Name and political party: Colleen McNamara, Democrat

Age: 53

Political background: MSU trustee since 1995

Hometown: Okemos

Occupation: executive director of the Michigan Cable Telecommunications Association

Family: single, one child

Education: MSU bachelor’s degree in social science

Web site: no personal Web site, but more information can be found at trustees.msu.edu

Overcoming the university’s budget difficulties: Says MSU should focus on its $1.2 billion fund-raising campaign while it seeks higher state appropriations

Tuition increases: Favors keeping tuition rates at or below rate of inflation

Faculty salaries: says MSU needs to pay faculty more, but administrators cannot raise tuition in the process

Affirmative action: Supports affirmative action

Gay rights: Supports domestic partner benefits

Presidential searches: Agrees with closed-door meetings because of “the nature of the business”

Off-campus student conduct: Against a code of conduct; voted against the riot policy, which was ultimately approved by the board in 1999