Michigan State intends to fire Mel Tucker 'with cause'
East Lansing, Mich. – Eight days after Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker was suspended without pay amidst an ongoing sexual harassment investigation, the university announced his firing on Monday. In a statement released on the same day as Tucker’s termination, athletic director Alan Haller said the decision to fire Tucker was made with support from the university administration and board of trustees.
Haller indicated that Tucker was presented with the termination notice on Monday. Tucker has seven days to respond to the termination notice.
“I, with the support of administration and board, have provided Mel Tucker with written notice of intent to terminate his contract for cause,” Haller said. “This notification process is required as part of his existing contract. The notice provides Tucker with seven calendar days to respond and present reasons to me and the interim president as to why he should not be terminated for cause.”
Michigan State’s decision to fire Tucker does not provide a resolution to the sexual harassment claim against him. Tucker and/or his representatives are still likely to appear at the Oct. 5 hearing scheduled to evaluate the sexual harassment claim against him by activist Brenda Tracy.
In addition to announcing Tucker’s termination, Haller also included the 17-page letter of termination, which outlines the incidents of cause that provide the basis for his firing.
In that termination letter, Haller outlines several actions by Tucker, which constitute a violation of university policy. Most of those actions took place during a phone call between Tucker and Tracy, who claims that Tucker sexually harassed her by engaging in non-consensual phone sex. Tucker contends that the incident being investigated was consensual phone sex.
While the investigation into Tucker’s actions is still open, the admissions that Tucker has already made during the investigative process provides grounds for firing, according to the university
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Tucker will likely dispute the grounds for termination with cause. In a statement released by Tucker last week, the embattled football coach insinuated that Michigan State had suspended him with the likely intent to fire him to avoid paying the 80 million dollars remaining on his contract.
Tucker also contends that his relationship with Tracy was a private matter. The university disputes that contention, given that Tracy had been previously paid by the university to provide sexual misconduct prevention training. Tracy is referred to as a vendor in the termination letter
Tucker’s contract includes a morality clause, which enables Michigan State to dismiss him with cause for personal behavior that reflects poorly on the program and the institution.
In his statement, Tucker claimed that Tracy’s allegation against him is motivated by financial gain. He says he was told by Tracy’s lawyer that he should not be fired but that it “would take a lot of money to make it go away.”
Tucker has not publicly responded to the notice of termination at the time this story was published.
