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Michigan State University had drawn criticism for its response to the Larry Nassar scandal for months. But at the beginning of the sentencing hearing for the former university faculty member, convicted of sexually molesting women on the U.S. gymnastics team, nothing seemed to threaten the position of Michigan State’s long-serving president, Lou Anna K. Simon.
But during a week of scathing, heart-rending testimony by Nassar’s scores of victims in January 2018, her once-strong support — on her board, on the campus, and across her state — rapidly eroded. On the same day Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison, Simon resigned.
Her successor, John M. Engler, a former governor of Michigan, struggled as interim president to move the university past the scandal, antagonizing the victims, attacking their advocates, and favoring legalistic pronouncements over statements of healing. In January 2019 he was forced out. Here’s how the scandal came about — and persisted.
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LeadershipWith Criminal Charges Dismissed Against Michigan State’s Ex-President, Sex-Abuse Accountability Hits Skids Again
Lou Anna Simon was accused of lying to the police during the Larry Nassar investigation. Like the case against Graham Spanier at Penn State, prosecutors appear to have come up short. -
News
Michigan State’s Ex-President, Who Faces Criminal Charges, Will Retire With a $2.5-Million Payout
Lou Anna K. Simon resigned as president in January 2018 amid the Larry Nassar scandal but remained on the faculty. She faces charges of lying to the police. -
News
At Michigan State, a Disruptive Presidency That Few Could Muster the Will to End
Trustees seemed paralyzed by the notion that changing interim leaders was somehow worse than all the damage John Engler was doing. -
News
John Engler Is Out at Michigan State. Here Are 3 Moments That Got Him Booted.
His time as interim president of Michigan State University compounded the scandal left by Larry Nassar, a sports doctor who sexually abused hundreds of women and girls. Three incidents, in particular, hastened his ouster. -
News
Michigan State U. Forces Out Engler Immediately
Following the interim president’s explosive comments about abuse survivors, trustees accelerated his resignation timetable and sought to make amends. -
News
John Engler Will Resign as Michigan State’s Interim President
His comment that sexual-abuse survivors are “enjoying” the “spotlight” sparked renewed calls for his dismissal. Late Wednesday he said he would resign, effective next week. -
Leadership
Engler’s Michigan State U. Presidency Is as Imperiled as Ever. And That’s Saying Something.
The former Republican governor’s assertion that abuse survivors are “enjoying” the “spotlight” again raises the specter of his dismissal. -
News
Backlash Is Fierce for Michigan State President, Who Said Abuse Survivors Are ‘Enjoying’ the ‘Spotlight’
John Engler’s comments, the latest in a series of insensitive remarks, are “ill advised and not helpful,” says the chairwoman of the university’s board. -
Leadership
Campus Reckons With a President Turned Defendant
Michigan State University’s Lou Anna Simon faces charges tied to the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal that could send her to prison. For those on the campus, the prosecution engenders quiet shame and threatens to shake their faith in a beloved institution. -
Legal
‘Culture of Indifference’ and ‘Institutional Protection’ at Michigan State Stymied Investigation of Larry Nassar
The attorney general of Michigan said in a scathing report that the former sports doctor’s continuing sexual abuse of hundreds of women was “a failure of people” seeking to safeguard the university’s reputation. -
Leadership
Former Michigan State President Is Charged With Lying to Police About Larry Nassar
Lou Anna K. Simon, who stepped down in January amid the sex-abuse scandal surrounding the sports doctor, now faces two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts. -
News
At a Brutal Meeting of Trustees, Michigan State’s Wounds Are Laid Bare
After a disastrous 10 days in which calls mounted for John Engler to resign as interim president, the meeting turned into a spectacle of painful survivor testimony and the pleading of a board at wits’ end. -
News
Salmon, Awkward Tweets, and ‘Hell No,’ I Wouldn’t Fire Him: A Reporter’s Notes From Outside Michigan State’s Trustee Dinner
After eight days of pressure to resign, John Engler apologized for disparaging an abuse survivor. The board remains divided, and the women still want him out. -
News
Michigan State Chief Apologizes for Saying Abuse Victim Would Get ‘Kickback’
Meanwhile, the university’s trustees released a statement saying that a “majority” of the board appreciated John Engler’s apology and that he would stay in his interim post until a permanent president was named. -
News
Michigan State U. Abuse Survivors Wanted to Keep Politics Out of It. That’s Over Now.
