EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University President Samuel Stanley announced Thursday that he is resigning from his position.
In an address to the university community, Stanley said that he submitted his 90-day notice of resignation Thursday to the Board of Trustees.
"I, like the Michigan State University Faculty Senate and Associated Students of Michigan State University have lost confidence in the actions of the current Board of Trustees, and I cannot in good conscience serve this board as constituted," Stanley said.
This decision comes after the Detroit Free Press reported last month that the board told Stanley to resign as president.
The friction between the board and Stanley stemmed from theresignation of Broad College of Business Dean Sanjay Gupta and issues with the state-mandated Title IX certification process during 2021.
Stanley later spoke to the Faculty Senate at a special meeting saying that he "faithfully complied with the state of Michigan certification process" required for all Title IX reports.
On Sept. 30, the board released an internal audit of the Title IX certification last year and found several "weaknesses" in the workflow of the process.
During an Oct. 11 meeting in a vote of 55-4, the Faculty Senate said they have no confidence in the Board of Trustees. The resolution says that the board has "continued to destabilize the university" since September.
"Members of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees have compounded their intransigence, intimidating faculty administrators through a retained law firm investigating the resignation of Sanjay Gupta which is both outside of the board’s administrative purview and a violation of their Code of Ethics," the resolution said.
ASMSU also had a vote of no confidence in the board on Oct. 6, which passed 21-0 with four abstentions. Both resolutions mentioned issues with the investigation of Gupta's resignation and the review Title IX reports.
Stanley has been president of the university for three years.
Jan. 11, 2023, would be 90 days from Stanley's notice of resignation.
The Board of Trustees released a statement about the resignation Thursday afternoon.
“The MSU Board of Trustees appreciates President Stanley’s service over the past three years," the statement said. "President Stanley arrived at a difficult time and provided steady leadership to guide us forward while the entire world was experiencing severe disruption and uncertainty. The Board of Trustees will work cooperatively with President Stanley during this transition and more details will be shared with the campus community as information is available.”
This is a developing story.
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
For more news about MSU, go to the MSU Campus neighborhood page on our website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
