Eastern Michigan University will make history when it officially announces its next president later this week.
The Board of Regents have scheduled a special meeting to consider the appointment of Dr. Susan Martin as EMU's first female president in its 159-year history, said Thomas Sidlik, chair of the EMU Board of Regents. Martin is currently provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs for the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
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Martin Photo courtesy
of University of
Michigan-Dearborn |
The special meeting is scheduled Wednesday, May 14, 9 a.m. in 201 Welch Hall, on EMU's main campus. The meeting is open to the public. Dr. Martin would be the 22nd president of Eastern Michigan University.
Details of her contract were not available at press time. Her start date has not yet been determined.
Martin, 57, has all of the qualities needed, such as scholarly achievement and practical experience, to help lead EMU forward, Sidlik said.
On her professional background, which included stints as commissioner of revenue for the State of Michigan and deputy state treasurer for the Bureau of Local Government Services, Martin said it suggests a "bean counter," a term Martin herself used. But, she said she offers much more than an ability to handle budgets and finances. During her forums, Martin exhibited leadership qualities of warmth, a sense of humor, collaboration, flexibility, an ability to admit when she makes mistakes, a healthy dose of internal fortitude, and a steely backbone. Her background is a blend of academic scholarship, administration and budget management.
Martin hosted forums on campus with EMU administrators, union representatives, students, faculty and staff, and the general public May 9. The other presidential candidates were Michael Flanagan, state superintendent of public instruction for the state of Michigan since 2005; Kenneth Burnley, senior resident fellow and director of the Education Leadership Center of the School of Education at the University of Michigan; and Donald Shelton, 22nd Circuit Court judge for Washtenaw County Trial Court.
When reminded that she would make history if selected as EMU's first female president, Martin also was asked if she had ever experienced sexism in the work place.
"No," she said with a knowing smile. "I can be very disarming and charming."
Martin said she was the first female in the Office of the Auditor General and integrated that organization's traditional all-male golf outing. She also was the state's first female commissioner of revenue and recalled, during the 1980s, urging a group of Michigan business owners to withdraw their lawsuit against the state and pay the Single Business Tax.
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FINANCIAL PICTURE: Susan Martin,
provost and vice chancellor for
academic affairs, at the University of
Michigan-Dearborn, discusses her
accounting and budget experience
in higher education and at the state
level during a meeting with
administrators in Welch Hall May 9.
Martin is expected to be officially
named EMU's next president by the
Board of Regents May 14. |
Pregnant at the time, she said she stepped out behind the podium for all to see and declared, "Just remember. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. So, yeah, I know how to deal with it."
The comment drew raucous laughter and applause from the audience of faculty and staff.
Martin also was asked if she ever had a disagreement with regents or a higher-ranking administrator, and how she handled such situations. She said such disagreements were common and that she typically speaks in private with the University of Michigan-Dearborn chancellor to hash out issues.
"I win as much as I lose in these passionate arguments," she said, pointing to a recent physical plant issue in which she convinced the chancellor to take her side.
If she feels passionately about an issue, but can't get the Regents to see her side, Martin said she typically requests more time to provide further information. Martin said she listens to the other side and then looks closely at herself to see whether she presented an issue properly or whether she even fully understands an issue.
Martin said it is important that a president and provost have "a tight relationship" and that it is incumbent on a president to surround himself or herself with good people at the vice presidential levels. She also described the president and Regents as "a partnership" and credited current EMU regents with doing what they have to at the moment out of necessity.
"I think they have been dragged into micro-managing because they had to," Martin said. "There were a number of reasons for this. They are appointed. But, this is not their regular job."
While acknowledging that enrollment was an issue for EMU, it is one that can be resolved, she said. Stabilizing the budget was another challenge.
"You've lost enrollment. But, you really didn't lose as much as you should have, given all the bad press," Martin said, giving EMU kudos for its successful efforts in attracting transfer students through its strong articulation agreements with the region's community colleges. "You've lost some students, but you've done extremely well."
