Peters Questions MSU Interim President John Engler at Senate Hearing on Athlete Abuse

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today questioned Michigan State University (MSU) Interim President John Engler at a Senate subcommittee hearing on the issue of abuse in college and amateur athletics. At the Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security Subcommittee hearing, Peters noted the need for a change in culture at MSU following decades of abuse by Larry Nassar and pressed Engler on his treatment of survivors, recent hiring decisions at MSU and what disciplinary actions have been taken against employees who knew of Nassar’s abuse.

Earlier this year, Peters introduced the ALERT Act, bipartisan legislation to require any university that receives federal funds to certify that university leadership has reviewed all incidents involving employee sexual misconduct that were reported to the Title IX coordinator at that institution in the previous 12 months. In the case of Larry Nassar, university leaders failed to take action or claimed they were unaware of reports of sexual abuse by employees, even though official Title IX or external investigations had taken place.

Click here to watch video of Peters’ questioning of Engler.