EDITORS' CORNER
Michigan State University will pay $300,000 in attorneys’ fees and damages to end a lawsuit brought by its own professor against two trustees who called him “racist” for using the term “mob rule.”
The State News obtained a copy of the settlement agreement between Professor Jack Lipton and trustees Dennis Denno and Rema Vassar.
Professor Lipton (pictured, left) sued the trustees after they appeared to have organized a campaign against the neuroscientist for criticizing Vassar’s (pictured, right) allegedly unethical behavior as board chair.
“Dr. Lipton is glad to be able to resolve this with the university and move forward,” Lipton’s attorney Elizabeth Abdnour told the student newspaper. “He hopes that the lawsuit has a positive effect for other faculty and university employees who may choose to exercise their First Amendment rights in the future.”
According to the lawsuit, Vassar accepted gifts from a university donor, including traveling on a private jet. She also appeared in an ad endorsing a former trustee’s private wealth management business.
However, she had organized supporters, including sorority sisters, to attend the meeting. In March 2024, Vassar did resign as board chair.
“When any meeting attendee spoke in support of holding Vassar accountable for her actions as outlined in [Trustee Brianna] Scott’s letter, Vassar supporters interrupted and jeered them and attempted to prevent them from completing their statements,” the lawsuit stated.
Evidence exists of Vassar and Denno working with students to have them file complaints against Lipton, the professor’s attorney previously told The College Fix.
Denno, a Democrat, told students to call Lipton “racist” for using the term “mob rule.” Notably, Lipton brought up the concerns about Vassar’s behavior after the letter from Trustee Scott, who is black. She is now the chair of the board.
According to the lawsuit, the trustees worked with student groups “to label Dr. Lipton a racist, publicly attack him in the media, post defamatory letters about him on social media and other public platforms, and file complaints with MSU’s internal civil rights office as well as its external accrediting body accusing Dr. Lipton of race discrimination.”
Denno admitted that Lipton is not racist as a condition of the lawsuit settlement.
The trustee “withdrew his ‘comments that Dr. Jack Lipton is a racist’ and apologized for any harm ‘the comments or actions caused Dr. Lipton,'” the State News reported.
“I did not intend to cause Dr. Lipton personal or professional harm and appreciate and respect Dr. Lipton’s advocacy on behalf of MSU’s faculty,” Vassar also stated.
The controversy had broader implications statewide, as pressure grew for Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer to intervene and remove Vassar and Denno.
Despite the two trustees impugning the character of a well-accomplished neuroscientist and professor, Gov. Whitmer ultimately decided not to remove the trustees.
