MSU president steps down, students weigh in on next step

Lou Anna Simon stepped down as president of Michigan State University after intense public pressure in the wake of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.

Her resignation could just the beginning as survivors, lawmakers, and students demand sweeping change.

"It's one of the worst sexual assault cases in the history of any school out there," said Alex Maranville, senior at MSU.

One of MSU's ex-doctors, Larry Nassar received a 40 to 175-year sentence for child sexual abuse on Wednesday afternoon. By Wednesday night, MSU's president, Lou Anna Simon resigned.

"Now that she resigned we can move forward," said an MSU student from Livonia.  

FOX 2: "What's the mood of the students now?"

"I think they are relieved," said Emille McAllaster, a junior at MSU.

Although the president of the MSU student body Lorenzo Santavicca says Simon has done a lot of good for the school over the 13 years as president, the next president has to do more.

"We need a leader that is going to be empathetic and understand what's going on," he said. "I think for some folks that was not being heard in the message coming from the president."

It is a message shared by some faculty members who were ready to call for a vote of no confidence.

"That that was in discussion by the faculty." said Michael Lawrence, MSU law college professor. "To take the vote. I don't know how that would have come out. I know there were many in favor of that."

FOX 2: "Is there a sense that MSU dropped the ball in the Nassar situation?"

"I think so," he said. "This began 20 years ago coming to light something institutionally went wrong."

Now Lou Anna Simon said she resigned pursuant to the terms of her contract. We don't know what that contract says, but the board of trustees will be meeting Friday at 10 likely to discuss that contract."

And the next president will have a lot on his or her agenda to satisfy some students.