Students and faculty continue to pressure on Michigan State University officials to resign.
Surrounded by trees covered in teal tulle – the color of sexual assault survivors – marchers called on top officials to resign. They’re frustrated with how the school handles sexual assault complaints.
As MSU tries to right itself in the wake of disgraced former MSU sports doctor Larry Nassar’s conviction for sexual assault– students and faculty feel the administration isn’t listening to them.
Laura Mortensen is a junior.
“I don’t feel like they actually care. They’re trying to make themselves look good, they’re trying to sound sympathetic. Personally I’m not buying it.”
She says the problems with MSU’s handling of sexual assault cases go beyond Larry Nassar. Nassar is the former MSU sports doctor convicted of multiple cases of sexual assault.
“The Nassar case is not the only one. So MSU does have a history of kind of mishandling these things. And it’s very upsetting and I think people need to be looking into things beyond the Nassar case a little more to bring some of those to light.”
Terah Chambers is a faculty member. She read a letter to the crowd that she and other faculty delivered to school official representatives.
“Engler’s appointment is one more example of how the board has chosen to silence the concerns of students, faculty, staff and perhaps most importantly at this moment of survivors.”
The school’s faculty senate will take a vote of no confidence in the Board of Trustees next week. If it passes they will call on the board to step down.