Despite yet another display of public division Sunday night, Michigan State University's Board of Trustees approved revisions to its code of ethics and conduct aimed at limiting public infighting among board members, with one trustee warning the changes echoed governance issues from the Larry Nassar era.
“The culture that produced Larry Nassar was built brick by brick through exactly the mechanisms being ratified in this document,” trustee Rema Vassar said in reference to the revisions the board passed Sunday.
During a special meeting held at 8 p.m. Sunday, all eight members of the university's governing board were in attendance to debate the revisions to the board’s code of ethics and conduct. The proposed changes emphasized public “loyalty” to the university and barred trustees from publicly dissenting from majority board decisions in their individual capacities.
The resolution passed 5-3, with trustees Mike Balow, Dennis Denno and Vassar dissenting.
Trustees will not be allowed to divulge “confidential” information to an “unauthorized person” before the information is made public, according to the resolution.
In compliance with the revisions, trustees will need to sign a “statement of acknowledgement” within the next week. If a trustee chooses not to sign it, they will be met with consequences such as being blocked from MSU events that don’t require them to be present in their formal board capacity, loss of tickets to games, loss of reimbursements and the loss of university-funded legal representation.
Trustees have until May 24, 2026 at 5 p.m. to sign and submit the required statement of acknowledgment for the revised Code of Ethics and Conduct.
'Strengthening governing standards'
“This is about governing ourselves,” trustee Sandy Pierce said of the revisions. Debates that once took place in public will now continue behind closed doors, Pierce said.
While board chair Brianna Scott described the revisions as “strengthening governing standards,” Vassar said they serve as a warning of MSU’s past.
