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Lake Superior State University tells House panel outages, ransomware displaced students and urges urgent funding
Summary
Lake Superior State University representatives told the subcommittee that a ransomware attack and a citywide power outage last fall disrupted campus operations, displaced students for days and prompted a request for LDSI funds to repair electrical and IT infrastructure.
Representatives of Lake Superior State University urged the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor and Economic Opportunity to fund urgent infrastructure and IT protections after last fall’s power outage and ransomware attack.
Rep. Fairbairn introduced the request; Scott Smith, LSSU’s vice president of advancement, said the university contended with a citywide power outage that damaged electrical infrastructure and a ransomware attack that shut down critical departments. Smith said the outages and cyberattack led to canceled classes, displaced students and hospitalizations in some cases. He told the panel the university is negotiating insurance claims and working with Cloverland Electric and described the work as an “ASAP project.”
Smith gave context on the university’s statewide economic footprint, citing a study the witness summarized as showing a substantial return on state investment and saying roughly 82% of graduates remain in Michigan. Committee members asked how quickly repairs could start; Smith said the university is coordinating with insurers and the regional utility but did not provide fixed start or completion dates.
The subcommittee did not take a vote on any appropriation at the hearing.
