Mel Tucker’s admitted personal behavior speaks for itself, and a suspension followed by termination is in order. But as The Detroit News and Free Press reported today, MSU could have suspended Tucker months ago but decided not to. The president made that decision. Some university board members knew of the allegations, and others didn’t.
During Sunday’s press conference, President Woodruff asserted multiple times that “the new MSU” (restated multiple times) does things the right way and that “the old MSU” did not.
New info just released nationally. “Important distinction on the Mel Tucker suspension after tonight’s press conference: MSU’s leadership (including Alan Haller) knew a complaint was made against Mel Tucker in late December. They did not know any details until last night, a school spokeswoman confirmed,” Dan Murphy tweeted. Title IX and sexual misconduct experts say this is the proper, trauma-informed protocol for handling this kind of complaint. Tucker’s bosses should not have known the details during an open case.”
The question is how USAToday got the details in the national story published about half an hour after midnight on Sunday, September 10. MSU suspended Tucker later that day.
Disbelief, sadness, and anger.
