Internal equity and inclusion documents indicate Michigan State’s law school minimized use of the school’s iconic Spartan warrior logo to avoid triggering sexual assault victims — though the university says otherwise.
According to an American Bar Association accreditation report dated last December, an assistant law school dean told accreditors that minimizing the logo in advertising materials is one way “admissions recruitment has demonstrated a commitment” to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The report summarized an accreditation process the law school started last year and completed earlier this year.
“More trauma-informed intentionality with respect to marketing materials and admissions events: removing the MSU helmet and providing sufficient physical space at events to be mindful of potential triggers for survivors of sexual assault,” the report states, summarizing the school’s actions.
The school’s distinctive green-and-white logo evokes the ancient warriors of Sparta, a militarized Greek city-state famed for its exploits in battle.
The MSU mascot “Sparty” wears a helmet over his steely eyes and prominent chin at athletic events as part of a stylized warrior costume.
Attorney Gail Heriot, a University of San Diego law school professor and independent commissioner with the United States Commission on Civil Rights, obtained the report documents through a freedom of information request and wrote about them in a Sept. 18 post on Instapundit. The late Sen. Robert Byrd, West Virginia Democrat, appointed her to the commission in 2007.
“Is anyone seriously triggered by MSU’s Spartan helmet? If they are, maybe MSU is not the school for them,” she wrote in the post.
In an email Thursday, Ms. Heriot shared the documents with The Washington Times, noting she sought them as part of a research project on accreditation practices.
University officials have denied that the law school removed or minimized the logo, however.
MSU spokesman Mark Bullion told The College Fix on Wednesday that the “Spartan helmet you are referencing has not been removed from any College of Law marketing or admissions materials.”
The public research university in East Lansing is “deeply committed to increasing diversity, promoting inclusion and ensuring equity,” he added in an email.
“This includes embracing an equitable, safe and supportive academic environment that is trauma-informed from the admissions process through graduation,” Mr. Bullion said. “These measures help cultivate an inclusive community with policies, programming and tools that support, promote and strengthen the success, well-being, mental health and belonging of all students to help them thrive.”
The publication reported that Mr. Bullion did not respond to “several follow-up requests” asking him to clarify the apparent contradiction between his statement and the ABA accreditation report.
The Times has reached out to Mr. Bullion and to law school administrators for comment.
On Thursday, a cursory review of the College of Law website showed the Spartan logo prominently displayed to the left of the words “Michigan State University” in the top left corner of all admissions and application pages.
The report that the law school minimized the Spartan helmet follows years of assault scandals at the university, where convicted sex offender Larry Nassar served as a sports physician for two decades before MSU fired him in 2016.
More recently, Michigan State fired head football coach Mel Tucker last month after reports emerged that he was being investigated for alleged sexual harassment.
• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.
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