MSU announces new president: Kevin Guskiewicz, UNC chancellor of four years

EAST LANSING — Michigan State Trustees announced Friday that the university's next president will be Kevin Guskiewicz, who has spent four years serving as chancellor of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

After weeks of rumors, trustees unanimously voted during an 8 a.m. virtual meeting to appoint Guskiewicz as the university's 22nd president. His new MSU position becomes effective March 4.

Guskiewicz said after the vote he wanted to come to Michigan State because of its commitment to solving not only the "grand challenges of today, but also the grand challenges of tomorrow."

"I greatly admire the vital role that Michigan State University plays in the lives of those who call Michigan home and so many others through exceptional educational opportunities, research and engagement across the state and the world," he said.

Guskiewicz has been a part of UNC-Chapel Hill's faculty for nearly 30 years. His most notable work surrounds sport-related concussions, including causes and long-term effects.

He served as the dean of UNC's college of arts and sciences from 2016 to 2019, when he was appointed interim chancellor of the school. Later that year, he was appointed chancellor, replacing Carol Folt, who resigned after controversies surrounding a Confederate statue that was toppled by protestors in 2018.

UNC-Chapel Hill has a smaller student population than MSU, with nearly 32,000 total students compared to MSU's approximately 51,000.

Guskiewicz will be MSU's fifth president since Lou Anna Simon resigned in January 2018 hours after USA Gymnastics and MSU Dr. Larry Nassar was sentenced in Ingham County Circuit Court to 40 to 175 years in prison for sexual assault. At the sentencing hearing, 156 women and girls who said they were assaulted by Nassar gave victim-impact statements.

Since Simon resigned, John Engler, Satish Udpa, Samuel Stanley and Teresa Woodruff have served as president. Engler served as an interim president 2018 to 2019. Udpa was acting president in 2019. Stanley was president 2019 to 2022. Woodruff has been interim president since 2022.

MSU's Board of Trustees has been searching for a new president since August, when Interim President Teresa Woodruff said she would not be seeking the permanent position.

"Our mission in this presidential search was clear," Board Chair Rema Vassar said. "To find... an experienced leader with the intellectual vision, broad world view, and personal integrity to inspire the university community to new levels of excellence."

Trustee Dennis Denno said in October that a president would be announced by Thanksgiving but the university has been dealing with two major controversies. Former football coach Mel Tucker was fired for cause on Sept. 27, months into a sexual harassment investigation that later determined he violated school rules and, also in October, Trustee Brianna Scott accused Vassar of "inappropriate conduct," leading to faculty members calling for Vassar's removal.

In a response to questions from the Faculty Senate, Guskiewicz wrote that he would "only accept the role if I were given the opportunity to lead Michigan State University without undue interference; instead leading in a trusted partnership with the trustees, faculty, and staff. I am confident the trustees are committed to this, and I believe they value the principles of shared governance and working together..."

During Friday's meeting, Hannah Jeffrey, president of the council of graduate students said she was happy Guskiewicz was chosen and looking forward to working with him.

“It is an honor,” she said, “I am happy to be able to serve on this committee and give my perspective… I believe that the MSU Board of Trustees made the best possible decision… When I reviewed (Guskiewicz’s) credentials, he stood out to me as a thoughtful, qualified individual with a great attitude towards higher education and leadership.”

Guskiewicz committed to a "listening and learning" tour across campus before beginning his time as MSU president.

UNC-Chapel Hill faculty called Guskiewicz's departure from the university a "devastating loss". In November, when his name and position as the sole finalist was leaked, UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty Senate Chair Beth Moracco wrote a letter on behalf of the faculty thanking him for all he did and asking him to stay.

"Over the past week, many faculty members have contacted me to express their support for you as our chancellor," she said in a letter on the UNC website. "... while we respect your decision-making process and the many factors to be weighed, I join a multitude of faculty voices in saying that I fervently hope that you will remain at Carolina."

Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU announces new president: Kevin Guskiewicz, UNC chancellor of four years