MSU Interim President John Engler was dismissive of sexual assault claims as governor
People are now taking a closer look at John Engler's record after his appointment as MSU interim president. Only took 24 hours to have it start blowing up in their face. It is being reported that Engler fought and dismissed the investigation of rape and assault of female inmates in Michigan prisons by guards. The women ended up winning lawsuits against the State of Michigan after years of stonewalling. Sounds like the perfect person to lead MSU now. The incompetence of their trustees shows no limits.
January 31st, 2018 at 5:41 PM ^
Looks like they are hiring for a culture fit.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:56 PM ^
Sadly, I think this is correct.
January 31st, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
He wasn't brought in to be tough on sexual assaults. He was brought in to appease donors and make investigations go away.
I cannot believe that the trustees don't realize that the best way out is through.
January 31st, 2018 at 5:42 PM ^
Spartans Will condone rape culture
January 31st, 2018 at 5:43 PM ^
Engler wasnt hired to clean up the mess. He is there to keep the lights on while the school looks for their next leader.
Sure its deplorable, and probably a misguided decision. But it has nothing to do with Michigan sports, and doesn't really warrant its own topic.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:22 PM ^
They brought in Engler for his name and political connections.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:32 PM ^
and he is nothing more than a placeholder til the next President is picked.
Who knows if Bill Beekman can keep the lights on or not. As Vice President of the school, it would be hard for me to believe he didn't have knowledge of the Nassar situation to begin with, and may be facing his own retirement.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:45 PM ^
He can. It's pretty simple. You just make sure the switch is in the "on" position. Beekman certainly has more knowledge about the day to day workings of the university than Engler. It's more likely that Engler was brought in so that things WON'T happen. It's more stalling and hoping this thing will go away. I have news for MSU; this is not going away.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^
That your idea that he was only brought in for his name is proven wrong based on his history and political ties. The man has attempted to cover up sexual crimes before, has a large amount of connections to higher ups in the Michigan community, and doesn't seem to have a problem sacrificing morals for the benefit of himself and those around him.
Considering what has gone on at MSU and their history of hiring people who don't have moral integrity and have continually chosen to protect MSU rather than the women who have been assaulted and mistreated, this seems to continue a disturbing trend. The board of Trustees and the university itself has not tried to own up to its mistakes, nor seem to understand the severity of the issue. They continually try to find someone to bail themselves out of a situation they created and nourished on their own.
I pointed out 2 days ago that we shouldn't have some dude's twitter post about MSU's situation on Mgoblog, as it provides no insight. But this actually does! I could go on but I think my point is clear already.
January 31st, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
How was this ENGLER THING not predictable from this board of trustees, the same clowns who thought by giving lou ann simon a raise, that would some how convince all of us dolts that things at staee were just great and they were a bastion of integrity and righteousness.
January 31st, 2018 at 9:15 PM ^
ICWYDT
February 1st, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^
gutted Title IX investigative procedures just two days after a meeting on the subject with Simon, they got downvoted--presumably because the observation looked political. But under the circumstances. . . quite likely germane. As hell.
EDIT:
Sept. 20, 2017: Lou Anna Simon meets with Betsy DeVos.
Sept. 22, 2017: Obama-era Title IX guidance is withdrawn
Oct. 10, 2017: Michigan State asks to have federal monitoring ended
https://deadspin.com/betsy-devos-rolled-back-title-ix-protections-two-d…
January 31st, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^
I'm taking away your title of "World's Greatest Detective".
January 31st, 2018 at 6:23 PM ^
I agree, IF this wasn’t such an important topic right now. No one said you had to participate.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:34 PM ^
And this has been discussed ad naseum. We had an entire thread about how Engler was a bad pick yesterday.
Seriously, if everyone wants to discuss every single ounce of minutae of MSU right now, RCMB would love to have you.
Edit: forgot the /s
January 31st, 2018 at 7:14 PM ^
I re-read your post in the worst Batman voice, Adam West. Then it somewhat made sense.
January 31st, 2018 at 8:05 PM ^
I thought everyone read everything i write in a Bat voice.
January 31st, 2018 at 8:38 PM ^
I do. Can't help myself. Damn that username...
January 31st, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
Clooney was terrible I'll give you that, however Adam West's voice is easier for my simple brain to recreate.
January 31st, 2018 at 10:49 PM ^
...however bat voices are mostly at imperceptibly high frequencies. Probably why I’m not getting it.
