Mark Schlissel

The University of Michigan Board of Regents unanimously fired school President Mark Schlissel for cause following an investigation into a relationship with a subordinate, the board announced Saturday evening January 15 2022. The decision to fire him was made behind closed doors Saturday morning, without a public vote. The board had hired an outside firm to conduct an independent investigation into Schlissel's actions, including whether he had violated the university's supervisor relationship policy Schlissel wrote to the female employee regularly, including in October 2019 when he emailed about receiving a box of knishes. Schlissel sent "dozens" of inappropriate emails and texts, the regents said, including a link to a New Yorker magazine story entitled "Sexual fantasies of everyday New Yorkers." Former U-M President Mary Sue Coleman will return to campus as the interim president, the board also announced. Coleman was president from 2002 to 2014. Schlissel was hired in 2014. In 2018, the board extended his contract for five years. Like other presidents, Schlissel is a tenured faculty member as well as president. It's unclear whether his tenure will be revoked.