The settlement, which was finalized Friday, marks the end of a two-year saga, which was also at the center of an explosive report into allegations of misconduct by then-Board Chair Vassar.

"Dr. Lipton is glad to be able to resolve this with the university and move forward," Lipton’s attorney Elizabeth Abdnour said. "He hopes that the lawsuit has a positive effect for other faculty and university employees who may choose to exercise their First Amendment rights in the future."

Vassar and Denno, in addition to their attorneys, did not respond to request for comment prior to publication.

MSU spokesperson Amber McCann declined to comment on the settlement, saying that the university does not comment on litigation, but added, "We are pleased the matter is resolved."

The payment of $300,000 is meant to cover Lipton's attorney fees, the damages he claimed in the suit and additional costs.

Part of the agreement stipulated that both Vassar and Denno pen statements to Lipton.

"I did not intend to cause Dr. Lipton personal or professional harm and appreciate and respect Dr. Lipton's advocacy on behalf of MSU's faculty," Vassar wrote in her statement.

Vassar added that while she maintains her right to advocate for students "on matters of institutional governance," she understands "that the manner in which advocacy occurs matters, and reaffirms her commitment to conducting board-related activities in ways that respect all members of the university community."

Denno, in a shorter statement, withdrew his "comments that Dr. Jack Lipton is a racist" and apologized for any harm "the comments or actions caused Dr. Lipton."

Lipton and Abdnour are required to share with MSU, Vassar and Denno copies of any recorded conversations, emails and text messages that Lipton and Abdnour received pertaining to Denno and Vassar. Those documents must be delivered to the parties within 21 days, per the agreement.

The agreement further stipulates that Lipton, Vassar and Denno do not engage in "negative, critical or disparaging" comments about each other moving forward.

The dispute between Lipton and the trustees was at the center of an independent report into allegations of misconduct by Vassar, which were first raised by Trustee Brianna Scott.

In October 2023, The State News published a letter written by Scott that alleged Vassar had bullied colleagues and interfered in legal disputes, among other claims, and called for her to resign from her post. After the letter was publicized, the university faculty senate — then chaired by Lipton — passed a resolution also calling for Vassar's resignation. 

The alleged misconduct was the center of debate at a board meeting held at the end of the month, with defenders and critics of Vassar making impassioned statements. 

What ultimately triggered the dispute between Lipton, Vassar and Denno were comments made by Lipton after the meeting, which referenced disruptions by meeting attendees who had expressed support for Vassar.

Lipton was quoted in a Detroit News article as saying: "The chaos brought and disrespect shown by her supporters could have been stopped by a single statement from Chair Vassar, yet she elected to let the mob rule the room."

His language was perceived by some to be racially charged, with Black student leader Missy Chola saying Lipton's comments weaponized stereotypes that Black people are inherently dangerous or angry.

Lipton apologized for his comments at the following board meeting, saying he was not referencing any specific racial or ethnic group, and was instead criticizing Vassar for not calling for order during the meeting.

In February 2024, an outside investigation conducted by law firm Miller & Chevalier into Scott’s allegations against Vassar was launched at MSU’s request. That report ultimately refuted some of Scott's claims, but found that Vassar had overstepped her authority as board chair in negotiating the settlement of a lawsuit and had accepted flights on a donor's private jet.

The investigation also revealed that Vassar and her ally on the board, Denno, had been encouraging students to publicly decry Lipton for his comment in The Detroit News.

In a text exchange between Denno and a student activist contained in the report, Denno gave the student the contact information of a reporter. The student asked what to say to the reporter, to which Denno replied "Lipton=racist."

The student activist, Saba Saed, later told The State News that she cooperated with the investigation because she believed the trustees had been manipulating her for personal gain.

The investigation also found that Vassar had encouraged Chola, the student leader, to file a complaint with MSU’s accrediting body, arguing Lipton’s language endangered Black and Brown students. Chola denies that Vassar instructed her to file a complaint.

The report concluded with a set of recommendations for the board moving forward, with one advising the board to refer Vassar and Denno to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for potential removal from office. The board voted to take those actions at a March 2024 special meeting. Shortly before that meeting, Vassar resigned as board chair. 

Vassar criticized the veracity of the Miller & Chevalier report in a March 2024 letter written by her attorneys. In it, Vassar’s attorneys said she wasn’t awarded due process in the investigation and that it drew conclusions based on insufficient evidence.

Whitmer ultimately decided in May not to remove either trustee, though her office noted that the decision was not meant to condone their conduct.

Lipton filed his lawsuit against Vassar and Denno and the rest of the board in October 2024. He told The State News at the time that Vassar and Denno incorrectly characterized his comments in a way that "silenced" him and "materially hurt his career." Lipton amended the suit in December of that year to include new information, including comments that Board Chair Kelly Tebay and Scott made to him in which they seemingly encouraged him to sue the board.

A federal judge dismissed parts of Lipton's lawsuit in May 2025, dismissing his claims against the rest of the board and Denno in his official capacity, but decided that Lipton had sufficiently stated a claim that Vassar and Denno may have violated his First Amendment rights.