By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
A controversial proposal from Attorney General Bill Schuette would strip the power of Republican Precinct Delegates to choose the party's nominees for Board of Trustees at the University of Michigan, MSU, and Wayne State at the state convention.
The proposal also removes the power of voters to choose Trustees at the ballot box in November. Instead, Schuette believes that the Governor should get to handpick university leaders.
According to Chad Livengood of Crain's Detroit:
"Attorney General Bill Schuette called for a constitutional change in the governance of Michigan's flagship universities Monday as he stepped up scrutiny of Michigan State University and what top school leaders knew about complaints lodged against disgraced sports medicine doctor Larry Nassar.
Schuette, acting in his campaign for governor, said the governing boards of MSU, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University should be gubernatorial appointees like the 10 boards that govern the state's other public universities.
The members of MSU, UM and Wayne State's governing boards are nominated by political parties and elected in statewide races to eight-year terms."
Stripping grassroots delegates and voters of their power to choose who leads Michigan's most prominent universities is a terrible idea.
Further politicizing these important boards with a Gubernatorial appointment process is not needed for any reason.
Campaign donors shouldn't be rewarded with plum positions like these, candidates should have to go in the trenches, answer tough questions, and make their case to Michiganders.
Schuette's proposal misses the mark-big league.
__________________________________________________________________Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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