A collection of some of the most thought-provoking comments submitted by MSU Honor supporters
FROM SURVIVORS
"There are more survivors than the few hundred involved in the civil litigation. Many of my sister survivors are delaying or stopping treatment they desperately need..." Nicole Reeb | MSU | 2002
"You guys are making it so much harder for me and my other sister survivors to get the closure that we need." Arianna Castillo
"... All survivors deserve healing, not just the survivors you feel you have paid. Each and every one ..." Trinea Gonczar
"... Girls across America are watching. Please honor ..." Melissa Bruhn
"I ...will not be continuing at MSU. The board made a promise to the sister survivors. We were told that the healing fund is completely separate from the settlement. ... honor your commitment." Ashley Erickson
"Please show the sister survivors that you care about their well-being by opening the Healing Assistance Fund." Grace French
LEADERSHIP
"In the most difficult of times, leadership is about doing the right thing at the right time. Reinstate the funds!" Edwin Bonnen | MSU | 1978
"... If those in charge of the University cannot appropriately shoulder that responsibility, they should be replaced with honorable people who can." Cory Gordinier | Resident of Michigan
"Leaders need to walk their talk! ... The world is watching and is NOT impressed. ..." Rebecca Khoury
"... I will not refer any grant/research work or future student to MSU until the commitment is honored ..." Oren Kennedy | MSU
"... enrollment is the life's blood of any university. You are driving away future generations." Steven Parker | MSU | 1991
"... I will not encourage my students to attend MSU ...until there is real change ... Please honor ..." Lee Weick | Resident of Michigan
"I have 3 nieces and nephews who will be applying to college within the next 3 years and I've recommended that they DO NOT apply to MSU. Please honor ..." Michelle Stiennon | MSU | 1979
"This is not how humans ought to be treating other humans. Honor the MSU commitment ..." Justin Pool | MSU | 2004
"What good is protecting your brand if your brand is harming your students and preventing their healing?" Cathleen Fry | 2015 (MS) 2018 (PhD)
"Placing finances over people costs much more than money in the long run." Benjamin Horne | MSU | 2019
"Please follow the advice of your panel of experts and do what is right by honoring your commitments to survivors ..." Angie Povilaitis | Former MI Asst Attorney General
"We all need to care! Please honor ..." Lisa Griffin | U of M | Mother of current MSU student
"... MSU's broken promise betrays both Midwestern and American values. Please honor ... return to being a strong shining light in and from the U.S." Theresa Ek
"Please be kind, as you would be to your own child." Survivor's Dad
SHAME
"I am not proud of being MSU alumni. Please honor ..." Kara Korf | MSU | 2007
"I am ashamed of MSU. Please honor ..." Kelly Lutz | MSU | 2008
"... I amashamed to say that I am a student ..." Mary Gibbons | MSU | 2021
"... you have made me more ashamed every passing day ... for once in this terrible situation do the right thing!" Jordan Habitz | MSU | 2009
"I am ashamed of how my university has mishandled ..." Keli Osborn | MSU | 2012 2013 2014
"... I am ashamed of my university. OPEN THE HEALING FUND." Katie Paulot | MSU | 2020
"... It pains me to be ashamed of the university I hold so dear ..." Arlene McDaniel | MSU | 1984
"... ashamed of my school ... Please honor ..." Martin Valley | MSU | 1987
"... I am ashamed. Please honor ..." Sarah Keenan | MSU | 2019
"Have you no shame?" Elizabeth Byron | Resident of Michigan
"... everlasting shame of everyone who is associated with the University now, willing or otherwise." Samuel Klahn | MSU | 2019
"... I am ashamed." Jodi Schaldenbrand | MSU Student
"Never been more ashamed to be associated with this university. ... Reinstate the Healing Assistance Fund. ..." Rachel Higinbotham | MSU | 2015
"I'm embarrassed to be getting a degree from a university that has turned its back on survivors. ... do the right thing and honor the commitment ..." Samantha Baker | MSU Student
"Enough shame has been brought on our city from this - start doing the right thing. Start with this." Krista Regan | Resident of Michigan
"... stop being terrible and embarrassing." Emma Higinbotham | Grew up in E Lansing
"It's unbecoming for MSU. Do better." Sarah Stover
"... Sparty is NOT proud of this behavior." Whitney Burns
PROMISE & COMMITMENT
"... This is simply a broken promise and there is absolutely no reason for it." David Harns | MSU | 1999
"As we begin to take the necessary steps to enable everyone to heal, this is clearly not the time to close this fund; it needs to remain open as a tangible commitment to moving forward and healing." Gary Gerds | MSU | 1970 1972
"... keep the promises you made ..." Lauren Allswede | MSU | 2007
"I strongly urge the administration to honor their commitment ..." Heather Eisthen | MSU Faculty
"Please uphold the stated values of this university by honoring the commitment made to survivors." Jeremy Pardo | MSU | 2022
"... please be true to your word and have the integrity you want all Spartans to have. Please care for my friends and teammates like you promised you would." Stephanie Bochenek | MSU | 2012 (Rowing and Track & Field alum)
"For once do what you say you're going to do and follow through." Tamera Lagalo | Resident of Michigan "Do what you said you were going to do." Matt Chege | Resident of Michigan
"... The word commitment has meaning. Show that MSU knows that meaning. Please honor ..." Mary Halicek
"... do the right thing. be a human being. it's literally the least you could do." Jonathan Miller | Resident of Michigan
"It's really just sad that we need to sign this petition. Do the right thing." Mary Diedrich | Resident of Michigan
CONSEQUENCES
"Not all survivors filed lawsuits and are part of a settlement. Honor your commitment to them." John Barr
"The creation of the settlement fund does not justify cancellation of the Healing Assistance Fund ... it will take time for settlement fund distribution determinations to be made - how can survivors heal in the meantime? ... revelations of wrong-doing continue to emerge from East Lansing, and this important resource for survivors would seem the least MSU can do ..." Neil Wolf
"I personally know a survivor ... MSU's willful termination of the fund has tormented my friend and prevented her from recieving the help she needs to heal. Please honor ..." Brian Crofoot
"... Taking away a resource for those who may not otherwise be able to afford professional help to aid them in their healing process is wrong and inappropriate. Please honor ..." Natalie McQueary | MSU | 2017 (BA) 2019 (MSW)
"... seriously considering transferring schools. I'm not sure if I want anything to do with a school that treats sexual assault victims this way." Drew Waldron | MSU Student
"My daughter has wanted to attend MSU from the moment she knew what college was. Can't support her attending until a real commitment to recovery and responsibility are made." James Armstrong | MSU | 1986
"Embarrassed Employee and father of high-achieving daughter who ... I will not currently let apply to MSU - Pleasehonor ..." Matt Moore | Resident of Michigan
"Our daughter ... dreamed of being a Spartan ... We absolutely will not let her attend if this situation isn't dealt with with far more compassion and transparency." Kristin Cornelius | Resident of Michigan
"Refusal or failure to reinstate that commitment prolongs the pain suffered daily by the [survivors] ..." Victor Kordish | Resident of Michigan