The investigation was first made public on Sept. 10 through a USA Today report that revealed details of an ongoing sexual harassment investigation. Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor and advocate who worked with Tucker's team in the past to teach them about healthy sexual conduct, alleged that during an April 2022 phone call, Tucker engaged in sexually explicit behavior and masturbated without her consent.

Athletic Director Alan Haller suspended Tucker without pay later that day. Eight days after that, Haller moved to fire Tucker in a notice that stated Tucker’s behavior breached the contract he holds with MSU. Haller claimed Tucker engaged in "conduct which constitutes moral turpitude," and brought "public disrespect, contempt, or ridicule upon the University." 

Tucker is two years into his $95 million contract with MSU. He won’t receive the roughly $80 million left of his contract if he is terminated. But he still has a week to present Haller and Interim President Teresa Woodruff with a rebuttal to Haller's cause for termination. 

However, MSU deputy spokesperson Dan Olsen said it's "too premature" to tell at this point what effect Tucker's potential appeal would have on the process. 

Whether Tucker is terminated will not affect the ongoing investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct. The hearing for the case is still set for Oct. 5 and 6. 

Olsen said MSU will move forward with the hearing despite Tucker’s potential termination because that is the protocol outlined in MSU’s Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Title IX Policy.

The lack of a similar policy at Grand Valley State University left MSU in the dark on an employee’s past sexual misconduct. When MSU hired Anthony Williams Jr. as dean of students, they didn’t know he had been investigated by GVSU’s Title IX office for allegedly sexually assaulting a student during his previous job. That’s because GVSU had a policy of closing investigations once the accused left the university. 

The results of Tucker’s hearing will appear on his personnel file, whether he is terminated from his position or not. The results could impact Tucker’s success in future careers, should employers choose to look.

Tucker responded to the university’s intent to terminate his contract yesterday in a statement released by sports agent Neil Cornrich. He claimed MSU should have waited for the official hearing to take place before moving to terminate him. 

“The investigation is designed to determine if I violated policy," Tucker wrote. “I did not. But regardless, basic fairness requires that process play out before any sanction(s) are determined."

Tucker also alluded to possible litigation against MSU for its handling of the situation. 

"I look forward to one day obtaining discovery against MSU, including the Trustees and the Athletic Department, to see what they really knew and said about this matter, as well as their motives in handling the entire investigative process,” Tucker wrote.