The bond between Brian Mosallam and Michigan State is strong.
Since his playing days are long since over, he’s stayed apart of the University, and for the past five years as a member of the board of trustees.
“We live the place, before I was a trustee I was a Spartan, before I was a father I was a Spartan, it’s very, very difficult,” MSU board of trustee Brian Mosallam said.
Since the Larry Nassar scandal burst onto the scene, perhaps no group has been under more scrutiny than that board, for their response, or lack thereof.
“Why is it taking so long for other people to wrap their head around the idea that we have to get in front of this, we need to show contrition and apologize and then we can move forward?” Action Sports reporter Justin Rose asked.
“Policies and procedures don’t really mean much it’s your tone is not one of empathy, it’s all in how the message is delivered and that’s where I think we’ve failed miserably,” Mosallam added.
Weekly demonstrations on campus have put the board squarely in the crosshairs of an angry public, Mosallam seemingly, is the only board member who is accepting the scrutiny while standing up in his desire for reform.
“Everybody has their certain way, some want to do more, some want to do less, come June 22nd when it goes public, when I ask for these three things, at that time the public will see who supports it and who doesn’t,” Mosallam said.
“There’s diversity in a unit that at this time, more than any, needs to come together and say we got to do what’s right,” Rose stated.
“My position is very clear, we need more oversight on this university. We need more involvement as it relates to policy, we need to be a true oversight of the administration, therefore we need to be more active,” Mosallam added.
Mosallam is bringing his proposal in front of the board later this month, but he believes that the university’s current leadership, under John Engler isn’t ready to help push those changes through.
“If you lack contrition, and you lack empathy, and you are tone-deaf to that, you will never regain the trust of the public. You will never move this university forward, and quite frankly that’s been the tone of the administration, I do believe it matters who the head of this university is,” Mosallam added.
“The Kaylee Lorincz situation clearly showed his inexperience as a university president, when you look at what Judge Aquilina did, she say there for how many days and listened to every survivor speak, and have their moment. He gaveled down Kaylee Lorincz after three minutes telling her her time was up, at that point I realized we have a problem,” Mosallam stated.
