Michigan State president resigns amid outcry over school's handling of Larry Nassar
Lou Anna Simon
Lou Anna Simon   who had been credited with building the public university into a formidable academic center  bolstered by fundraising and research prowess  stepped down Wednesday in the face of a wave of public outrage.
 Simon  said  she  had planned to retire in 2016  but postponed  her  departure after learning of allegations about Nassar  a former team USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty in November to sexual assault. In a statement released Wednesday night   she  spoke directly to survivors  who have challenged  her  in harrowing testimony in recent days.
"To the survivors  I can never say enough that I am so sorry that a trusted  renowned physician was really such an evil  evil person who inflicted such harm under the guise of medical treatment   Simon  says. "I know that we all share the same resolve to do whatever it takes to avert such tragedies here and elsewhere . . . The survivors' accounts are horrific. They are tragic  heartbreaking  and personally gut-wrenching."
Brian Breslin  chairman of the school's board of trustees  said Wednesday evening the board would accept  Simon 's resignation.
"We agree with  Dr. Simon  that it is now time for change " Breslin said. " President Simon  has served with distinction as MSU's president for 13 years and has been a constant presence at the university for more than 40 years.  She  literally has devoted  her  entire professional life to this institution  and more than anyone else has helped make MSU a national and international leader in higher education."
 Simon 's success as a leader had earned  her  support from the board of trustees  most of whom stood by  her  during the Nassar scandal  and from many faculty members  who cautioned against a rush to judgment in the court of public opinion.
On Wednesday evening  both U.S. senators from Michigan  Debbie Stabenow  D  and Gary Peters  D  called for  Simon 's resignation. "It has become clear that the leadership at Michigan State University has failed to adequately prevent  address or respond to the victimization of young women and girls on its campus  and the crisis at MSU continues despite today's verdict " Peters wrote in a statement.
Michigan's state House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a measure Wednesday calling for  Simon 's removal. State Rep. Adam Zemke  D-Ann Arbor  said  Simon  was responsible "for perpetuating a sick culture that allowed a predator to continue molesting new young women and girls while also forcing  his  past victims to endure their suffering in silence. Her blatant failure to protect students from Nassar's abuse proves that she is unfit to continue as president of the university . . .  Simon  must go."
Hundreds of students had said they would march to the administration building Friday to demand  Simon 's resignation. Last week  a unanimous vote by the Associated Students of Michigan State University condemned the board of trustees and administration for their handling of sexual assault  saying the institution's leaders had failed them  and that change in leadership was necessary.
The student-body president  Lorenzo Santavicca  thanked  Simon  on Wednesday night for her tireless leadership  saying it was clear Michigan State had increased its global leadership  but that the institution needed to "look outward  say we're sorry  and mean it." He said university leaders need to empathize and ask how to move forward  and that a smooth transition will be crucial  with a new president assuring the campus community of an ability to listen.
Some professors had defended  Simon   saying  she  was well-respected at the university  that  she  could not have been expected to have known about the abuses  and that they trusted  her  to implement changes needed to ensure a safe and respectful environment on campus in the future.
 Simon  is a Spartan to the core  several faculty members said:  She  earned  her  doctorate at Michigan State in 1974 and held a variety of positions at the university  including provost  before being named president in 2005.
 Simon  said in  her  resignation letter  she  limited  her  personal remarks to keep the focus on "Team MSU " but finished with an intimate farewell.
Read  President Simon 's resignation letter in full:
[TGT] bolstered by fundraising and research prowess  stepped down Wednesday in the face of a wave of public outrage.
  [TGT] said   [TGT]   had planned to retire in 2016  but postponed   [TGT]   departure after learning of allegations about Nassar  a former team USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty in November to sexual assault. In a statement released Wednesday night    [TGT]   spoke directly to survivors  who have challenged   [TGT]   in harrowing testimony in recent days.
"To the survivors  I can never say enough that I am so sorry that a trusted  renowned physician was really such an evil  evil person who inflicted such harm under the guise of medical treatment    [TGT] says. "I know that we all share the same resolve to do whatever it takes to avert such tragedies here and elsewhere . . . The survivors' accounts are horrific. They are tragic  heartbreaking  and personally gut-wrenching."
Brian Breslin  chairman of the school's board of trustees  said Wednesday evening the board would accept  Simon 's resignation.
"We agree with  Dr. Simon  that it is now time for change " Breslin said. " President Simon  has served with distinction as MSU's president for 13 years and has been a constant presence at the university for more than 40 years.  She  literally has devoted  her  entire professional life to this institution  and more than anyone else has helped make MSU a national and international leader in higher education."
 Simon 's success as a leader had earned  her  support from the board of trustees  most of whom stood by  her  during the Nassar scandal  and from many faculty members  who cautioned against a rush to judgment in the court of public opinion.
On Wednesday evening  both U.S. senators from Michigan  Debbie Stabenow  D  and Gary Peters  D  called for  Simon 's resignation. "It has become clear that the leadership at Michigan State University has failed to adequately prevent  address or respond to the victimization of young women and girls on its campus  and the crisis at MSU continues despite today's verdict " Peters wrote in a statement.
Michigan's state House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a measure Wednesday calling for   [TGT]  's removal. State Rep. Adam Zemke  D-Ann Arbor  said   [TGT] was responsible "for perpetuating a sick culture that allowed a predator to continue molesting new young women and girls while also forcing   [TGT]   past victims to endure their suffering in silence. Her blatant failure to protect students from Nassar's abuse proves that she is unfit to continue as president of the university . . .   [TGT] must go."
Hundreds of students had said they would march to the administration building Friday to demand   [TGT]  's resignation. Last week  a unanimous vote by the Associated Students of Michigan State University condemned the board of trustees and administration for their handling of sexual assault  saying the institution's leaders had failed them  and that change in leadership was necessary.
The student-body president  Lorenzo Santavicca  thanked  Simon  on Wednesday night for her tireless leadership  saying it was clear Michigan State had increased its global leadership  but that the institution needed to "look outward  say we're sorry  and mean it." He said university leaders need to empathize and ask how to move forward  and that a smooth transition will be crucial  with a new president assuring the campus community of an ability to listen.
Some professors had defended  Simon   saying  she  was well-respected at the university  that  she  could not have been expected to have known about the abuses  and that they trusted  her  to implement changes needed to ensure a safe and respectful environment on campus in the future.
 Simon  is a Spartan to the core  several faculty members said:  She  earned  her  doctorate at Michigan State in 1974 and held a variety of positions at the university  including provost  before being named president in 2005.
 Simon  said in  her  resignation letter  she  limited  her  personal remarks to keep the focus on "Team MSU " but finished with an intimate farewell.
Read  President Simon 's resignation letter in full: