"The lack of transparency with these documents shows a blatant lack of respect for all survivors on campus, those who have the right to know how these gross injustices were condoned for so long at the school we trust with our safety," the statement said. "It displays a tragic disregard for the students who continue to suffer relationship violence and sexual misconduct crimes on campus with no administrative acknowledgment of their role in cultivating this culture on campus." 

The letter added that the decision to withhold the documents shows that "the Board of Trustees prioritizes their own image instead of the well-being and safety in the community in which they were elected to serve." 

The letter followed years of demands from survivors and the public for the documents' release. 

In April, the Board of Trustees refused to release the documents, despite board chair Rema Vassar telling Attorney General Dana Nessel that she had the votes and wanted Nessel to send a letter reaffirming her request for the documents, Nessel said. Nessel told The State News she had "no idea" why Vassar would request the letter to then uphold client-attorney confidentiality without a public vote. 

Vassar said releasing the documents could "retraumatize survivors" and invade their privacy. When asked if she'd been told that by survivors, she said she hadn't. 

Then, following public comments from survivors at the board meeting on Oct. 29, trustee Dennis Denno attempted to motion to release the documents with the initial support of Vassar. However, MSU general counsel told him board bylaws prohibited a motion at that time.

Trustee Dan Kelly said he may support a motion to release the documents but that Denno's surprise vote had ambushed the trustees. Kelly suggested the board call to schedule a special meeting before their next regular meeting in December to discuss releasing the documents.

ASMSU's letter added that releasing the documents would allow the community to begin to heal.

"It is an insult that these documents continue to remain in privacy instead of being released in a manner that victims, survivors and the entire community can use to begin their healing process," the statement said. "Students cannot hope to see (a) change in the toxic environment that our campus continues to portray if our elected leaders fail to do so.”

The letter said that the board's refusal to release the documents denies the community its "right to understand what happened."

"On behalf of all students, victims and the hurting community affected by these crimes, ASMSU calls upon the board to release these documents immediately," the statement said. "We hope that we can begin to reform our community into one that acknowledges our mistakes and pledges to be better in the future. We deserve to know how these abuses were committed, and releasing these documents is a sign that the board not only stands with survivors but with the integrity of our institution."