Proposed

 

NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Minutes of the Special Formal Session

of

Thursday, June 26, 2025

 

A special formal session of the Board of Trustees of Northern Michigan University was held on Thursday, June 26, 2025, via Zoom video conference.  The meeting was convened at 10:02 a.m. by Chair Stephen E. Young.

 

Trustees present included:

Mr. Stephen E. Young, Chair

Mr. Steven W. Lindberg

Ms. Venus J. Brown

Mr. Gregory J. Seppanen

Ms. Lisa I. Fittante

Mr. Greg M. Toutant

Ms. Melissa A. Holmquist, Vice Chair

Dr. Brock F. Tessman, ex officio

Ms. Brigitte R. LaPointe-Dunham

 

 

Senior Staff and Counsel present included:

Ms. Cathy A. Andrew, Secretary of the Board of Trustees

Ms. Rhea Dever, Vice President for People, Culture, and WellBeing

Mr. R. Gavin Leach, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer of the Board of Trustees

Mr. Matt Franti, Assistant Vice President – Budget and Finance

Ms. Renee Sheen, Associate Director – Employee Experience

Mr. Carrick Craig, Legal Counsel

 

The meeting was live-streamed at: https://nmuwildcast.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=a928f693-700b-48c5-8c21-b2f400cea634

 

ROLL CALL

Secretary Andrew took roll call of the Trustees and noted that a quorum was met with all Trustees present.

 

TUITION AND FEES – FISCAL YEAR 2026

Vice President Leach provided a report on the analysis and key factors involved in the tuition and fees setting process for fiscal year 2026.  (Addendum #1)

 

The following action was taken:

 

It was moved by Trustee Holmquist, seconded by Trustee Fittante, that the Board of Trustees approve the proposed fiscal year 2025-2026 tuition and fee rates as presented in the detailed materials, which includes:

·       Average resident and nonresident undergraduate tuition and fee rate increase of $367 per semester, which is comprised of:

o   Resident and nonresident lower division rate increase of $355 per semester

o   Resident and nonresident upper division rate increase of $373 per semester

o   One-time student athletic fee increase of $25

·       Extension/online undergraduate tuition and fees rate increase set at the same level as the on-campus rate increase

·       Graduate tuition rate increase of $36 per credit for standard resident and nonresident rates

·       Rate of $860 per credit for the new MS in Speech Language Pathology program, which starts summer 2026

·       Student recreational pass fee (refundable) increase of $4 per semester

·       Differential tuition increases of $3 per credit for the following programs:

o   Art & Design, Natural Sciences, TOS, Business, Clinical Lab Sciences, Music, and Nursing

·      New lab fee for Engineering Tech of $50 per lab

 

Should the tuition cap be lowered in the final FY2025-26 State Budget, it is also recommended that the Board authorizes the administration to adjust tuition and fees accordingly to remain in compliance.

 

Discussion followed:

 

Trustee Holmquist thanked Vice President Leach for his presentation, always doing a thorough job in explaining the adjustments, she appreciates the information and how he is always continuing to move Northern forward.

 

Being no further discussion, Chair Young called the question

 

On a roll-call vote, the Board voted as follows:

 

Aye

Nay

Stephen E. Young

 

Venus J. Brown

 

Lisa I. Fittante

 

Melissa A. Holmquist

 

Brigitte R. LaPointe-Dunham

 

Steven W. Lindberg

 

Gregory J. Seppanen

 

Greg M. Toutant

 

 

Motion carried.

 

Chair Young thanked Vice President Leach and Vice Chair Holmquist, the chair of the Finance Committee, for a job well done.

 

COMMAND OFFICERS OF MICHIGAN (COAM) CONTRACT

Vice President Dever provided background on the new COAM union and the negotiated contract, noting the following:

 

·       Contract covers five (5) employees within the NMU Police Department, who were previously covered by the Administrative Professionals unit, UAW Local 2178;

·       Current AP contract served as the foundation for the COAM agreement;

·       Contract ratified on May 14, 2025;

·       Three year contract;

·       Years One and Two – 2.75% across the board increase;

·       Year 3 – 2.5% across the board increase

 

Vice President Dever thanked Ms. Renee Sheen, Associate Director – Employee Experience, and the COAM negotiating team who worked diligently to come to a tentative agreement within one day. 

 

The following action was taken:

 

It was moved by Trustee LaPointe-Dunham, seconded by Trustee Seppanen, that the Board of Trustees approve the negotiated agreement between Northern Michigan University and the Command Officers Association of Michigan, which was ratified by the union on May 14, 2025, for the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.

 

Being no discussion, Chair Young called the question.

 

On a roll-call vote, the Board voted as follows:

 

Aye

Nay

Stephen E. Young

 

Venus J. Brown

 

Lisa I. Fittante

 

Melissa A. Holmquist

 

Brigitte R. LaPointe-Dunham

 

Steven W. Lindberg

 

Gregory J. Seppanen

 

Greg M. Toutant

 

 

Motion carried.

