Michigan St. president resigns after remarks on Nassar victims

DETROIT — After a controversial year in office and amid growing criticism of his tenure, Michigan State University interim president John Engler resigned on Wednesday, sending an 11page resignation letter to the school’s board shortly after 6 p.m.

“In compliance with your request that I resign & in order to ensure an orderly transition to my interim successor, I hereby resign the office of President of Michigan State University effective 9 am, Wednesday, January 23,” the letter stated.

The move came hours after the board set a special meeting for early Thursday morning with the intent to fire him, sources told the Detroit Free Press.

Mr. Engler has been under heavy criticism for the past year, since he took over for Lou Anna Simon, who herself resigned under heavy criticism for her handling of the Larry Nassar sexual assaults scandal.

After setting the board meeting for 8 a.m. Thursday, board chairwoman Dianne Byrum told Mr. Engler the board would like him to resign or it would fire him, the sources said.

It’s a meeting that has been brewing since Mr. Engler took over as interim president at his alma mater.

Much of Mr. Engler’s tenure has been taken up with fallout from the Nassar scandal and heavy criticism from survivors of Nassar’s abuse.

Mr. Engler took a firm hand at a public university in crisis, making changes intended to strengthen the school and prevent abuse. But his remarks about sexual abuse victims sparked headlines, and academic leaders sought assurance the university leadership would operate with empathy, honesty and transparency after revelations of sexual abuse, hidden for years, horrified the university and the nation.

Mr. Engler survived a motion to fire him this summer, but the criticism hadn’t abated.

The latest round of criticism came after Mr. Engler told the Detroit News editorial board that Nassar survivors were “enjoying the spotlight” while the university is “trying to go back to work.”