University of Michigan opens investigation into regent's 'disturbing' messages

Sarah Atwood, The Detroit News on Apr 21, 2026

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DETROIT — The University of Michigan is opening an investigation into Regent Jordan Acker's purported Slack messages, in which he appeared to make obscene sexual comments about a Democratic strategist and lewd comments about a female UM student.

Regent Chair Mark Bernstein said in a message posted to the university's communications website that the board was "aware of disturbing messages" attributed to Acker. Bernstein and Vice Chair Michael Behm said in the statement that they reported the messages and that the matter would be "thoroughly, fairly, and expeditiously" investigated.

Bernstein was not immediately available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

The investigation will be handled internally, said Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Internal Communications Paul Corliss.

Acker was not immediately available for comment.

The university's Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs said the messages were "disgusting," a "violation of trust and professional standards" and "unbecoming of the position." The committee said if the allegations were true, Acker should resign immediately.

Acker told The Detroit News on Sunday after the allegations were first reported by The Guardian that they were "ridiculous" and "fake." Acker's attorney, Ethan Holtz, said in a statement that Acker "has never been on Slack" and that the messages contained elements that appeared to be "doctored."

Lewd comment about a student

Faculty Senate President Derek Peterson said he and other faculty were most struck by comments purportedly made by Acker about a UM student. In one of the messages, he said he'd been contacted by a parent who said their child had contracted a urinary tract infection.

"Maybe he doesn’t realize that his daughter f----, apparently a lot,” Acker wrote. The Guardian reported that this comment included a picture of the student and her friends.

This comment, seemingly made to "score points" among the others in the chat, was "profoundly dismaying," and went against what the regents were expected to do, Peterson said.

"His job is to advance the interest of the students," Peterson said. "Instead, he's knowingly damaging someone. ... That’s what we find objectionable. ... Students have the expectation of privacy, not to have their conduct discussed in a chat with people with no connection to the university."

Acker loses Michigan Democratic Party convention vote

The Guardian's story ran two days before the Michigan Democratic Party's nominating convention, where the delegates refused to put Acker up for reelection and chose Arab-American attorney Amir Makled of Dearborn and Regent Paul Brown.

The unusually contentious race between Makled and Acker exploded with claims of antisemitic and Islamophobic behavior ― a microcosm of the conflicting views of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza on the Ann Arbor campus and within the Democratic Party.

The UM regents have come under fire for their handling of pro-Palestinian, antiwar protests of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, including how some participating students were punished and for allowing the demonstrations to occur.

Makled represented several students who faced charges after demonstrations calling on UM to divest from weapons manufacturing and Israel. The board has refused to do so.

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