Michigan State's University Council approves vote of no confidence in Board of Trustees

Update: The date of the MSU Academic Congress vote has been changed to close on Oct. 27.

EAST LANSING − The University Council at Michigan State University Tuesday approved a symbolic vote of no confidence in the Board of Trustees following President Samuel Stanley Jr.’s resignation.

The University Council, which is chaired by Stanley and consists of the Faculty Senate, deans of colleges at MSU, administrators, and undergraduate and graduate student representatives, approved a one-sentence resolution at a meeting Tuesday: “That the University Council has no confidence in the Michigan State University Board of Trustees.”

The resolution passed 85-6. The University Council becomes the third governing body at MSU to approve a vote of no confidence in the Board of Trustees, following the MSU Faculty Senate and Associated Students of MSU.

The resolution did not include reasons why University Council members supported the vote. The votes of no confidence are symbolic as trustees are elected through a statewide vote of the public.

“University Council's membership includes, among others, the entire Faculty Senate and several ASMSU representatives, so many members were likely motivated by the reasons underlying previous votes of no confidence,” Karen Kelly-Blake, chairperson of the Faculty Senate, said in a statement. “But regardless of the rationale, the overwhelming support for yesterday's motion makes one thing perfectly clear: Students, faculty, deans and administrators are united in their lack of confidence in the Board of Trustees.”

Jack Lipton, a professor in the College of Human Medicine and a University Council member, agreed.

“The vote demonstrates that larger constituencies of the university are united regarding the board’s overreach, micromanagement and thereby the diminishment of the reputation of MSU,” he said.

The MSU Academic Congress, which includes all voting-eligible faculty and academic staff, or about 3,500 members, was called into session on Wednesday to consider an electronic vote of no confidence in the board. Voting will close on Oct. 27.

The strife stems from concerns trustees have with the handling of Title IX reports by Stanley and other university officials, as well as the Title IX-related resignation of former Broad College of Business Dean Sanjay Gupta.

Trustees initiated an investigation into Gupta's forced resignation by Provost Teresa Woodruff, which Stanley supported. Gupta failed to report claims that an official in the Broad College of Business got drunk at the Gatsby Gala, a party for MBA students, on April 22 at The Studio at 414 in Lansing, according to a Crain’s Detroit Business report. The publication reported that an unnamed official inappropriately touched at least one student while also dancing in a sexually suggestive manner.

Gupta has welcomed an investigation into the circumstances that led to his resignation. Stanley criticized the board’s investigation as micromanaging.

Trustee Renee Knake Jefferson, who is running for re-election Nov. 8, issued a statement Wednesday. She was appointed to the board by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

"The MSU Board of Trustees Code of Ethics and Conduct provides that only the Chairperson of the Board may communicate with the media about Board business," Knake Jefferson wrote."As a candidate on the ballot in the upcoming election, however, I recognize that it is important for the public to hear from me directly regarding the recent no confidence votes. I take these votes very seriously. It is clear that the Board must improve communication. I hope that the students, staff, faculty, and the entire Spartan community, as well as the public, will judge me on my individual record as someone who is committed to academic freedom, accountability and transparency in governance, and campus safety and healing.

"The role of the Board of Trustees is to engage in oversight of the university, and not to be involved in the day-to-day management of university affairs. I have faithfully honored and fulfilled my duties as a trustee since Governor Whitmer appointed me in 2019 and I will continue to do so."

Trustee Pat O’Keefe declined to comment. None of the other trustees immediately responded to requests for comment.

Stanley announced his resignation on Thursday, Oct. 13. He said he’d also lost confidence in the Board of Trustees, including some trustees who have reportedly been pushing for his ouster for months.

“We were saddened to learn of President Stanley’s resignation, and we wish him all the best in his next endeavors. We must now turn to the university’s next challenge: MSU’s ability to attract quality candidates for the presidency is threatened every day that the Board of Trustees continues its unbecoming behavior,” said Kelly-Blake and Stephanie Anthony, vice chairperson of the Faculty Senate, in a Sunday statement. “The trustees have an opportunity to ease tensions by working with faculty, students, and staff to identify an interim president quickly and collaboratively. The institution’s future depends on selecting an interim leader with substantial academic credentials, a commitment to teaching and research, and the trust of the Spartan community.

“We will hold fast to our principles and demand that the board respects the essential academic freedoms that have made research universities like MSU sources of immense intellectual value for the world’s great democracies.”

Trustees released a statement Tuesday saying they would reach out to students, faculty, staff and alumni as they look to quickly appoint an interim president.

An audit conducted by MSU Chief Audit, Risk and Compliance Officer Marilyn Tarrant, dated Sept. 13, found a dozen Title IX “process weaknesses” along with recommendations to address those concerns about the Title IX report review process.

Numerous statements from different factions of faculty have been released in past weeks. A group of College of Business professors said they supported the Board’s investigation. Other groups have slammed trustees for their interference in academic management.

The MSU Coalition of Racial and Ethnic Minorities released a statement Tuesday explaining that the Coalition had also lost confidence in the Board of Trustees.

“It appears to us that the BoT has failed to follow MSU policy and procedures and does not have the best interests of Michigan State University, its students, faculty, staff, and alumni in mind,” according to the statement. “Upon President Stanley's departure, CoREM expects and demands that MSU continue and strengthen the development and implementation of the DEI strategic plan and the building of the Multicultural Center. Development and implementation can only happen when MSU fully invests resources into the DEI strategic plan. We also expect to be involved in the next President’s selection process. “Going forward, CoREM demands transparency in decision-making and the BoT must meaningfully respond to concerns voiced by ASMSU and the Faculty Senate. We expect transparency, we deserve transparency, and we demand transparency!”

Contact Mark Johnson at majohnson2@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMarkJohnson.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State's University Council passes no confidence vote in Board