A Changing
Oakland U.

A Q & A with university board chair Michael Kramer,
who leads during a time of growth and challenge.

Shari S. Cohen

Special to the Jewish News

M

ichael R. Kramer of Bloomfield Township has
chaired the Oakland University Board of Trustees
since 2008 — a time of growth and progress at the
Auburn Hills-based state university. Increased enrollment, new
facilities and expanded academic programs have enhanced
the university's reputation. But a recent scandal involving the
women's basketball coach has challenged the university and its
leadership.
Beckie Francis, the university's award-winning women's
basketball coach, was dismissed "for cause" in June following
an investigation of team members' complaints about exces-
sive criticism of their weight, attempts to control their per-
sonal lives and aggressive proselytizing to encourage them to
be observant Christians. Several students claimed that they
developed eating disorders as a result of Francis' continual
harangues about diet and weight.
The controversy was particularly embarrassing because

Francis recently received the Pat Summitt National Courageous
Award for revealing sexual abuse during her childhood and
subsequently advocating education about sexual abuse for
young people. In addition to many winning seasons on the
court, the Oakland basketball team has twice received the
NCAA Public Recognition Award for team members' academic
achievements.
Shortly after the coach's dismissal, Oakland University
President Dr. Gary Russi, who is married to Francis,
announced his retirement effective this summer. Russi had
served as president since 1996 and is credited with expand-
ing the university from 8,000 to 20,000 students. The uni-
versity has provided limited information about the situation,
in part due to potential legal ramifications, but it is thought
that some team members were reluctant to complain about
Francis' conduct because her husband was the university
president.
While acknowledging the challenges of the recent situation,
board chair Kramer, a Troy-based lawyer and partner in the
law firm Dickinson Wright, is upbeat about Oakland's future

Q: Will the university change any of
its policies following this controversy?
Kramer: We are studying conflicts of
interest and ethics. This has been diffi-
cult, but it's an opportunity to shape the
university in a new way.

Q: Isn't it surprising that some stu-
dents didn't complain anonymously
if they were unhappy with the coach's
behavior?
Kramer: Yes, especially since there are
a number of ways to do that.

Q: What is the timetable for choosing
a new president?
Kramer: We hope to have a search
committee chosen and an RFP (request
for proposal) developed for a search
firm within a month. Since most can-
didates will have positions that they
won't be able to leave immediately, we
are probably looking at a year for the
process.

Q: What qualities are you looking for
in a president?
Kramer: Strategic ability, good people
skills and fundraising skills, someone
who can be out in the community and
able to oversee the strategic plan.

Q: Oakland University has grown tre-
mendously in recent decades. What
are some of its key achievements?
Kramer: We have made a concentrated
effort to make the student experience
better. One goal was increase resident
students. We are building a 500+ room
residence hall for students. When that is
done, there will be 2,750 students living
on campus, and we'll build one more
dormitory after that. We have improved
our retention rates. We have a new engi-
neering building and a new nursing and
health sciences building.
The university is spectacular from
a facilities standpoint and offers stu-
dents the Meadowbrook Theater, the
Meadowbrook Festival, golf courses —
1,400 acres.

About Michael Kramer

Kramer graduated from Miami University in Ohio and Wayne State University Law School. He has been active in JARC
and Jewish Aging Services. He and his wife, Zina, owner of Events Marketing, belong to Congregation Shaarey Zedek in

Southfield. They have two adult children, David and Lisa, and two grandchildren.

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4ugust 22 • 2013

Q: How is the university coping with
declining state appropriations?
Kramer: It is a huge problem although

Oakland U. on page 40