MSU trustees to investigate administration's decision to force dean out

EAST LANSING – A Michigan State University trustee said the board has hired legal counsel to review a decision by MSU Provost Teresa Woodruff that led to Broad College of Business Dean Sanjay Gupta leaving the school in mid-August.

Board of Trustees Vice Chairman Dan Kelly said a three-sentence statement he released was “on behalf of an overwhelming majority of the board members.” He did not name other board members who supported his position.

“The removal of Sanjay Gupta as Dean of the Broad College of Business was implemented by the Provost of the University with the support of the President,” Kelly wrote, contradicting the school’s earlier assertion that Gupta resigned. “The authority to remove a dean is vested in the Provost, and the propriety of that act is the responsibility of the President. The Board of Trustees is responsible for the oversight and governance of the University and has retained outside counsel to review the administration's decision in this matter.”

MSU President Samuel Stanley Jr. quickly issued a statement Tuesday defending Woodruff’s decision.

“Dr. Gupta served in his role as dean at the will of the Provost and she was well within her rights to make this leadership transition,” Stanley’s statement said. "I fully support this decision and the process utilized to come to this action. The administration will cooperate with the outside counsel.”

MSU officials in a statement earlier in August said Gupta resigned on Aug. 12. In a statement provided at the time from Emily Guerrant, MSU spokesperson, officials cited concerns over Gupta’s leadership of the College of Business and for “failure to report under our mandatory reporting policies” as reasons that led to his resignation.

Spokesman Dan Olsen Tuesday evening reiterated that Gupta resigned.

Gupta could not immediately be reached Tuesday evening.

In an Aug. 19 letter addressed to the Board of Trustees, 21 senior professors in the Broad College of Business said they received a message from Woodruff on Aug. 12, announcing that Gupta resigned "after a review of his administrative actions as a leader, including a determination of his failure to meet his mandatory reporting responsibility."

The professors challenged Woodruff's claim.

"Provost Woodruff has stated that Dean Gupta did not adhere to the university's mandatory reporting responsibility. However, in direct opposition to this statement, Dean Gupta has stated publicly that he did," the professors wrote. "To add to the confusion regarding what has transpired, we are also puzzled about Provost Woodruff's implication that Dean Gupta has failed to create safe and respectful working environments in our college because this is inconsistent with all we have witnessed over the last seven years."

They called on trustees to conduct an investigation.

"As senior professors in the Broad College, we believe that a thorough and independent internal investigation of this matter is needed to determine what the truth is regarding these very serious charges against Dean Gupta," the professors wrote. "Consequently, we respectfully petition the Board of Trustees to initiate such an investigation -- one that is independent of both the Provost's office and the Broad College of Business."

In an emailed statement to the Lansing State Journal on Aug. 15, Gupta said he had been cooperating in an MSU investigation and refuted any claims he failed to follow mandatory reporting protocols.

"During the past few months, I’ve fully cooperated with the Office of Institutional Equity's investigation, which remains ongoing, and I’ve acted accordingly with transparency to ensure a thorough and accurate report," he wrote. "I’ve served MSU for 15 years, including the last seven as dean of the business school – and I’m confident the proper steps to initiate an investigation of alleged misconduct, which I took extremely seriously, had been taken and that mandatory reporting obligations had been met."

Gupta had worked at MSU for 15 years and had been dean of the College of Business since June 2015. As of July 2021, Gupta was the sixth-highest paid university official, with a salary of $472,236.

The board hired Los Angeles-based firm Quinn Emanuel, which confirmed it would conduct an internal investigation. Partner Crystal Nix-Hines declined further comment, explaining they "don't comment on pending internal investigations."

Trustee Patrick O'Keefe declined comment when reached by phone Wednesday. Board Chair Dianne Byrum and trustees Kelly Tebay, Melanie Foster, Renee Knake Jefferson, Brianna Scott and Rema Vassar did not immediately return messages from the State Journal Wednesday.

Crystal Nix-Hines, a partner with Quinn Emanuel, a law firm with locations around the world, provided a statement confirming their attorneys would be looking into the matter.

"The Board of Michigan State University has retained Quinn Emanuel to conduct an independent investigation related to Sanjay Gupta’s deanship at MSU’s Broad School of Business," according to the statement. "We look forward to conducting a thorough investigation and reporting our findings to the Board."

While the details behind Gupta’s mandatory reporting concerns were unclear, MSU’s mandatory reporting policy requires that, unless identified as a confidential source, all university employees must report sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual misconduct, stalking and relationship violence incidents if they observe it themselves or learn about it in their professional capacity, if it involves a member of the university community, if it occurred at a university-sponsored event or on university property.

MSU only requires employees to report relationship violence and sexual misconduct if they became aware of it in their capacity as university employees, not in a personal capacity.

MSU officials pointed to the Larry Nassar scandal and other instances of sexual misconduct at MSU to highlight the importance of mandatory reporting.

The most recent policy was put in place in August 2020.

“Our recent institutional history underscores the significance of a failure to report and the devastating impact it can have on individuals across our campus and beyond,” according to the statement. “It is incumbent upon our leaders to understand their reporting responsibilities to further a safe, welcoming space for all students, employees and guests.”

Woodruff recommended Judith Whipple, interim associate dean for faculty and doctoral programs in the MSU Broad College of Business, to serve as interim dean. She currently is the interim dean designee.

The Board of Trustees is expected to consider Woodruff’s recommendation at its Sept. 9 meeting.

“I am confident in Dr. Whipple’s knowledge of the Broad College, her leadership background and her academic excellence as she steps into this role,” Woodruff said in a press release earlier this month. “She knows the strengths of the Broad College’s faculty, staff and students as they strive to create and disseminate knowledge through collaboration.”

The search for the next permanent dean of the College of Business will begin this fall, and officials expect the new dean will be selected by July 2023, the university has said.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State trustees hire legal council to investigate removal of Dean Sanjay Gupta