Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon Will Reportedly Resign

Embattled Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon will resign this week, according to a report from The State News. Calls for Simon to step down in the wake of the way she and the university have handled the Larry Nassar scandal have grown from a soft murmur to a deafening symphony with each passing day.

Last Friday, the MSU board of trustees met and emerged with a vote of confidence for Simon. Her public support has wavered as a few trustees have voiced dissenting opinions on what direction the school should take going forward.

Simon, who has held the position since 2005, is expected to officially step down Friday. A public meeting must be called in order for the board to accept her resignation, The State News reports. UPDATE: (The Detroit Free Press states this could happen tomorrow).

Ongoing investigations will eventually reveal just how much culpability Simon bears for Nassar’s long and unconscionable rein of terror. It would be unfair to ascribe any blame prematurely. But her departure is important. Only now can the university begin to seriously atone for its role. It’s a public signal to all that mistakes were made and new direction is needed in order to move forward.

It was always going to end this way. And now it did, just a few days too late.