Report: John Engler to Resign as MSU President Amid Larry Nassar Controversy

Michigan State interim president John Engler reportedly will resign in the wake of his offensive remarks regarding the women and girls Larry Nassar sexually abused, according to David Jesse of the Detroit Free Press.

Last Friday, Engler suggested that some of the women and girls who came forward about the abuse were "enjoying" their moment in the public "spotlight" in a discussion about the Board of Trustees reopening MSU's Healing Assistance Fund which assists victims of Nassar's abuse in paying for counseling and support services, per Kim Kozlowski of the Detroit News:

"You've got people, they are hanging on and this has been ... there are a lot of people who are touched by this, survivors who haven't been in the spotlight. In some ways they have been able to deal with this better than the ones who've been in the spotlight who are still enjoying that moment at times, you know, the awards and recognition. And it's ending. It's almost done."

Engler's reported resignation does not come as a major surprise. Earlier on Wednesday, Michigan State University trustee Brian Mosallam told the Associated Press that if Engler "doesn't resign, we are going to vote to remove him."

Board of trustees chairwoman Dianne Byrum then had a "frank" discussion with Engler. Per the AP, Byrum "stopped short of confirming that she asked him to resign, but said the board is poised to appoint a new interim president at a Thursday meeting. She said she had not yet heard back from Engler."

In the wake of Engler's comments, 23 of the school's administrators and deans sent a letter to the board demanding that Engler be replaced.

"The pattern of comments by interim President Engler, including his most recent statement suggesting that some of the survivors of sexual abuse are 'enjoying' the spotlight, further harms the very people it is our responsibility to support," the letter said, per Jesse. "We do not support his continued leadership."

Engler, like his predecessor Lou Anna Simon, has faced backlash during his tenure over how Michigan State has handled itself in the wake of the Nassar trial. Over 300 women in total have said that Nassar sexually assaulted them, and Michigan State reached a $500 million settlement with 332 victims for its role in Nassar's abuse.

Nassar had an office at Michigan State and worked as a team physician for both the University and USA Gymnastics. He was convicted on multiple counts of sexual assault and child porngraphy in three different trials and will almost assuredly spend the rest of his life in prison. 

Many of the victims have spoken out against Michigan State. Rachael Denhollander said in May that she hasn't seen "meaningful reform" at MSU, per the AP. And Olympic gymnast Jordyn Wieber criticized Engler in March, saying he lobbied against Michigan statute of limitations laws for "sexual assault victims to file lawsuits and remove governmental immunity as a defense," per the AP.

The school claimed that Engler didn't lobby against such laws and only wanted to slow down the legislative process for additional analysis.

"I hope President Engler will hear this message and take it to heart," Wieber said at the time. "Survivors are not your enemy. We want MSU to move forward, rebuild its reputation and thrive."