EAST LANSING, Mich. – A Michigan State trustee says "the votes are there" to oust interim President John Engler if he doesn't resign.
MSU trustee Brian Mosallam told The Associated Press Wednesday that if Engler “doesn’t resign, we are going to vote to remove him.”
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Mosallam, a Democrat, also said he believes “the votes are there” to get rid of Engler. The board will hold a special meeting Thursday in East Lansing.
Michigan State University’s board has called a special meeting amid renewed criticism of interim President John Engler’s handling of the fallout around disgraced ex-sports medicine doctor Larry Nassar.
The meeting comes amid more controversy this week from Interim President John Engler. He told the Detroit News editorial board last week that Nassar survivors are enjoying the attention they're receiving.
"You’ve got people, they are hanging on and this has been … there are a lot of people who are touched by this, survivors who haven’t been in the spotlight," Engler told The News. "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."
Mosallam tweeted Wednesday, saying, "JOHN ENGLER’S REIGN OF TERROR IS OVER."
Engler, Michigan’s Republican governor from 1991 through 2002, was hired by trustees last February after the previous president resigned amid fallout from the Nassar scandal.
University Trustees plan to name new president by June 2019
Whatever the Board of Trustees plans to do with the interim president, they announced this past Junethat they'll have their new president by June 2019.
Trustees Dianne Byrum and Melanie Foster, who are heading the search, revealed this timeline:
- July-October 2018: Host listening sessions with stakeholders
- July 2018: Issue request for proposals from presidential search firms
- August 2018: Form the search committee
- September 2018: Conduct search firm interviews and make a selection
- October 2018: Finalize the position profile and make public
- November 2018-January 2019: Identify candidates and conduct initial interviews
- February-May 2019: Host finalist interviews with the Board of Trustees
- June 2019: Announce the selection of the new MSU president
"Finding the right president for Michigan State and completing the search in accord with this newly established timeline are critical steps for MSU and its future,” said Teresa Sullivan, retiring president of the University of Virginia and a MSU alumna. “I look forward to working with the Board of Trustees and stakeholders in the Spartan community as they seek to attract a great leader for the next chapter in the life of Michigan State University.”
Sullivan was appointed to advise the presidential search process