Dems take over university governing boards in Michigan
Democrats won narrow victories over Republicans last month in elections for governing board seats at Wayne State, Michigan State, and University of Michigan.
'Increasing diversity, particular among faculty and staff, is an important issue that we’re looking at,' one of the newly elected board members told Campus Reform.
Democrats won narrow victories over Republicans last month in elections for governing board seats at Wayne State, Michigan State, and the University of Michigan.
Elected by statewide vote, all of these universities will now have a 6-2 Democrat majority on their respective governing boards beginning in 2023, Bridge Michigan reports.
At Michigan State, incumbent Renee Knake Jefferson and newly-elected Dennis Denno won their races against their Republican contenders, increasing the Democrat majority from 5-3 to 6-2.
University of Michigan Democratic incumbents Kathy White and Michael Behm reclaimed their seats, maintaining the 6-2 Democrat majority and joining the new university president, Santa Ono, who took his position in October.
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Newly-elected Danielle Atkinson and incumbent Marilyn Kelly will preserve the 6-2 Democratic majority at Wayne State University.
Marilyn Kelly told Campus Reform that while they are elected on a partisan ballot, “the job of a university board member is not a partisan job. We don’t approach it from a Democrat or Republican point of view.”
“Increasing diversity, particular among faculty and staff, is an important issue that we’re looking at,” she added later in the conversation.
All three universities are in transitional periods of leadership, with UM and MSU hiring new university presidents Santa Ono and Teresa Woodruff, respectively. Both were hired to address and resolve issues surrounding inappropriate relationships and sexual misconduct.
[RELATED: UMich regent faces calls to resign...even after denouncing Capitol violence]
Despite protests by Republican activists and parents in Michigan calling to eliminate “woke” ideology in the public school system, Democrats seem to maintain a foothold in the direction of public education.
Campus Reform has reached out to all relevant parties for comment and will update accordingly.
