The three students who were killed Feb. 13 during an active shooter situation at Michigan State University (MSU) are expected to receive posthumous degrees, according to the school’s news publication, The State News.
Anthony McRae, 43, allegedly shot and killed the three students and injured five others before killing himself. He previously had pleaded guilty in October 2019 to a misdemeanor possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle. The Detroit News cited Ingham County court records showing that prosecutors dismissed a felony charge carrying a concealed weapon without a concealed carry permit.
Families of Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner have all confirmed their interest in accepting the degrees on their behalf, The Detroit News reported. (RELATED: 3 Dead, 5 Injured In Michigan State University Shooting)
Michigan State University officials say the three students who were killed in a mass shooting in February will receive posthumous degrees. https://t.co/RneAXkSrMg
— CBS Detroit (@CBSDetroit) March 2, 2023
MSU states on its website that a posthumous degree can be awarded in the name of the deceased student with recommendation of the student’s major department and college, as long as the student was in good academic standing and made progress towards a degree.
“The chairperson of the department responsible for the administration of the degree program of the deceased student may submit a recommendation to the dean, who, in turn, may submit a recommendation to the registrar for records verification. The registrar will forward to the provost. If the provost endorses, then the recommendation will be sent to the president to be considered for final approval,” the statement reads.
The deputy spokesperson for MSU, Dan Olsen, said that the university is still in the process of determining what degree each student will receive, according to The State News. Olsen also said that posthumous degrees are also awarded during the commencement ceremonies, which will be held between May 5-7, as listed by the university.