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Michigan State Will Not Fire President Lou Anna Simon Over Handling of Larry Nassar Case
Michigan State president Lou Anna Simon will not be fired amid calls for her job sparked by the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, the school’s board of trustees announced Friday.
The board made its decision after a four-hour meeting on Friday, according to the Detroit Free-Press.
“Through this terrible situation, the university has been perceived as tone deaf, unresponsive and insensitive to the victims,” board chairman Brian Breslin said in a statement. “We understand the public’s faith has been shaken. The Board has listened and heard the victims.
“Today, the Board acted and has asked the Attorney General’s Office to review the facts in this matter, and as information is presented, the Board will act.
“This can never happen again.
“As part of the Board’s oversight authority, we will retain independent external assistance to support our responsibilities to the university community and the public at large.
“We continue to believe President Simon is the right leader for the university and she has our support.”
Simon has been under intense pressure to resign or be fired as a result of her handling of the Nassar case. The school’s student newspaper, The State News, published an editorial on Thursday calling for her resignation and ran a front page with the words “President Simon, RESIGN.” The Lansing State Journal published an editorial with the same message in early December and several elected officials have made similar calls for Simon’s resignation.
Simon, who has been MSU’s president since 2003, learned of allegations against Nassar when a Title IX complaint was filed against him in 2014. She said Wednesday, though, that she received only a notice of complaint and not the report based on the ensuing investigation.
