Two seats on three Michigan university boards are on the Nov. 3 ballot. Michigan voters will choose who steers the state’s three flagship universities: Michigan State University, University of Michigan and Wayne State University.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Democrats
Brian Mosallam, a former MSU football player, has served on the board since 2013. He is the only incumbent running.
Trustee Joel Ferguson, who has served on the board since the 1980s, did not seek reelection.
Dr. Rema Vassar is a former teacher and administrator, and a parent of an MSU student.
Republicans
Pat O’Keefe is founder and CEO of O’Keefe & Associates Consulting.
Tonya Schuitmaker is a former Republican state House representative and senator. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from MSU in 1990.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Democrats
Mark Bernstein is running for reelection, having served on the board since 2013. Bernstein is a Michigan graduate and an attorney.
Dr. Shauna Diggs is an incumbent and graduate who started at the same time as Bernstein. She is the first physician to serve on the board and is chair of the board of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.
Republicans
Carl Meyers is a former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and graduate of Michigan’s School of Business in 1979. He is a vice president at a Dearborn financial services firm.
Sarah Hubbard is a Michigan graduate who has spent her career as a lobbyist and conservative legislative staffer.
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Democrats Shirley Stancato was appointed to the board in 2019 after serving as president of New Detroit Inc. for almost two decades. She is a WSU graduate who serves on several community boards such as Teach for America Detroit and The Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Eva Garza Dewaelsche is a Wayne State graduate who is the president of SER Metro-Detroit Jobs for Progress, which provides resources and training to improve employment in Detroit.
Republicans Terri Lynn Land is a former Michigan Secretary of State.
Don Gates is a veteran who earned an MBA in information management from WSU in 1997.
