The University of Michigan Board of Regents unanimously voted Saturday to fire President Dr. Mark Schlissel, after an investigation found an inappropriate sexual conduct with a subordinate employee, the board said.
Dr. Mark Schlissel
Former U-M president Dr. Mary Sue Coleman will return to the university as the interim president. Coleman was president from 2002 to 2014 and is expected to serve in the role until a new university president is found.
“While saddened by the circumstances, I am honored to be asked to again serve the University of Michigan,” said Coleman. “When I left the U-M campus at the end of my presidency in 2014, I said serving this great university was the most rewarding experience of my professional life. I’m happy to serve again in this important interim role.”
The board said they received an anonymous complaint on Dec. 8, 2021 that Schlissel may have been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a University employee. The board said Schlissel used his university email to communicate with the employee in “a manner inconsistent with the dignity and reputation of the University” for over a period of years.
“Each one of us, as members of the Board of Regents, aspire to create an environment where everyone in our community is able to thrive and achieve their best work, and where all feel safe and respected,” the board said in a statement. “We understand the decisions announced today are unexpected and this kind of abrupt change can be especially difficult. We take our constitutional role as a governing board seriously and we all agree that this decision is in the best interest of the University we care about so deeply.”
