Michigan
Michigan State University partially reverses policy on co-ed community bathrooms after complaint
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Michigan State University has partially reversed course on its decision to make all community bathrooms in its honors dorm co-ed, following complaints from students and parents who said the arrangement made them uncomfortable.
Officials placed new signs at Campbell Hall last week to label some bathrooms by gender, a shift that came after a formal complaint and survey results showing unease among residents about a $37.1 million renovation that turned all 20 community bathrooms into unisex facilities.
Parents were not notified beforehand that bathrooms would no longer be separated by gender — prompting at least one student to seek out other facilities, according to a parent’s letter.
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Michigan State University partially ended its co-ed community bathrooms in its honors dorm. (Istock/ AndreyPopov)
The facilities were the first co-ed community bathrooms of their kind at any of the institution’s 27 dorms. MSU said it moved to unisex community bathrooms at Campbell Hall to adapt to a future shift in student populations.
“Following review of the survey data, the decision was made to provide options for students,” MSU spokesperson Kat Cooper said in a statement to Bridge Michigan.
The honors dorm spans four floors and includes 20 shared bathrooms, along with five single-use restrooms. Cooper said she was unsure how many of the community bathrooms will remain unisex and how many will be assigned as male or female.
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The university did not notify parents that bathrooms would not be designated by gender. (Getty Images)
In an email to Campbell Hall residents, school officials said that bathrooms “will be configured as much as possible to the gender make-up of the community” on the ground and first floors, where there are two community bathrooms, and “gendered bathroom options” on the second and third floors of the dorm, where there are eight community bathrooms, as well as single-use restrooms.
“We wanted to ensure that no room moves were required as part of these changes,” the email reads. “The updates are intended to offer more choice and help residents feel more comfortable in their daily routines.”
Some members of the MSU Board of Trustees said this week that the university made the right call in responding to student and parent feedback.
The dorm has four floors with 20 community bathrooms and five single-use bathrooms. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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“I’m happy that the university listens to the concerns of its students,” Trustee Mike Balow said.
“It’s important for our students to feel comfortable and to have options. This is the right move by the university,” Trustee Dennis Denno added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Spring in Michigan comes alive with one thing: tulip season, with millions of tulips blooming across the state.
Anyone who’s experienced the Tulip Time Festival in Holland knows it’s more than just fields of flowers— it’s a lively mix of parades, Dutch heritage, concerts, magic shows and a weeklong celebration built around one of Michigan’s most beloved traditions.
Whether you’re heading there this year or just want to celebrate spring at home, official merchandise from The Holland Sentinel offers an easy way to do exactly that. From meaningful keepsakes to everyday essentials, these pieces help keep the tulip season alive long after the last petals fall.
Here’s everything to know to shop our exclusive Holland Sentinel Tulip Festival merch.
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When is the Tulip Time Festival?
The Tulip Time Festival is taking place now through May 10, 2026. It’s a world famous tulip festival that makes for a perfect spring getaway.
Where is the Tulip Time Festival?
The Tulip Time Festival is in Holland, Mich. which transforms a charming Lake Michigan destination into a sea of vibrant color every spring.
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How many flowers are at the Tulip Time Festival
There are expected to be five million tulips at this year’s Tulip Time Festival.
How old is the Tulip Time Festival
This year will be the 97th edition of the Tulip Time Festival, with the first show dating back to 1929.
How long does shipping take at USA TODAY Co. Store?
Orders typically are processed and shipped within two to five business days. However, this doesn’t include pre-order items, which will have their shipping estimates listed in the product description.
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President Donald Trump’s campaign to politically punish Republicans who stand in his way moves through Indiana on Tuesday, when seven state senators face Trump-backed primary challengers.
In neighboring Ohio, primaries for U.S. Senate and governor will lock in the candidates for two major races with national implications.
And in Michigan, voters in a bellwether district will fill a vacancy in the state Senate, a race with implications for the balance of power in a battleground state.
Here’s what to watch for.
How strong is Trump’s grip on the Republican Party?
Trump is taking aim at seven Republican state senators in Indiana who opposed his plan to redraw congressional district boundaries to help the party gain seats in the U.S. House.
Groups allied with the president have spent millions on advertising, an extraordinary flood of cash and attention into races that are typically low profile.
The races are a test of Trump’s enduring grip over his party as Republicans grow increasingly anxious about the midterm elections in November.
