LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan legislators and Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer appear to be thinking that Michigan State University’s problems stem from choices that Michigan voters make. Amid the recent problems and scandals at MSU including infighting among the board, a Tuesday closed-door meeting with the governor and leading Michigan legislators are reported to have included the discussion of a proposal that would amend the state Constitution so that governors, instead of voters, would make university board selections in the state.

How serious those discussions were is not known as the two anonymous sources who tipped off The Detroit News to the meeting did not say. However, later on the same day, Democratic House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) had confirmed that there have been talks about having the governor appoint board members at MSU, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.

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Along those lines, Michigan Senator Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) has introduced Senate Joint Resolution E because he thinks that the process of political parties nominating the candidates have failed by resulting in poor vetting among the candidates. McBroom said in a speech on the Senate floor, “The Michigan State board makes Congress look like a well oiled machine” and added, “MSU has been in disarray now, going on eight years, maybe a little longer.”

For the resolution to pass, it would need two-thirds support of both the House and the Senate because it would be amending the state Constitution. After that, voters would decide whether or not to adopt a measure that would effectively stop themselves from voting for something.

At the heart of this debate are the scandals that have come about in waves at Michigan State University. A lack of leadership and direction have been cited at Michigan State because of the scandals and controversies over the past several years including the sex abuse scandal of Larry Nassar, the firing of Mel Tucker over sexual harassment allegations, the current accusations about MSU board chair Rema Vassar violating codes of conduct, a campus shooting, and even an image of Hitler appearing on a video board in pregame trivia quiz at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

During that same time, MSU has gone through five presidents: Lou Anna K. Simon (2005-2018), John Engler (2018-2019, Interim), Satish Udpa (2019, Acting), Samuel L. Stanley Jr. (2019-2022, President Emeritus) and the current Interim President, Teresa K. Woodruff (2022).

Governor Whitmer recently described her alma mater, MSU, as a placed rocked by “scandal after scandal with no clear unified leadership or direction.” She said if the accusations were true (about MSU Chair Vassar), then they are “deeply concerning” and would represent a “huge breach of the public’s trust.”

Allegations from MSU trustee, Brianna Scott, have surfaced regarding MSU chair Rema Vassar’s behavior of bullying, misusing her power and violating codes of conduct. Scott sent a letter to the other trustees on Sunday, making several accusations against Vassar and saying that she should resign or be removed by Gov. Whitmer. Vassar is the first Black woman to be elected the chair on MSU’s board. Both Scott and Vassar are women of color and Democrats.

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After the allegations surfaced, Michigan Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow and former Democratic Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard asked Vassar to step down and some are already taking sides before an investigation is done into the matter.

Vassar has denied the charges against her saying, “At a time where we have a responsibility to show leadership on a Presidential search, our Title IX roles and responsibilities, a search for a head football coach, and lawsuits both pending and imminent, three Board members are focused on what I can only guess are personal grievances. This letter and the false accusations underlying it are a tremendous distraction from the important work we need to do.”

The university boards, according to MSU Extension Public Policy, who wrote about the process, are the “highest governing body at a university, overseeing the university’s activities, finances and property and selection of a president of the university as often as is necessary under its supervision.”

Board members elected in 2022 for the three universities were all Democrats. The current Board of Trustees at Michigan State University is made up of six Democrats and two Republicans. Michigan is the only state that has their voters directly elect some of the boards for their public universities – in this case, they vote for MSU, U of M and Wayne State University board members. The governor appoints the rest of the university board members in the state, of which there are about 11 more.

Currently, the candidates for the university boards that are voted on are chosen by partisan precinct delegates and then those candidates are put on he ballot for Michigan’s voters. Technically, the board members at U of M are called “regents,” MSU calls them “trustees” and Wayne State University calls them a “board of governors.” Each university board has eight board members with eight-year terms and elections are held every two years due to their staggered terms.

 What do the other schools – and the MSU trustees – think about the possible change in the elections that have been discussed due to MSU’s scandals? Paul Brown, Democratic member of the U of M’s Board of Regents, says that the U of M’s elected board has outperformed other major research institutions who have appointed boards and he adds that it would be inappropriate to change Michigan’s constitutional system that separates the three universities from the others.

Michigan News Source also reached out to the Wayne State University chair and all of the MSU trustees about their thoughts on changing the elections but they did not respond to our request for comment.

 State Senator Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor), whose representation includes the U of M, says that the current system promotes independence and he argues, “It creates that relationship and that accountability directly to the voters.”

State Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) feels differently and said McBroom’s resolution is a “much needed institutional change” adding “it is evident by what has happened at Michigan State this past week, along with other instances, that this is no longer working.”

McBroom’s resolution is currently before the Senate Government Operations Committee.