DETROIT _ For more than a week, lawmakers, students and alumni excoriated Michigan State University Interim President John Engler. Even two MSU board members called for him to step down.
But on the eighth day, Engler issued an apology, saying he was sorry for attacking a Nassar survivor in an email and saying she was taking kickbacks from an attorney involved in suing the university.
That appears to be enough to save his job, even though it did little to quiet the howls of protest on social media.
"John's apology for the comments contained in an April email that was released last week is appropriate and appreciated by a majority of the Board," said Brian Breslin, Chairman of the MSU Board of Trustees. "The majority of the Board believes Interim President John Engler has played a significant leadership role developing our new approaches and has been a driving force in the rapid rollout of many of these reforms. He will continue to serve as Interim President until a new President is selected. John is not a candidate for the permanent position and has stated repeatedly that he wishes to depart as soon as the new President is chosen."
His apology didn't sway Morgan McCaul, one of the Larry Nassar survivors.
"It is unfortunate that it took over a thousand signatures calling for his resignation and a two-day workshop with his employers for Mr. Engler to produce this apology," she told the Detroit Free Press. "While I do appreciate that he has decided to apologize, much too late, I remain firm in my belief that he is unfit to lead the University in this sensitive time. His actions speak louder than his words."
Engler's apology came in a statement as the board met behind closed doors in a two-day retreat. They are scheduled to hold a public meeting Friday morning.
His statement read:
"Last week while I was on my way to Texas, a private email conversation of mine from April was made public. I didn't give it the consideration it warranted.
"That was a big mistake. I was wrong. I apologize.
"My speculation about the lead plaintiff receiving kickbacks or referral fees hurt her deeply and for that I am truly sorry. She and the other survivors suffered greatly and they are entitled not to have their sincerity questioned, either individually or as a group. I apologize to her and her sister survivors.
"The days after the April Board of Trustees meeting were extremely frustrating. Emotions and tempers, including mine, were running at a high level. It seemed as though we would never be able to reach a successful settlement. Nothing we were doing seemed to work.
"I am very proud that the plaintiffs, their very able counsel and the university were able to achieve a settlement which will help the healing begin. My private comments from April coming out last week impaired that healing and it reopened old wounds as many survivors felt compelled to come to the defense of the first woman who spoke out. My regrettable private email harmed the healing process and, for that, I am also very sorry.
"I will use my remaining time as Interim President of Michigan State University to continue implementing meaningful reforms that serve to increase safety and respect on our campus."
Last week, the Detroit Free Press and the Chronicle of Higher Education published an email from Engler to his top adviser accusing Nassar victim Rachael Denhollander of likely getting kickbacks from trial attorneys.
In the same string of emails, Engler's top aide _ Carol Viventi _ accused MSU board member Brian Mossallam of not doing a good enough job of protecting Engler. The Free Press obtained the emails from a source within the Engler administration. The Chronicle of Higher Education first obtained the emails under a Freedom of Information Act request.
The email chain started after Nassar victim Kaylee Lorincz accused Engler during a board meeting of offering her $250,000 in a private meeting to settle her lawsuit against the university.
That weekend, Viventi emailed board members, saying she wanted to set the record straight. She claimed Lorincz's statements were totally inaccurate and the meeting was set up by Lorincz in order to "set up" the school.
She then went on to say the trial lawyers were manipulating the survivors.
That seemed to strike a chord with Engler.
"Thank you for your strong defense," Engler wrote in a 9:23 a.m. April 15 email. "It is deeply appreciated. At least we know what really happened. The survivors now are being manipulated by trial lawyers who in the end will each get millions of dollars more than any of (sic) individual survivors with the exception of Denhollander who is likely to get (sic) kickback from Manley (sic) for her role in the trial lawyer manipulation. "
The reference was to John Manley, Denhollander's lawyer.
Engler took over as interim president after Lou Anna Simon stepped down under extreme pressure over her handling of Nassar, including being in charge when he was cleared by an MSU investigation in 2014 of any wrongdoing.
Nassar, the MSU doctor accused of molesting dozens of female students and athletes, has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on child pornography charges and is in a maximum-security federal prison in Tucson, Ariz. He also faces a 40- to 175-year sentence issued in Ingham County and a 40- to 125-year sentence from Eaton County for sexual assaults. Those sentences will not begin until he finishes the federal sentence.
Engler was interviewed for the interim president's position in a private meeting with trustees on Jan. 29. He was the second interview that night, held at trustee Melanie Foster's house to avoid publicity.
Also interviewed for the position that night: former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard.
Blanchard previously told the Free Press that, during his meeting with the board, he got a strong sense that trustees feared the Michigan Legislature would punish MSU for the Nassar scandal by reducing state aid.
"They thought it would be easier to put out the fires in Lansing with Engler because he had been there more recently and he was a Republican," Blanchard said in the mid-February interview. "I thought that as well ... the selection of Engler was quite logical."
Engler has also taken heat for trying to micromanage the university's communications.
On Wednesday, the Free Press revealed that Engler changed the focus of the alumni magazine to positive coverage of the Nassar scandal.
Engler was also involved in other instances where he has pushed for the university to pivot toward the future and away from the case that put Nassar behind bars for what amounts to the rest of his life.
In a recent meeting, according to sources, Engler walked in and told a team planning an event: "Get that teal s--- out of here."
Teal is the color worn by many Nassar survivors and supporters to show solidarity.
