Latest: State Senate leader calls for MSU chief to resign

Published Jun. 15, 2018 11:29 a.m. ET

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Latest on calls for interim Michigan State University president John Engler to resign (all times local):

10:50 a.m.

Interim Michigan State University President John Engler is not caving to calls from board trustees and legislators for him to resign.

After two trustees said Friday that Engler was unfit to lead the university, Engler insisted he's looking ahead to a public Board of Trustees meeting, scheduled for next Friday.

Engler underscored his role in the university's $500 million settlement to hundreds of women and girls who said they were sexually assaulted by a now-imprisoned former campus sports doctor, Larry Nassar.

On Friday, trustee Brian Mosallam said the Nassar-related campus crisis won't settle until Engler steps down. Hours later, he was joined by fellow trustee Dianne Byrum.

Joining outraged Nassar survivors, Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof also said Engler, a former Republican governor, should resign. Republican House Speaker Tom Leonard declined to comment.

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10:25 a.m.

The Michigan Legislature's highest-ranking leadership has called on interim Michigan State University President John Engler to resign.

Amber McCann, a spokeswoman for state Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, said Friday that the senator ''is very disappointed and does agree that Engler should resign.''

The statement from Meekhof, a Republican from West Olive, joins mounting calls from legislators and others for Engler, a former Republican governor of Michigan, to step down. Engler has faced criticism for his handling of a campus crisis surrounding disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar.

On Wednesday, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that Engler has suggested the first woman to go public with her accusations was probably getting a ''kickback'' from her attorney. His claims have been widely panned by Nassar survivors.

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9:00 a.m.

Michigan State University board trustee Brian Mosallam is asking interim school president John Engler to resign immediately.

Mosallam released a statement, saying the crisis on campus related to disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar will not settle until Engler steps down.

Engler, a former Republican governor of Michigan, has criticized lawyers who represent Nassar's assault victims and suggested the first woman to go public with her accusations was probably getting a kickback from her attorney.

The university has recently agreed to a $500 million settlement with hundreds of women and girls who said they were sexually assaulted by Nassar, a former campus sports doctor now serving decades in prison.