Trustee Brianna Scott calls for the removal of BoT Chair Rema Vassar; claims abuse of position and bullying of colleagues

How can we start a petition to make our board a non political position?

tGreenWay wrote:

AvgMSUJoe wrote:How can we start a petition to make our board a non political position?

It will always be political, including if it becomes an appointed position by the sitting governor. I’d love to see the length of term reduced to 4 years. Hell, I’d take 6 at this point. Eight years for one term is too long.

Right, but these idiots are on the level of the state reps from the thumb. At least a political appointee would have some sort of qualification... and you never hear about the same drama from the state schools that do have appointed boards.

The BoT at MSU is like a poorly run HOA.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:How can we start a petition to make our board a non political position?

The selection of the board of trustees for MSU, U of M and WSU are enshrined in the Michigan constitution.

STATE CONSTITUTION (EXCERPT) CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1963

The state's constitution can be amended by a majority vote of the people at a state general election - but it is very difficult to get on the ballot. Your petition would need 446,198 valid signatures of registered voters collected within 180 days.

MSU addict wrote:

AvgMSUJoe wrote:How can we start a petition to make our board a non political position?

The selection of the board of trustees for MSU, U of M and WSU are enshrined in the Michigan constitution.

STATE CONSTITUTION (EXCERPT) CONSTITUTION OF MICHIGAN OF 1963

The state's constitution can be amended by a majority vote of the people at a state general election - but it is very difficult to get on the ballot. Your petition would need 446,198 valid signatures of registered voters collected within 180 days.

Well there's a half million alumni right?

A number of posters here including myself learned  BOT Chair Rema  Vassar PhD loves to hear herself speak when the BOT started showing fissures when the former Dean of the Business School thought now reigned BOT member Pat O’Keefe would protect him.

Vassar’s “Leadership” helped push President Stanley towards the door.

I like the optics of Brianna Scott initiating the move.  Don’t think anyone else could say anything without Vassar playing every card in the deck pointing with all her fingers.

MSU is in total disarray. Dysfunction everywhere. This means they hire Dan Enos.

I wouldn’t be opposed to 6 year elected terms with a 2 term limit. That means BOT members would typically serve at least 2 governors.

What’s happening in FL and TX universities is why I think leaving it up to gubernatorial appointments could gut research universities.

Voters and political parties have no business selecting our trustees. Yes, allowing the governor to appoint trustees opens the possibility that it becomes a partisan body, but I’d rather appointees be screened, vetted, and approved by the state legislature. MSU’s problems aren’t going anywhere with this clown car running the show.

The current BOT mess is directly related to Larry Nassar and his boss, then Dean of the Osteopathic School of Medicine.

Voters were rightfully angry on how MSU’s administration, staff and some coaches had willfully ignored complaints about both individuals for years that allowed both to continue to verbally (Strample) and physically (Nassar) MSU students for years.

8 year terms can bite votes and governors in the ass. The BOT elected Vassar as chair. If you believe reports, Vassar has abused her position from the get go.

I think Vassar is her biggest fan and has never understood that being the Chair of the BOT is being a spokesperson for the BOT and have responsibility for running meetings, agenda order, etc.

Vassar thinks she can act independently in too damned many situations. For whatever reasons she thinks it’s up to her to make statements about legally and possibly financially sensitive issues without consulting the BOT. It’s troubling that Vassar won’t handover her phone in MSU’s own investigation about the Tracey / Tucker leaks.

But political moves are at work. Dennis Denno, another trustee with connections to Governor Whitmer has come out in support to Vassar.

https://statenews.com/article/2023/10/msu-trustee-denno-supports-board-chair-vassar-amid-calls-for-her-resignation?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_latest

CaptainSlow33 wrote:Voters and political parties have no business selecting our trustees. Yes, allowing the governor to appoint trustees opens the possibility that it becomes a partisan body, but I’d rather appointees be screened, vetted, and approved by the state legislature. MSU’s problems aren’t going anywhere with this clown car running the show.

this is true.

I mean, let's face it.. every time I vote, if there is an election for the UM Board of Regents or whatever they call it on the ballot, I vote for the republican.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

CaptainSlow33 wrote:Voters and political parties have no business selecting our trustees. Yes, allowing the governor to appoint trustees opens the possibility that it becomes a partisan body, but I’d rather appointees be screened, vetted, and approved by the state legislature. MSU’s problems aren’t going anywhere with this clown car running the show.

this is true.

I mean, let's face it.. every time I vote, if there is an election for the UM Board of Regents or whatever they call it on the ballot, I vote for the republican.

Bob, you should join me and vote for the green party candidates for u of m board or regents.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

CaptainSlow33 wrote:Voters and political parties have no business selecting our trustees. Yes, allowing the governor to appoint trustees opens the possibility that it becomes a partisan body, but I’d rather appointees be screened, vetted, and approved by the state legislature. MSU’s problems aren’t going anywhere with this clown car running the show.

this is true.