Previously unreleased emails affirm that John Engler’s team at the university, where the former governor is interim president, brought a deeply political focus to the Nassar abuse crisis. With Engler’s job on the line, the politics have only intensified. -
Politics and a Presidency
John Engler Is 3 Votes Away From Getting Fired. Here’s How That Could Happen.
Michigan State’s interim president, under pressure to resign after belittling an abuse victim, won’t go quietly. Here are a few possible scenarios that could lead to his dismissal. -
News
As Calls to Resign Grow Louder, Michigan State’s Interim President Digs In
“I continue to look ahead,” said John Engler on Friday, as two trustees and several lawmakers called on him to step down. -
Sexual Misconduct
Michigan State Was ‘Deeply Sorry’ for Abuse. Then It Wasn’t.
A draft statement of apology from John M. Engler, the university’s interim president, said the university was “deeply sorry” for the abuse of a former professor. That line was cut, along with other telling edits. -
News
Michigan State Chief Said Abuse Victim Would Get ‘Kickback’ for Stirring Up Survivors, Emails Show
In private, John Engler seethed with the thought that victims of sexual abuse were being manipulated by trial lawyers. -
News
Michigan State Just Agreed to Pay $500 Million to Settle Sexual-Abuse Claims. Where Will It Find the Money?
Options include using tuition, redirecting money in its budget, borrowing, or relying on insurers. -
From the Archives
How Did Michigan State’s Interim Chief Squander a Chance to Heal?
John Engler’s blundering three months in office have inexplicably positioned the former governor as an adversary of the women who survived Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse. -
Backgrounder
How a Transformational President Set Michigan State on a Course to Disaster
The university prospered under Lou Anna K. Simon’s leadership. But for many who witnessed that growth, the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal demands hard questions about the consequences of that ambition. -
Leadership
Nassar Victim Says Michigan State’s Interim President Pressured Her to Accept a Cash Payoff
The president, John Engler, denies the claim, made in a Friday board meeting. But the episode could bring even more scrutiny upon Engler, who has made several public missteps since his appointment, in January. -
Legal
Lurid Charges Against Ex-Dean Mark a Disturbing Turn in Michigan State’s Nassar Scandal
The arrest of Larry Nassar’s supervisor suggests a culture of misconduct may run deeper at the university and more officials may face charges. -
Legal
Ex-Dean Who Oversaw Larry Nassar Harassed Female Students, Charges Say
William Strampel, the former dean of Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, is facing four criminal charges. -
The Fallout
Michigan State Faces Costly, Multifront Legal Battle in Wake of Nassar Scandal
State and federal investigations, plus lawsuits filed by more than 250 of the former sports doctor’s victims, could mean years of trouble. And that’s not counting new legislation in the works. -
News
Can Michigan State Get Its Public-Relations Nightmare Under Control?
