Collaborative advisory board: voices of experience.

Their new “Collaborative Advisory Board” brings together people with both professional know-how and personal experience. Members include Rachael Denhollander, the first gymnast to publicly accuse Larry Nassar; Nassar victims Trinea Gonczar and Sterling Riethman; Andrea Munford, former lead detective in the Nassar investigation; and Rebecca Campbell, a distinguished professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology.

MORE NEWS: Lions Reward For Stellar 2024 is ‘Brutal’ Schedule This Season

This board is responsible for leading an independent review of how MSU handles sexual misconduct. They’ll be digging into the university’s culture, policies, and systems to find out what’s gone wrong and figure out how to fix things that need to be fixed. The goal is to recommend survivor-focused ways to prevent abuse, support those affected, and improve how cases are reported and handled.

Building a safer future through transparency.

The assessment will start by setting up ways for survivors and others to share their experiences safely and privately. The goal is to make sure everyone has a chance to be heard and their input is taken seriously during the reform process.

Meeting with the advisory board recently, MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz emphasized the university’s commitment to continuous improvement and healing. He said, “And what I’ve learned over the past 14 months is that some of them want to be engaged (in reforms), but they have to trust that the process will work. And that’s part of what we’ve done today.”

Denhollander said the new review of MSU policies is “an incredibly encouraging step in the right direction.”

By involving survivors directly in the reform process, MSU aims to create a safer environment for future generations, demonstrating that meaningful change is possible when institutions listen to and learn from those they serve.