President Kevin Guskiewicz's decision to stay at Michigan State University comes with a newly extended contract extending his presidency through 2031, a $1.5 million salary and added benefits such as private jet travel, as he seeks to rebuild trust with faculty and the broader campus community.
On Monday, Guskiewicz rescinded his May announcement that he would be taking the top job at Clemson University, saying he would remain MSU's president following a “period of deep personal reflection.”
In a community letter sent the same day, Guskiewicz said he was “sincerely sorry” for any uncertainty he created.
Guskiewicz also acknowledged that there may be a renewed sense of distrust over his commitment to the university.
"I recognize that some members of our community may have questions about my commitment," Guskiewicz wrote. "That is understandable. Our university has experienced more than its share of change in recent years, and I regret that my decision-making over the past several weeks added to that uncertainty."
‘Level of distrust’
Following the announcement of Guskiewicz staying, the Faculty Steering Committee has asked the school’s Academic Congress to vote on two resolutions — one being whether faculty have “confidence and trust” in the president to "effectively" lead MSU and if they have “confidence and trust” in the ability of the Board of Trustees to “effectively oversee” MSU.
The voting will close on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, and the results will be shared with all members of the Academic Congress, the President, the Board of Trustees and members of the public, according to a press release.
Local 1855 Union, formerly known as the Union for Non-Tenure Faculty, President Victor Rodriguez-Pereira said faculty's sense of distrust is nothing new for this administration.
"I think a lot of faculty already had a level of distrust from this administration, stemming back from the budget cuts that were rolled out about a year or so ago," Rodriguez-Pereira said. "There has been a healthy level of distrust even before his departure, for both him and the Board of Trustees."
