The University of Michigan announced Mark Schlissel's removal for allegedly having sexual affair with his subordinate to whom he allegedly sent articles about sexual fantasies.
The University of Michigan Board of Regents said that the termination was effective "immediately," reported CBS News.
In Saturday’s announcement on the school’s website, emails between Schlissel and his subordinate, whose name was redacted, were also shared.
A 2019 New Yorker article titled, "Sexual Fantasies of Every New Yorkers," was included in one of the emails. According to Fox News, Schlissel indicated in the subject box it was an "article you couldn’t download." In an email to Schlissel in January last year, the subordinate employee wrote, "Oh yes!" He responded by saying that he loves it "when you say that."
Many of the emails, sent from his official school email address, were exchanged between him and the subordinate to make dinner or travel plans.
According to the board, after an anonymous complaint, its members learned last month about the alleged affair. An investigation revealed that "over the years," Schlissel used his university email account to "communicate with that subordinate in a manner inconsistent with the dignity and reputation of the university."
Mary Sue Coleman, former University of Michigan President, will take over the leadership for a while as she has been appointed interim president. Her appointment and Schlissel's removal will be affirmed during the board's formal session on Feb. 17. Coleman, whose presidency ended in 2014, said in a statement that though she is "saddened by the circumstances," she feels honored to be back. She added that she is happy to "serve again in this important interim role."
Schlissel, whose base salary was $927,000 a year, had announced last October that he would resign in June next year. Last July, during a board meeting, Schlissel said that there would be zero tolerance for someone in a leadership position to "solicit" a relationship with someone "they have a supervisory authority or career influence over." According to him, it was "exceptionally important because of the power dynamic." He said that sometimes, it makes it difficult for people to effectively "say no, then you put an employee in a very difficult circumstance."
