University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel's firing stuns students, others

Shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday, life in Ann Arbor came to a standstill as word spread: The University of Michigan's Board of Regents had unanimously fired President Mark Schlissel for an inappropriate relationship with a female employee.

"Everyone was on their phone," Mary Walsh, 54, of Ann Arbor, who was eating with friends in a downtown restaurant, told the Free Press on Sunday morning. "We were just leaving and it seemed like at every table we walked past people were reading the story or talking about it. It was stunning."

The school's board sent a letter to Schlissel firing him immediately for the supervisor-subordinate relationship and then posted that letter and dozens of his emails on the university's website.

Less than 24 hours later, the streets of the small college town were hazy with frost and hushed in the quiet of a Sunday morning.

Students who were up and braving the cold were still talking about the firing.

"I, honestly, was very surprised that it was so all of a sudden, it just kind of seemed like it came out of nowhere," said Eleanor Wang, 21, a movement sciences student. "Since I started here (in 2018), everything seems like it's just gone downhill."

Those interviewed and others who issued statements in the university community were glad to hear of the dismissal.

"President Schlissel has consistently acted as if he is above the rest of the university community, as if the rules do not apply to him and as if he is only responsible to his own elite circles," said the One University Coalition in a statement. The group of faculty, students and staff from U-M's three campuses advocates for equitable funding. "Any progress made toward equity priorities over the last few years has been the result of student and faculty organizing, over the objections of Dr. Schlissel. After watching our campuses suffer due to his neglect of our student bodies, our specific missions, and our staff and faculty colleagues, we greet this decision with relief and gratitude."

Schlissel has long been accused of paying more attention to the Ann Arbor campus, where the average household income is much higher, than the Flint and Dearborn campuses, where more low-income students attend. For example, activists and students were upset by a plan to give free tuition to students with a household income of under $65,000 and attending the school in Ann Arbor. It took a few years of activism for the program to be extended to Dearborn and Flint and then it was put in place with a GPA requirement, something the Ann Arbor program didn't have.

Others said it was ironic that after Schlissel's other actions that drew criticism — including the university's response to COVID-19 and handling of the Dr. Robert Anderson sexual assault scandal — his firing was due to a relationship with a subordinate.

"When I first heard the news, I thought it would be -- for some reason -- really inappropriate stuff in the emails, but it really was just sort of like middle school-level flirting," said Anna Anderson, 20, an art and design student. "The release of the emails felt a lot like in middle school when you're passing notes to your crush, like the teacher catches your eye and reads it out loud. That's what it felt like."

Frustration with the university's COVID-19 response and students feeling like their concerns are being ignored has affected students' faith in campus leadership, Wang said. Students and faculty have been upset about having to attend or teach class in person as well as with what they say are inadequate quarantine quarters.

"People don't trust the university," she said. "I really don't like when things are run solely based off of making money. Put more money into resources, like, help the students out, we come here for a reason, we give you tuition for a reason — don't spend it on trips to India." Emails released by the board from Schlissel to the female employee referenced a trip to India.

Coronavirus strategies that allowed for in-person classes this school year and football games in a stadium of thousands led to protests for strictersafety requirements.

"A lot of it (COVID-19 precautions) was really just based on, at least from like my perspective, it seemed kind of ego-driven," said Jonathan Lovett, 19, a psychology student. "It was just this emphasis on keeping up an image instead of keeping up with what is best for students, what's best for faculty."

Schlissel's firing, though a step in the right direction, is not enough to cool any friction between students and university leaders, Wang said.

More: University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel fired by board after investigation

More: Tensions between U-M regents, President Mark Schlissel may have reached a boiling point

More: Contract: Schlissel to receive full salary for at least 2 years after stepping down in 2023

In a letter to Schlissel posted on the school website, the Board of Regents spelled out its concerns and said his conduct was "particularly egregious considering your knowledge of and involvement in addressing incidents of harassment by University of Michigan personnel, and your declared commitment to work to 'free' the University community of sexual harassment or other improper conduct."

According to emails posted by the university Saturday night in a stated spirit of transparency, Schlissel wrote to the female employee regularly and in familiar tones, including in October 2019 when he emailed about receiving a box of knishes. The woman said in reply that she liked the doughy snack food. Schlissel replied again: Can I "lure you to visit with the promise of a knish?"

The decision to fire him was made behind closed doors Saturday morning, without a public vote. The Free Press left messages with Schlissel seeking comment.

Former U-M President Mary Sue Coleman will return to campus as the interim president, the board also announced. Coleman was president from 2002 to 2014. During her time at the helm of U-M, she was known for the growth of the campus as buildings were remodeled and new ones were built.

Some were cautiously optimistic about that step.

"We're taking a baby step," Wang said. "We'll see what happens."

But some say the university has a far way to go.

The Army of Survivors, a nonprofit that works to raise awareness, accountability and transparency to sexual violence against athletes, said it fully supported Schlissel's removal.

"However, if the University of Michigan is going to take a stand against sexual misconduct, it must do so wholly and unabashedly by realizing their listening to survivors of Dr. Robert Anderson is well overdue," the group said in a statement.

Anderson abused thousands of athletes during his time at the university from 1966-2003, and some of those survivors have been camping outside Schlissel’s on-campus house since early October requesting a formal sit-down conversation.

"To know that these survivors were protesting sexual abuse outside Schissel’s house while he simultaneously abused his power " and carried on an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate, "is deeply disturbing," the survivors group said.

Schlissel was hired in 2014. In 2018, the board extended his contract for five years.

However, in the fall of 2021, Schlissel announced he'd be stepping down as president one year early, in 2023. While he said he was doing so in order to make a smooth transition in leadership, it came amid deep divisions on the board about his performance.

Contact David Jesse: djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @reporterdavidj. Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel firing stuns students