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Central Michigan University Presidents
Charles F. R. Bellows (1892 - 1896)
Charles F. R. Bellows (1832-1907) was the first head of Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute in Mount Pleasant (1892-96). Born in Charlestown, New Hampshire in 1832, his family moved to Climax, Michigan in 1837. He received a second class teaching certificate from Michigan State Normal School in Ypsilanti (now Eastern Michigan University) in 1855 and later a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan. In 1867, he entered the faculty of the Michigan State Normal School, where he was a Professor of Mathematics (1867-91) and acting principal (1870-71). Bellows left Ypsilanti in 1891 and agreed to be the founding principal of the Central Michigan Normal School and Business Institute University in June of 1892.
For
the first year (1892-93), the Institution held classes in the Carpenter
Building in downtown Mount Pleasant. Bellows surveyed the future location
of the campus and was involved in the construction of the original Main
Building (where Warriner Hall stands today), which opened in September
of 1893. During his tenure, Principal Bellows organized a separate
Conservatory for Music through his own funds, which became incorporated
into the Normal in 1900. He continued to teach as a professor and spoke
to teacher groups throughout the State. Under Principal Bellows, Central
was known by three different names - Central Michigan Normal School and
Business Institute (1892-93); Central Michigan Normal School (1893-95);
and finally Central State Normal School (1895-1927) after the State
Board of Education took over governance of the School. Principal Bellows
also led an advertising effort for the School in order to gain more
students.
In
1896, Principal Bellows resigned from Central. He returned to Ypsilanti
in 1902 to join the faculty of the State Normal School.
Charles McKenny (1896 - 1900)
Charles McKenny (1860-1933)
was the second principal of Central (1896-1900). Born in Dimondale,
Michigan in 1860, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the
Michigan Agricultural College in 1881 (now Michigan State University).
Prior to Central, McKenny was a teacher at Charlotte (Michigan) schools,
a principal at Vermontville (Michigan) schools, a Professor of English
at Olivet College, and Principal of the Normal Department at Olivet
College for the seven years immediately preceding his time in Mount
Pleasant.
During
his tenure at Central, enrollment continued to increase. The Central
State Normal Athletic Association was formed and the first football game
was played with Principal McKenny acting as assistant coach. McKenny
left in 1900 to become head of the Milwaukee Normal (now University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee) and in 1912 he took the position of President of
Michigan State Normal College, leading it to become the largest teacher
training school in the world.
Charles Grawn (1900 - 1918)
Charles Grawn
(1857-1942) was the third to hold the position of principal and the
first president at Central State Normal School from 1900-18. Born in
Salem, Michigan in 1857, he attended the State Normal School in Ypsilanti
(B.Ed). He earned his MA at Columbia University (1904) and he received an honorary Master of Arts degree from
University of Michigan (1906). Before his tenure at Central, Principal
Grawn was the superintendent of Traverse City schools and principal of
the training school at Michigan State Normal.
Grawn
was the first head of Central to use the title of President (beginning
1908). Under his leadership, the campus increased in size to twenty-five
acres and three new buildings were built, including Central Hall and
the Training School. The curriculum was modified and Central was
authorized to grant higher-level teaching certificates. President Grawn
retired in 1918.
Eugene C. Warriner (1918 - 1939)
Eugene C. Warriner (1866-1945)
served as the fourth head of Central from 1918-39. He was born in
Earlville, Illinois in 1866. President Warriner graduated from the University
of Michigan (1891) and later received an honorary doctorate of laws from
Alma (1937). Prior to his time at Central, Warriner was the
principal of Battle Creek High School (ca. 1893-96) and served the
Saginaw schools for twenty-two years (ca. 1896-1918).
Charles L. Anspach (1939 - 1959)
Dr. Charles Anspach
(1895-1977) was the fifth leader of Central. He received a BA (1919)
and MA (1920) from Ashland College (now University) in Ohio and Ph.D.
from the University of Michigan (1930). Before becoming president at
Central, Dr. Anspach was Dean of Ashland (1926-30), Head of the
Department of Education at Michigan State Normal College (1930-34), Dean of Administration at Michigan State Normal College (1934-35), and President of Ashland College in Ohio (1935-36).
President
Anspach oversaw numerous changes to Central, including a name change to
Central Michigan College of Education (1941-55), then to Central
Michigan College (1955-59), and finally Central Michigan University
(1959- ), the tripling of enrollment to over 5,000 students, the
quadrupling of faculty and staff to over 500, the growth of the campus
built environment (from seven buildings to over forty) including the
expansion of residence halls (from one to eight), and the authority to grant
graduate degrees (1954, 1958). He retired in 1959, one month after
Central assumed University status. After retirement, President Anspach
served as a delegate to the 1962 Michigan Constitutional Convention and
remained in Mount Pleasant until his death in 1977.
