MSU Settles With Victims for 500 Million

Submitted by HelloHeisman91 on
1.3 Million Per Victim The settlement will cost the school at least $500 million. Attorney Jamie White, who represented dozens of women who sued the university, confirmed the settlement. He said $425 million is to be paid now and $75 million will be held in reserve. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/05/16/michigan-sta… settlement will cost the school at least $500 million.

ldd10

May 16th, 2018 at 12:50 PM ^

Someone can correct me, but weren't only like 25-30 victims actual MSU students?  Weren't a lot of the 300+ in this case people that were assaulted by Nassar elsewhere, but the argument is that MSU should have been on top of this which would have ended his ability to assault elsewhere?  

Perhaps that impacts payouts?

stephenrjking

May 16th, 2018 at 1:22 PM ^

He was working for / at MSU. In their clinic, I believe. So it doesn't matter whether or not the victims attended MSU, because they were treated at a clinic that MSU was responsible for. 

Yes, there are victims elsewhere, but most of Nassar's work was for MSU, not for USA gymnastics. The gymnastics team element gets a lot of attention, but that's because the victims are famous, not because they are numerous.

caliblue

May 17th, 2018 at 12:21 AM ^

I moved here from Mi . So did a lot of grads. It's the largest out of state alumni location ( not NY ) . You didn't hear Ca has 1 out of 8 US citizens ? That this state is by itself the 5ht largest economy on the planet ? Oh, and we did not vote for DT. We have our problems but nothing like the state of Mi.

KennyHiggins

May 16th, 2018 at 12:00 PM ^

This chapter is not closed.  They need to clean house - starting with Coaches and administrators in place during this horror show.  Special attention to those who led the MANY coverups

lhglrkwg

May 16th, 2018 at 12:14 PM ^

because now it's going to leave the news. MSU makes a (very large) one time payment and people nationally will forget about all the crap. It was barely staying in the public eye as it was. Seems like it's all but over now

mGrowOld

May 16th, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^

Nobody nationally really gives two shits about a midwestern aggrecultural college.  Other than those days when the victims, specifically the Olympic gymnast victims,  confronted him in court they werent covering this story that aggressively either outside of brief interest from ESPN.

Dantonio's going back to his football team, Izzo's focused on recruiting and the rest of the world is focused on important issues like if that fucking computer is saying "Yanni or Laurel".

TrueBlue2003

May 16th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^

the next guy, but this goes well beyond a rivalry.   

This has been an incredibly sad saga for the victims, embarrassing for the state of Michigan, just a tragedy all around.  There is no need want this to stay in the news other than to continue twisting a knife in your rival and that's petty. 

Better for the victims, the state, and everyone involved to get closure and move on with the healing process. Would be way worse for the victims to carry this out and that truly is what people should care about.

stephenrjking

May 16th, 2018 at 12:24 PM ^

Meh. If the victims are pleased with this, then go ahead and get it over with. I'll bet there's at least one woman who was abused who is behind on her mortgage or needs a new car, for whom nothing will truly heal the hurt she's suffered, but for whom a quick resolution is an umitigated blessing. 

And if this hypothetical person is helped by this, that's more important than whether or not MSU is getting publicly excoriated to a sufficient degree.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

May 16th, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^

There are two sides to the spotlight.  Perhaps you'd like to tell the victims their presence and newsy-sounding quotes will be needed for the next five years or as long as it takes to make you feel like you've gotten your pound of flesh out of MSU?

This isn't about whether MSU has or hasn't squirmed enough, it's about getting some measure of justice, fixing the institutional problems, and then letting everyone move on with their lives.  Repeatedly bashing the public over the head with it is going to make the public damn tired of it.

Wolverine In Iowa 68

May 16th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^

that's been a bonus.

 

What it IS about is the leadership of MSU.  Those that covered up this bullshit and are STILL IN POSITIONS OF POWER.  They talk a good story about changing the culture, but it's all talk as long as the BoT that victim blamed and the Athletic Department figures that allowed it to go on by covering up the reports, all in the name of protecting the reputation of the university, are still there.

It's all talk as long as Lou Anna Simon still has her retirement package golden parachute, instead of having her ass sitting in a cell next to Kathie Klages.  As long as Mark Hollis is walking around bragging about how he retired instead of facing charges of his part of the cover-up.

