Michigan State University trustees held their first meeting Friday since launching an ethics investigation into the board. The group attracted dozens of frustrated students, faculty and community members who voiced their discontent with the board’s inability to address several compounding scandals.
Trustee Brianna Scott is accusing board Chair Rema Vassar of bullying interim President Teresa Woodruff, making unilateral decisions and of maintaining inappropriate relationships with university donors. The allegations prompted Scott to call for Vassar’s resignation.
Trustee Dianne Byrum is also campaigning for the board chair’s resignation and attempted to force a decision on Vassar’s removal before the trustees met.
“I brought forward for discussion just before the board meeting that we have a resolution to remove Dr. Vassar as board chair. That did not get the three votes needed to put in front of us today,” Byrum said.
Vassar is accused of not cooperating with the university’s investigation to identify leaks from former football coach Mel Tucker’s sexual harassment probe.
Scott said the board’s conduct has prevented MSU from holding itself accountable.
"I feel sorry for our interim president because she's not even speaking out because she's afraid," Scott said in a tearful statement towards the end of the meeting. "If you want transparency, then you let this investigation go through."
Vassar denies most of the allegations but has admitted to travelling on a private jet paid for by an MSU donor earlier this year. The board chair defended the flight, which took her to an NCAA event in New York City.
“We do not have a travel policy related to private transportation,” Vassar said. “I do know that several people on this board have been on private flights. I did not know that that was a clear conflict of interest.”
During the Friday meeting, several members of the public criticized the board’s inaction on releasing documents related to MSU’s handling of accusations against Larry Nassar.
More than 200 people have come forward against the former sports doctor, who is serving up to 175 years behind bars for sexually assaulting hundreds of athletes while working at MSU and USA Gymnastics.
More than 6,000 documents related to the university’s discussions on Nassar have been withheld. Scott alleges Vassar committed to providing the information to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office before consulting with the board.
Melissa Hudecz, a “sister survivor” called Scott’s allegations a distraction from addressing the real concerns at MSU.
“The bickering you claimed that you wanted to end has found you on the front page,” Hudecz said. “Launching a public display of animosity toward your fellow board members. Did you or did you not stand in the way of justice for survivors?”
Rachael Denhollander, an attorney and the first woman to pursue criminal charges against Nassar, said Scott is joining other trustees who have consistently blocked transparency reforms.
The crisis consultant said policies suggested by her and other sexual assault survivors have been “explicitly rejected” by MSU leadership.
“I have personally worked on and overseen these processes regularly. Any leader who suggests this is dangerous for survivors is preying on survivor’s trauma in order to obtain an outcome that rejects transparency,” Denhollander said in a statement.
Jordan Roebuck, a member of MSU’s Black Student Alliance, said Scott’s accusations are keeping the university from doing its job.
“Let's address the sexual assault allegations as you continue to traumatize these women through year in and year out,” said Roebuck. “I call for the board to prioritize these pending incidents rather than attack and attempt to put Rema as a scapegoat.”
Trustee Dennis Denno made a motion during the meeting to release the Nassar documents, but the board’s bylaws kept the motion from moving forward since it was not placed on the agenda ahead of time.
Calls for Vassar’s resignation have been supported by MSU professors and academic staff.
The school’s Faculty Senate passed a non-binding resolution calling on Vassar to resign during its Thursday meeting, voting 52-4 on the decision. The group cited concerns that the college’s accreditation could be put at risk because of her relationship with donors.
“I think that anyway that we can show within the university and from outside that we as a faculty are thoughtful and that we have a watchful eye. And that we also are trying to communicate a unified message,” said Faculty Senator Tama Lynne Hamilton-Wray of the decision.
Stacia Moroski-Rigney, MSU’s director of accreditation, curriculum and compliance, said the university’s accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), is monitoring the situation.
“I have spoken with our representative at HLC every day this week,” said Moroski-Rigney at the Faculty Senate meeting. “They are very aware of the news stories, and I've been reassuring them that we are administratively capable of continuing our academic programs.”
The Michigan State University Board of Trustee’s next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15.