Judson Foust (1959 - 1968)
Dr. Judson Foust (1902-1979)
was the sixth head of Central (1959-68). Born in Ann Arbor in 1902,
Judson Foust studied at Albion College (BS 1923) and then received his master’s and Ph.D. at University of Michigan (1927, 1938). Before
ascending to the presidency, Dr. Foust was a math instructor at Central
(1929-41), Director of the Summer School (1941-46), Assistant to the
President (1946-52), and Vice President of General and Academic Affairs
(1952-59).
While
President Foust was leading Central, the institution came into its own
as a University. CMU undertook a vast expansion of the built environment with a substantial number of buildings being constructed
south of Preston Street for the first time. The University also
experienced issues associated with growth, which culminated in the
Michigan State Senate investigation into the operations of the
University. President Foust retired in 1968.
William B. Boyd (1968 - 1975)
Dr. William B. Boyd (1923-2020),
the seventh president of CMU (1968-75), was born in Mount Pleasant,
South Carolina. After serving in the U.S. Navy (1943-46), he received a
BA from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina (1946), an MA from Emory University (1947), and a Ph.D. from the University of
Pennsylvania (1954). Before arriving in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, Dr. Boyd
served as a faculty member in history at Michigan State University
(1953-58), Dean of the Faculty and Professor of History at Alma College
(1958-65), and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at the University of
California – Berkeley (1966-68).
During
President Boyd’s tenure, Central instituted a variety of progressive policies.
Some initiatives include loosening restrictions on students and in
residence halls, instituting an affirmative action hiring policy, the
development of courses in African-American studies, the creation of a
Cultural Center, and a campus beautification project. In addition, the
athletics programs were promoted to NCAA Division I status and Special
Olympics Michigan brought its headquarters to the CMU campus. President
Boyd oversaw the safety and security of a relatively peaceful CMU campus
during a time when unrest was growing at many colleges and universities across the country. In 1975, Dr. Boyd resigned from Central and accepted the
position of President at the University of Oregon.
Harold Abel (1975 - 1985)
Dr. Harold Abel
(1926-2002) was the eighth Central Michigan University president
(1975-85). Dr. Abel was born in New York City. He obtained his BA in
psychology (1949), MA in special education (1951), and Ph.D. in
psychology (1957) from Syracuse University. Before Central, Dr. Abel was
a faculty member at the University of Nebraska (1956-65), a faculty
member at the University of Oregon (1965-70), and President of Castleton
State College in Vermont (1970-75).
While
Dr. Abel was president, the University established its first doctoral program, which was in
psychology. The University also began organizing into
colleges during President Abel’s tenure. In 1985, Dr. Abel resigned from CMU and
later accepted the position of President at Walden University Institute
for Advanced Studies. After a brief stint as a member of the psychology
faculty at CMU, Dr. Abel accepted the presidency of the Graduate School
of America in Minneapolis (now Capella University).
Arthur E. Ellis (1985 - 1988)
Arthur E. Ellis (1932-2013) was the ninth president at Central (1985-88). Born in Grand Rapids, he obtained a BA in economics from Michigan State University (1958) and an MA in higher education from Eastern Michigan University (1969). Prior to becoming the head of CMU, President Ellis served in the military, worked in the private sector, and worked in state government. In 1968, he began working in higher education at Eastern Michigan University. In 1970, Ellis moved to Central and served as Vice President for Public Affairs (1970-85). He took over as Interim President when President Abel resigned in 1985 and was named President in 1986.
During
his time with Central, the University saw continued growth in terms of
faculty hiring, student enrollment, and campus infrastructure, as well as
the development of the Mount Pleasant Smartzone to promote
technological research in Mid-Michigan. He retired in 1988 and returned
to working in state government.
Edward B. Jakubauskas (1988 - 1992)
Dr. Edward B. Jakubauskas
(1930-2013) was Central’s tenth president (1988-92). Dr. Jakubauskas
was born in Waterbury, Connecticut. He obtained a BA (1952) and MA
(1954) in economics from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. in
economics from the University of Wisconsin (1965). Before coming to
Central, Dr. Jakubauskas served in the U.S. military and in federal and
state government. He moved to higher education as the Director of the
Industrial Relations Center at Iowa State University (1966-71). He also
served as Dean of the College of Commerce and Industry (1971-76) and
Vice President for Academic Affairs (1976-78) at the University of
Wyoming, and the President of the State University of N.Y.-Genesco
(1978-88).
While
President Jakubauskas was at CMU, the University introduced the Centralis Scholarship program
designed to attract academically gifted students, implemented initiatives to improve minority student affairs, and undertook several
capital outlays. He retired in 1992.
