Proposed bill analyzes governance of MI universities; Opperman prefers current separated system
State Rep. Bob Genetski wants to create a commission to analyze and start a conversation about the governance structures of Michigan universities.
Genetski, R-Saugatuck, said under House Bill 5000, the commission would examine if the current system is the most cost-effective and efficient.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a discussion,” he said.
The commission would also analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the constitutional requirement for separating governing boards for each state university and look into the structures in other states.
Genetski said he wants to find out if there is a connection between government structures and tuition rates and to see if people understand how issues are handled in the current system.
When tuition goes up, it is legislators rather than university boards that receive emails from voters, he said.
The commission would consist of 11 voting members — four appointed by the governor who are interested in higher education, but not officially associated with a state university, three appointed by the state Senate majority leader, three appointed by the speaker of the state House and one by the lieutenant governor.
The superintendent of public instruction and the director of the Department of Technology, Management and Budget would be ex-officio and nonvoting members.
The governor would designate one of the appointed members as chairperson of the commission.
Genetski said the boards of trustees and regents do great jobs with their universities, and he wants to maintain world-class educational opportunities.
“I don’t know that the current system is the best one,” he said.
If the bill passes, Genetski said it is possible the commission could conclude the current structure is best.
Genetski said the bill could also open up conversation about elected versus appointed university boards.
The state's elected university governing boards include the University of Michigan Board of Regents, Michigan State University and Wayne State. Central Michigan University and the others are appointed by the governor.
Sarah Opperman, CMU Board of Trustees chairwoman, said she is concerned about the hypothetical outcome of a single board.
Opperman said she has learned in her past two years on the board that a university the size of CMU is a complex business model. She said she doesn’t know what group of individuals would be able to give appropriate attention to 15 universities and understand their needs, including academic programs, physical facilities and student services.
“As complex as CMU is, I can’t imagine one board being able to look at 15 different universities,” she said.
Opperman said a positive result of the proposed commission would be to develop more informed opinions on the oversight of universities.
Opperman said tuition rates are a critical responsibility of the board, since it recognizes many CMU students are first-generation college students and there is a strong focus on keeping tuition increases “modest” and making college affordable.
She said appointed trustees and elected governing boards are equally accountable regarding tuition rates. She said they are both responsible to represent the state and develop strong programs for their universities.
“This is all about what’s right for the state in the short term and long term,” she said.
