Michigan State interim president faces ouster
He accused sexual assault victims of enjoying spotlight.
Michigan State DETROIT —
University’s Board of Trust- ees will seek to oust interim President John Engler if he does not resign amid criti- cism of comments he made about victims of imprisoned ex-sports doctor Larry Nassar, trustees said Wednesday.
Brian Mosallam told The Associated Press that “the votes are there” to force Engler out at a special board meeting scheduled today at the school in East Lansing.
C hairwoman D ianne Byrum stopped short of con- firming that she asked Engler to resign Wednesday but told the AP “he has a decision to make” because the board is poised to name a new interim leader at Thursday’s meeting. Both Byrum and Mosallam are Demo- crats, and Engler is a former Republican Michigan governor.
In an editorial board meeting last week with The Detroit News, Engler said women sexually assaulted by the now-imprisoned Nassar have been in the “spotlight” and are “still enjoying that moment at times, you know, the awards and recognition.”
Nassar, who molested hundreds of girls and women while employed at Michi- gan State, is now serving decades-long prison sentences for sexually assaulting patients and possessing child pornography.
The AP left messages seeking comment from Engler, who was hired last February following the resignation of president Lou Anna Simon over the Nassar scandal. Byrum said Engler was traveling out of state this week, in part to attend the burial of his father-in-law.
Mosallam, a long-time Engler critic, said Wednesday on Twitter that “JOHN ENGLER’S REIGN OF TERROR IS OVER.” His tweet followed a post by Byrum announcing today’s meeting.
“I think it sets a tone that this board is going in a different direction — that leadership comes from the top and that empathy, compassion and culture change starts from the top,” Mosallam said about the move to oust Engler.