The Mel Tucker allegations are a dark reminder of the complicated and unfortunate history of sexual misconduct and university athletic departments.
This past weekend, Michigan State University’s head football coach Mel Tucker was accused of sexual harassment by Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault survivor and advocate, according to USA Today. During a press conference on Sunday Sept. 10, MSU Vice President Alan Haller announced “his” decision to suspend Tucker without pay until the conclusion of the hearings.
Tracy and Tucker had a working relationship through MSU as she visited the campus twice to speak to the football team about sexual assault prevention in 2021 and 2022. Tracy, who speaks around the country at different schools about her own rape in hopes to prevent sexual misconduct within college athletics, is the founder of the non profit organization Set the Expectation. Set the Expectation aims to “prevent sexual violence and misconduct by working predominantly with men,” according to ABC News.
The troubling irony of the situation is not lost on us. The story of powerful men within college athletics portraying an egregious misuse of power is one that unfortunately, MSU knows well. According to MSU’s website, the disgraced former MSU athletics doctor Larry Nassar made huge national headlines in 2017 for several counts of sexual misconduct taking place within Ingham and Eaton counties.
The university pledged to take rigorous action to ensure the indelible mishandlings throughout the Nassar case would never happen again, implementing a “Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Strategic Plan” which can be viewed publicly on the MSU website.
Despite their efforts, another big name in MSU athletics once again ends up in the headlines for accusations surrounding sexual harassment and misconduct.
While the institution has technically seemed to follow every legal policy and procedure as it relates to Title IX, we believe there was a moral obligation to suspend Tucker before the season even began as “as the university has known about these allegations since December of 2022,” reported Deadspin.
MSU had been aware of Tucker’s allegations since the investigation’s conclusion in July before they announced his official hearings would take place during the coming football season.
“A formal hearing to determine whether Tucker violated the school’s policy banning sexual harassment and exploitation is scheduled for Oct. 5 and 6, during the Spartans’ bye week,” reported USA Today.
It seems MSU may have been more concerned about their football schedule than facilitating the “deliberate and meaningful action” they had pledged to apply. As social pressure climbs following the news of Tracy’s allegations, MSU has now deemed the case worthy enough to take action against Tucker.
The seemingly strategic scheduling of the hearing on MSU’s part was a gross decision. We are appalled at the fact MSU would allow Tucker to continue to serve in his role, and especially coach young men, after such a serious assertion. MSU’s complex history with dismissing and covering up similar claims for other members of the athletic department prove to be a problematic pattern. At the very least, an earlier indefinite suspension would have been appropriate.
Tucker, one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, signed a 10-year, $95 million guaranteed contract in 2021. According to WXYZ Detroit, “Reports say the only way he wouldn’t get the money is if he was convicted (of) a crime or engaged in conduct ‘in the University’s reasonable judgment, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt, or ridicule upon the University,’” indicating a severe breach of contract in the event he receives any criminal charges.
Despite MSU yet again the public face of sexual misconduct by collegiate athletic leadership, MSU is not the only school in recent memory to mishandle sexual violence scandals. Several instances of universities failing victims have come to light, dating back most memorably to the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State University, schools like Baylor University, the University of Michigan and the Ohio State University among others join what is becoming a terribly long list.
We feel strongly that it was a misstep by MSU to allow Tucker to coach the first two games of the season, and an injustice that it took the news breaking of the allegation for them to take action. With public pressure leaning on the school, it feels like their hand was forced in a situation where they had the option to do the right thing by suspending Tucker back on July 25 when the investigation was concluded.
