Wayne State University Board of Governors

Wayne State Governors
Eight-Year Term — Vote for Two (2)

Q1) What is the role of universities in preparing students for the job market?
Q2) What measures will you support to increase the quality of your university in spite of State funding cuts?
Q3) Why are you the best candidate for the position?

Susan Licata Haroutunian, Republican
Lifelong Detroiter; BA and JD from WSU; Associate Attorney, U.S. Department/Labor; Vandeveer Doelle Law Firm in Detroit; Representative Assembly of State Bar of Michigan; Chair, Friend of Court Bureau Advisory Committee under Supreme Court Administrator’s Office; past officer American Bar Association; officer, Northwest Civic Federation; alternate-Wayne County Board Canvassers; Republican Party activities local, state, National; private practice; counsel to law firm Haroutunian Licata Haroutunian, where husband Ed and daughter Krista practice.

1) The role of a University is to provide its students with the ability to perform well in their chosen field, while at the same time learning the critical thinking skills that will enable them to recognize and resolve the unexpected problems that arise in any work situation. The job of the University is to enable and energize its students to both think and work creatively. These are skills that any employer will highly value.

2) Universities must follow good business practices being creative with outside sources of funding and internal restructuring, if necessary, to make the University worthwhile to the student body. The University must tap into its vast alumni resources to allow the current students to benefit from the diverse creativeness of prior generations of students who have now become well known locally or nationally in numerous fields of endeavor. Enriching the learning experience at low cost is possible.

3) After many years spent as a student, lawyer, and parent, with school, community, business and political involvement I have a unique perspective on how WSU should fit into the education and community environment of 2004. It will take dedication and energy to see WSU through these fiscally difficult and educationally demanding times. I am prepared to give my knowledge and energy to WSU, which as a student prepared me so well for my future.

Paul C. Hillegonds, Republican
1997 to Present: President, Detroit Renaissance, an organization of Southeast Michigan business leaders focused on Detroit’s economic revitalization. 1979-1996: Member, Michigan House of Representatives; was House Republican Leader, Co-Speaker and Speaker of the House. 1971-1978: Chief of Staff, U.S. Congressman Philip Ruppe. Cooley Law School (J.D., 1986) University of Michigan (B.A., 1971). Wayne State University Board of Governors. Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Kresge Foundation. Michigan Nature Conservancy.

1) In addition to specific skills taught in preparation for the workplace, universities offer a liberal arts foundation that inspires critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and openness to lifetime learning necessary to adapt to changing workplace requirements. The university campus is a community whose members reflect the growing diversity of cultures, races and ideas in our nation and global economy-thereby helping to prepare students for the world in which they will live and work.

2) As a WSU governor, I have supported reducing administrative overhead and encouraged strategic planning focused on building WSU centers of excellence, eliminating less essential programs, and collaborating with other universities in purchasing and delivering services. Given state cuts, I have supported tuition increases accompanied by more needs-based financial aid. I am a strong advocate for state government investing more in higher education, a key to keeping young people in Michigan and future economic prosperity.

3) As a 3-year member of the WSU board, President of Detroit Renaissance and former legislative leader, I have the experience to strongly advocate for Wayne State University in particular and higher education in general. My problem-solving approach to university governance has been non-partisan-placing the shared interests of the Wayne State University community, greater Detroit community and the State of Michigan first.

Tina Abbott, Democrat
For over 27 years I have been an active participant within the labor movement, my activities included being a chief steward, administrative assistant to the president, served on the bargaining committee, as well as political action. My other activities include the NAACP, and serving as Vice Chair of the Michigan Democratic party and currently serving as Co-chairperson of the Michigan Democratic party.

1) Provide a well-rounded educational experience and to ensure students are prepared for the competitive job market in an ever changing society.

2) With the down turn in the economy WSU must maintain its core concepts quality education and research, therefore the university must look at more voluntary activities from the students.

3) I believe in higher education, I know what is it to struggle to make ends meet. I have been a community activist for over 30 years and will use my knowledge and diverse experience to ensure accessibility, affordability and accountability.

Annetta Miller, Democrat
Born: Fort Wayne, Indiana; Professional Education: Jewish Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., R.N. W.S.U.: B.A. Cum Laude, Art History; U.S.Army Nurse Corps, E.T.O. WW ll; Elected Michigan State Board of Education: 1970; 1978; 1986. Elected Wayne State University Board of Governors: 1996. Appointed: Education Commission of the States: 1984-1990. Michigan Council for Maternal & Child Health Outstanding Achievement Award,1993. President’s Award-M.F.T, Special Recognition Award-M.E.A.

1) W.S.U. is an Outstanding Research University preparing our students for professional work as doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, allied health fields as well as theater, music, art, social work journalism, engineering, business and other areas. Our outstanding undergraduate work prepares for graduate school. Most of our graduates stay in Michigan to help serve the community. Our diverse student body and faculty are a sparkplug to the revitalization of the metropolitan area.

2) I support the lowest possible tuition increases to keep education available to all. Financial aid is also available. But the quality of educational opportunities are also dependent upon the quality of the faculty, the research labs, and other components of a fine education. We’re meeting that challenge by ardent fundraising, cutting corners, that should not impact quality, and urging the Federal Government to become once again a major factor of support for public education.

