The Michigan State University Board of Trustees held a late-night meeting Sunday to determine the fate of two board members — Rema Vassar and Dennis Denno.
The board voted six to two and urged Governor Gretchen Whitmer to consider removing them. Vassar resigned as the board’s chair earlier Sunday.
All of this comes following a report by a DC-based law firm that Vassar and Denno violated the board’s ethics policies and bylaws, and recommended their removal. Vassar says while she disagrees with some of the findings, improvements are needed.
“This investigation acknowledges what we all know, that this board has suffered from dysfunction for some time, certainly preceding my tenure,” Vassar said. “Accordingly, I strongly agree with the report’s recommendations for improvement of the board’s processes and clarification of the guidelines for trustees. Specifically, most of the report’s recommendations focus on steps we should take to improve board practices.”
Vice Chair Dan Kelly becomes the board’s new leader.
Sunday’s meeting happened just hours before Kevin Guskiewicz became MSU’s new president, effective Monday.
