# Mike Balow: Resisting MSU's Crackdown on Dissent

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/higher-ed-now-175096/mike-balow-resisting-msu-s-crackdown-on-dissent
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/higher-ed-now-175096/mike-balow-resisting-msu-s-crackdown-on-dissent.md
Podcast: [Higher Ed Now](https://stenobird.com/podcast/higher-ed-now-175096)
Published: 2026-07-15T17:15:00+00:00
Episode link: https://higher-ed-now.libsyn.com/mike-balow-resisting-msus-crackdown-on-dissent
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/higher-ed-now/Mike_Balow-final_project_mix.mp3?dest-id=373880
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/higher-ed-now-175096/episodes/mike-balow-resisting-msu-s-crackdown-on-dissent
Duration seconds: 2812

## Resource

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.

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## Transcript

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