Feb 23, 2006 - Mar 8, 2006
By Indera Robinson
Eleven candidates are running for two available seats on the Wayne State University Board of Governors in the Tuesday, Nov. 7, election.
The Constitution of the State of Michigan provides that the members of the governing board of Wayne State University and their successors in office constitute a corporate body known as the Board of Governors of Wayne State University. The board consists of eight members elected by the Michigan voters for eight-year terms.
The Board of Governors elects the president of the university, has general supervision of Wayne State University and the control and direction of all expenditures from university funds. It enacts bylaws and regulations for the conduct of its business and for the governance of the university. It sets tuition and policy for other fees and charges, determines the compensation to be paid for services, confers degrees, sets the policy for management of gifts, grants, bequests, agreements and contracts, and leases or disposes of property
Candidates
John Akouri (Republican)
John Akouri, a 41-year-old resident of Farmington Hills, received a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University and an associate’s degree from Oakland Community College.
Akouri has worked in public relations and as a communications and government affairs consultant. Also, he is chairman and chief executive officer of the Lebanese-American Chamber of Commerce.
Akouri has been active in politics: He was the Oakland County co-chairman for the George W. Bush presidential campaign of 2004; member, Farmington Hills City Council, 2003-05; former press secretary and senior adviser to US Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich.
Debbie Dingell (Democrat)
Debbie Dingell, the 52-year-old wife of US Rep. John D. Dingell, is a resident of Dearborn and received a bachelor's and master’s degree from Georgetown University. Employed by General Motors Corp. since 1977, she is executive director of GM's Washington, DC, office of global community affairs. The chairperson of Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign in Michigan, she has also held the following seats:
- member and subcommittee chair, Michigan Higher Education Commission
- member and subcommittee chair, Early Childhood Investment Corporation
- co-chair, steering committee, One United Michigan
- co-founder, Children's Inn at the National Institute of Health
- co-founder, US House of Representatives Day Care Center
- founding chair, National Women's Resource Center
- chaired Michigan's Infant Mortality Commission in early 1990s
- chair, Michigan Thanksgiving Day Parade
- chair, Governor's Residence Foundation
- chaired Vice President Al Gore's Michigan 2000 Campaign
- member, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Commission on the Presidential Nominating Process
- chaired numerous fund-raising events for political, civic, cultural and charity events
Eugene Driker (Democrat, incumbent)
Eugene Driker is a 69-year-old Detroit resident who received bachelor's, law and honorary doctor of laws degrees from Wayne State University. He also earned a master of laws degree from George Washington University.
Driker has been an attorney in private practice since 1962 and has been a member of the Wayne State University Board of Governors since 2002. He is married with two children.
Margaret Guttshall (Green)
Margaret Guttshall, a 56-year-old Detroit resident, holds a bachelor's degree in American history from Roosevelt University and a master's degree in library and information science from Wayne State University.
Guttshall works as an academic law librarian. She ran unsuccessfully for Wayne State University Board of Governors in 2004 and ran unsuccessfully for state representative in 2002.
Philip Johnson (US Taxpayers)
Philip Johnson is a resident of Brighton. No other information is available.
Thomas W. Jones (Libertarian)
Thomas W. Jones, 62, is a Detroit resident who attended Wayne State University from 1962 to 1964. He ran unsuccessfully several times for Wayne State University Board of Governors. He is a self-employed legal researcher and accountant. He was also a soldier in the US Army, 1965-67.
Andrew McLemore (Republican)
Andrew McLemore, 51, lives in Detroit and is married with two children. A professionally trained vocalist, McLemore received a bachelor's degree from the University of Detroit.
McLemore has served as executive vice president of A-Mac Construction Services in Detroit since 1990 and was a customer service executive for IBM Corporation. He ran unsuccessfully for Wayne State University Board of Governors in 2002.
Michael Merriweather (Green)
Michael Merriweather is a 24-year-old resident of West Bloomfield Township and is a senior at Wayne State University. He has been a computer technician at Wayne State since 2002 and has not held public office.
Bob Schubring (Libertarian)
Bob Schubring, 48, is a Troy resident with a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Wayne State University. Holding the positions of chief executive officer and engineer of Coralizer Corp. since 1983, he worked as an environmental chemist at Wastewater Analysis Corp. and a research chemist at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.
Schubring ran unsuccessfully for a US Congress seat in 2002 and 2004 and for Oakland County drain commissioner in 2000.
Tara C. Stegner (Natural Law)
Tara C. Stegner is a resident of Howell. No other information is available.
Robert Van Bemmelen (US Taxpayers)
Robert Van Bemmelen, a 48-year-old Ypsilanti resident, received a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Michigan (U-M).
Van Bemmelen has worked as a pharmacist at retail stores and the University of Michigan Hospital. An adjunct U-M professor since 2000, he has not held public office. Van Bemmelen is married with four children.
Ballot initiatives
As a reminder, the upcoming election includes two ballot initiatives of which employees should be aware:
Proposal 2, the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, would amend the State Constitution to ban Affirmative Action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes.
Proposal 5, the Education Funding Guarantee, would require the State of Michigan to provide annual funding increases equal to the rate of inflation for public schools, intermediate school districts, community colleges, and higher education (includes state universities and financial aid/grant programs).