I mean, let's face it.. every time I vote, if there is an election for the UM Board of Regents or whatever they call it on the ballot, I vote for the republican.

And you can bet that they are voting for the candidates they think will torpedo us the hardest.

But like, who can honestly say they have researched the candidates for Wayne State's board (also on the ballot)? These positions are really important to the health of major research institutions in the state - it should really be appointed by a panel of educators, not partisan donors.

CaptainSlow33 wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
this is true.

I mean, let's face it.. every time I vote, if there is an election for the UM Board of Regents or whatever they call it on the ballot, I vote for the republican.

And you can bet that they are voting for the candidates they think will torpedo us the hardest.

But like, who can honestly say they have researched the candidates for Wayne State's board (also on the ballot)? These positions are really important to the health of major research institutions in the state - it should really be appointed by a panel of educators, not partisan donors.

definitely should not be left up to idiots like me.

CaptainSlow33 wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
this is true.

I mean, let's face it.. every time I vote, if there is an election for the UM Board of Regents or whatever they call it on the ballot, I vote for the republican.

And you can bet that they are voting for the candidates they think will torpedo us the hardest.

But like, who can honestly say they have researched the candidates for Wayne State's board (also on the ballot)? These positions are really important to the health of major research institutions in the state - it should really be appointed by a panel of educators, not partisan donors.

Michigan is one of the few states that allow straight ticket voting (check one box and vote for all candidates on the ballot from that party). Typically, over half of ballots in Michigan are cast this way.

Like anything, there are both advantages and disadvantages to straight ticket voting, but the reality is for votes like college boards - straight ticket voting controls who wins. Many people who do not vote straight ticket simply skip the races they have little interest in or knowledge of. It also means any independent or third party candidate has no chance of winning.

Rather than whining about changing the MI Constitution, I sent emails to BOT members Scott and Byram supporting their efforts to force Vassar to resign.

Also sent an email to Trustee Denno expressing my regret for voting for him insight of the fact he's supporting the most self-serving disruptive BOT Chair we have ever experience.

Joel Ferguson looks like a walk in the park on a sunny day compared to the ‘effups Vassar has presided over since elected chair.

tGreenWay wrote:Helluva story by the SNews. Seems like the Chair is out of control and making MSU her own fiefdom.
https://statenews.com/article/2023/10/msu-trustee-calls-for-board-chair-rema-vassars-removal-over-harmful-consequences-of-her-bullying-plotting

She should be removed for wearing those glasses. How can you take someone seriously when they do that?

In her letter, Scott included a photo of Vassar sitting courtside with then-MSU football coach Mel Tucker.


cheap shot.

Although it appears that she developed a relationship with Mel - any chance she leaked the info?

Finally, it would be real helpful if - when playing the race card - that the play include a little evidence to support race as a factor. Frankly, it loses quite a bit of effectiveness as a response to unethical behavior like flying on donor's private jets and sitting courtside with Mel Tucker.

Hasn’t lost enough effectiveness to get Gov Whitmer’s attention.

Nearly every member of the BOT past and present will show up at events and be seen with MSU coaches. It’s good PR and most know that success in football and basketball also increase academic donations.

I have a hunch there are things Vassar doesn’t want made public and that’s put her in the ackward position of calling for meaningful investigations of others while refusing to cooperate with MSU where she ends up being part of investigations.

GRR Spartan wrote:The current BOT mess is directly related to Larry Nassar and his boss, then Dean of the Osteopathic School of Medicine.

Voters were rightfully angry on how MSU’s administration, staff and some coaches had willfully ignored complaints about both individuals for years that allowed both to continue to verbally (Strample) and physically (Nassar) MSU students for years.

8 year terms can bite votes and governors in the ass. The BOT elected Vassar as chair. If you believe reports, Vassar has abused her position from the get go.

I think Vassar is her biggest fan and has never understood that being the Chair of the BOT is being a spokesperson for the BOT and have responsibility for running meetings, agenda order, etc.

Vassar thinks she can act independently in too damned many situations. For whatever reasons she thinks it’s up to her to make statements about legally and possibly financially sensitive issues without consulting the BOT. It’s troubling that Vassar won’t handover her phone in MSU’s own investigation about the Tracey / Tucker leaks.

But political moves are at work. Dennis Denno, another trustee with connections to Governor Whitmer has come out in support to Vassar.

https://statenews.com/article/2023/10/msu-trustee-denno-supports-board-chair-vassar-amid-calls-for-her-resignation?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_latest

Agree with most of this, except for the administration ignoring it.

