With Respect and Care

Satish Udpa, new acting president, sets kinder, compassionate tone at MSU.

April 1, 2019

Satish Udpa, who in January succeeded John Engler as MSU’s acting president, delivered a thoughtful apology to sexual assault survivors at the start of the February Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting.

“On behalf of this university I love, as acting president and an executive officer, and as a former dean and faculty member, I realize the need to formally apologize and to effectively atone,” Udpa said.

“I am sorry you were subjected to the pain and humiliation of sexual assault by somebody you should have been able to trust. We failed to comprehend and acknowledge your injuries. We were too slow to grasp the scope and enormity of the offense you endured. And we failed to treat you with the respect and care you deserved even as we sought to make amends.

“My commitment to you today is that we will listen more closely, ask more caring questions and act more thoughtfully as all of us work to advance the culture of this campus to one focused ?rst on safety and respect,” he said.

Additionally, the BOT announced the unanimous decision to re-establish a healing assistance fund for survivors and their families.

Three new trustees, one appoint-ed and two elected in November, have now joined the other ?ve members of the BOT.

Learn more: https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2019/new-trustees-talk-vision-priorities/