Dear Spartan community,
On behalf of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees, we want to thank President Guskiewicz for his service to the university and for his leadership over the past two years.
We appreciate his willingness to remain in his role as we start a leadership transition and work with him on an exact end date. We are grateful for his commitment to Michigan State University and wish him, Amy and their family continued success and happiness. The university’s academic mission, strategic priorities, athletics innovation and ongoing initiatives will continue uninterrupted during this upcoming transition.
The board is committed to a smooth transition and maintaining the momentum the university has recently achieved. Michigan State University remains a strong and vibrant institution with extraordinary students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters. While leadership transitions are significant moments in the life of any university, MSU is well positioned to continue advancing excellence and building upon the progress we’ve made in recent years.
The board has begun the process of evaluating the next steps for the university’s leadership, including consideration of an executive search firm. In the coming weeks, we will:
- Conduct a facilitated discussion with an advisory group of representatives from key university constituencies to provide input about the immediate next steps of identifying interim and long-term leadership for the university.
- Develop criteria and expectations for interim leadership to ensure continuity, stability and effective stewardship of the university during this transition period.
As these plans are finalized, we will share additional information with the campus community and provide opportunities for engagement and feedback. While we recognize that many are seeking immediate answers and certainty, this past week showed there are many passionate supporters of MSU, both internally and externally, with valuable, and at times, differing, insights on what would best position MSU in both the short and long terms. We are committed to conducting a thoughtful, inclusive and transparent process that reflects the values and aspirations of Michigan State University. We will move as expeditiously as possible to achieve this, but our guiding focus will be on getting this decision right. If you have questions in the meantime, please send them to the Board of Trustees Office at trustees@msu.edu.
Throughout this transition, our focus remains on the university’s mission of education, research, outreach and service. We are confident in the strength of our academic and executive leadership teams, the dedication of our faculty and staff, the talent of our students, and the passion of Spartans around the world.
Michigan State University has always been defined by its ability to adapt, innovate and move forward together. We look forward to working with the campus community to identify the next leader who will build upon our momentum and help shape the university’s future.
Thank you for your continued commitment to Michigan State University.
Sincerely,
Michigan State University Board of Trustees