EAST LANSING, Mich — Just days after Michigan State University’s administration made the decision to cut off the healing fund for Larry Nassar survivors, some of those survivors gave the university president an earful.
The fund was supposed to help the survivors pay for their treatment.
But without it, those affected by Nassar’s abuse will have to fund their own healing.
"I would really appreciate it if you would be so adult-like and listen to my daughter, who's 16 and missing high school over this," said Leslie Miller.
Emma Ann Miller, a Nassar survivor, should have been in her second hour honors algebra class at Haslett High School Friday morning.
Instead, she, along with others affected by the abuse of Larry Nassar, spoke in front of the MSU Board of Trustees.
“You hold the power to change not only my life and the lives of my sister survivors, but to change the lives of sexual assault survivors around the country," she said. "You have the power to affect healing, but you can't do that just by settling legal claims."
Miller says that, when the fund was generated, it was a publicity stunt aimed to improve the university's image.
"You did settle some of your claims, and I thank you for that. But that was for you too, right?"
The healing fund has been suspended since July after MSU raised concerns over possible fraud.
And when they made the payment to Nassar survivors in June, the school announced it would not be bringing the fund back.
MSU says it was only intended to be a bridge to help survivors until the settlement was reached.
