LoAs always lead to termination. Either because you are at some level responsible or because they just got you out of the way and it would be awkward to bring you back. MSU is not there ... yet. Also anyone you give an LoA to will be presumed guilty by the public, their reputations destroyed. That is non-repairable.

The culture around big money, be it media, movies, business, or sports is to pay money to hush up scandal, keep it out of written reports. In this respect colleges like MSU and PSU (and Alabama and every other school for that matter in FBS) are no different than NBC, FOX, Disney, or Google or Apple (not that I am aware of anything in those companies - but it's big money culture) for that matter.

I hate witch hunts, even though they seem to be necessary for the public appetite for immediate blood. I'd rather let the investigation into who knew what when get a bit further and more solid before using the Axe. In two months the ones who should get the Axe will be much clearer, and I really don't see a need to rush that and take out one or two who really should not get tarred.

That is the problem with an LoA. If you are giving somebody one, you had better be darn sure they need to go and you will win a defamation lawsuit.