LANSING, MI — Larry Nassar’s former boss at Michigan State University has been charged with one felony count of misconduct in office, according to court documents.
William Strampel, the former dean of MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, is also charged with three additional misdemeanor charges: one charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual misconduct and two charges of willful neglect of duty, court documents state.
Strampel oversaw Nassar, the former MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor who pleaded guilty to abusing more than 200 young girls and women over more than two decades.
Strampel is expected to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in East Lansing via video link. CNN has reached out to his attorney for comment.
MSU moved in early February to revoke the tenure of Strampel, who stepped down from the dean position in December, citing health problems.
‘Failure to monitor’
A letter from Carol Viventi, vice president and special counsel to interim Michigan State President John Engler, called out “Dr. Strampel’s failure to monitor and enforce clinical practice guidelines put in place for former doctor Larry Nassar following the conclusion of a 2014 sexual harassment investigation.”
That case concerned Amanda Thomashow’s 2014 report to MSU officials in which she said Nassar touched her vagina and her breasts during a doctor’s visit. Nassar told police and Strampel that this was part of his cutting-edge medical procedure, and he was cleared of wrongdoing.
According to Viventi’s letter, Strampel issued new guidelines for Nassar after the investigation, but did not notify the MSU Health Team or establish a system to monitor or enforce those guidelines. Nassar abused more young girls from the time he was cleared until his arrest in late 2016.
“It would be incompatible with the expectations for teaching and clinical faculty within the College of Osteopathic Medicine for Dr. Strampel to resume his faculty appointment given his lack of action described above,” Viventi’s letter stated.
Still, Strampel remains a tenured professor and can only be dismissed if a faculty hearing committee finds cause exists to revoke tenure. MSU has begun the process of revoking Strampel’s tenure, the MSU spokeswoman said, adding that the process can take 6 to 12 months.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office is scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon, at which special prosecutor William Forsyth will provide an update on his investigation into how Nassar could have sexually abused girls and young women for nearly 20 years without the school intervening.
In court, Nassar admitted to using his trusted position as a doctor to sexually abuse young girls for more than two decades. Scores of them came forward and told heart-wrenching stories of his abuse, and several blamed Michigan State University for dismissing their complaints and failing to stop him.
Nassar was sentenced to three lengthy prison sentences for child pornography and abuse charges.
