State leaders react to Lou Anna Simon resignation as MSU President

Just days and hours after the student body government and the state House of Representatives called on Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon to resign, they got their wish Wednesday night.

“I am glad Lou Anna Simon finally did the right thing. The university's response to this crisis simply hasn't been good enough, and I hope that changes going forward for the sake of both the victims and the entire Michigan State University community," said Speaker of the House Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt Township, in a statement. "I look forward to working with the new interim president throughout the House’s inquiry and the state budget process to help the university be transparent about what happened over the past 20 years and to improve its Title IX procedures in order to better protect students."

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Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, had called on Simon to resign last week, but the full Senate hadn't taken up the issue yet.

"This is a necessary step to take in order for the university to begin seriously addressing a broken system that allowed more than 160 young women to be sexually assaulted by a university employee," he said. "Survivors deserve to be heard. Survivors also deserve assurance that the people in charge of their education and safety — all the way to the very top — will be held accountable."

On Twitter, Ananich had a suggestion for a new leader for MSU: ".@michiganstatueu needs courageous leadership to fix their broken system and make Spartans proud. Choose Dr. @MonHannaA to lead," he said, referring to the Flint doctor who uncovered lead poisoning from the city's lead-tainted water in the city's children.

State Rep. Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, whose district includes the university's campus, said on Twitter: "I recognize this was a difficult statement for President Simon to make, but it was the right decision to help MSU move forward. It is now a time for healing for the victims, the institution and the community."

Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who is reportedly among a list of candidates being considered to serve as interim president, said on Twitter: "While I know LouAnna Simon at @michiganstateu to be a good person, for the good of the university she is very much doing the right thing in stepping down. A fresh start with extreme clarity is in order."

Lorenzo Santavicca, president of the MSU Undergraduate Student Body, issued a statement thanking Simon for her work and leadership on behalf of MSU.

“It goes without saying that we have much to address in the current state of Michigan State University,” and student leadership must be “a critical partner” in the transition.

“To the survivors of sexual abuse at MSU, I know that we hear you and thank you for coming forward in sharing your statements these past few days,” he said. “We stand with you in saying that the time is now for us to collectively change and improve the overall culture and safety and security for everyone at Michigan State University.”

Bill Ballenger, a longtime Lansing political commentator and publisher of The Ballenger Report political newsletter, said the next question is how many of the MSU trustees might now be removed.

“I think the trustees, at least up to this point, have really disgraced themselves in their handling of this whole thing,” Ballenger said.

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He particularly pointed to Trustee Joel Ferguson, who gave a radio interview this week in which some interpreted his comments as trying to minimize the sexual abuse scandal.

“The real question is whether people stop and say, 'OK, the president is enough,' ” Ballenger said.

Metro Detroit public relations consultant Matt Friedman of Tanner Friedman said he thought Simon's resignation letter actually worsens the crisis.

"There is so much wrong with this arrogant, gutless, insensitive and irresponsible letter that it proves, perhaps once and for all, that Simon was either ignoring or refusing reasonable PR counsel over the past week of calamity, dcuring which not one iota of leadership was shown," he said in a Wednesday night blog post.

"Only an ego big enough for one of the largest campuses in the country could drive this text. It clearly proves that she didn't 'get it' and has lead a broken culture."

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.