Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took the people that run Michigan State University to the woodshed earlier this week, blasting MSU for multiple scandals in recent years while opining the university lacks “clear unified leadership.”

Ouch. But it’s hard to disagree with her assessment, given the messes MSU has been in.

“This university has been rocked by scandal after scandal with no clear unified leadership or direction and tragically no accountability either,” Whitmer, a Democrat and MSU graduate, said in a statement included in the Associated Press coverage of the matter. “Right now, there are too many questions and not enough answers. The university owes it to students, alumni and our entire state to get to the bottom of this and take appropriate action.”

AP noted Whitmer’s statement came after two trustees over last weekend said they would support the ouster of board chair Rema Vassar.

Separately, MSU apologized after an image of Adolf Hitler was displayed on the scoreboard before the Michigan-MSU football game Saturday night. Officials said it was part of a quiz by an outside contractor that provides pregame content.

MSU also is dealing with fallout from the firing of football coach Mel Tucker who was accused of sexually harassing a woman over the phone. Some critics say the school should have acted months ago, said AP.

And we haven’t even gotten into Lou Anna Simon, the former university president who quit in 2018 in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal.

Nassar was a campus doctor who sexually assaulted athletes, mostly females who were gymnasts.

Someone needs to take the MSU tiller in a strong, firm hand and steer that ship off the rocks, something Whitmer clearly recognizes as needed –now.

Put another way, MSU needs new leadership.