Michigan State president vetoes alumni magazine's criticism of the Larry Nassar crisis

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Michigan State University's alumni magazine almost published a cover story detailing disgraced university doctor Larry Nassar's sexual abuse and its aftermath. But the the school's interim president stepped in to stop it.
The Detroit Free Press reported back in June that interim president John Engler instructed the Spartan magazine staff to scrap three different covers that put the crisis in the spotlight. On Friday, the school's student newspaper The State News reported that it had obtained the scrapped versions, noting how drastically Engler's interference had changed the tone of the issue.
Nassar, a longtime doctor for the university and for USA Gymnastics, was convicted of criminal sexual conduct and federal charges of child pornography earlier this year. Nearly 200 women came forward to recall Nassar's abuse, and the original versions of the Spartan intended to help them heal and help the community grapple with the news. The magazine planned to feature articles contending with cultural issues on campus, along with a "Listen and Learn" section to give alumni a chance to "stand with" survivors and recognize the "tarnished" reputation of the school.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The issue that was ultimately published did focus on Michigan State's handling of Nassar's abuse, reports The State News. But Engler reportedly opted to paint the issue as the university emerging from the "most difficult challenge in its history," rather than reckoning with the misconduct on campus. In a section of the magazine, Engler writes that students, faculty, and alumni are "very proud" of the school.
In a statement, university spokesperson Emily Guerrant said "the magazine is intended to communicate and promote university programs. ... The editorial team took an approach that concentrated on the most important changes and improvements at MSU." Read more at The State News.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Summer is news editor at TheWeek.com, and has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. A graduate of Columbia Journalism School and Santa Clara University, she now lives in New York with two cats.
-
A reckoning over looted art
The Explainer Thousands of artifacts in U.S. and European collections were stolen from their countries of origin. Should they be sent back?
By The Week Staff Published
-
A surge in surge pricing
Feature And more of the week's best financial insight
By The Week Staff Published
-
Rupert Murdoch steps aside at the empire he built
Feature The last of the old-style 'press barons' has retired. What is he leaving behind?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
The US will soon finish destroying its last chemical weapons
Speed Read
By Brigid Kennedy Published
-
Putin and Prigozhin offer rival explanations for Wagner's brief rebellion
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
The future of the Wagner Group is murky
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Wagner Group stops armed rebellion toward Moscow
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published