“I have all confidence that Trustee Vassar is going to lead us extraordinarily into this next phase as we go into some very important decision-making with the new presidential search and other things coming up.”
– Trustee Brianna T. Scott
On Sunday, October 22, Michigan State University (MSU) Trustee Brianna Scott presented a seven-page letter to the board calling for the removal of Dr. Rema Vassar, the first Black woman to chair the Board of Trustees at MSU. In the letter, Scott accused Vassar of “bullying colleagues” and described her leadership moves as fracturing and contentious. To be clear, Dr. Vassar has denied all allegations and has welcomed a review of her conduct.
Dr. Clyde Barnett III
These strong allegations have ignited macro and microaggressions directed at Dr. Vassar, including several statements from MSU Faculty Senate chair Jack Lipton. Lipton stated plainly that Chair Vassar was to blame for the “chaos” and “outburst” at the October 27 Board meeting, going on to call her supporters disrespectful and conflating a demonstration of community voice and agency with “Trustee Scott’s charges of intimidation and bullying in action.” Lipton indicated Chair Vassar “elected to let the mob rule the room.”
Besides the blatantly erroneous allegations against Dr. Vassar, there are several issues at play here. First, what Lipton and many others are deciding to ignore, yet again, is the fact that all behavior is communicative. That students and community members would exercise their voice and agency should be lauded, because it aligns with the institution's mission “to advance knowledge and transform lives.”
