No timetable set for Granholm's trustee appointments
Gov. Jennifer Granholm has yet to appoint replacement Board of Trustees members to fill the two open positions on the CMU board.
Former Board Chairman Jeff Caponigro and Trustee John Kulhavi held terms that ended Dec. 31, 2008, but both said they will stay on the board until replacements have been named.
No timetable has been set for the new appointments, said Granholm's Deputy Press Secretary Megan Brown, but it is high on the governor's to-do list.
"It's certainly a priority for us," she said. "We hope to have them filled soon."
Brown declined to elaborate on possible names under consideration.
"It's our policy neither to confirm or deny possible candidates," she said.
Kulhavi and Caponigro each said they had not heard about any possible replacement candidates.
"It's one of those things that you don't know - when the announcement will come," Caponigro said.
Granholm appointed Trustees Brian Fannon and Jacqueline Garrett in April 2007 after former Trustees Jerry Campbell and Roger Kesseler had terms expire on Dec. 31, 2006. Campbell and Kesseler stayed on the board until their replacements were named four months later.
Once replacement trustees are named, six of the eight current trustees will have been appointed by Granholm.
Kulhavi and Caponigro said they had not heard anything from Board Chairwoman Gail Torreano about committee positions since their terms expired. As board chair, Caponigro served as ex-officio over all board committees, including the recently developed medical school committee.
"I plan to do whatever (Torreano) wants me to do," Caponigro said.
Kulhavi said the board usually decides on committee assignments via e-mail before the February meeting. The next scheduled Board of Trustees meeting is Feb. 19.
While the board waits on the new Trustees to be named, Kulhavi said he is more than happy to remain on the board until told otherwise.
He said the board is fully prepared for the challenges the university is facing now and in the future.
"There's a lot of talent on the board," he said.
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