Presidential Search
Overview
CMU President Robert O. Davies announced his intention to step down December 31, 2024. The Central Michigan University Board of Trustees has announced the start of a national search for the university's 16th president.
Central Michigan University is a nationally ranked institution that fosters the transformative power of advanced learning while embracing a sense of community among our students, faculty, staff and more than 225,000 alumni around the world.
Seeking community input
The Board of Trustees invites students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, partners and community members to share their thoughts as we begin the search for CMU's next president.
In April, the Search Advisory Committee will host virtual listening sessions for university stakeholders to provide input regarding preferences for required experience, values and priorities, as well as the characteristics most important for the next leader. Please join us for one of the following virtual sessions:
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
- Faculty listening session, 2:00-2:45 p.m.
- Staff listening session, 3:00-3:45 p.m.
- Student listening session, 4:00-4:45 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
- Community partner listening session, 1:30-2:15 p.m.
- Open session for all CMU stakeholders, 2:30-3:15 p.m.
Individuals who are unable to attend a listening session are welcome to share their thoughts by completing this online form. Please note the online form will close at the end of the day Tuesday, April 16, 2024.
To nominate a candidate for consideration by the search advisory committee, please send an email to CMUPresident@wittkieffer.com. Be sure to include:
- The recommended candidate's name
- Email address
- Phone number
Presidential Search Advisory Committee
The national search for CMU's 16th president will be led by a search advisory committee, which is tasked with recruiting, screening and engaging prospective candidates. At the February 6 meeting of the CMU Board of Trustees, Trustees approved procedures for the selection of a president, including an expansion of the search advisory committee to ensure representation from all key university stakeholder groups.
Denise Williams Mallett, vice chair of the CMU Board of Trustees, will lead the presidential search effort. Other members of the search advisory committee representing faculty, students, staff, alumni, donors and the community are:
- Trustee Todd Regis, Chair, CMU Board of Trustees
- Trustee Todd Anson, CMU Board of Trustees
- Trustee Sharon Heath, CMU Board of Trustees
- Tangela Cheatham, deputy athletic director, CMU Athletics
- Tracy Davis, Chair, Academic Senate; faculty member, Department of English Language and Literature
- Todd Fridline, representative, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe
- Deb Gross, executive secretary, Registrar's office; President, CMU Office Professionals Local 6888 (UAW)
- Mary Moran Hill, vice president, Finance and Administrative Services
- Nick Hussein, faculty member, Department of Marketing, Hospitality and Logistics
- Stephen Juris, Chair-Elect, Academic Senate; faculty member, Department of Biology
- Shana Kingma, graduate student, CMU Innovation and Online
- John Kulhavi, CMU alumnus and Trustee Emeritus
- Paula Lancaster, Dean, College of Education and Human Services
- Stephanie Mathson, faculty member, education librarian and coordinator, Library Research & Instruction Services
- Scott Nadeau, President, CMU Alumni Association
- Amy Perschbacher, Mayor, Mount Pleasant, Michigan
- Penny Queller, CMU alumna and supporter
- Cedric Taylor, faculty member, School of Politics, Society, Justice and Public Service
- Tyler Zimmerman, President, CMU Student Government Association
The search advisory committee will participate in listening sessions with university stakeholder groups to gain insight and perspective into the needs of the university community and to understand the key characteristics, qualifications and experiences necessary for CMU's next president.
Search process and timeline
