Michigan State faculty vote no confidence in board after leadership turmoil

Dive Brief:

Michigan State University faculty overwhelmingly passed a no-confidence measure against the public institution’s trustee board on Wednesday in response to whiplash and confusion over university leadership. 
In May, MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz was set to leave for Clemson University, only to reverse his decision weeks later — with no word from trustees on interim leadership in between. In his departure message to faculty, Guskiewicz cited “discouraging behavior” and conflict among some trustees during his time at MSU. 
Faculty also held a no-confidence vote for Guskiewicz on Wednesday, but the president escaped censure with the measure failing in a 522-740 vote.

Dive Insight:

MSU faculty’s vote sent a blunt message to the board over the leadership turmoil the institution has faced for nearly a decade, dating back to the scarring scandal centered on sex abuse revelations about former MSU physician Larry Nassar.  

This week’s no-confidence measure against MSU’s board garnered 1,199 votes in favor. Only 120 voted against the resolution, which stated simply: “Be it Resolved, That the Academic Congress of Michigan State University lacks confidence and trust in the Board of Trustees to effectively oversee Michigan State University.” 

In a statement Wednesday, Board Chair Brianna Scott said, “I do not believe the hard work, dedication and reliable support of the majority of the Board is reflected in the results of the vote by the Academic Congress.” 

The university has had six presidents since 2018. The past two permanent leaders have publicly aired complaints about in-fighting on the board.

John Aerni-Flessner, an MSU history professor and faculty senate chair, wrote in a July 8 message introducing the no-confidence measures that MSU’s board held a special meeting in May to approve both a raise for Guskiewicz and change its own ethics code to “end some of the public squabbling that had been notable in recent years.” 

Both measures were aimed at keeping Guskiewicz at MSU, but he announced his departure to helm Clemson anyway. In his farewell message to the university community, the president spoke of the need for “a shared commitment to collaboration, trust and a forward-looking vision.”

Guskiewicz pointed to disagreements on the board over that vision. “At times, too much energy has been spent revisiting past conflicts and internal disagreements rather than focusing collectively on the opportunities and aspirations ahead of us,” he wrote.

He also referenced “the actions of some” on the board “to abuse their access to privileged and confidential information to mispresent facts, manipulate situations and selectively use and leak that information to promote personal agendas.” 

Two current trustees, Rema Vassar and Dennis Denno, were censured by the trustee board in 2024 for alleged misconduct. In prior years, Vassar was accused of bullying and overstepping her authority. 

Guskiewicz’s predecessor, Samuel Stanley, issued even more forceful complaints against MSU’s board when he resigned in 2022, saying that he had lost faith in the trustees. Faculty had passed a no-confidence vote against the board at the time over allegations that it inserted itself in a faculty decision.

Guskiewicz, however, reversed his decision to leave less than two months later, returning with a 55% pay raise, according to Aerni-Flessner. The interim represented “a five-week period of silence on our leadership limbo” from the board, according to MSU’s Academic Congress.

For his part, Guskiewicz said the decision followed “much thought, countless conversations and careful consideration.” He added that he had “productive conversations” with board leaders “about the governance challenges I previously shared,” and that “the board has demonstrated a commitment to implementing a more robust governance structure.” 

The reversal and the board’s lack of communication to the campus community in between prompted the faculty no-confidence votes, according to Aerni-Flessner’s message. “For too long now, the outside perception of MSU is that we are a [mismanaged] institution,” Aerni-Flessner wrote, pointing to internal board conflicts and president turnover.

He also raised tough questions about trusting the board and Guskiewicz after his change of heart.

“Can we trust a Board of Trustees that would not only have this president back, but offered him a large raise despite his public acceptance of another job?” Aerni-Flessner wrote. “Can we REALLY afford to have another national news story about MSU’s misgovernance?” 

MSU’s trustees are elected by state voters and serve staggered eight-year terms. A recall vote of any current trustee would require a petition with 1.1 million signatures, according to the Lansing State Journal.