3) I have the experience of serving the students in Michigan for 32 years. My commitment to public education and to W.S.U. is to ensure that this Michigan Treasure remains one of the best Urban Universities in the country. I am a strong advocate for improved educational opportunities within the urban setting. Many of our students are first in their family to achieve a University Degree. Our country depends upon an educated electorate.

Margaret Guttshall, Green
I’m a writer, translator and librarian, living a few blocks from WSU in Detroit. I want young people from working class families, women, and peoples of color to receive top quality education. Young people from the richest families get quality education, all expenses paid, four years on plush campuses. But young people from working class families have to join the armed forces, kill and be killed in Iraq, if they want education. This is unjust.

1) We must transform our universities into centers of struggle for: Money for jobs, schools, healthcare, not for war! Bring the troops home now! We must see that everyone has decent jobs, wages, quality education, healthcare, housing, a clean, safe environment. We need to encourage our best young minds to use them to develop public programs to provide jobs for all - cleaning up the environment; building a new economy based on safe, renewable energy sources.

2) We will improve the quality of Wayne State by encouraging faculty, staff, and students to build a movement against cuts in funding to public schools, not by catering to the owners of the transnational corporations who want to take over Wayne State. This movement itself will be an extraordinary school in every subject - especially the subject of human solidarity - like the World Social Forums in Porto Alegre, Brazil and Mumbai, India.

3) I am part of the worldwide movement for global economic and social justice. We are convinced that another world is possible, in which everyone has decent jobs, wages, education, healthcare, housing, and an opportunity to do something interesting and constructive with her/his life; we are working to make this happen. I bring with me this knowledge and confidence in our future and will use my position to build this movement!

Philip A. Adams, US Taxpayers
Did not respond in time for publication

Jerry Jankiewicz, Libertarian
48 years old, resident of michigan for 48 years. Born in Detroit, attended WSU from 1974 to 1979, 1981 to 1990. BS accounting and MS Computer Science. 3 children ages 19, 16, 11 . I have worked for the State of Michigan Financial Institutions Bureau, other Michigan Financial Institutions, Metropolitan Hospital, Art Centre Hospital, WGPR and WWCK. Currently with Daimler Chrysler.

1) The Role of the University is to pass information down to individuals and to expand the frontiers of knowledge. The large infrastructure the university provides for this role. Another role of the university is to screen out students who have reached certain levels of competence. The university needs to be ran like a business and cut costs for all.
2) With State funding cuts, the University needs to determine if administration is too big. Does the education process compete with the administration process for State funds? A cause of high tuition is the government has subsidized education and officials decided to increase costs. Are all the costs justified ? Can officials justify maintaining NCAA athletics, while tuition costs are allowed to grow higher than any expected returns from an education?
3) I understand that during a recession, the cost of a college education keeps increasing. Since 1979, the cost of college has increased higher than the cost of living. Are all the administration costs necessary? Are taxpayers paying for more teachers to work less hours at the same high wages? I support the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative. Taxpayers are not willing to keep spending to maintain quota systems. The current tax and spend system must go.

Thomas W. Jones, Libertarian
Classified due to Donkey/ Elephant WARS on individual life, liberty and property rights due to having indirect minority rule gerrymanders in the U.S. Congress and the Michigan legislature.

1) There should be a total separation of education and the government. That is, NO public education - which is now a giant waste of taxpayer’s money, time and effort. Private education will produce the people needed in the free market economy.

2) Selling the university to the highest private bidder to get competition in reducing costs at the university. Also, having university lotteries

3) Because I have some common sense in this New Age of delusional gerrymander governments.

Kathleen Oakford, Natural Law Party
My husband David and I have been married for over 20 years and have four children ages 16 to 10 years old. I have been a Labor and Delivery RN for 17 years and have a Naturopathic Doctorate (ND), a degree that focuses on creating health through natural methods. I currently work in a metro-Detroit hospital as an RN, teach nursing at Oakland Community College and spend time with my family.

1) The role of Universities is to provide professionals in the work place. The university helps to create well-rounded citizens who are willing and able to take responsibility for our future. Meeting others, making contacts and the yearning for knowledge makes these students star employees in the job market. They provide the preparation to advance the knowledge, ethics and practice of any career group. Universities create future leaders.

2) Create an atmosphere on the campus so that students are able to live, work and go to school at WSU. Expand opportunities for exceptional students to earn credits while mentoring with leaders in their field and earn credits for general education classes through self-taught methods. Be supportive of the student’s need to support him/herself while attending school by expanding on-line, off-site and night/week-end classes. Provide students with on-campus jobs in exchange for tuition discounts.

3) As a recipient of a Board of Governors Scholarship, I began my educational career at WSU. Both of my parents earned teaching degrees at WSU. Since then I have been educated at several different schools in many different ways, both full-time and part-time. I am self-motivated, honest, organized and have children who will be off to college soon. I understand the financial and educational challenges WSU’s future students and their families will be facing.

VOTE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2004