The Michigan State University Board of Trustees were huddling Wednesday and Thursday in a private work session to discuss how to pay the tentative $500 million settlement with more than 300 sexual abuse victims, how far along is the search for a new school president and what to do about controversial interim President John Engler.

The board is to meet publicly Friday to take official action, in the wake of growing calls for Engler’s ouster. The anti-Engler fervor intensified after emails were disclosed last week in which he said the abuse victims were manipulated by their lawyers, and the most-vocal victim was likely receiving a kickback from her lawyer. Both victim and lawyer denied the claim.