President announces change in Cabinet roles, responsibilities

President MacKinnon today announced plans to change the make-up of his Cabinet to better serve Central Michigan University and its Board of Trustees. With support from the Trustees and the current Chief of Staff/Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Mary Jane Flanagan, we will split one Office of the President role into two separate roles: the Chief of Staff to the President and the Secretary to the Board of Trustees/Special Advisor to the President. An internal search for the Chief of Staff to the President role will begin immediately, MacKinnon said.

Flanagan, who currently serves in the dual role, has been supporting both the president and the Board for more than two decades. However, changes in the higher education landscape, in higher education governance, and in operations at CMU are adding new challenges to the position, MacKinnon said.

“Over the past five years, we have seen a significant increase in both the scope and the complexity of the responsibilities for both roles,” MacKinnon said. “It was becoming clear that the dual role was no longer sustainable for the university or for the individual holding the position.”

MacKinnon said he worked with the CMU Board of Trustees on a new structure that would provide ample support for both the Office of the President and the Board. He said he asked Flanagan to serve in the role of Secretary to the Board/Special Advisor to the President.

“We are fortunate that Mary Jane has agreed to continue her important work with the Board of Trustees and that CMU will continue to benefit from her deep institutional knowledge,” MacKinnon said. “She will also be instrumental in onboarding the new Chief of Staff and supporting our many institutional initiatives during the transition.” 

Todd J. Regis, chair of the CMU Board of Trustees, noted that the change would allow the Board to undertake some important administrative work, including an assessment of the Board of Trustees bylaws, review and update of Board policies, and the continued development of a comprehensive onboarding and orientation program for new trustees.

“Mary Jane Flanagan has done an exemplary job of supporting both the president and the Board for more than two decades,” Regis said. “As we looked at the growing list of priorities for the Board, we realized that we needed more of her time and her expertise. We are looking forward to working with her to accomplish the Board’s goals and to maintain the momentum and success of the university.”

Flanagan joined the university community in 1989 as the director of Internal Audit, which reported directly to the university president, and later joined the Office of the President staff in 2002. Throughout her tenure, she has served seven presidents, managed four presidential transitions, and supported more than 50 trustees. 

“I like to think that my longevity has helped provide continuity and stability for the university, the President’s Office and the Board of Trustees through periods of transitions,” Flanagan said. “I look forward to providing continued support to the Board of Trustees as its Secretary and to President MacKinnon in my role as special advisor.”

The search for the next Chief of Staff

The Chief of Staff to the President is a member of the President’s Cabinet and provides senior-level leadership as a liaison between the president and various stakeholder groups. The position is responsible for the management and integration of the president’s initiatives and priorities within the scope of the university’s operations and is responsible for fostering positive relationships between and among internal and external constituents. The Chief of Staff to the President manages the President’s Office, including its personnel, budget and events, and supervises other staff within the President’s Division as assigned. The complete job description is posted to the CMU Senior Officer Search page and to the CMU jobs website.

MacKinnon said he has appointed a committee to support the search for the next Chief of Staff. Toby Roth, vice president for Government and External Relations, will chair the committee, and the other members are:

• Ray Christie, senior vice provost, Academic Administration and Resources
• Robin Harris, administrative assistant to the president and schedule coordinator
• Lori Hella, associate vice president, Human Resources

Krista Holtgreive, coordinator of ceremonies and events for the Office of the President, will provide administrative support for the search.

MacKinnon said he hopes the committee will conclude its work this summer, with the goal of having a new Chief of Staff in place later this fall. Flanagan said she will continue to serve as both Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board of Trustees until a new candidate has been selected and onboarded into the position.