As the university’s interim president faces widespread criticism for his defiant comments in recent days, many are wondering if the institution’s communications strategy has gone off the rails. -
News
Education Dept. Opens New Investigation Into Michigan State’s Handling of Nassar Scandal
The Title IX inquiry will look at systemic issues in the university’s response to incidents involving Larry Nassar, the secretary of education said. -
Governance
Michigan State’s Faculty Senate Votes No Confidence in Embattled Trustees
It’s yet another sign of the tensions that have continued to simmer on the campus since the recent sentencing hearings for Larry Nassar, formerly a sports doctor at the university, who abused at least 265 young women and girls. -
Leadership
Michigan State Moves to Fire Medical Dean in Wake of Nassar Scandal
“I sincerely hope the courageous survivors of Larry Nassar will see this as an unmistakable indication that things are changing quickly at Michigan State,” its interim leader said. -
The Review
A Crash Course in Crisis Communication
Leadership on college campuses isn’t just about what happens when all hell breaks loose — it’s about what happens long beforehand. -
News
After Nassar Conviction, Michigan State Goes on Trial
But holding the university or its employees accountable for wrongdoing in any of the several investigations that are underway may prove difficult. -
Leadership
Top Faculty Committee Upset With Michigan State’s Choice of Interim Leader
John Engler, a former Michigan governor, was appointed to the temporary post in the wake of the Nassar scandal. Some faculty members are skeptical about his lack of academic-leadership experience. -
News
Michigan State to Name Interim President as Investigation Heats Up
John Engler, a former Republican governor of Michigan, will lead the university, and Jim Blanchard, a former Democratic governor, will serve as a senior adviser, as the search continues for a permanent replacement for Lou Anna Simon. -
News
Michigan State Trustee Calls for University’s General Counsel to Resign
Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation into the Larry Nassar case is seen as an effort to build a legal defense for Michigan State, not to shed light on sexual-assault accusations. One trustee says that Robert Noto, the university’s general counsel, must go. -
News
At Michigan State, a Shaken Campus Struggles Through Its Shame
An institution in turmoil asks what comes next. People echo similar themes: openness, a president who will take ownership of what happened, and an effort to do right by the victims. -
Nassar Scandal
How an Army of Survivors Toppled a President
Public anger over a sex-abuse scandal forced Michigan State’s leader from office — and demonstrated that ignorance may no longer be an adequate defense for leaders of institutions tainted by scandal. -
Leadership
5 Moments That Led to Lou Anna Simon’s Resignation at Michigan State
As Larry Nassar’s sentencing hearing began, the president’s support on the campus seemed strong. Then things changed. -
The Review
After Michigan State: ‘Could We Be Next?’
Colleges established training, policies, and procedures in the wake of the Penn State sex-abuse scandal. It wasn’t enough. -
The Review
President Simon’s Resignation: Too Little, Too Late
Presidents must take ownership of a crisis immediately, not hide behind lawyers, boards, and image consultants. -
Commentary
What to Do When It’s Your Crisis
Advice for college presidents: After a scandal erupts on campus, your actions must reflect the values of your institution and its leaders. -
News
Michigan State President Resigns After Torrent of Anger Over Nassar Scandal
Michigan State University’s president, Lou Anna K. Simon, submitted her resignation on Wednesday night. -
News
Many Want Michigan State’s President to Resign. Here’s Why She Still Has Campus Support.
Lou Anna K. Simon is widely credited with transforming the university into an academic powerhouse. Her backers also caution against a rush to judgment when it comes to Larry Nassar. -
News
Michigan State Trustee Breaks Ranks With Board, Urges University’s President to Resign
Lou Anna K. Simon has faced increased scrutiny as women speak about being abused by Larry Nassar, a former university physician who was convicted on multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct. -
Administration
After Report That 14 Knew of Doctor’s Abuse, Renewed Calls for Michigan State President to Resign
A Detroit News investigation published on Thursday said more than a few people on the campus were aware of sexual-misconduct allegations against Larry Nassar. -
News
USA Gymnastics Doctor’s Sentencing Renews Attention on Michigan State
At an emotional hearing, victims share their stories of abuse by the university’s team physician. -
Leadership
Why Is Michigan State’s President Facing Calls to Resign?
Increased outrage over the abusive conduct of Larry Nassar, a former university physician and USA Gymnastics team doctor, isn’t the only reason Lou Anna Simon is taking heat.
