DETROIT — The law firm investigating ousted University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel is examining his use of university funds, officials confirmed.
The Board of Regents on Saturday fired Schlissel, 64, after it determined he was having a relationship with a university employee, which is prohibited under a new policy touted by Schlissel and the Board of Regents in July.
Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block, which was hired to investigate Schlissel, uncovered 118 pages of emails showing the relationship with a woman who also works at UM.
Despite his removal as president, the investigation is continuing and will involve Schlissel's spending, UM Regent Sarah Hubbard said.
"What was released to the public was enough to take action," Hubbard told The Detroit News, referring to the board's decision to dismiss Schlissel from his presidency. "But there are other steps we are taking to complete our investigation. ... Would it include reviewing expenditures? Yes."
Hubbard said she does not know the specifics about which financial transactions are being examined.
Schlissel, who is married with four adult children, has not responded to requests for comment from The News.
The regents' Saturday letter to Schlissel informing him of his termination stated that his firing was based on grounds that he breached the section of his contract that said his "conduct and comportment shall at all times be consistent with promoting the dignity, reputation, and academic excellence of the University."
UM updated numerous policies after the WilmerHale law firm recommended changes following its investigation of former Provost Martin Philbert. WilmerHale found Philbert committed sexual misconduct against numerous women throughout his 25-year UM career. He left UM and the school paid a settlement of $9.2 million to eight women in connection with allegations against him.
One of the new policies banned supervisors from initiating romantic relationships with subordinates and it created a new department to investigate sexual assault and harassment whose director, for the first time, was to report directly to Schlissel.
Among the 118 pages of emails between Schlissel and the woman, which date back to 2019, were discussions of travel to athletic events and overseas, including a stop in India, as well as a trip to California.
Schlissel remains a tenured professor at the university. Under a new contract signed last fall, he was scheduled to leave his presidency a year early, in June 2023. Once he completed a paid sabbatical and time as special adviser to the next president, he was planning to return to the faculty earning no less than half of his base presidential salary of $927,000, or $463,500.
Former President Mary Sue Coleman will serve as interim president. She most recently was president of the Association of American Universities from 2016-20 and led UM from 2002 to 2014.
