Two Michigan State trustees fail in effort to fire John Engler

David Jesse | Detroit Free Press

It took less than four minutes for the effort to replace John Engler as Interm President of Michigan State University to jump from behind closed doors to out in the public.

As the MSU board met Friday morning, trustee Brian Mosallam — the most outspoken board member critic of Engler — interrupted Engler as the agenda for the meeting was being approved.

Mosallam called for the floor, surprising Engler. Mosallam then made a motion to amend the agenda for the meeting to place an item on it that would have fired Engler for cause.

The crowd of protesters — most wearing teal T-shirts — erupted in applause.

But the applause was short-lived.

The board voted down the change, 6-2, with only Dianne Byrum joining Mosallam in voting for the change.

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During public comment, speaker after speaker called for Engler to go.

Bryan Tarrant, the parent of a Larry Nassar survivor, said when he looks in the mirror, he sees a father who failed his little girl. Tarrant, who was very emotional during his speech, says Engler is a monster hiding in plain sight.

“The idea of John Engler leading this university one more day is sickening. Does your lack of moral code keep you up at night? Because your lack of a moral code keeps me up at night.”

Katie Paulot of Reclaim MSU, an advocacy group of students and faculty, said Engler still has to go.

“His half-assed apology changes nothing," she said, noting that more than 1,200 people have signed petition calling for Engler to be removed. "I have only one thing to say to Mr. Engler — how do you like this teal shit?"

Teal is the color worn by many Nassar survivors and supporters to show solidarity.

Grace French, the fourth Nassar survivor to speak Friday, said the eyes of the nation were on the board, which in keeping Engler in place was encouraging victim shaming. "Show this community and the world how you can look ahead" starting with an MSU without Engler.

The board meeting came one day after Engler issued a public apology. The board issued a statement Thursday as well, saying the majority board supported Engler staying on.

His statement read:

"Last week while I was on my way to Texas, a private email conversation of mine from April was made public. I didn’t give it the consideration it warranted.

"That was a big mistake. I was wrong. I apologize.

"My speculation about the lead plaintiff receiving kickbacks or referral fees hurt her deeply and for that I am truly sorry. She and the other survivors suffered greatly and they are entitled not to have their sincerity questioned, either individually or as a group. I apologize to her and her sister survivors.

"The days after the April Board of Trustees meeting were extremely frustrating. Emotions and tempers, including mine, were running at a high level. It seemed as though we would never be able to reach a successful settlement. Nothing we were doing seemed to work.

"I am very proud that the plaintiffs, their very able counsel and the university were able to achieve a settlement which will help the healing begin. My private comments from April coming out last week impaired that healing and it reopened old wounds as many survivors felt compelled to come to the defense of the first woman who spoke out. My regrettable private email harmed the healing process and, for that, I am also very sorry.

"I will use my remaining time as Interim President of Michigan State University to continue implementing meaningful reforms that serve to increase safety and respect on our campus."

Last week, the Detroit Free Press and the Chronicle of Higher Education published an email from Engler to his top adviser accusing Nassar survivor Rachael Denhollander of likely getting kickbacks from trial attorneys.

In the April 15 email about Lorincz's accusation, Engler wrote: "...The survivors now are being manipulated by trial lawyers who in the end will each get millions of dollars more than any of (sic) individual survivors ..." with the exception of Denhollander who is likely to get (sic) kickback from Manley (sic) for her role in the trial lawyer manipulation. "

The reference was to John Manly, Denhollander’s lawyer.

Engler took over as interim president after Lou Anna Simon stepped down under extreme pressure over her handling of the Nassar case, including being in charge when he was cleared by an MSU investigation in 2014 of any wrongdoing.

Nassar, the MSU doctor accused of molesting dozens of female students and athletes, has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on child pornography charges and is in a maximum-security federal prison in Tucson, Ariz. He also faces a 40- to 175-year sentence issued in Ingham County and a 40- to 125-year sentence from Eaton County for sexual assaults. Those sentences will not begin until he finishes the federal sentence.

Engler has also taken heat for trying to micromanage the university's communications.

On Wednesday, the Free Press revealed that Engler changed the focus of the alumni magazine to positive coverage of the Nassar scandal.

Engler was also involved in other instances where he has pushed for the university to pivot toward the future and away from the case that put Nassar behind bars for what amounts to the rest of his life.

In a recent meeting, according to sources, Engler walked in and told a team planning an event: "Get that teal shit out of here."

Contact David Jesse: 313-222-8851 or djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @reporterdavidj.