February 1st, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^
Dude, your helping a cat hump your head. Get over yourself.
February 1st, 2018 at 5:44 PM ^
Triggered much?
January 31st, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^
So much Sparty Nooooo.
They can still hire permanent president & AD from outside, but I won't hold my breath.
January 31st, 2018 at 5:46 PM ^
At what point does Ashton Kutcher tell us we've been punked?
January 31st, 2018 at 5:47 PM ^
So dumb. Makes sense that they all have msu degrees. Maybe listen to the faculty who haven't been completely steeped in a rape culture.
January 31st, 2018 at 5:53 PM ^
I wonder if MSU thinks that this is like the NFL. When you know you're going to lose, just tank so you can get the highest draft pick possible. Maybe someone should tell them that hiring administrators doesn't work that way.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:52 PM ^
That only works in the NBA.
And boy does it work well!
/76ers fan'd
January 31st, 2018 at 5:58 PM ^
Jesus. Their decision probably took minutes. "Well, Engler is my buddy and people know him." *Others shrug shoulders and nod slightly* "Sure. Sounds fine to me."
January 31st, 2018 at 6:08 PM ^
I get better information here and that's no /s
January 31st, 2018 at 6:15 PM ^
but we’re not totally obsessed w msu!! we did the same during baylor and psu’s debacle!!
/s
January 31st, 2018 at 6:30 PM ^
Well, I’d expect you, an MSU fan, to be obsessed with MSU.
January 31st, 2018 at 7:25 PM ^
i went to michigan. lived in markley, geddes rd, then near the im building on mary st...these constant updates are an embarrassment. couldnt care less about msu, but these BREAKING news threads every 10 minutes need to stop
January 31st, 2018 at 8:32 PM ^
.....maybe your complaining needs to stop. No one is being forced to read the thread, if you have no interest move on to the next non-staee topic.
January 31st, 2018 at 8:47 PM ^
This is a huge story, and it's going to be discussed here while it develops. You're free to ignore said discussion.
January 31st, 2018 at 7:36 PM ^
And UM fans go to MSU. Not to say that's you, but it does happen.
Many of these MSU threads are pretty interesting. This Engler story, for example, has not been picked up by the major newspapers yet. And it is relevant. Why not share the information?
January 31st, 2018 at 7:38 PM ^
You're not forced to read or respond. People seem to forget that they are the cause of 99% of their own problems.
January 31st, 2018 at 9:01 PM ^
yes, lots of d-bags went to michigan.
January 31st, 2018 at 10:30 PM ^
....but at least they can spell.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:31 PM ^
Almost like there’s an instate rivalry or something like that...nah that couldn’t be it.
Also there were plenty of topics about what happened at Penn State and there still is every so often. Don’t be a stupid idiot.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:50 PM ^
And there were about the same number of posters complaining about all the discussions here about them.
This is a very big story and it hits close to home for many of us, so you can shove the MSU obsession crap. Really, it's the biggest story in college sports and in the state of Michigan for many years.
January 31st, 2018 at 7:26 PM ^
stop lying to yourself
January 31st, 2018 at 7:40 PM ^
Shut the fuck up, asshole.
January 31st, 2018 at 10:32 PM ^
Victim shaming and predator defending to do?
Or perhaps prepping for the big day Sunday? Those pizzas ain’t gonna deliver themselves....
January 31st, 2018 at 6:11 PM ^
It probably would've won over the faculty and been a less political/controversial choice.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^
Powerful dude from the 90s (or like... today) ignored systemic problems with sexual violence? This is my shocked face.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:18 PM ^
I mean, I get that the "interim" title - on the surface - means you're there to prepare the university for whatever future awaits it and lay the groundwork for some meaningful change after a disastrous series of events such as those MSU has experienced. I had, however, almost forgotten all about the Department Of Corrections cases and how badly that went for him, so yeah, it's not really the MSU pedigree so much as things like this coming out which bring the whole appointment into question. Pandering to the donors THIS much is going to make it far worse on MSU, IMHO.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:19 PM ^
When Engler closed all of the psychiatric hospitals did all of the patients migrate to East Lansing?
January 31st, 2018 at 6:29 PM ^
he's John Engler
January 31st, 2018 at 6:48 PM ^
Good freaking lord, man, I have never seen anything like this.