The Michigan State University Board of Trustees has released documents from an independent report investigating the resignation of former business college dean Sanjay Gupta.
About six months ago, MSU provost Teresa Woodruff pushed for the resignation of the Eli Broad College of Business dean. Gupta later resigned after allegedly failing to report sexual misconduct.
Following his departure, the MSU Board of Trustees hired the law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan to investigate the matter.
On Friday evening, the 100-plus-page report was released. The report acknowledged that Gupta violated the university’s reporting protocol when he failed to report an incident of sexual misconduct in which a business school professor attempted to proposition several students at a activity.
Among the reasons Woodruff gave in a letter to the MSU Board of Trustees in August, he said Gupta violated reporting protocol, failed to investigate an incident of alleged misconduct, and caused the a two-month delay in the university’s investigation into the incident.
According to the independent investigation, Gupta learned that the incident had been reported to MSU’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) by two separate faculty members. He said that he does not believe that he needs to file an additional report.
“As it relates to Gupta, the actions of Woodruff’s personnel appear to have been inconsistent and improperly calibrated to the significance (or insignificance) of Gupta’s unreported information in the underlying investigation, the treatment of other similar cases, and Gupta’s record as a whole,” the report said.
Woodruff and other officials sent letters to the Board of Trustees in October asking the board to drop the Quinn Emanuel investigation. The report said Woodruff said Gupta’s failure to meet mandatory obligations was not in dispute.
In a statement, the Board of Trustees said they are working to ensure the university remains a safe, healthy and respectful environment for all.
“Any future action related to the topics covered in the review will be handled by MSU’s administrative leaders. We will not comment further on this matter,” the statement said.
Interim President Teresa Woodruff said in a statement Saturday that she shares a commitment to the health and safety and well-being of the Spartan Community.
“I, along with others in the administration, have received a copy of the report, and we want to examine it in detail,” he said. “My commitment to doing what is right and focusing on the long-term success and stability of our institution remains unchanged.”
In February, Gupta filed a lawsuit against several school administrators over his dismissal.
