Anspach Hall Room 153 was looking exceptionally shabby one day, and Allison White just could not pass up the chance to needle Bill Caul, R-Mount Pleasant, about it.

"I was like 'don't we deserve a chair, sir?'" the Ann Arbor junior asked during her PSC 300: Michigan Politics and Elections class being taught this fall by Congressman-elect and Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government Gary Peters.

"My peers don't even have a table to write on. How can we lead our country to the future?" she teased, enjoying the chance to put the Republican vice chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education on the spot.

Caul was one of several guest speakers brought to class this semester by Peters, who defeated eight-term Republican incumbent Joe Knollenberg to represent Oakland County's 9th Congressional District.

Peters beat Knollenberg 51 to 43 percent on Tuesday. He spent Wednesday meeting with voters in Royal Oak, and will return Monday night to teach.

The 49-year-old Democrat said he is eyeing a seat on the House Financial Services Committee.

"I have a strong business and investment background and think financial services is a good place to put that experience to work, particularly given the financial crisis," Peters said.

Northville sophomore Ryan Brown said he was excited to have a chance to talk about the election this Monday.

"Whenever somebody would ask him about his race with (Congressman Joe) Knollenberg, he was always very humble about it," Brown said. "He never pushed his policies or views."

The course will be Peters' last at Central Michigan University. He takes his seat in Washington in January, leaving a question mark in the spring political science department rotation.

Peters is only halfway through his three-year contract at CMU. He was scheduled to teach 22 students in PSC 301: Law and Policy in Michigan State Government this spring.

Gary Shapiro, dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, said he hopes to have final decision on how to proceed by Nov. 19.

Options include canceling the class and spring Griffin forum or appointing an interim chair.

Shapiro was clear that Peters would "not get a golden parachute" and would not be paid for any period that he is not teaching.

"(Peters) has put CMU in a very difficult position now," said Dennis Lennox II, a Topinabee senior who ran a media campaign last year against Peters appointment. "I just don't see how the Griffin program can continue as it's situated."

news@cm-life.com

Professors as candidate draft policy circulating

Maxine Kent, associate vice president of Human Resources, said an updated draft of the policy addressing university employees seeking public office is circulating among senior staff and faculty.

The draft states any employees who seeks any federal, state, county or local public office must:

Campaign on their own time.

Give the appropriate CMU personnel office a statement that their candidacy will not interfere with job duties.

Give the appropriate CMU personnel office a statement within 20 days of election stating appropriate arrangements are made so their work will not interfere with their work at CMU.