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Kevin Guskiewicz to stay at MSU

July 6, 2026
<p>On a big night for the women's gymnastics team, new Michigan State University President, Kevin Guskiewicz,<strong> </strong>attends front row in support of the Spartans on March 9, 2024.</p>

On a big night for the women's gymnastics team, new Michigan State University President, Kevin Guskiewicz, attends front row in support of the Spartans on March 9, 2024.

President Kevin Guskiewicz is staying at Michigan State University. 

A source close to Michigan State University told The State News Monday that Guskiewicz will stay at the university following his announcement he would join Clemson University. 

The source also added that the MSU is not looking to retain Athletic Director J Batt after his departure to University of Kentucky. 

In a post shared to X, Clemson University wrote that "The Clemson University Board of Trustees was notified today that Kevin Guskiewicz has chosen to remain at Michigan State University for personal reasons."

On May 27, Clemson’s board voted unanimously to welcome Guskiewicz as its 16th president. In a community letter on the way out, Guskiewicz placed blame on certain members of the Board of Trustees for his departure. 

Signs covered East Lansing following his resignation reading “We (heart) KG,” signaling community support for the departing president as others mobilized against the Board of Trustees. 

Weeks after Guskiewicz’s departure announcement, Batt was hired for the same position at the University of Kentucky on June 15. It is currently unclear when his last day at MSU will be.

At the time of publication, Batt is listed on the staff directories of both MSU and the University of Kentucky. 

If Guskiewicz were to have left MSU, Batt’s buyout would have been reduced from $5 million to $2.5 million. 

MSU could not be reached for comment at the time of publication. 

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