Michigan State University's Nassar review mostly clears staff

Michigan State University mostly found no violations of campus policy in a review of roughly 20 former or current staff members who were said to have received complaints about Larry Nassar, according to a report released Tuesday.

Nassar was the campus doctor who was convicted of molesting female athletes and patients. In 2018, he was sentenced to decades in prison for child sexual assault and child pornography.

The report is part of a 2019 agreement with the U.S. Education Department, which included a $4.5 million fine and MSU’s pledge to significantly change how it responds to sexual harassment and assault. The university was ordered to determine whether employees properly handled complaints about Nassar, based on policies in place at the time of the allegation.

Allegations against Nassar go back to at least the mid-1990s. 

MSU reviewed the actions of the athletic department medical staff, coaches and some faculty members. Some couldn't recall getting complaints about Nassar, while others said they weren't given enough details that would have alarmed them.

Some MSU employees who worked with Nassar are already facing or have faced legal charges. Last month, former MSU gymnastics coach Kathie Klages was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 18 months probation for lying to authorities investigating the Nassar case. And last year, Nassar's former boss William Strampel was convicted of using his position as dean of MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine to try to solicit sexual favors from students, and other charges.