I have a niece who saw Larry Nassar for gymnastic injuries, and thank God he never molested her, so this is VERY personal to my family.  I'm very sorry for what the victims went through, but there is NO WAY MSU is going to actually change their culture and clean the shit up at their university if this just goes away in the media.

 

THAT is what it is about.

mGrowOld

May 16th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^

And she too wasnt molested or at least that's what she told her dad.

And every time his name is mentioned my partner says two things about the situation:

1. He was a damn good doctor according to him.  Helped his daughter (a ballerina) out tremendously

2. He prays she's telling him the truth.  But he'll never really know.

TrueBlue2003

May 16th, 2018 at 2:16 PM ^

the media will report what people want to read, click and share. 

If anyone wants to change the MSU culture and leadership, they need to protest, they need to vote out the BoT, they need to make it be a news story that these people are still in power.

If the people don't care enough to do that, it's our own fault.

Perkis-Size Me

May 16th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^

I imagine the school has insurance for situations like this, but if I was a taxpayer in the state of Michigan the first thing I'd be thinking is that not one damn cent of my tax dollars should be going to fund this payout. 

Not because I don't care about the victims or their well-being. But because this is MSU's fuck-up. And their fuck-up alone. They should be bearing the sole brunt of that cost. If they don't have all the money right away, find it from somewhere else. 

Guy Fawkes

May 16th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^

Agreed, but how are we ever going to know where this money comes from? Will it be public record? Because we already know how MSU handles their records. My guess is MSU wont leave a money trail and it will never be talked about ending with the taxpayers and students basically paying the bill

wayneandgarth

May 16th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^

That's a good point.  The $ has to come from either the operating budget, the endowment (which may have liquidation impacts) or insurance.  I would imagine there will be those looking to understand where it comes from.  Will be interesting to seel. 

TrueBlue2003

May 16th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^

because there's no way there's an cool half billion surplus in the operating budget.  Insurance probably does cover some but I can't imagine the limits are that high.  They might have the remaining 200-300 million in liquid assets in the endowment.

Anyone know what PSU's insurance covered for Sandusky?

NittanyFan

May 16th, 2018 at 6:34 PM ^

PSU and the insurance company got in a big lawsuit that got rather nasty. 

The insurance company was most likely the source of some "confidential documents" that got leaked and embarrassed PSU a bit.  

After that happened, PSU and the insurance company decided it was best to settle.  Figure that the insurance company paid some but not most.

Leaders And Best

May 16th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^

Surprising. I am guessing most of the victims probably wanted a quick resolution, but I am surprised that they settled this quickly and for that amount. They are getting about half the amount the Sandusky victims received on a per victim basis. There has not been any information about any institutional changes that may be required at MSU along with this settlement.

Njia

May 16th, 2018 at 2:24 PM ^

Using the attitude that has seemed to permeat this whole affair, I think the reason may be summed up thusly:

"At least he wasn't molesting little boys."

I was shocked that the amount was so meager; but then, I'm really not.

bronxblue

May 16th, 2018 at 1:47 PM ^

I wonder how much is covered by insurance and how much will come out of general funds/state provisions via taxes.  I have seen speculation on those fronts, but wonder who's footing this bill.

ndscott50

May 16th, 2018 at 1:54 PM ^

I think the state (taxpayers) should be on the hook for some of the cost of this.  MSU is a state institution with oversite by elected officials.  Those officials act as representatives of the people who elected them.  When the peoples representatives screw up there is a cost to the people they are representing.  I don’t think some consequences for the voters making poor decisions in who they elect is necessarily a bad thing.

Possible alternatives such as only allowing individuals who suffered harm from a state institution sue the individual responsible (which would severally limit the amount they can recover while also acting as a strong deterrent to having qualified individuals work for state institutions) or blanket immunity for all state institutions seem like less attractive alternatives.  

NittanyFan

May 16th, 2018 at 2:05 PM ^

Michigan voters have elected known stooges like Joel Ferguson to the MSU BoT multiple times.  

Of course, most Michigan voters don't really pay much attention to MSU BoT election (ditto for the Michigan Board of Regents and Wayne State Board of Governors elections).  But Ferguson and his ilk are only there because Michigan voters put them there.  As such, Michigan voters cannot say they are completely non-at-fault for this.

At the very least, this should make Michigan voters pay more attention in those elections.  And if Brian Breslin somehow gets re-elected this upcoming November?  Well, the voters would get what they deserve.