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The four candidates running for two seats on the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents in the November 8 general election provided The University Record with brief profiles explaining their backgrounds and platforms.
Other candidates on the November 8 ballot, but who did not submit information for this compilation, were Republican Lena Epstein, Libertarian Eric Larson, Kathleen Oakford of the Natural Law Party, and Joe Sanger of the US Taxpayer Party.
Mike Behm
Democrat | mgobehm.com
Background:
Behm graduated from UM in 1989 with a BA in English, and from Wayne State Law School in 1992. For the past 30 years, he has practiced law in the state of Michigan, representing individuals who have been gravely injured and has received numerous awards over the years. his legal career. Behm had sat on the boards of directors of charitable and community organizations and served with the Michigan Justice Association for four years before becoming president in 2011-12. Behm was first elected to the Board of Regents in 2014 and is running for re-election. He and his wife, Kay, a judge, are the proud parents of three Wolverines.
Platform statement:
Best value in the US: Behm plans to continue working to keep UM ranked as the best value college in the US by following through on innovative ideas such as the Go Blue Guarantee.
Building trust: After holding wrongdoers accountable, and strengthening MW regulations and Standard Practice Guidelines policies addressing sexual and gender-based offences, Behm believes it is now critical to rebuild an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, free from retaliation.
Michigan’s future: Behm is excited to work on carbon neutrality, leveraging UM’s research and development to provide excellent opportunities for faculty, staff, and students. He will also increase investment in the Flint and Dearborn campuses, in addition to the Detroit Innovation Center.
Women’s health care: Behm will work to ensure UM will continue to provide the full spectrum of women’s health care, through its award-winning medical school and healthcare system.
Sevag Vartanian
Republic | VoteVartanian.org; Facebook.com/VoteVartanian
Background:
UM class ’91 BS actuarial mathematics; University of Chicago 2000, MBA in finance/statistics. Vartanian has worked in financial markets for the last 30 years with a focus on credit markets and asset management. He and his wife of 26 years have three sons and live in Novi, Michigan.
Platform statement:
Vartanian is an advocate for Michigan families and fiscal responsibilities with regards to admissions and tuition. He stood for free speech and academic freedom on campus and was the opposite of void culture. Vartanian argues that the regent’s fiduciary obligation to the endowment should be managed to maximize portfolio returns and not push any political agenda. While the regent election was conducted on a partisan basis, Vartanian felt that the university as a whole should remain apolitical. He believes that college campuses are ideal places for meaningful and respectful debate and that universities have an obligation to provide student group forums where they can be heard.
Sherry A. Wells
Green Party | facebook.com/groups/1183728172176662
Background:
Wells is a Michigander for life. He was the first in his family to attend college and was a single parent during his last four years at university. He earned his BA in education at Michigan State University and his law degree from Wayne State University. He worked for Macomb Legal Aid before opening private practice. Wells wrote and published five editions of “Michigan Law for Everyone.” A local business owner in Ferndale introduced Wells to his wife as a community activist, whom he proudly labels. When he ran for the State Board of Education for the Greens from 2014-18, he “did his homework.” By running for the UM Regent’s Council, he stated that he was completing his university education. He stressed that listening is important for civil servants and he looks forward to what he can learn from faculty, students, staff and administrators.
Platform statement:
In line with Green Party values: Environment — I want more research and education on climate change, which is also a health issue. President Ono’s background fits this perfectly. Social Justice — working with the State Board of Education to increase higher education readiness from 30% -40%; promote access to community colleges; provide education to those in Michigan’s many prisons, which has been shown to reduce recidivism. Grassroots Democracy — continues to work with the Student Voter Project. Non-violence — insists revenue for Department of Defense projects is aimed at preventing war and to assisting people in other countries with expertise from various UM divisions.
Katherine White
Democrat | friendsofkathywhite.com
Background:
White is a full-time law professor at Wayne State University who teaches courses on contracts, patent law, patent enforcement, and government organization and regulation. He received a BSE degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University, a JD degree from the University of Washington, an LLM degree in patent and intellectual property law from George Washington University Law School, and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the US Army War College. . From 1995-96, he was a judicial law officer for the Honorable Randall R. Rader, Circuit Judge (ret.), US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He was a brigadier general in the Army National Guard who served as deputy general commander of the 46th Military Police Command in Lansing. He is a registered patent attorney, electrical engineer, Senior Fulbright Scholar, and Member of the White House. He was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor in November 2019.
Platform statement:
Quality education is critical to America’s ability to remain globally competitive. MUs must establish public/private partnerships to continue to build bridges between education, science, industry, and government to create synergies to improve the quality of higher education. MU is in a good position to continue to translate knowledge to solve problems of general public interest to meet community needs. In addition, keeping UM affordable allows students from all backgrounds, with different perspectives, to enrich the academic environment and develop empathy, which often instills the courage to stand up and do the right thing. During my tenure on the Board of Regents, UM instituted the Go Blue Guarantee, which provides “up to four years of free tuition for high-achieving full-time undergraduate students, within the state, with a family income of less than $65,000 and assets under $50,000. The program is now available on all three campuses: Ann Arbor, Flint and Dearborn.
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