EAST LANSING, Mich. – Interim Michigan State University President John Engler issued an apology Thursday amid outrage over comments he made about a survivor of Larry Nassar's sexual abuse.
Last week, emails from April revealed Engler had speculated that Rachel DenHollander, the first woman to speak out against Nassar, was receiving kickbacks or referral fees in the case.
More than 100 fellow survivors came to DenHollander's defense.
Engler released a statement Thursday, apologizing for the remarks.
You can read his full statement here:
"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.
"When I started this interim position in February, it was never my intent to have an adversarial relationship with some of the survivors.
"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.
"When I arrived at MSU, Larry Nassar was already in jail but students and survivors alike were protesting. I apologized publicly to the survivors on behalf of the University for the harm Nassar had done. Others from the university, including the Board of Trustees had also done so. But disappointment and anger overwhelmed those apologies. I felt from the day I arrived that the university and the survivors had to come together to reach a just and equitable settlement in order for the healing to begin.
"I also want to apologize to the MSU Board of Trustees and the Spartan community because my email created a major distraction from the important work we’re doing to make our campus safer.
"Days after I arrived, I moved to revoke Dean Strampel's tenure. We changed the protocols and policies in our medical clinics that allowed Nassar to escape detection for nearly two decades. We are dedicating more resources to sexual assault prevention and support services. Still that was not enough, a settlement had to be achieved.
"In May, we were able to do so.
"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. Just as our new policies have assured the safety of any patient who visits an MSU clinic or is treated by an MSU physician, our additional staff and new leadership will make a profound difference across our campus.
"Finally, we continue to welcome specific suggestions about actions that might be taken to improve our success at preventing sexual misconduct or sexual assault on or off campus. Your ideas are welcomed and will be treated with the utmost consideration. Suggestions can be offered at my webpage: http://president.msu.edu."
"John’s apology for the comments contained in an April email that was released last week is appropriate and appreciated by a majority of the Board,” said Brian Breslin, chair of the MSU Board of Trustees.
The MSU Board of Trustees released the following statement following Engler's apology:
"The Board remains very hopeful that the $500 million settlement reached with the Nassar survivors will allow them to heal and MSU to accelerate efforts to enhance campus safety and security for all who study, work or visit one of America’s most beautiful universities.
"The Board supports the efforts of Interim President John Engler and key leadership to implement Board of Trustee endorsed reforms that include the following:
Establishing the positions of Associate Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance and Director of Title IX Prevention, Outreach and Education
Creating the Office of Enterprise Risk Management, Ethics and Compliance
Establishing the position of Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)
Creating the Michigan State University Policy Library
Making the funding of key campus safety programs a priority in the 2018-19 Academic year budget
13 new Title IX and related positions, includes preventative and investigative staff
10 new positions in Counseling and Psychiatric Services
Four new MSU Public Safety officers
Two new Employee Assistance positions
Two new Office of Enterprise Risk Management, Ethics and Compliance positions
"The combined impact of these organizational changes, new leadership roles and the addition of new staff continues the overhaul of the MSU approach to prevention, investigation and compliance. The comparison of where we are today to one year ago is stunning. The changes listed above do not include the significant changes that reorganized the leadership of MSU Health Affairs and also saw new requirements mandated for doctors such as increased record keeping, detailed patient chaperone policy, strengthening information kept on volunteering off-site and new medical protocols.
"The Board of Trustees believes the effect of these changes is to protect patients, increase prevention and encourage anyone who may have been a victim to come forward, speak up and receive appropriate services, and to be confident that they are being heard.
"The majority of the Board believes Interim President John Engler has played a significant leadership role developing our new approaches and has been a driving force in the rapid rollout of many of these reforms. He will continue to serve as Interim President until a new President is selected. John is not a candidate for the permanent position and has stated repeatedly that he wishes to depart as soon as the new President is chosen.
"With regard to the Presidential search process, the Board met this week with Dr. Theresa Sullivan, our advisor to the search. It was a positive conversation and we are hopeful that we will soon have more information to share. We can confirm that there was considerable time devoted to the process and the need for extensive outreach to the university community and for an inclusive approach to the actual search committee."