The Wayne State University board of governors met Friday for the first time this year, with two newly elected members, and unanimously approved reappointing Marilyn Kelly as chair.
"I consulted in recent weeks with other members of the board of governors and each of us has pledged to renew our efforts to work together in the best interest of this great university, and we've agreed on our intentions," Kelly said during the meeting, conducted remotely.
The hour-long meeting marked a quiet and harmonious start for the board, a departure from the drama among members that has often spilled into board meetings the past couple of years.
It was the first meeting for newly elected board member Terri Lynn Land, a Republican and the former Michigan secretary of state, who received the largest chunk of votes in the narrow November election. She made her board debut without any remarks.
It was also the first meeting as an elected member for Shirley Stancato, a Democrat who won election to a full term after being selected by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in December to finish out the term of Kim Trent, who left to join Whitmer's administration.
Friday's meeting was also the first without Sandra Hughes O'Brien, who failed to receive the endorsement of the Democratic Party and was not on the November ballot. O'Brien's tenure was marked by outspoken opposition to WSU President M. Roy Wilson, which was a consistent source of board tension over the past couple of years.
Land and Stancato have refrained from weighing in on the disagreements publicly. There were no signs of board division Friday.
In addition to appointing Kelly to chair, the board unanimously approved Mark Gaffney to vice chair. Both will serve in their roles through 2021.
As chair, Kelly serves as the voice of the board and appoints members to chair committees and serve on other university boards. She made the following appointments:
- Academic Affairs – Gaffney
- Student Affairs – Stancato
- Budget and Finance – Bryan Barnhill
- Personnel – Gaffney
- Health Affairs – Michael Busuito
- Bylaws Review – Kelly
- Advocacy – Barnhill
- TechTown Executive Committee – Dana Thompson
- TechTown Board of Directors – Land
- WSU Foundation – Barnhill and Land
- Karmanos – Anil Kumar
"The appointments include all board members and reflect their personal leadership skills and interests," Kelly said. "I believe we are coming together and will be working productively this year."
Board squabbling at Wayne State started in the fall of 2018 when Wayne State was finalizing its letter of intent to replace Detroit Medical Center with Henry Ford Health System as its primary teaching hospital. Wayne State has had an acrimonious relationship with DMC since the late 2000s, especially since it became a for-profit hospital in 2011.
In a December 2018 board meeting, three governors — Busuito, O'Brien and Thompson — voted against a proposal to extend Wilson's contract, which was approved in a 5-3 vote.
In June 2019, half the board sued the other half, contending it violated open meeting laws. Then in November, the anti-Wilson faction voted to oust the president. Deputy Attorney General Kelly Keenan said the firing had not been valid and any such action would need to take place in a properly convened public meeting.
Since the onset of the pandemic, the primary focus of the administration and board has been navigating financial fallout. Officials said winter enrollment at the university has remained flat, which is positive news considering the impact of COVID-19. Some labs, clinics and performing arts classes will be brought back to campus next week, though most classes remain online for the foreseeable future.
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Wayne State board appoints chair, pledges to 'renew our efforts to work together' - Crain's Detroit Business
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