ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan Board of Regents voted to remove Dr. Mark Schlissel as president, effective immediately, following an investigation into possible misconduct.
The Board released this statement on Saturday night:
It is with great disappointment that we announce that the University of Michigan Board of Regents has removed Dr. Mark Schlissel as President of the University of Michigan, effective immediately. The Board has named former U-M president Mary Sue Coleman as Interim President and we have full confidence that she will provide the leadership our University community needs during this critical time of transition. The Board will affirm these actions during its Feb. 17 formal session.
On Dec. 8, 2021, via an anonymous complaint, we learned that Dr. Schlissel may have been involved in an inappropriate relationship with a University employee. After an investigation, we learned that Dr. Schlissel, over a period of years, used his University email account to communicate with that subordinate in a manner inconsistent with the dignity and reputation of the University.
In the interest of full public disclosure, we have released dozens of Dr. Schlissel’s communications that illustrate this inappropriate conduct, as well as the letter that we sent to Dr. Schlissel explaining our decision. All this information is available on the University’s website.
More: University of Michigan releases 118-page document of emails after vote to fire Schlissel
Schlissel, 64, first became president of the university in 2014, and was in the midst of his second term. He had planned to step down in 2023. He was the 14 president of the university.