST LANSING − Berkey Hall on Michigan State University's campus will remain closed for the rest of the spring semester while officials have yet to decide whether to keep the MSU Union closed as well.

MSU Interim President Teresa Woodruff announced the decision Thursday, and said all classes in Berkey, which is an academic hall, would be moved to another building. Officials are continuing to evaluate whether to close the MSU Union, she said, and the building will remain closed until a decision is made.

Woodruff did not address long-term plans for either facility.

Both buildings are open during business hours to the public, unlike many of the roughly 400 buildings on campus that remain inaccessible to the public. The attacks occurred while both buildings were open to the public. Classes were being held at Berkey when the incident occurred.

The MSU Union would normally be open from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Sundays, according to the MSU Union website. Berkey Hall's hours of operation include 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to the MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities website.

Classes resume at MSU on Monday.

Two students were killed in Berkey and a third was killed at the union while four other students remain in critical condition with gunshot wounds, and a fifth wounded student is now in stable condition.

MSU students Brian Fraser, 20, of Grosse Pointe, Alexandria Verner, 20, of Clawson and Arielle Anderson, 19, of Harper Woods were killed during the shooting.

Police found the gunman about 4 miles from campus in North Lansing. The gunman killed himself when approached by police.

Contact Mark Johnson at majohnson2@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMarkJohnson.