Culture

Michigan State president to resign following Larry Nassar's sentencing

January 26, 2018 19:39·
Hide Caption Show Caption MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon Source

Hide Caption Show Caption MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon Source

Nassar is a former longtime school employee. "When they finally conducted a Title IX investigation of Nassar in 2014, they botched it and allowed him to continue allegedly molesting dozens of women and girls for two more years, including Team USA gymnasts".

"Throughout my career, I have consistently and persistently spoken and worked on behalf of Team MSU. Therefore, I am tendering my resignation as president".

Michigan State University's long-serving president resigned Wednesday night in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal, saying, "as tragedies are politicized, blame is inevitable".

MSU Board of Trustees responded to her announcement, praising her for work she had done in her 40 years at MSU but also agreeing it is "time for change".

Simon and the board reached an agreement to put her raise of $150,000 into a scholarship fund and create a $10 million fund for mental health programs for sexual assault survivors. "He was stopped by the victims, who had to fight through being silenced, being threatened, being mocked, by the officials at MSU who they appealed to for help". And she vigorously challenged the authenticity of the reports in the news media. Nassar was sacked by MSU in 2016 after the Indy Star reported on allegations of assault made by former gymnast Rachael Denhollander against Nassar. An MSU statement from last week says any suggestion that the university was part of a cover-up is "simply false", according to CNN. I take solace that many victims have indicated that the opportunity to confront Nassar is a step toward healing.

"To the survivors, I can never say enough that I am so sorry that a trusted, renowned physician was really such an evil, evil person who inflicted such harm under the guise of medical treatment", Simon said in her resignation letter, which was posted on the university website. "So I think it hits home for a lot of people in our community, who not only take a lot of pride in our university and our faculty and staff here, but when these are people who we know who have had their lives impacted by it, it definitely hits home".

Tom Leonard, the speaker of the House in MI, applauded Simon's decision while criticizing the school.

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"Tonight's decision by Lou Anna Simon to resign, while hard, is the right one". I am no longer a victim.

Simon's resignation comes just hours after lawmakers, petitioners and trustees called for her resignation. "As president, it is only natural that I am the focus of this anger", she said.

Following Miller's testimony, a Michigan State spokesman told Matt Mencarini of the Lansing State Journal that Nassar's former patients will not be billed. "We need to be able to look at what other institutions are doing right now for the 21 century and going forward for the future". Cowan recently told the court.

Many of Nassar's victims claimed the school mishandled the complaints against Nassar [VIDEO], some which go back twenty years. "Instead of being protected, I was humiliated". Last week, a unanimous vote by the Associated Students of Michigan State University condemned the board of trustees and administration for their handling of sexual assault, said the leadership of the institution had failed them, and that change in leadership at the highest levels was necessary.

At Michigan State, Nassar was not reassigned from clinical duties until August 2016, after the Star article, and he was sacked later that year.

In a statement, the NCAA said it's looking into whether the university violated any rules.

A Michigan State University football player is advocating for the #TimesUp movement amid the Larry Nassar scandal. It did not provide additional details.

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