The subcommittee's hearing, titled "Strengthening and Empowering U.S. Amateur Athletes: Moving Forward with Solutions," focused on the changes being made by the United States Olympic Committee, USA Gymnastics and MSU in order to "protect Olympic and amateur athletes from abuse" and to examine the reforms that have been implemented so far by these organizations.
Interim President Engler, USA Gymnastics President Kerry Perry, acting CEO of the United States Olympic Committee Susanne Lyons and Chairman of the Athletes' Advisory Council Han Xiao all testified before the subcommittee.
Engler's testimony
In his testimony, Engler listed several actions MSU has taken "since Nassar's crimes were discovered:
Providing assistance to survivors
Removing those who enabled Nassar
Protecting patients and improving patient care
Enhancing student-athlete medical care
Improving student counseling and psychiatric services
Strengthening protections for youth participants in campus programs
Enhancing Title IX policies and communications
Convening the MSU Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Expert Advisory Workgroup
Creating an Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance
Strengthening mandatory reporting obligations
Improving investigations of sexual assault reports
Creating an Office of Enterprise Risk Management, Ethics and Compliance and establishing a chief compliance officer
"We have always understood that the settlement is only part of the needed response," Engler said in his testimony. "From the moment that I arrived at MSU, we moved decisively to make the organizational changes necessary to ensure that a monster like Nassar could never again hide on our campus. We are working to prevent sexual misconduct on and off our campus and to create a safer and more respectful community for all who attend, work at, or visit the university."
Engler said that the most important change MSU has made on campus is accountability.
In his testimony, Engler says that "accountability is the most significant change that we (MSU) are implementing in a culture of 'shared governance' where there had been less emphasis on actual responsibility for achieving specific outcomes." @thesnews
"We have to hold those responsible for ensuring the safety of our students accountable for their actions and results," Engler said.
Questions to Engler
Several senators questioned Engler about what has been done in order to ensure the safety of students at MSU in light of Nassar's abuse.
Blumenthal said that, as survivors have said that USAG, USOC and MSU have failed them, he doesn't want them to have to say that Congress has failed them as well. @thesnews
Blumenthal questions Engler about the allegation made by Lorincz that Engler tried to settle the lawsuit between survivors of Nassar's abuse and the university without her lawyer present.
Engler again said that a conversation like that did not happen. @thesnews
Lorincz alleged that Engler tried to coerce her into settling the lawsuit between the over 300 survivors of Nassar's sexual abuse and the university in a meeting without her lawyer present. Lorincz also alleged that Engler had tried to offer her monetary sum of $250,000 to settle the lawsuit.
Engler denied that a conversation involving $250,000 ever happened and said it would be "silly" to try to settle a lawsuit with only one survivor present.
Engler said he would not try to settle a lawsuit with only one plaintiff present.
Peters brought up the decision to appoint Bill Beekman as MSU's permanent athletic director after Engler said an internal candidate wasn't going to be picked. He also addressed a letter signed by over 120 survivors that called for Engler's termination as interim president.
After asking Engler if he would accept the position as MSU's permanent president if it were offered to him, Engler said that there is a national search going on and that he is not a candidate.
Peters asks if Engler would accept a position as permanent president of MSU if offered the position.
Engler said he is not a candidate, as there is a presidential search going on. @thesnews
According to a press conference announcing the timeline for the search for the university's permanent president, Engler will not be involved in the search process.
Survivors of Nassar's abuse
Before the hearing, several survivors of Nassar's abuse and senators spoke at a press conference. At the conference, U.S. senators said they want to ensure that nothing like Nassar's abuse ever happens again.
There are about 80 women here. Listing these things about themselves, the longer it goes on, is incredibly powerful. Many women saying, "USOC, USAG and MSU failed me"
