The general election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

In addition to the presidential, Congressional, and state House races, voters across the state will be casting their votes for who they’d like to serve on the boards of Michigan’s three largest universities.

There are two seats up for reelection on the Wayne State University Board of Governors in November. University board members oversee financial operations at the institution, and are responsible for the hiring of the university’s president and other key responsibilities — per the state constitution. Board members serve staggered eight-year terms, and serve without compensation.

Incumbents Mark Gaffney (Democratic Party) and Michael Busuito (Republican Party) face seven other candidates in the race, including Democrat Rasha Demashkieh, Republican Sunny Reddy, and third-party candidates Farid Ishac (Libertarian Party), William Mohr II (U.S. Taxpayers Party), Sami Makhoul (Green Party), Suzanne Roehrig (Working Class Party) and Kathleen Oakford (Natural Law Party).

WDET distributed surveys to university board candidates on the Michigan ballot in November to gain a deeper understanding of what’s motivating them to run. Below, you’ll find candidate bios and their answers to WDET’s questions about their platform and political priorities.

For more information about the November election, visit WDET’s election guide at wdet.org/voterguide.

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Read more:

• Michigan State Board of Education candidates highlight their priorities 
• Why university boards are key to accountability in higher education
• Pro-Palestinian students, faculty share concerns at virtual WSU Board of Governors meeting