Michigan State officials comment on Mel Tucker sexual harassment investigation

Michigan State officials have commented publicly for the first time since reports about Mel Tucker being the subject of a sexual harassment investigation exploded this weekend.

“The university’s objective has been, and remains, focus on conducting a fair, thorough, and unbiased investigation and allowing the processes to play out. This includes protecting confidentiality of the claimant and putting in place interim measures,” Michigan State AD Alan Haller said. “The university’s formal conclusion of the investigation will occur on once the hearing and final decision processes are complete.”

“With the best interest of everyone, including student-athletes, and with the university community in mind, I have suspended Mel Tucker without pay. I made this decision with the support of university leadership.”

The Spartan’s interim president, Teresa Woodruff, took the podium as well to comment on the stance of the university as a whole.

“The MSU of today is creating a culture that is welcoming, supportive, and caring,” said Woodruff. “The bravery and work of our collective community defines our institution and its people, not the action of any single individual.”

According to a USA Today report on Sunday, a complaint was filed by prominent advocate against sexual violence and misconduct Brenda Tracy in December, alleging that Tucker sent her gifts and pursued a ‘one-sided’ relationship that was unwelcome. One of the allegations included a phone call in which Tucker made sexual comments about Tracy and masturbated.

Tracy and Tucker first developed a professional working relationship over the course of a few months, with her work advocating against sexual violence getting an additional platform at Michigan State.

According to ESPN, Tracy visited Michigan State in August 2021 and April 2022 to speak to the football team about preventing sexual misconduct. Tracy is a vocal advocate against sexual violence and has spoken to dozens of football programs around the country in recent years.

After her April visit to Michigan State, Tracy reportedly received multiple calls from Tucker asking to meet up. According to her complaint, a phone call on April 28, 2022 from Tucker included several sexual comments to her and Tucker masturbating while on the phone.

Tracy, who is a rape survivor, told USA Today that the idea someone would “re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it’s hard for me to even wrap my mind around it.”

Tucker, meanwhile, told Title IX investigators that the relationship was “mutually consensual” and characterized the phone call as “phone sex,” according to the USA Today report.

Tracy first filed her complaint in December 2022. Michigan State hired an outside Title IX attorney to investigate her complaint.

But as the Title IX investigation has continued over the past few months and reports about it have now surfaced widely, Michigan State has decided to make a move.”

Mel Tucker signed a 10-year, $95 million contract in November 2021, but the contract did include a morality clause that allows Michigan State to fire him for cause “if the coach engaged in any conduct which constitutes moral turpitude or, which in the university’s reasonable judgment, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt or ridicule.”