Leonard E. Plachta (1992 - 2000)
Dr. Leonard E. Plachta
(1929-2008) was the eleventh president of Central Michigan University
(1992-2000). He obtained a BA and MBA from the University of Detroit and
received his doctorate from Michigan State University. Prior to coming
to CMU, he worked in business as an account analyst, as well as academia
as a Professor of Accounting and Department Chairman at the University
of Detroit, and as Chairman of Business Education at Alma College. At Central, Dr. Plachta was a Professor of Business (1972-77), Assistant Dean of the College of Business (1977-79) and Dean of the
College of Business Administration (1979-92). In 1992, he was appointed
Interim President and he was later appointed to President in 1994.
During
his tenure, President Plachta focused on developing effective academic
programs, improving student services, and creating an efficient
management and financial structure at the University. He retired in
2000.
Michael Rao (2000 - 2009)
Dr. Michael Rao was the twelfth president of CMU (2000-09). He received a BA from the
University of South Florida and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida.
Before coming to Mount Pleasant, Dr. Rao was Dean (1992-94) and later President (1994-98) of Mission College in California and Chancellor of
Montana State University - Northern (1998-2000).
During
his tenure at CMU, the University was designated a doctoral /
research-intensive university by the Carnegie Foundation. There was
continued growth in student population, including an increase in the
number of international students. President Rao also oversaw the push for a medical school at
CMU. In 2009, Dr. Rao resigned and accepted a position as President of Virginia Commonwealth University.
Kathy Wilbur (2009 - 2010)
Kathleen Wilbur
(1953-2023) was the thirteenth president to serve at Central (2009-10).
President Wilbur earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism (1975) and a
master’s degree (2012) from Michigan State University. Before accepting
the position of President at CMU, she worked in politics and in Michigan state government, including as director of three State departments. She
served as a trustee of Michigan State University (1985-91) and came to
Central in 2002 as the Vice President for Government Relations and
Public Affairs (2002-2009).
President
Wilbur accepted the position on an interim basis in 2009. During her
tenure, she made efforts to communicate directly with students on
University matters and also dealt with steep budget cuts due to
dwindling state appropriations. In 2010, President Wilbur returned to
her position in CMU administration and in 2011 she was appointed to the
position of Vice President for Development and External Affairs.
George Ross (2010 - 2018)
Dr. George Ross was
the fourteenth president of Central Michigan University, serving from
March 1, 2010 to July 31, 2018. He obtained his BA (1975) and MBA (1990)
degrees from Michigan State University and his doctorate from the
University of Alabama (1997). Prior to his position as President of CMU,
Dr. Ross worked in the private sector and served as the Director of
Finance at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit (1986-91), the
Vice President for Business and Fiscal Affairs at Tuskegee University
(1991-95), the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance at the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1995-99), the Executive Vice
President at Clark Atlanta University (1999-2002), the Vice President
for Finance and Administrative Services and Treasurer at Central
Michigan University (2002-08), and the President of Alcorn State
University (2008-10).
During
his time at Central, President Ross worked to minimize the increases in
tuition and sought increased funding from State and other sources. He
was also involved with the implementation of the Medical School and the
University’s growth in non-traditional academic areas.
Robert O. Davies (2018 - 2024)
Dr. Robert O. Davies was the fifteenth president of
Central Michigan University. He began his tenure on September 1, 2018.
Prior to his appointment as CMU's president, Dr. Davies served as the
President at Murray State University in Kentucky (2014-18). He also
served as President of Eastern Oregon University, Vice President for University Relations at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and had
alumni and development roles at the State University of New York at
Buffalo, Boise State University, and the University of Nevada, Reno. President Davies earned a B.S. in management from the University of Nevada, Reno
in 1991, an M.B.A in finance and marketing from the University of
Oregon, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the State
University of New York at Buffalo in 2005.
During his time at CMU, President Davies oversaw the University's operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the need to move nearly all on-campus operations to fully remote operations for three months (March-June 2020), and the subsequent move to remote and hybrid classes for two academic years. He also led CMU during a time of expanded strategic planning for the future which included successful fundraising efforts, such as the early conclusion of the University's $100 million capital campaign, "Fired Up for Excellence," three years ahead of schedule.
Dr. Davies announced his retirement in January 2024, and his last day as CMU president was October 31.
Neil MacKinnon (2024 - Present)
Neil MacKinnon is the sixteenth
president of Central Michigan University. He began his tenure on
November 1,
2024. Prior to his appointment as CMU’s president, MacKinnon served as
provost
at Augusta University in Georgia (2021-2024), where he also maintained
academic appointments in the Department of Health Management, Economics,
and Policy, the Department of Population Health Science, and the
Graduate School.
MacKinnon
earned his doctoral degree in the philosophy of pharmacy health care
administration from the University of Florida, Gainesville in 1999. His
master’s degree in hospital pharmacy is from the University of
Wisconsin,
Madison, and he has a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Dalhousie
University in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Prior to his time at Augusta University, MacKinnon worked as dean of the College of Pharmacy and professor at the University of Cincinnati, director of the State Office of Rural Health for Arizona and professor at the University of Arizona, and a professor at Dalhousie University.