Michigan State University President resigns in wake of sexual assault scandal

Lou Anna Simon resigned on Wednesday after 13 years as president of Michigan State University in the wake of a massive sexual assault scandal involving the disgraced sports team doctor Larry Nassar.  Calls for Simon to step down began with reports that MSU administration officials and law enforcement knew about Nassar’s behavior and failed to stop him. Following Nassar’s sentencing for sex crimes on Wednesday, a source told the MSU student newspaper, The State News, that Simon would step down from her position by Friday.
Simon posted her resignation announcement on the school’s website, where she addressed the statements of Nassar’s victims and the long justice process. She also minimized her role and previous knowledge of accusations against Nassar in 2014.
“As tragedies are politicized, blame is inevitable. As president, it is only natural that I am the focus of this anger,” Simon wrote. “I understand, and that is why I have limited my personal statements.”
The former university president wrote about her work at MSU and her desire to put the university first.
“I urge those who have supported my work to understand that I cannot make it about me now,” Simon continued. “Therefore, I am tendering my resignation as president according to the terms of my employment agreement.”
Earlier in the week, Joel Ferguson, vice chairman of the MSU board of trustees, said that Simon, whom he described as a good fundraiser, would not resign. Ferguson added that the university had more going on “than just this Nassar thing.”
Nassar was once a respected physician employed by both the university and USA Gymnastics, which is also facing fierce criticism over its failure to do something about the serial abuser long ago. Because he was known for treating Olympic athletes, Nassar’s patients felt pressured to accept that his inappropriate, ungloved touch was legitimate medical care. Simon told the Detroit News that she knew about the abuse allegations in 2014 ― two years before Nassar was fired by the school ― when a Title IX complaint and a police report were filed. School police investigated, but allowed Nassar to keep seeing patients. At least two student athletes had previously voiced complaints about him to university staff.
She said in her resignation that she’d planned to retire in December 2016, but decided against it when the Indianapolis Star broke the story of the allegations that year.
“I told people to play it straight up, and I did not receive a copy of the report. That’s the truth,” Simon told the News. The same article said that more than a dozen MSU staffers knew about the accusations of abuse and did nothing.
Michigan’s two senators, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, called for Simon to resign on Wednesday. Both Democrats are alumni of the university.