Episode
Mike Balow: Resisting MSU's Crackdown on Dissent
- Podcast
- Higher Ed Now
- Published
- Jul 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2812
- Processing state
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Summary
ACTA's Nick Down interviews Michigan State University (MSU) Board of Trustees member Mike Balow . The aftermath of an emergency meeting to revise MSU's trustee code of ethics has embroiled the Board in controversy. The revised ethics code includes a "loyalty pledge" that limits trustee speech, with threats to sanction and publicly censure any trustee who refuse to sign . Trustee Balow and one colleague refused to sign the loyalty pledge. Since then, the dissenting trustees ha ve faced intense public pressure , including doxxing and social media threats . Trustee Balow tells his side of the story of what really happened at the emergency meeting, and why he categorically opposes the new mandate . Note: Since this recording , MSU president Kevin Guskiewicz has reversed his decision to depart MSU and will remain on as the university's president.