New trustees prep for role by working with officials

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When the MSU Board of Trustees meets Friday, two new faces will closely watch how things are run, in preparation for their time on MSU’s governing board.

Elected in November, Democrats Dianne Byrum and Diann Woodard will take their place on the board in January. Attending Friday’s board meeting will cap a preparation process that started before the election.

“I really started (preparing) during the time between state convention and election, where I met with several people from different departments on campus and just did some research,” Byrum said.

As members of the Board of Trustees, Byrum and Woodard will be responsible for knowing about a wide variety of issues and topics — including the university’s budget of almost $2 billion, its full spectrum of academic programs and its expanding worldwide presence.

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon said new trustees are similar to new students in that they come to MSU familiar with only certain aspects of the institution.

“It’s a matter of knowing the array of academic programs and how those fit together,” she said. “I think that’s why they’re eight-year terms. It gives them a chance to start in a place they’re interested in and comfortable with and learn and grow more and more with the university.”

Woodard, a Detroit-area school administrator, said she’s talked to several trustees on the board in an effort to get acquainted with her position.

“It wasn’t so much about advice — they were all just very welcoming,” she said.

Woodard said although she’s read about MSU-related issues online in addition to her conversations with the trustees, some first-meeting jitters still remain.

“You’re always nervous. That goes without saying,” she said. “It will be good to see how the board functions on Dec. 5.”

Simon said board secretary Bill Beekman prepared informational packets for the new trustees, outlining some of the basic information and issues involved with the university today.

“What we try to do at the orientation is we try to development packets of information that are sort of like a reference guide,” Simon said. “It’s not that they have to know everything on the first day, but they can go back and look at the material as they learn more and encounter questions about the institution.”

Trustee Dorothy Gonzales said being on the university’s governing board gets easier the longer a trustee serves.

“(The first meeting) is just a good learning experience to get your feet wet,” Gonzales said. “The more they learn, the better it gets.”

Byrum – who owns an East Lansing-based public relations company and served in the state Legislature – said her prior experiences will help in the transition.

“Michigan State University clearly is a different world than that of the Legislature, and there’s a lot to learn as you take the position,” she said. “I understand the legislative process better than most but there’s still a steep learning curve.”

To help overcome that learning curve, Simon said she has spoken with Woodard and Byrum.

“I’ve talked with both of them,” she said. “I will continue to do that as they have questions and as issues emerge.”

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