Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz leaves for Clemson job

Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz is leaving for Clemson University after just more than two years in East Lansing, extending a period of instability that has defined the university’s leadership since the Larry Nassar scandal.

Clemson’s board selected Guskiewicz as its next president Wednesday.

In a farewell message to campus, Guskiewicz blamed some trustees for creating what he called an “unsustainable situation” that made it difficult for the university to move forward.

“While I firmly believe we are all better when there is a diversity of viewpoints informing decisions, our ability to make meaningful progress is hampered when disagreements move from offering alternative perspectives into publicly undermining decisions,” Guskiewicz wrote.

His departure comes less than two weeks after the MSU Board of Trustees approved a controversial ethics policy requiring trustees to support board decisions publicly and avoid undermining university leadership.

Board Chair Brianna Scott and Trustee Sandy Pierce said during the May 17 special meeting that Guskiewicz had received outside offers and was frustrated by infighting among trustees. The board also nearly doubled Guskiewicz’s salary to $2 million and extended his contract in an effort to persuade him to stay, according to the Detroit News.

The revised ethics policy sparked criticism from some trustees and Republican lawmakers, who argued it could silence dissenting voices on the elected board.

Trustee Mike Balow called the policy an “abomination” that could be used against board members who ask difficult...