Michigan State president resigns for same position at Clemson University

FOX 2 - Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz has left for Clemson University.

The backstory:

Guskiewicz was confirmed as Clemson's next president at a board of trustees meeting on Wednesday.

He was voted unanimously as the school's 22nd president and he called it humbling and inspiring.

"This is an exciting day for me and my family I am deeply honored," he said. "Over the course of my career in higher education I have always believed that universities have the power and responsibility to transform lives and to shape the future of communities - locally nationally and abroad." 

Guskiewicz, 60, has been in office since March, 2024 and was the sixth president at MSU in the past seven years. 

After being voted president-elect, he spoke about his time at MSU.

"At Michigan State I inherited both significant challenges and extraordinary opportunities," he said. "Together our community has been focusing on building trust and strengthening transparency, reaffirming the university's commitment to students, faculty and the people of Michigan.

"During that time we achieved the most successful years of philanthropic giving in the university's history and we will do that at Clemson."

It is the third university president in Michigan to resign in the last year. Santa Ono at the University of Michigan, and Kimberly Andrews of Wayne State University were the others. 

Guskiewicz's farewell letter to Michigan State included pointed remarks regarding the board.

"It has become increasingly clear that there are differing perspectives within the Board of Trustees regarding how best to move MSU forward," he wrote. "At times, too much energy has been spent revisiting past conflicts and internal disagreements rather than focusing collectively on the opportunities and aspirations ahead of us."

He also included comments revealing further frustrations with some trustees.

"What is perhaps most troubling is the actions of some to abuse their access to privileged and confidential information to misrepresent facts, manipulate situations and selectively use and leak that information to promote personal agendas," he said.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer released a statement, blaming Guskiewicz's leaving on the antics of some board members.

"This is disappointing, but also nobody should be surprised by this outcome given some of the antics we’ve seen from a handful of board members. Michigan now faces an important moment, with both Michigan State University and the University of Michigan navigating critical leadership transitions. I will be watching both closely.

"This time underscores why we need stable, accountable, and consistent leadership at our public universities. The way we’ve selected board members needs to change. The bipartisan proposal to appoint university board members would help ensure institutions have the leadership and expertise to get things back on track."

Briana Scott, the chair of the board of trustees, released a statement about Guskiewicz's departure.

"Michigan State University has demonstrated resilience throughout its history, and the institution's strength has never depended on any one individual. The university's mission, talent and momentum continue just as they have for nearly 175 years."

To read the full farewell by Guskiewicz to MSU, see below:

Dear Spartans,

When I arrived at Michigan State University, I did so with a vision rooted in the extraordinary potential of this institution and the people who make it special. From the very first visit Amy and I had almost three years ago, we were deeply impressed by the passion, resilience and commitment of Spartans across our university community and around the world.

Since being named president, I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the remarkable impact Michigan State University has on our state, our nation and our world. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to serve this institution and to work alongside so many dedicated students, faculty, staff, coaches, alumni, donors and supporters.

Together, we have accomplished so much in a relatively short period of time. We launched important initiatives that reflect the values and aspirations of this university, specifically to ensure our actions today keep the university competitive in the future and support our students’ success. We advanced work through the One Health Initiative, the Green and White Council, modernizing our general education curriculum, supporting the Student Success Center and continuing our commitment to improving relationship violence and sexual misconduct through our ongoing institutional assessment project.

I have been especially proud of the ways we embraced innovation, collaboration and engagement through initiatives such as Spartan Ventures, the Williams Scholars program and the Spartan Bus Tour, which allowed us to connect directly with communities across Michigan. Together, we also navigated significant federal transitions and continued the focus on a safe, welcoming and inclusive community.

The record-setting milestones accomplished through the Uncommon Will, Far Better World campaign will shape MSU’s future for years to come. The new Leinweber Engineering and Digital Innovation Center, Student Recreation and Wellness Center, renovated greenhouses, Plant Sciences building and Multicultural Center are all visual signs of progress and commitment to our communities — close to home and far away.

Throughout my presidency, I have often spoken about the importance of a "One Team" philosophy — the belief that progress is strongest when we row together toward common goals, learn from one another and remain committed to moving this great university forward together. I continue to believe deeply in that approach and in the extraordinary potential of Michigan State University.

At the same time, effective university leadership requires a shared commitment to collaboration, trust and a forward-looking vision. While many across this university community have embraced that spirit, it has become increasingly clear that there are differing perspectives within the Board of Trustees regarding how best to move MSU forward. At times, too much energy has been spent revisiting past conflicts and internal disagreements rather than focusing collectively on the opportunities and aspirations ahead of us. 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 and putting personal interests above the best interests of the university and our faculty, staff and students. What is perhaps most troubling is the actions of some to abuse their access to privileged and confidential information to mispresent facts, manipulate situations and selectively use and leak that information to promote personal agendas.

Despite this discouraging behavior by a few trustees, I am appreciative of the five trustees who recently voted to strengthen their code of ethics and conduct in alignment with what our national governance advisors have said are best practices for university boards. Furthermore, I appreciate the principled and ethical leadership of Chair Brianna Scott and past chair Kelly Tebay in supporting me as president throughout my tenure.

While I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished these past two-plus years, I have always said that your health, family and faith must come first above all else. The ongoing and continuous nature of the aforementioned actions has created an unsustainable situation. So after thoughtful reflection, I have made the difficult decision to leave Michigan State University and accept an opportunity to lead Clemson University as its next president. This was not an easy decision, particularly because of the deep admiration Amy and I have for this campus, the people who care deeply about its land-grant mission and the many relationships that have made this experience so meaningful for us and our family.

I have shared this decision with the board, and I will remain in my role over the next several weeks to help support a smooth and successful transition.
Importantly, Michigan State University is positioned to continue moving forward with strength and momentum. The university benefits from an exceptionally talented and dedicated leadership team, extraordinary faculty and staff, world-class athletic coaches, passionate students and one of the most loyal alumni communities in higher education. The mission of this university does not change, and neither does its ability to shape lives and make a profound impact through teaching, research, outreach, healthcare, athletics and service.

Amy and I are incredibly thankful for the friendships we have made, friendships that will remain in our lives forever. No matter where life takes us, we will always be proud Spartans, forever supporting the Green and White.
Thank you, Spartans everywhere, for your support, your partnership and your unwavering commitment to Michigan State University. It has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life to serve as your president.
With gratitude,

Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D.
President

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