Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz declines Clemson job, stays in East Lansing
Michigan State University president Kevin Guskiewicz has changed course and will stay in East Lansing, weeks after it was announced he would accept the presidency at Clemson University in South Carolina.
Guskiewicz verbally accepted Clemson's top job on May 27, but announced on July 6 that after "thought, countless conversations and careful consideration," he would remain in his role at MSU.
"When I came to Michigan State, I did so because I believed deeply in the promise of this university and in the people who make it exceptional. Over the past two years, that belief has only grown stronger. Every day, I have the privilege of witnessing the remarkable work of our faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters. I have seen lives transformed through education, discoveries that improve our world and a community that continually rises to meet challenges with resilience, compassion and purpose," Guskiewicz wrote in a letter to the MSU community.
Guskiewicz's initial decision to leave East Lansing came one week after the MSU Board of Trustees voted during a special meeting on May 17 to negotiate a new contract with Guskiewicz, with the starting point being a $2 million base salary, an unvested employer award of $250,000, and a term extension to 2031, according to the university. The vote was 6-1 in favor, with one abstention.
Guskiewicz's existing contract called for a base pay of $1,029,210, an unvested employer award of $200,000 per year, and an expiration in 2029.
In a May 27 letter to the MSU community, Guskiewicz pointed to "differing perspectives within the Board of Trustees regarding how best to move MSU forward." While he didn't name specific trustees, Guskiewicz said "meaningful progress" was hindered by disagreements and personal interests that were put above the university's best interests.
Chair Brianna Scott issued the following statement on Guskiewicz's decision to remain in East Lansing, saying, "President Guskiewicz has been transformational for Michigan State University over the past two years, and we are pleased to confirm that he has decided to stay and continue to chart a course forward for our institution. When he initially told me he was leaving, I asked him to consider rethinking his decision. I am so happy that he did! I always knew that his heart was with MSU."
Guskiewicz was named MSU's 22nd president in December 2023 and arrived in East Lansing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a chancellor. Guskiewicz was MSU's sixth president since former president Lou Anna K. Simon resigned in 2018 in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual assault scandal.
