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Gov. John Engler
The Michigan State University board has named former Michigan Gov. John Engler interim president and ex-Gov. James Blanchard a senior adviser to work with government relations and legal affairs, the Detroit Free Press reports.
The board will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday to make the moves official, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the discussions, David Jesse and Kathleen Gray of the Detroit Free Press report.
The duo will try to heal a university deeply wounded by the sex scandal involving Larry Nassar, which cost President Lou Anna Simon her job.
"When he retired as governor, the folks at MSU asked him what did he want, and he said 'All I want is a good parking spot for the football games,'" longtime friend and Lansing attorney Richard McLellan tells the Freep.. "He certainly knows how to manage and he understands the politics of it.
"I saw him take over as governor and do some pretty bold things. That’s always been one of his mottos. The night before he went in as governor, he told me, 'I'm going to be willing to make decisions.' George Romney told him, 'Be bold.' And this short term assignment is going to require that."
