MSU investigation shows former board chairman made explicit gesture at meeting, although Vassar denies it

An internal investigation found that former Michigan State University board chair Rema Vassar made an explicit gesture during a board meeting.

MSU’s Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance said the “inappropriate, unprofessional” conduct was a violation of the board’s code of ethics. The office released its findings internally on May 22, but they were made available to The State News on Tuesday upon request by a university spokesperson.

During a special Zoom meeting on March 3, Vassar gave the middle finger. She and fellow board member Dennis Denno were reprimanded, relieved of their duties and referred by the rest of the board to the governor for possible removal.

Vassar insisted the gesture was not intentional. She said she uses her middle finger instinctively for many everyday activities, such as texting or adjusting her glasses.

“The MSU Board of Directors has serious matters that should require our attention as trustees, and I will continue to focus on the safety, sense of belonging and success of ALL of our students,” she wrote in a statement to The State News.

The meeting at which Vassar made the gesture was held to discuss the results of an outside investigation into board irregularities. It found that Vassar and Denno had interfered in university affairs, accepted gifts from donors, and used students to orchestrate a campaign against rivals, to name a few. Vassar has since called the investigation “baseless and deeply flawed.”

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is currently reviewing whether the actions described in the report justify the trustees’ dismissal. The outcome of the investigation into Vassar’s gesture is another item she must consider; a copy of the findings has been sent to Whitmer’s office for review “as she considers further action with respect to Trustee Vassar,” the report said.

Investigators concluded that the gesture matched Wikipedia’s definition of “middle finger.”

Vassar made the gesture for an extended period while trustees Brianna Scott and Dianne Byrum spoke, the office reported.

Scott wrote a public letter in October 2023 accusing Vassar of bullying colleagues and interfering in university affairs. This led to a larger investigation that recommended Vassar’s dismissal. Byrum supported Scott at the time.

Investigators found “no depiction of Trustee Vassar’s middle finger” in the recordings of previous meetings they reviewed, their report said.

In April, senior officials from the Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance also interviewed Vassar as part of the investigation. She denied making an obscene gesture but said “she did not intend to offend anyone and apologized,” according to the report.

The Vassar board would be provided with “educational opportunities” and training on the duties of a trustee as set out in the board’s code of ethics, the report said.

The investigation into the gesture was then announced at the board meeting on April 12. Vassar resigned as board chairman a few days after the abuse of office investigation became known and a few hours before the March 3 meeting.

“If true, the board condemns these actions,” current board chairman Dan Kelly said at the time. “The board supports the completion of OARC’s review and any recommendations or potential corrective actions it believes are consistent with its findings.”