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Office of Civil Rights report, Provost June Youatt's resignation discussed at board meeting

September 9, 2019
<p> The Hannah Administration Building on Aug. 23, 2019, in East Lansing.  </p>

The Hannah Administration Building on Aug. 23, 2019, in East Lansing.

Photo by Sylvia Jarrus | The State News

Michigan State President Samuel L. Stanley Jr.'s first Board of Trustees meeting took place Friday morning, where topics discussed ranged from supporting Nassar survivors, disabled sports fans and undocumented students.

This meeting took place just one day after the Office of Civil Rights, or the OCR, released its findings on an investigation into MSU's Title IX compliance and Provost June Youatt resigned.

Associate Provost for Graduate Education Thomas Jeitschko served in Youatt's place at Friday's board meeting.

Stanley declined to comment on any personnel actions as a result of the report's findings, but said that he will read the reporting details as the OCR asked the university and administration to do.

When it was discovered that the report referenced Youatt, Stanley said that two of them had a conversation about the report.

"We had a conversation, basically, based on the report," Stanley said during a press conference following the meeting. "After the report and the conversation, she tendered her resignation."

He said he did not ask her to resign, and that she did so voluntarily.

The current plans for filling the position include finding an interim provost within the next week, Stanley said. For a permanent replacement, he said he is interested in hearing suggestions from the university community.

Despite stepping down from her position as provost, Youatt is still tenured at MSU. There is still a possibility she will continue holding a position in MSU's Department of Human Development and Family Studies.

"I believe this institution needs to address relationship violence and sexual misconduct more aggressively and more completely," Stanley said. "As an institution, we must acknowledge the oversight and errors of the past, but we must take actions that advance healing and ensure that this is a safe, respectful and welcoming campus for all."

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