LANSING, Mich., Oct. 14, 2022 — Samuel Stanley Jr. resigned as President of Michigan State University yesterday. Stanley expressed in a video message that he had lost confidence in the Board of Trustees, who had previously pressured him behind closed doors to step down from his position. The board’s action prompted statements of support for President Stanley from student and faculty groups. State Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Township) issued the following statement on Stanley’s resignation:
“I applaud President Stanley for all that he accomplished during his tenure, including opening the sexual assault center, his science-driven approach to the pandemic and opening the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. He provided stable, transparent, responsible leadership when the university needed it most. It’s shocking and deeply disturbing that the Board of Trustees conspired to remove him, behind closed doors and with no justification, for fulfilling one of his most essential mandates — strictly enforcing Title IX reporting procedures. His departure is a significant loss for our community. I have lost all faith in the trustees who have had a role in this gross misconduct.”