MSU is getting attention for the wrong reasons. Here's how they can fix it. | Opinion

In the midst of the world’s torments — wars, political instability abroad, politicians spouting authoritarian nonsense — when considering the troubles at Michigan State University one is tempted to paraphrase Rick’s famous line in “Casablanca”: “The problems of one university don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.”

No, MSU’s current calamities, self-inflicted by personnel at the highest levels don’t mean much compared to the real life-and-death issues ongoing worldwide. Even this anguished MSU alum knows losing to archrival University of Michigan by 49 FREAKING POINTS — sorry, need to take a breath — did not result in this reporter’s home being bombed, or his neighbors and friends being targeted by terrorist assassins. The football team’s emotionally wrenching collapse and the seemingly juvenile spats by the board of trustees are more of a large family dispute. Nothing to see here, folks, go about your business.

But MSU is very significant to the state’s economy and development. Its alumni include Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, senior U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, former governors John Engler and James Blanchard, business executives Dan Gilbert, Eli Broad and Matt Ishbia, authors Jim Harrison, Thomas McGuane and Richard Ford, film director Sam Raimi, actors James Caan and Robert Urich, conservative theorist Russell Kirk, jazz master Milt Jackson, and Nebraska Secretary of State Robert Evnen (who was also one of this reporter's roommates).

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MSU developed the cancer drug Cisplatin, which has saved who knows how many lives. The Facility for Rare Isotope Beam research attracts scientists worldwide. MSU is possibly the only university in the world with three — allopathic, osteopathic and veterinary — medical schools. And while some might scratch their heads at the schools of packaging and turfgrass research, almost no one leaves those academic studies unemployed.

And so some attention must be paid to the situation at MSU.

Ever wondered how MSU is governed? Sure you have

Some background, though, on university governance.

In most states, public university board members are chosen by the governor. And sometimes, questions are raised on whether those appointments are more for political than academic considerations (look, for example, at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s moves on the Sunshine State’s universities).

Michigan is one of just four states — the others being Colorado, Nebraska and Nevada — that select at least some of their college board members by election. In the other three states, all the public universities are overseen by a single statewide board. In both Nevada and Nebraska the boards are non-partisan. In Colorado, the board members are partisan. And, yes, there have been controversies at all those universities. (Can you think of a school anywhere that hasn’t had some dispute?)

Michigan does not have a central university system, and our constitution dictates the MSU Board of Trustees, the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents and the Wayne State University Board of Governors are elected by the entire state, as part of the partisan electoral system. The other governing boards — of schools such as Oakland University, Eastern, Central, Western, Northern Michigan universities — are chosen by the governor, with confirmation by the state Senate (U-M Dearborn and U-M Flint fall under U-M’s Regents)

In our now 186-year old state, we have elected college board members for 160 years. The 1850 Constitution stipulated that beginning in 1863, the board of the state “university” — we only had one at the time, originally called the Catholepistemiad (but you never see folks wearing sweatshirts saying that) — would be elected by the public. The 1908 Constitution settled on partisan elections for U-M, MSU and Wayne State.

The 1963 Constitution expanded all three boards to eight members, said Eugene Wagner, one of the two remaining delegates to the 1961-62 constitutional convention, added one last line (in Article 8, Section 3) that provided Michigan’s public colleges with great authority and autonomy: “The power of the boards of institutions of higher education provided in this constitution to supervise their respective institutions and control and direct the expenditure of the institutions' funds shall not be limited by this section.”

Wagner said that delegates intended for the universities follow the state's laws, but didn't think the Legislature should get involved in day-to-day operations. It was supported by both parties, he recalled. That provision has spared Michigan universities from some of the political controversies that have roiled schools in other states.

The elephant in the room

After years of international public controversy at MSU thanks to a now-imprisoned physician, grumblings of late were relatively local and low key.

Then the MSU community, and the world, found out about former football coach Mel Tucker’s now infamous phone call. Brenda Tracy, a victim advocate hired to educate his team about consent and sexual violence, alleged that Tucker had masturbated during a phone call; he admits to the act but says it was consensual.

That call has led to new charges of sex harassment, caused his firing and figuratively face-masked the football team along with all who follow the Spartans.

This reporter was at a social function the day the story broke and the group’s annoyed muttering centered on whether MSU should change its slogan from "Spartans Will to "Spartans Will … Screw It All Up." (An aside at this moment to thank U-M Coach Jim Harbaugh for shouldering some controversial attention away from MSU.)

Mel Tucker blew his MSU career. Did he ruin those of future Black coaches, too?

Tucker’s bizarre phone etiquette brought to mind the horrors of the physician, Larry Nassar, once a prominent MSU asset for his medical skills with athletes, then exposed as a serial sex abuser who horribly damaged hundreds of lives, destroyed careers and brought endless shame to Michigan State. Tucker’s misdeed does not equal Nassar’s voluminous crimes, but it is a piece of the disgraceful fabric that settled on Sparty.

Back to those boards

All three elected boards have had recent controversies. At U-M, former Regent Ron Weiser (also a former Michigan Republican Chair) was criticized after he called Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson “witches.” And some WSU governors had a long, confusing animus over former President M. Roy Wilson.

But in governing board disputes, MSU leads the league. Former President Samuel Stanley was so frustrated with the board that he just up and quit. Current acting President Teresa Woodruff was considered a strong candidate for the full-time post until she suddenly withdrew her name. Why, she has not revealed, though with this board, you gotta wonder.

The trustee mud fight took on a new dimension recently when the State News, the student newspaper, reported on a letter from Trustee Briana Scott blasting board chair Rema Vassar of individually orchestrating several “fractured and contentious” decisions without other members' knowledge and consent. Scott also accused Vassar of bullying. Thus far, one member has backed Vassar and one has backed Scott, and the others have as yet stayed silent. Vassar charged the letter was racially motivated, though both she and Scott are Black. Stabenow and Blanchard have called on Vassar to resign. Whitmer has said she would look at changing the board selection process (and several legislators have proposals ready).

And while Vassar has blasted the attack, she also apologized for some of her actions which leaves matters even more confused. Is that an admittance, or what?

And MSU still has to hire a new president and a new football coach. Good luck to whoever gets those jobs. Don’t be surprised if your office doors are revolving.

What if I told you MSU could fix this

Frankly, the answer to this controversy probably doesn’t need major constitutional changes, since no appointment system can guarantee there will never be disputes.

Because, to this reporter, the answer seems logical, courteous, respectful, personable, and within the capability of any and all persons. In fact, I can do no better than to quote comedian Bob Newhart in his famous sketch when he said: Stop it! Just stop it.

For crying out loud, be the mature adults you are all expected to be. Talk to each other, reach accommodations, develop compromises that don’t insult yours or anyone else’s basic principles, be respectful in disagreement, do not be demeaning in any circumstances, recognize the other guy may be right. For the good of this university, this state and all its people, stop it.

There are enough serious problems in this world already, and MSU can play a role in resolving them, but not if you guys don’t straighten up. You’re all a lucky bunch to be in your positions, so act like you know that, and behave as we all expect you to behave.

After this, I need a double scoop of Spartan Swirl at the Dairy Store.

John Lindstrom has covered Michigan politics for 50 years. He retired as publisher of Gongwer, a Lansing news service, in 2019. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

Editor's note: This column has been updated to correct the spelling of Eugene Wagner.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MSU scandal starts where it should stop: With governing board