Until the FBI was sued it was more a cultural thin in the gymnastics world, meaning everywhere on the globe, not just at MSU, and it didn't go up the "chain of command" at MSU to reach the administration at all. The gymnastic coaches at MSU, and everywhere else on the globe, suppressed it. The rest of the globe, once MSU's lawsuits were the big story, was very happy to let people pile on while the real enablers, the US (and global) Gymnastics administration skated under the PR radar.

MSU addict wrote:

CaptainSlow33 wrote:

And you can bet that they are voting for the candidates they think will torpedo us the hardest.

But like, who can honestly say they have researched the candidates for Wayne State's board (also on the ballot)? These positions are really important to the health of major research institutions in the state - it should really be appointed by a panel of educators, not partisan donors.

Michigan is one of the few states that allow straight ticket voting (check one box and vote for all candidates on the ballot from that party).  Typically, over half of ballots in Michigan are cast this way.

Like anything, there are both advantages and disadvantages to straight ticket voting, but the reality is for votes like college boards - straight ticket voting controls who wins.  Many people who do not vote straight ticket simply skip the races they have little interest in or knowledge of.  It also means any independent or third party candidate has no chance of winning.  

Just of point this out, the Michigan voters passed a Constitutional amendment on straight ticket voting, overwhelmingly.  This bit is not a political issue as all the voters like it.  Given the pretty even split between people who vote for one party verses the other party, and are voting straight ticket, there is an argument that the people voting who really care about who is on tBoT, and are not voting straight ticket so they can vote for tBoT members of their choice, are the ones electing it.

Debbie Stabenow calls for Vassar to resign.

Usually not a good sign when a highly respected United States Senator calls for your resignation. Debbie isn't exactly known as a bomb-thrower, either, who runs her mouth about things she knows nothing about, like a lot of them. This kinda speaks volumes, for me, at least.

Stabenow calls for MSU board chair Rema Vassar to resign

State Journal headline.

So MSU has a football coach problem, a University President problem & a BoT chairperson problem.

Crap!

[tw]1716875853534277661?s=46&t=o_-92Ldle66XHQBlJVUMFQ[/tw]

Nm

Trapper Gus wrote:So MSU has a football coach problem, a University President problem & a BoT chairperson problem.

Crap!

Well to be fair a good bot chair would not have the other problems, sooo... maybe just one problem?

Robert J Sakimano wrote:Debbie Stabenow calls for Vassar to resign.

Usually not a good sign when a highly respected United States Senator calls for your resignation. Debbie isn't exactly known as a bomb-thrower, either, who runs her mouth about things she knows nothing about, like a lot of them. This kinda speaks volumes, for me, at least.

Stabenow calls for MSU board chair Rema Vassar to resign

State Journal headline.

Former governor Blanchard has done the same…

Blanchard, a former two-term Democratic governor, accused Vassar of treating MSU "like it’s her own private club."

"Her day-to-day meddling in the management of the university makes responsible governance more difficult than it needs to be," Blanchard said in a statement. "The taxpayers and our Spartan nation deserve better."

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/10/24/debbie-stabenow-calls-on-michigan-state-university-board-chair-rema-vassar-to-resign/71301493007/

tGreenWay wrote:

DWags wrote:[tw]1716875853534277661?s=46&t=o_-92Ldle66XHQBlJVUMFQ[/tw]

Hadn’t thought of that. Not a bad move for the Dems as far as Slotkin moving into the position as an incumbent. Stabenow as MSU president gives me serious pause, though.

Nope. She's pretty good.

Trapper Gus wrote:So MSU has a football coach problem, a University President problem & a BoT chairperson problem.

Crap!

for most of the last 50 years Trapper

Funny thing.  

When I read the Senator Stabenow was calling for Vassar's resignation in the LSJ,
I told my wife it would be a very cynical, Machiavellian move for Stabenow to resign from the US Senate, Governor Whitmer appoints Slotkin to serve out the last year of Stabenow's term and Stabenow is appointed to serve out Vassar's term that ends Jan1 2029.

Don't know if MI Democrats are ready to play 3D chess.

Little Johnny Truscott, John Engler's hand picked protege who was supposed to have a district drawn specifically for him to run for state rep ages ago is still a party operative but he never did run for any election. He’s been a lobbyist and political advisor for 22 years. He’s the poster child for MI GOP political insiders.

If Truscott is floating this possibility, I suspect he’s calculated making Representative Slotkin a 1 year US Senator would cause problems for anyone planning on running in the ‘24 Primary which would spill over to an advantage to the GOP nominee.

The fact Truscott

duffy munn wrote:

Trapper Gus wrote:So MSU has a football coach problem, a University President problem & a BoT chairperson problem.

Crap!

for most of the last 50 years Trapper

Othor than Joel don't remember tBoT being an issue...

Various Presidents have been less that supportive of football, but other than that haven't seen the mess we have now...

Yes, football has been an issue ever since Bo & Woody teamed up to fuck MSU