Trustee Melanie Foster during an MSU Board of Trustees Meeting on June 21, 2019 at the Hannah Administration Building.
—Trustee Melanie Foster is running to keep her position on the Michigan State Board of Trustees under the Republican nomination. Representatives will be chosen at the party’s convention in April.
Her campaign issues include supporting Michigan’s Right to Work, encouraging university support for in-state students and maintaining in-person teaching. She is also against a resolution the trustees passed in December to support faculty unionization.
As chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee, she wants to continue fiscal transparency.
She was first appointed to the MSU Board of Trustees in 1991 by Governor John Engler, making her the longest-serving member of the board. She also previously served on the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2004.
“I think it’s a labor of love,” Foster said. “There’s so many exciting things happening at Michigan State University right now.”
Foster co-chaired the search for President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. and wishes to continue supporting his leadership. She also noted her support for the university’s strategic plan.
“It’s the first time in my tenure that we’ve had such a definitive roadmap and I’m excited to help see that come to fruition,” Foster said.
She looks forward to seeing growth in areas of science and technology, such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams and Henry Ford Health Systems.
Foster lives in East Lansing and her husband owns a small business downtown Lansing.
“I’m a member of the community,” Foster said. “I feel that I still have the ability to contribute to student success, which is what we’re ultimately here for.”
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