 

Chair Young thanked Vice President Dever and Associate Director Sheen for their work on this contract.

 

INTERIM PRESIDENT CONTRACT

Mr. Craig, NMU legal counsel, provided the following information related to the interim president’s contract:

 

At the last formal Board of Trustees meeting, the Board authorized the appointment of Mr. Leach as Interim President and negotiations and finalization of contract terms.

 

The following terms have been reached regarding the agreement:

 

·       During the period between the Board’s authorization of the appointment and Vice President Leach’s assumption of the Interim Presidency – that is May 2 to July 1, 2025, Mr. Leach’s base salary shall be equal to the mid-point between his current salary and the President’s then existing base salary; this adjustment was made to reflect Vice President Leach’s additional duties in assisting with the transition for President Tessman’s departure;

 

·       Following Mr. Leach’s assumption of the Interim Presidency, his base salary shall be equal to President Tessman’s then existing base salary;

 

·       Following the appointment of a permanent president, Mr. Leach will revert to his previous position with a new title of Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasures of the Board of Trustees and his salary shall revert to the midpoint between his salary in that position and the incoming president’s then existing base salary for a period of 30 days to reflect Mr. Leach’s assistance with the transition for the incoming president;

 

·       At the conclusion of the 30-day transition period, Mr. Leach’s salary shall revert to his previous salary as Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasure of the Board of Trustees, along with a 5% increase to his then existing base salary, inclusive of any across the board adjustments to that salary that may have occurred while he was Interim President;

 

·       Mr. Leach will be eligible for a discretionary performance bonus at the conclusion of his service as Interim President in the sole discretion of the Board;

 

·       During the duration of his appoint as Interim President, Mr. Leach will continue to receive all non-salary benefits he currently receives in his Vice Presidential position;

 

·       Mr. Leach’s appointment as Interim President is an at-will basis and he agrees not to be a candidate for the permanent position;

 

Mr. Craig noted an appointment letter reflecting these terms has been fully executed and the Board must now consider ratification of that appointment.

 

The following action was taken:

 

It was moved by Trustee Brown, seconded by Trustee Toutant, that the Board of Trustees approve the contract as submitted for Mr. R. Gavin Leach as Interim President.

 

Discussion followed:

 

Trustee Brown thanked the legal team and Vice President Leach for his role of and stepping forward in support of this position.  She also thanked President Tessman for his support and transitioning as NMU goes forward with this role.

 

Being no discussion, Chair Young called the question.

 

On a roll-call vote, the Board voted as follows:

 

Aye

Nay

Stephen E. Young

 

Venus J. Brown

 

Lisa I. Fittante

 

Melissa A. Holmquist

 

Brigitte R. LaPointe-Dunham

 

Steven W. Lindberg

 

Gregory J. Seppanen

 

Greg M. Toutant

 

 

Motion carried.

 

Chair Young thanked Mr. Craig and his team for their work on this issue.

 

GOOD OF THE ORDER

Chair Young noted that this is President Tessman’s last official Board of Trustees meeting as his last day at NMU is Monday, June 30th and invited him to make some comments.

 

President Tessman said he has mixed emotions for the day but feels good and very lucky for himself and his family to have been at Northern during this time – the 125th Anniversary was a wonderful opportunity to look back at all the traditions and achievements in the history of this university and to take stock of where NMU is today and moving forward; fundamentals this team has solidified – enrollment, budget, improving the campus culture with respect to labor relations, student relations, more community engagement, among others; Our Compass is a great framework for Northern moving forward.  President Tessman noted he feels good at this point in time about Northern’s future noting leadership matters – he is very confident in Vice President Leach’s role as Interim President as there is no one who knows NMU as well as he does.  He thanked the Trustees saying it has been a pleasure working with each of them.

 

Trustee Fittante thanked President Tessman for everything he has done for Northern, noting he and his family are going to be missed.

 

Trustee Seppanen said President Tessman has put NMU in a good position and he feels very positive of where the university is at.  He is extremely comfortable with the university being put into Vice President Leach’s hands as NMU moves forward.

 

Trustee Toutant wished President Tessman well noting his leadership energized the team around him and the campus which leaves a lasting legacy.

 

Trustee Lindberg said it has been an unbelievably wonderful experience working with him and this Board and wished him luck and good vibes in everything he does in Montana.  He quoted a student saying, “Northern is losing you, but the world has you.”

 

Chair Young said President Tessman has put NMU on a good course – it has been a short but good run and he is pleased to have had the time with him as NMU will be better for it in the long run.  He thanked Vice President Leach for his willingness to step up in the interim role noting his leadership over the next several months will be critical to the future of the university and the full board looks forward to working with him in this role.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Chair Young noted there was no other business and adjourned the meeting at 10:31 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

/signed/Cathy A. Andrew

Secretary of the Board of Trustees