The results will signal to Republicans everywhere about how big a price they’ll pay with their voters if they distance themselves from Trump even as his popularity fades. And it will show the president whether he can still credibly threaten consequences for Republicans who cross him.
The Trump-targeted state senators all represent districts he carried in 2024, mostly by 20 percentage points or more.
The key races to watch are districts 1, 11, 19, 21, 23, 38 and 41.
Ohio races get started in earnest
The state’s primary is the wind up to the big show. Although Ohio has become increasingly conservative, Democrats believe their path back to a U.S. Senate majority runs through the state.
They’re putting their hopes behind former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost Ohio’s other Senate seat to Bernie Moreno in 2024.
He’s expected to face off with Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed last year to fill the vacancy created when JD Vance became vice president.
The race is a special election to fill the last two years of Vance’s term.
In the campaign for governor, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance with Trump into a record fundraising haul. He’s largely ignoring Republican rival Casey Putsch, focusing his rallies and television ads on the general election.
An engineer and vehicle designer who calls himself “The Car Guy,” Putsch has attracted fans with provocative YouTube videos that troll Ramaswamy and criticize national Republicans over their handling of the Epstein files, positions on energy-guzzling data centers and support for Israel.
Amy Acton, Ohio’s former public health director, is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination. She played a key role in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Will Democrats sweep another special election?
The special election for a state Senate seat in central Michigan carries outsized importance.
It’s another test of enthusiasm in a series of special elections that have swung almost universally toward Democrats since Trump returned to the White House. It also could affect the balance of power in the Michigan State Capitol. A Democratic victory would give the party a firm majority in the state Senate, while a Republican win would deadlock the chamber in a 19-19 tie.
The district is closely matched. Democrat Kamala Harris beat Trump there by less than 1 point in the 2024 presidential election.
The seat has been vacant for more than a year, since Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet resigned to take a seat in Congress.
Democrats are showing surprising strength in special elections and off-year contests across the country, winning races in unexpected places and significantly narrowing the gap, even when they fall short.
There’s no guarantee the trend will continue through the midterms, when turnout will be much higher, but it has nonetheless energized Democrats and spooked Republicans worried about keeping their congressional majorities.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
- Four early-career journalists have joined Bridge Michigan for the summer
- The internship program is now in its eighth consecutive year
- Alumni have worked at major national and regional news outlets
Four emerging reporters will spend the summer working with Bridge Michigan.
This marks the eighth year of summer internships at Bridge. Alumni have gone on to careers at outlets like The New York Times, USA TODAY, MLive, the Petoskey News-Review and WKAR, as well as paths including Harvard Law School and a Fulbright scholarship. One former intern, Asha Lewis, now serves as Bridge’s full-time digital marketing associate.
“At Bridge, we’re dedicated to helping make Michigan a better state and part of that mission is growing the next generation of great journalists,” said Joel Kurth, Bridge Michigan executive editor for impact. “We’re excited to welcome them to our newsroom.”
Isabella Figueroa Nogueira is a junior studying journalism and economics at Michigan State University. During the school year, she is a writer for Great Lakes Echo, which covers stories about the environment and sustainability.
She is passionate about using journalism to explore the connection between people, policy and the natural world. Outside of writing, she loves to travel, watch movies, spend time with friends and walk her dogs, Oso and Polo.
Figueroa Nogueira will be reporting on Michigan’s environment through Aug. 21.
Nate Miller is from Berrien Springs, Michigan. He will be a senior at the University of Michigan, where he studies English.
Miller will be a general assignment reporter for Bridge through June 19.
Blace Carpenter is a rising senior at Central Michigan University, studying journalism with a minor in multimedia design. Since starting his career in the news industry in 2022, Carpenter has worked for publications such as the Grand Haven Tribune, Alpena News and Greenville Daily News.
Carpenter has also had some work published in statewide and national publications. For the past year, he has served as the managing editor of CMU’s student publication, Central Michigan Life.
Carpenter will report on northern and rural Michigan for Bridge through Aug. 14.
Ella Miller is Bridge Michigan’s photojournalism intern. A metro Detroit native and recent graduate of Central Michigan University, she studied photojournalism and multimedia design.
She was a staff photographer and photo editor at Central Michigan Life during her time in college, where she discovered her love for visual storytelling and community-centered journalism.
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