She pointed out that if EMU could just return to its fall 2002 enrollment of 24,405, it would — except for the "big three" research universities — rank first in enrollment among the state's public universities. Martin said this was not an unreasonable goal and pointed out that EMU has done a good job attracting students from its top 100 feeder schools. A few more from each school would go a long way, she said.
Pointing to 2006 census figures for southeastern Michigan for residents, ages 25-35, Martin said there were roughly 377,000 persons in this area who have a high school degree, some college, an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree — all prime candidates to either finish a degree or pursue a master's.
"You only need some of those to be doing really well," she said.
Tying enrollment to budget, she said EMU would have $10 million more in its budget if it maintained its 2002 enrollment figures. She also said it is important EMU attract more students to live in the dormitories and apartments on campus.
Martin's finance and budget background includes managing a $154 million budget for the academic affairs division at Grand Valley State University. As commissioner of revenue from 1985-1988, she administered the state of Michigan tax system, managing a budget of more than $50 million and approximately 860 full-time employees and 150-250 temporary employees.
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MAKING HER POINT: Susan Martin, provost and vice
chancellor of academic affairs at the University of
Michigan-Dearborn, answers a question during her
campus forum with Eastern Michigan University
administrators May 9. |
Faculty peppered her with a number of questions, including her experience working with unions and fundraising; and how she views faculty in terms of its role, including shared governance and expectations for teaching, research and service.
While at Grand Valley State University, Martin said she sat on both sides of the table, first as faculty chair of the Faculty Salary and Benefits Committee and next as the administration's ex-officio representative to the committee from the provost's office. She has worked on raising money for an art gallery at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
She also said she understands that a good number of undergraduate students are involved in the faculty research experience. She added she wasn't sure such research was supported adequately at EMU.
"I'm a straight-up person. People don't always like it," Martin said to a packed room full of faculty and staff. "I communicate. They (U-M Dearborn faculty) want administration to do their job, and keep them informed so they (faculty) can do their job."
The comment drew applause from the faculty.
She realizes safety is a present concern and stressed having a communications system in place in the event of an incident, such as what occurred at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University. Eastern Michigan recently adopted a text-messaging alert system for campus.
"If you hire me, you'd have a female president walking around on campus and spending a few nights in the dormitories," she said during her meeting with EMU administrators.
When asked about how she would solve the parking dilemma during that same forum, Martin said that is an issue on any campus. But, she offered that if the class schedule was expanded a bit beyond the "natural push of classes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by faculty and students," that would alleviate some of the parking crunch.
"It might even make it easier for them (students) to build a schedule," Martin said. "That's a lot easier than building a parking ramp, which is about $20,000 per space."
Community engagement is important and she said inviting the public to events on campus would strengthen that. She tossed out the idea of an Easter egg roll on the lawn of University House.
Martin received he doctorate in accounting and her master's degree in business administration from Michigan State University; and her bachelor's degree in public speaking from Central Michigan University.
"I can't dictate a vision of the University from the top. I could try, but I'd be all wet," she said. "Together, we'll find a path that takes us forward. I think this is a major university that will have a major impact on the region."
Martin's visit concluded a weeklong process in which each presidential candidate hosted five forums, meeting with EMU administrators, union representatives, students, faculty and staff, and the public. Visitors were asked to fill out an evaluation form at the end of each session. Candidates were rated on a variety of questions, including a track record of fundraising, ability to build consensus among various stakeholders, understanding of higher education, financial budget experience, etc.
Faculty prepared seven questions for each of the candidates. The questions were sent in advance to each of the candidates, who were given three to five minutes to answer each.
"The Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) did an outstanding job in bringing to campus four excellent candidates for the public forums during this past week. Co-chairs of the PSAC, Regent Jim Stapleton and Regent Roy Wilbanks, as well as the entire committee, should be very proud of their work," Sidlik said. "After discussions on May 10, it was concluded that the Board should offer the position to Dr. Martin, and take formal action May 14. We enthusiastically welcome Sue to the EMU family of scholars, staff, students and friends."
"The Board would also like to thank Don Loppnow, provost and executive vice president, for his tireless efforts in leading EMU during these past several months," Sidlik added. — Pam Young contributed to this report.
