In a video released to the university Thursday morning, Michigan State University President Samuel Stanley gave his 90-day notice of resignation.
Stanley’s decision to resign follows votes of no confidence in the university’s Board of Trustees from MSU’s Faculty Senate and the Associated Students of Michigan State University.
“I, like the Michigan State University Faculty Senate, and associated students at Michigan State University have lost confidence in the action of the current Board of Trustees, and I cannot in good conscience continue to serve this board as constituted,” Stanley said.
In early September, it was reported members of the board had given Stanley the option to resign, or be fired, prompting calls for transparency from the Faculty Senate.
MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant denied that an ultimatum was proposed.
Stanley, who had been the president of Stony Brook University in New York, was tapped to lead MSU in May 2019 following turmoil over MSU’s handling of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.
Michigan State University | Susan J. Demas
Interim MSU President John Engler, a GOP former governor, resigned in January amid intense criticism from Nassar survivors. He was succeeded by acting President Satish Udpa.
Stanley, a Seattle native, earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1980.
“What happened at MSU will not be forgotten. Instead it will drive us every day to work together to build a campus culture of transparency, awareness, sensitivity and prevention,” Stanley said upon his hiring.
Over the past month, Stanley has been at odds with the members of the MSU Board of Trustees regarding the investigation and ousting of Sanjay Gupta, dean of the Broad College of Business, following concerns of Gupta’s adherence to the University’s mandatory reporting policy.
In a Sept. 13 meeting, Stanley and MSU Provost Teresa Woodruff discussed Gupta’s ousting, as well as the Board of Trustees decision to hire outside legal counsel to review the decision.
Stanley noted that Title IX cases are not subject to Board of Trustee appeals, and said it’s important not to let “micromanagement and partisan politics” get in the way of the university’s mission.
“I know very well from the outpouring of support that I’ve had from students, staff, faculty, shared governance, alumni, donors, affinity groups and others, that many of you will be profoundly disappointed by this decision,” Stanley said.
“The actions of the campus over the past month have shown the world that Michigan State University will not accept micromanagement by board members of the operations of this great institution, and that we will hold individuals, no matter what their rank accountable for their actions,” Stanley said.
authored by Kyle Davidson
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