Dear EMU Campus Community:
Anupam Chugh Sidhu
Welcome to the Eastern Michigan University Presidential Search website. As the Chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC), I am looking forward to working with all of you as we search for Eastern’s next dynamic leader. We will be using this site to keep all of you informed throughout the process in naming our next President. The PSAC consists of regents, faculty, administrators, alumni and students.
We want to take this time to encourage you to nominate potential candidates for the presidency by emailing [email protected]. Please include the individual’s name and institution or organization where they are employed. Contact information and comments are helpful but not required. All nominations will be held in strict confidence by the search firm.
We have embarked upon an exciting process, and each of you plays an important role to our success as we move forward. Over the next month, the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) and WittKieffer will be engaging Eastern’s many constituents to understand the characteristics the community seeks in its next leader and the opportunities and challenges facing the university. We will have listening sessions with the university community in early April and we also encourage individuals to share feedback through this survey. As always, if you have any questions or concerns about the search, please feel free to contact me at: [email protected] or by calling me in our Board of Regents Office at 734.487.2410.
Warmest regards,
Anupam Chugh Sidhu
Member, Board of Regents
Chair, Presidential Search Advisory Committee
Eastern Michigan University
Search Committees
Presidential Search Committee
The eight-member Board of Regents of Eastern Michigan University, which is the governing body of the institution, serves as the Presidential Search Committee. The Presidential Search Committee will make the final decision on the next President of Eastern Michigan University.
The members of the Presidential Search Committee are:
- Regent Nathan K. Ford, Chair
- Regent Marques Thomey
- Regent Sean M. Gray
- Regent Michael Hawks
- Regent Jessie K.W. Kimbrough
- Regent Jenita Moore
- Regent Chad Newton
- Regent Anupam Chugh Sidhu
The Michigan Constitution provides details of the Board of Regents authority in this regard:
"Other institutions of higher education established by law having authority to grant baccalaureate degrees shall each be governed by a board of control which shall be a body corporate. The board shall have general supervision of the institution and the control and direction of all expenditures from the institution's funds. It shall, as often as necessary, elect a president of the institution under its supervision. He shall be the principal executive officer of the institution and be ex-officio a member of the board without the right to vote. The board may elect one of its members or may designate the president to preside at board meetings. Each board of control shall consist of eight members who shall hold office for terms of eight years, not more than two of which shall expire in the same year, and who shall be appointed by the governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner."
Michigan Constitution of 1963 (ratified 1964), Article 8
Presidential Search Advisory Committee
The 16-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee includes four Regents plus representatives of Eastern’s campus community. It will have an important advisory role in offering input and advice and making recommendations to the Presidential Search Committee.
The members of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee are:
- Regent Anupam Chugh Sidhu, Chair
- Regent Nate Ford
- Regent Chad Newton
- Regent Marques Thomey
- Jack Booth, Student
- Dr. Noel Brock, College of Business – Faculty Senate
- Mayor Nicole Brown, Mayor of Ypsilanti
- Dr. Marilyn Corsianos, College of Arts and Sciences – Faculty Senate
- Michelle Crumm, Regent Emeritus
- Dr. Ryan Gildersleeve, Dean, College of Education
- Dr. Matt Kirkpatrick, College of Arts and Sciences, AAUP
- Dr. Don Loppnow, Emeritus Faculty, Former Interim President
- Makayla Myers, Student
- Dr. Barbara Patrick, Department Head and Professor of Political Science, and Director of EMU’s Civil Rights and Social Justice Center
- Maher Salah, Vice President of Advancement
- Dr. Anke Wolbert, Lecturer in the School of Communication, Media & Theatre Arts, All Union Council
The staff liaison to the Committee is Vicki Reaume, vice president and secretary to the Board of Regents.
Listening Sessions for President’s Search
In-person - April 9, 2025
| Time | Meeting | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8-8:45 a.m. | Executive Council | 302 SC |
| 9-9:45 a.m. | Deans, Department Heads, Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Office Directors | 310 A and B |
| 10-11:45 a.m. | Search Advisory Committee Meeting | 300 SC |
| 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. | Lunch for PSAC | 300 SC |
| 1-1:45 p.m. | Staff, Associate VPs, Assistant VPs, Directors of Offices | Auditorium |
| 2-2:45 p.m. | Faculty (FT and PT) | Auditorium |
| 3-3:45 p.m. | Open Session | Auditorium |
| 4-4:45 p.m. | Community Leaders and Emeritus Faculty and Staff Members | Auditorium |
| 5-5:45 p.m. | Student Leaders (Undergraduate and Graduate) and General Student Body | Ballroom B |
| 6-6:45 p.m. | Alumni Association Board, Foundation Board, Resource Boards, General Alumni | Ballroom B |
Virtual via Zoom
Tentative Search Timeline
| Date(s) | Description |
|---|---|
| April 9, 2025 | Presidential Search Advisory Committee – Initial Meeting |
| April 9 & 10, 2025 | Campus Listening Sessions |
| May 2025 | Presidential Search Committee/Presidential Search Advisory Committee – Finalize Leadership Profile |
| September 2025 | Application Deadline |
| September-October 2025 | Presidential Search Advisory Committee Reviews Applications and Conducts Interviews |
| October-November 2025 | Presidential Search Committee Interviews with Finalists |
| November 2025 | Announcement of Next EMU President |
FAQ
Why use a confidential search process? Expand dropdownOutstanding leaders are highly sought after in the Higher Education marketplace and can drastically change the direction of an institution. It is of the utmost importance that EMU attracts the deepest, broadest, and most diverse pool of candidates to ultimately select the strongest individual for this role. What are the advantages of a confidential search process? Expand dropdownA confidential search process allows individuals in leadership positions the freedom to pursue exciting opportunities while minimizing negative repercussions in their current role. Today, nearly two-thirds of presidential searches do not have a public phase of the process given the demand for seasoned leaders and the inability of many of those leaders to risk being one of multiple candidates at a finalist stage.
For example: Fundraising is an important responsibility for any President and was an important topic raised throughout the campus listening sessions. Individuals with current fundraising responsibilities are reluctant to consider public searches due to the possibility of jeopardizing large gifts and alienating their existing donor base.
What are the trends surrounding searches in Presidential searches in Higher Education? Expand dropdownAs the search for talent continues to be more and more competitive, the large majority of public universities are turning to confidential search processes for these critical leadership positions. How to nominate a candidate or apply for the position of President at EMU? Expand dropdownWe invite members of the university community and the public to participate in the search for our next university president by submitting nominations.
The Presidential Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, comprehensive, curriculum vitae, and contact information of at least five references), or expression of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting Eastern Michigan University through the following email: [email protected]
Search Firm
WittKieffer is a leader in higher education searches and advisory services, annually conducting more than 500 leadership engagements in this space. WittKieffer has conducted more than 140 president/chancellor searches for colleges and universities throughout the United States in the last five years. This results in the firm’s deep understanding of the higher education industry and a broad network of higher education leaders.
In Michigan, WittKieffer has conducted more than 30 searches for clients across the state over the last five years, including recent presidential searches at Central Michigan, Ferris States, Saginaw Valley State, and Wayne State. The firm also led Eastern’s successful 2023 search for a new vice president for Enrollment Management. This experience has allowed the team to develop a strong network of leaders committed to the region and an understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing public institutions in Michigan.