EAST LANSING — The Michigan State Board of Trustees approved a policy requiring members to support majority decisions or face sanctions, following the resignation of university president Kevin Guskiewicz. Guskiewicz announced his resignation to become president at Clemson University. Less than two weeks before his resignation, the Board offered Guskiewicz a $1 million raise to remain president, which he declined.
Guskiewicz issued a resignation letter criticizing the Board. He stated, "The board spends too much energy on revisiting past conflicts and internal disagreements rather than focusing collectively on the opportunities and aspirations ahead of us." He also accused trustees of "publicly undermining decisions and putting personal interests above the best interests" of the campus community.
Board chair Brianna Scott blamed fellow trustees for Guskiewicz's departure. Scott stated, "The decision that he made is the direct result of an unsustainable environment created by the unfettered and disruptive behaviors of three of my colleagues on the board. These individuals routinely use their positions of public trust, not to govern, but as weapons against our administrators and our presidents."
The Board approved the conduct policy on a 5-to-3 vote. Trustees Rema Vassar and Mike Balow refused to sign the new policy. The university barred Vassar and Balow from attending a conference with policymakers as a penalty for not signing the policy. Vassar and Balow argued that the policy violates their First Amendment rights. Chair Scott stated the policy clarifies expectations around trustee conduct rather than restricting speech. In 2024, an external investigation found that Vassar and Trustee Dennis Denno violated the board's code of conduct by interfering with university investigations and litigation, and encouraging personal attacks on a faculty member. Vassar was also found to have accepted private air travel and courtside basketball tickets from a donor.
Michigan lawmakers considered a proposal to change the selection of public university board members from elected to appointed. The bipartisan proposal to appoint board members failed a vote in the Michigan Legislature. Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer supported the proposal. Whitmer stated, "The recent situation at Michigan State underscores why we need stable, accountable, and consistent leadership at our public universities. The way we've selected board members needs to change. The bipartisan proposal to appoint university board members would help ensure institutions have the leadership and expertise to get things back on track." A separate proposal to remove current board members at the University of Michigan, Michigan State, and Wayne State University and place a constitutional amendment on the ballot was voted on by the Michigan House. This proposal, which required a supermajority to pass, failed with 52 votes in favor and 54 votes against.