The Michigan State University interim president John Engler has stepped down amid heavy criticism over last week’s remarks that some survivors of Larry Nassar’s abuse were “enjoying” the “spotlight” of their involvement in the worst sex-abuse case in US sports history.

On Wednesday afternoon Engler submitted a letter of resignation saying he would step down next week. But on Thursday, MSU’s board of trustees voted to make the resignation immediate.

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Engler’s comments came in an interview on Friday with the Detroit News editorial board where the former Michigan governor said MSU’s Healing Assistance Fund could be focused on students who are not part of the $500m settlement reached last year between the school and the more than 300 women and girls who said they were sexually assaulted by Nassar, a former faculty member and team doctor for the USA women’s gymnastics team.

“There are a lot of people who are touched by this, survivors who haven’t been in the spotlight,” Engler said. “In some ways they have been able to deal with this better than the ones who’ve been in the spotlight who are still enjoying that moment at times, you know, the awards and recognition. And it’s ending. It’s almost done.”

Rachael Denhollander, the first gymnast to publicly accuse Nassar, was among the many advocates and survivors to condemn Englar’s comments.

“You mean, like having to change the day I grocery shop so my three kids don’t see a photo of their mom demonstrating what was done to her body?” she wrote on Twitter. “Tell me more about how enjoyable this spotlight is.”

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Engler, who previously served three terms as the state’s governor from 1991 through 2003, had served as acting president since replacing Lou Anna Simon, who resigned under mounting criticism last year and was charged in November with lying to state police during a probe of Nassar’s abuse.

In June, Engler apologized after private emails surfaced in which he suggested that Denhollander was likely receiving a “kickback” from her attorney for encouraging other victims to come forward.