Michigan State University has announced that it will fire its head football coach Mel Tucker for cause, following allegations that he sexually harassed a rape survivor and activist who was hired to educate the team about sexual violence prevention.
Tucker denies the allegations
Tucker, who was in the third year of a 10-year, $95 million contract, was suspended without pay last week after USA Today reported that he was under investigation by the university’s Office for Civil Rights for his conduct towards Brenda Tracy, a nationally recognized advocate for sexual assault survivors.
Tucker has denied the allegations, saying that the phone call he had with Tracy in April 2022 was consensual and outside the scope of both Title IX and university policy. He also said that he is estranged from his wife and has two children.
“I am innocent of these false accusations and I will vigorously defend myself and my reputation,” Tucker said in a statement.
Tracy says Tucker sexually harassed her
Tracy said that Tucker sexually harassed her during a phone call that lasted more than an hour, in which he made comments about her body, flirted with her, masturbated and made sexually explicit remarks about himself and her. She said that she felt violated and traumatized by the call, which she recorded and shared with the university.
“I did not consent to any of this. I did not initiate any of this. I did not reciprocate any of this,” Tracy said in a statement. “He abused his power and position to sexually exploit me.”
Tracy said that she filed a complaint with the university’s Title IX office in December 2022, after she learned that Tucker had lied to her about his marital status. She said that she also contacted the athletic director, Alan Haller, and the interim president, Satish Udpa, but did not receive any response from them.
University says Tucker violated its policy and values
The university said that it notified Tucker of its intent to terminate his contract for cause on Monday, giving him seven days to respond and present reasons why he should not be fired. The university said that the decision does not affect the ongoing investigation into Tracy’s allegations, which is expected to conclude in October.
The university said that Tucker violated its sexual harassment and exploitation policy, as well as its core values of integrity, respect and accountability. The university also said that Tucker’s behavior was unprofessional and unethical, especially considering that Tracy was contracted by the university to provide sexual misconduct education to the football team.
“The unprofessional and unethical behavior is particularly egregious given that the vendor at issue was contracted by the University for the sole purpose of educating student-athletes on, and preventing instances of, inappropriate sexual conduct,” the university said in a notice to Tucker.
Michigan State has a history of sexual misconduct scandals
Michigan State has faced several sexual misconduct scandals in recent years, most notably involving former sports doctor Larry Nassar, who sexually abused hundreds of women and girls under the guise of medical treatment. Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison in 2018.
The university also faced criticism for its handling of sexual assault allegations against former football players. In 2017, three players were dismissed from the team and later pleaded guilty to reduced charges of seducing an unmarried woman. In 2018, another player was expelled from the school after he was accused of raping a woman in his dorm room.
The university hired Tucker in 2020 after Mark Dantonio retired as the head coach. Tucker led the team to a 2-5 record in his first season and a 10-3 record in his second season. He was widely praised for his recruiting efforts and his leadership skills.
