U-M regent Jordan Acker apologizes after probe confirms lewd comment allegations

U-M regents confirm that an investigation showed that Acker made obscene comments about a Democratic strategist and a female student
They confirmed the investigation after Acker delivered a lengthy apology during the board meeting but didn’t explain why he was sorry
Acker said he wanted to be accountable, and fellow regents thanked him for showing students what that looks like

University of Michigan officials said Thursday that an investigation confirmed that vulgar comments about two individuals were made by embattled Regent Jordan Acker.

Two fellow U-M regents confirmed the result of the investigation to Bridge Michigan moments after the public board meeting ended. During that meeting, Acker read a lengthy apology “for the distraction, the disappointment, and the pain that the situation has caused over the last two months.” But he did not say why he was apologizing.

“For those who have been hurt, disappointed, frustrated, or angry, I understand why. I do not ask for sympathy. I do not ask anyone to excuse my mistakes. I only ask that my apology be heard as sincere,” Acker said during the U-M regents meeting.

U-M launched an investigation into alleged comments made by Acker that emerged days before the Democratic nominating convention in April. The Guardian reported that he made sexual comments in a group chat on Slack about a Democratic strategist and vulgar comments about a female U-M student.

Acker, who’s served on the board since 2019, was seeking re-election to one of the two seats that are up for grabs on the U-M regents board in November. He lost the Democratic nomination to challenger Amir Makled and fellow incumbent Regent Paul Brown following a heated race that became a referendum on U-M’s handling of pro-Palestinian campus protests that began two years ago.

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When the Guardian allegations emerged, Acker told The Detroit News that the allegations were “fake” and “ridiculous.”

Acker, who has six months left of his term, did not respond to text messages sent during the meeting from Bridge Michigan asking for what he was apologizing. After the meeting, Brown and board Chair Michael Behm told Bridge that the university’s investigation validated that Acker did make the comments. Behm added that there is no report from the investigation.

In an updated statement Thursday, U-M’s Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs said the probe involved messages sent by Acker in 2020 and 2021. “The investigation is complete and confirmed the authenticity of the messages,” the statement read. “Upon due consideration of relevant factors and circumstances, the Board has determined that it is in the best interests of the University to close this matter without further action.”

‘Failed my own standards’

“Much has been said and written about me,” Acker said in his public statement. “Some of it I believe has been unfair, some of it has felt like a deliberate attempt to define me by my worst moments and mistakes, but today is not about that. Today is about accountability.”

Acker said a faculty member whom he respects told him something that resonated with him.

“They said that one thing our society needs more of is a sense of accountability, not humiliation, not destruction, not permanent condemnation, but accountability, the ability to recognize when we have failed our own standards and to feel the weight of that failure,” Acker said.

“That observation hit me hard, because regardless of legal outcomes, regardless of investigations, regardless of what anyone else concludes, I know that I failed my own standards.”

Acker also apologized for taking so long to apologize.

Brown thanked Acker for his apology.

“Although we condemn your momentary lapse of judgment, I think it’s important that you appreciate what I feel about the work you’ve done here, and that everyone else understands that not only have you been an ally in the fight, but a leader in the fight for workers, students, especially LGBTQ family members … and many, many other things that are critical to our students, faculty, staff, and the citizens of the state of Michigan.”

Regent Denise Ilitch said she accepted Acker’s apology.

“It’s really a teachable moment for our students to be able to see that when you make a mistake, you own it, you’re accountable, you apologize, and you carry on with the work,” Ilitch said. “That’s the best example you could ever, I think, help to give our students.”

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