Michigan St. president to step down
Engler facing public backlash over comments
DETROIT — Michigan State University’s interim President John Engler submitted his resignation Wednesday amid public backlash over his comments about women and girls sexually assaulted by now-imprisoned campus sports doctor Larry Nassar.
Engler, who had resisted earlier pressure to resign, announced his plans in an 11page letter to Dianne Byrum, chairwoman of Michigan State’s Board of Trustees. It makes no mention of recent criticism of his remarks and instead lists what he considers to be his accomplishments in his one year of service, saying the university is a “dramatically better, stronger institution.”
Engler said he was in Texas attending a service for his late father-in-law. He says his resignation is effective on Jan. 23.
His sudden reversal tops off a stormy period for the university under Engler and is the second time a Michigan State president left during the Nassar scandal.
The final straw for the university’s board came last week when Engler told the Detroit News that Nassar’s victims had been in the “spotlight” and are “still enjoying that moment at times, you know, the awards and recognition.”
Nassar 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.
Brian Mosallam told the Associated Press Wednesday that “the votes are there” to force Engler out at a special board meeting scheduled Thursday at the school in East Lansing.
After Engler was hired by the board, Michigan State agreed to a $500 million settlement with 332 women and girls who said they were sexually assaulted by Nassar. Of that, $75 million will cover future claims.
In April, Engler told another university official in emails that Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to go public with her accusations about Nassar, was probably getting a “kickback” from her attorney.
Denhollander said that her hope is that the board “is signaling at least the beginning of a true change in direction and tone. And in order to do that, they have to deal with the person they put in place.”
The university fired Nassar in 2016, two years after he was the subject of a sexual assault investigation. He also worked with the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team. Hundreds of women and girls, most of them gymnasts, accused Nassar of molesting them when they sought treatment during his time working for Michigan State and USA Gymnastics, which trained Olympians.
A special prosecutor in December accused Michigan State of stonewalling his investigation into the school’s handling of the scandal.