"Betrayal," "surprise" and "disheartening" were among many of the choice words faculty used to describe Michigan State University president Kevin Guskiewicz walking out the door for Clemson University.
Across interviews with union leaders and professors, a common theme emerged in the wake of Guskiewicz's departure: instability.
On Wednesday, Clemson University announced Guskiewicz as its 16th president, just over a week after the Board of Trustees held a last-minute special meeting in an attempt to retain the president through a slew of initiatives. One of the initiatives approved at the meeting offered Guskiewicz a $1 million raise, effectively doubling his salary, making him one of the highest-paid public Big 10 schools leaders had he accepted.
“I do think there are many faculty members that have some sense of betrayal,” said NiCole Buchanan, the president of the Union of Tenure System Faculty.
Buchanan said that faculty were given mixed signals from the university leading up to the announcement Guskiewicz would leave.
“It was stunning to discover that, while the board was telling the MSU community that the president was not entertaining positions elsewhere, it appears that in actuality, he was in negotiations with Clemson and actively maneuvering to leave MSU,” Buchanan said.
Victor Rodriguez-Pereira, the president of the Union of Nontenure-Track Faculty, echoed that sentiment, saying it was "very confusing for members."
In an interview with The State News Friday, board chair Brianna Scott revealed that she knew of a competing offer about a week before the board's special meeting on May 17. The board had not been aware that Guskiewicz would be leaving MSU for Clemson until Wednesday morning.
Buchanan said this led to “disheartening” questions about “who was being honest and who was being dishonest in the communications with the MSU community.”
Also “disheartening,” as College of Music professor Jane Bunnell said, was the continuation of a high presidential turnover rate at MSU.
In the last 10 years, MSU has had seven acting, interim or permanent presidents assume the helm.
“There is no one steering the ship,” Bunnell said. “We are constantly shifting priorities depending on who is in the president’s chair.”
The lack of continuity has led faculty to think "we are the continuity," Bunnell said.
As MSU looks to start yet another presidential search, Buchanan says she is unsure of what candidates will apply.
“I do have concerns that a legacy with so much turnover may not attract the highest quality candidates," Buchanan said.
Rodriguez-Pereira said he was "surprised" to hear Guskiewicz is walking away from MSU.
With Guskiewicz's exit, multiple projects he began have yet to come to full fruition, leaving the futures of those initiatives uncertain. Among the projects are the for-profit athletic company Spartan Media Ventures, the Green and White Council and the Spartan Gateway District.
“Some of his projects will probably continue," Rodriguez-Pereira said. "Which projects are those? It remains to be seen."
Something that also hasn't come to the end of its course is the university wide budget cuts, which restricted the operating budget by 9% over the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years, drawing criticism from both students and staff.
Buchanan said that these cuts were "forced" on faculty.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Guskewicz's departure also falls at a time when "there's so many things that are left up in the air," Buchanan said, including the midst of raise negotiations for UTSF.
"The reality is that we have no idea how this will be impactful in our negotiations,” Buchanan later wrote in a text message to The State News.
The Board of Trustees has yet to announce the presidential search committee and an interim president.
The next MSU president should be "someone who will put people over anything else," Rodriguez-Pereira said. “People want stability."
