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MSU Honors Nassar Survivors, Confronts Campus Leadership In Rally

"This is our fight song: No More Shadows. MSU Shadows protected Larry Nassar for more than 20 years."

Those were the words of MSU Associate Professor Anna Pegler-Gordon. 

Pegler-Gordon's stance was one variation on a familiar theme during Friday night's Michigan State University rally at The Rock. Hundreds gathered to honor the survivors of convicted sexual predator Larry Nassar, the former MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor who was sentenced this week to serve between 40 and 175 years for his crimes against scores of girls and young women.

The crowd of MSU students, faculty and their supporters also confronted numerous members of MSU leadership, including former MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon and former Athletic Director Mark Hollis, both of whom resigned this week in the wake of the Nassar conviction.

MSU Associate Professor Andaluna Borcila picked up where Pegler-Gordon left off. "As we stand on the banks of the Red Cedar, we know that our school will be known to all as the University that allowed Larry Nassar to assault MSU students, young women and children for 20 long years."

Borcila continued, "let us be known as a school that stands for our survivors. Let us be known as a school that listens to our students. Let us be known as a school that learns from our students and our faculty. We want and demand full transparency. We want and demand full accountability."

MSU Student Body President Lorenzo Santavicca addressed the group earlier during the Friday evening gathering.

"We need to continue saying 'thank-you' to the survivors", said Santavicca. "No matter who is in leadership, it is the student body who continues to make us who we are. And the fact that we have so many faces here saying that 'time is up' and that we are going to be the change on this campus for the better says a lot about who we are."

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