EAST LANSING, Mich. - Three Michigan State University football players are suspended from team activities and removed from on-campus housing as part of a sexual assault investigation.
The school says in a release Thursday that a staff member associated with the football program also has been suspended.
Police are expected to forward reports in the case to prosecutors for possible criminal charges.
The school says the complaint was made late last month. Names of the players were not released, but the school says it is retaining a law firm to conduct an investigation into "football program staff members' compliance with university policy in connection with the allegations."
A Title IX consultant also has been retained to conduct a separate investigation. That probe will address whether MSU's Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct policy was violated.
In a different investigation, Michigan State University says the marching band director was suspended for a week last year for violating sexual misconduct policy.
Spokesman Jason Cody says he can't discuss specific allegations against John Madden. He says the suspension was in late May and early June. The campus newspaper, The State News, reported Thursday that a band member complained after getting text messages from Madden in 2015 and 2016.
In one text, Madden asked for a photo of her in a dress at a band event. He was out of town and couldn't attend. He then apologized for being a "creepy texter."
An investigation by Michigan State found Madden's behavior was inappropriate. Madden says he spoke to the marching band last August, apologized and guaranteed that it would never happen again.
