Michigan Universities in Leadership Turmoil | Lansing News

Michigan State and the University of Michigan are both in the midst of leadership chaos, with revolving doors in presidential offices and athletic departments under fire. At Michigan State, President Kevin Guskiewicz nearly quit for Clemson but stayed thanks to a powerful local rally — including support from Coach Tom Izzo and thousands of yard signs. He’s now navigating seven acting presidents since 2018, following fallout from the Larry Nassar scandal and board conflicts. Meanwhile, Michigan’s interim president Domenico Grasso steps in after Santa Ono never officially took the job, while Kent Syverud stepped down for health reasons — and Mark Schlissel was fired over a personal scandal. Athletic leadership is also shaky: Michigan State’s AD J Batt, who helped launch Spartan Ventures, is leaving for Kentucky — a move that could’ve triggered a buyout clause if Guskiewicz had left. At Michigan, AD Warde Manuel may be next, amid a $12 million investigation into his department’s culture, following legal trouble from a former football coach. Both schools are struggling to stabilize while facing intense public scrutiny. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/566e2492299aa525