Dear Colleagues:

This is a difficult time for the MSU community, as we struggle to deal with the aftermath of the Nassar sexual abuse tragedy. It is our responsibility to support the victims and their families and to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again. A thorough investigation of events, followed by transparent changes in institutional culture and policies, is necessary to protect the future safety of our community. We must restore confidence in our university, both on campus and beyond.

In light of recent events, many faculty and students have expressed concern about the future of academic programs and major research efforts at the university. The tremendous work of existing and newly recruited faculty, and their students and postdocs, has significantly elevated the research stature and capabilities of MSU in recent years. Large investments have also been made in new facilities and infrastructure. MSU must not waver on this upward path; we will meet our commitments to the research enterprise and we will make every effort to build upon your successes.

Universities are special institutions: unique in their contributions to civilization, and capable of persisting, even thriving, for a thousand years. We should keep this in mind as we navigate the current crisis, which I am confident will be temporary in nature. It is our duty to redouble our efforts on behalf of the core mission of MSU. Teaching and discovery will continue. Our responsibilities to students, colleagues, and the community will be met with all the determination that we Spartans can muster.

You and I are the guardians of more than 160 years of proud history at Michigan State University. Together, we can ensure that its best years are still to come.

Sincerely,

Stephen Hsu
Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies