Snyder to appoint new members to board of trustees by Jan. 1; Candidates will remain nameless until chosen
The appointment of two new members to the CMU Board of Trustees remains at a standstill entering the final month of Stephanie Comai and Gail Torreano’s terms.
Gov.-elect Rick Snyder will appoint new board members to replace the two current ones, who will be departing Dec. 31. The state Senate must approve Snyder’s appointments before they become effective.
Ryan Kazmirzack, deputy director of communications for Snyder’s transition team, said the team is working through the process of making the new appointments. Names of potential appointees are not available at this time. He said he did not want to speculate on a time frame for making the appointments official but he isn’t worried about it being completed by Jan. 1.
“When we make a selection we’ll announce it,” he said. “Really, we don’t announce stuff unless we actually have stuff to announce.”
Kazmirzack said there are multiple appointments needing to be made around the state.
“It’s not just CMU,” he said, “there are actually lots of appointments that need to get filled.”
Steve Smith, director of public relations, said CMU plays no role in who is chosen.
“It would actually be Rick Snyder’s new campaign group that will be making those decision as to who he will appoint to fill those vacancies once they become available at the end of the year,” Smith said. “(Comai) and (Torreano) do serve trough the end of the year and that’s when the vacancies become available.”
Comai said the new appointees must understand how to continue to deliver services, but gain efficiencies where possible because of the state’s budget crisis.
“President (George) Ross is undertaking a top-to-bottom review of the university of all its operations and how we deliver services to students, so the new (appointments will) have to be on board with that review,” she said.
Comai also is on Snyder’s transition team. She would not comment on whether she will assist in the selection process of CMU’s two new board members.
In addition, Comai said the new appointees must be committed to higher education, bring a diverse point of view to the table and have integrity.
Comai said she’s proud of the development of the College of Medicine while she’s been on the board, and that she worked “very hard at keeping CMU accessible and affordable for students who live in the state of Michigan” with her fellow board members.
She said it has been a privilege and an honor to be a part of such a great institution while serving eight years on the board.
“(CMU) is an asset to the state of Michigan,” she said. “It’s a jewel in our state’s higher education system and keeping that quality intact is very important for this state.”
Torreano could not be reached for comment.
