MSU lawsuits, suspensions concern alumni
Rich Whipple doesn't want another Penn State.
The Michigan State University alumnus and Canton resident has confidence in his alma mater, but he still fears the fallout from ongoing sexual assault investigations at the East Lansing university.
“It’s like, what is going on up there?” said Whipple, a member of the Metro Detroit MSU Alumni Club. "I'm disturbed, and I'm just hoping there isn't anything else dug up."
For months, there has been a growing stream of negative news about criminal investigations related to sexual assault on MSU’s campus. It has alumni flinching with each new revelation and wondering, “What’s next?”
Larry Nassar, a former MSU doctor who worked with USA Gymnastics and the MSU women’s gymnastics team, is the subject of more than 60 sexual assault complaints. He’s already been charged in Ingham County with criminal sexual conduct charges not related to his work at MSU, and in federal court with child pornography charges.
MSU women’s gymnastics coach Kathie Klages was suspended Monday, and announced her retirement Tuesday.
The university itself faces two lawsuits alleging violations of federal Title IX laws and is named alongside Nassar by 38 women in two separate lawsuits.
MSU announced Feb. 9 that three unnamed football players and Curtis Blackwell, the football program's director of college advancement and performance, had been suspended during sexual assault investigations related to a January on-campus incident. The Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday morning that it was reviewing warrant requests from the MSU Police Department in relation to the players.
Carla Clark, an MSU alumna who lives in Flint, said the scandals have left her “brokenhearted.”
“I’m just disgusted that this stuff has been going on and, apparently, some of this has been going on for years,” Clark said.
Clark, who is the president of the MSU Alumni Association of Genesee County, said the issues at MSU likely will be a topic of discussion at the group’s meeting at the end of February.
“It can’t happen to my beloved alma mater,” Clark said. “We run a tight ship, or so I thought.”
Steve Nason, an MSU alumnus who lives in Ann Arbor, said he believes the university’s response to the issues in recent weeks has been measured and appropriate.
“I’m still waiting for more of the facts before I make a whole judgment,” Nason said. “I am still proud of being an MSU grad, no ifs, ands or buts.”
Lorenzo Santavicca, president of the Associated Students of MSU, said he was encouraged by the university’s “proactive” suspension of three football players under investigation for sexual assault. But he believed MSU President Lou Anna Simon and the board of trustees could be more forthcoming with students about investigations and not wait around for people to hear about them in the news.
“We see this has an effect on students,” Santavicca said. “When students are looking at MSU in the news and they see what’s going on — How are we going to maintain and attract top talent here?”
Bob Hornik, an MSU alumnus who lives in Sterling Heights, said he was disturbed by the allegations against MSU football players.
“I hate to hear it,” Hornik said. “These kids, if they’re on scholarship, they have a higher standard to live by and they don’t get it.”
Hornik said he was thankful for the message Simon sent to alumni regarding the Nassar investigation.
In the letter, Simon said "ensuring justice is served" was the university's top priority. She said officials are reviewing Nassar's time at MSU and protocols within the MSU HealthTeam.
Several other alumni expressed appreciation for the letter, but expected it wasn't the last they'd hear about Nassar.
“I’m sure there’s going to be more fallout,” Hornik said. “I feel like this is a Penn State situation all over again.”
In 2011, Jerry Sandusky, a retired assistant football coach at Penn State University, was accused of sexually abusing young boys. The scandal cost Penn State nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in attorney fees, NCAA fines and settlements to more than 30 accusers, which totaled $93 million.
Whipple had similar fears that competed with his confidence in the university.
“I have a lot of confidence in President Simon and Mark Hollis,” Whipple said. “I think it was just bad timing that all these things came together at one time. I’m trusting all these things will be handled.
“But also I’m a little frightened to think, ‘How bad is it?’”
Contact Reporter Beth LeBlanc at 517-377-1167 or eleblanc@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @LSJBethLeBlanc.