With the announcement Monday that Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan would not be a finalist for president of Eastern Michigan University, he told the State Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday that he was not planning to leave his current post.
"You're kinda stuck with me," Mr. Flanagan told the board, drawing applause from board members and department staff. "I love working with the state board and this team."
"I'm glad it's behind us," said board President Kathleen Straus (D-Bloomfield Township).
Rumors held that Mr. Flanagan had the edge for the post with the backing of Governor Jennifer Granholm whose office said he would be a healing force, but the EMU Board of Regents went with Susan Martin, provost and vice-chancellor of the University of Michigan-Dearborn and former state revenue commissioner. Another leading candidate was Washtenaw Circuit Judge Donald Shelton.
Mr. Flanagan praised Ms. Martin as the right choice for the post. "I think they chose a great person who has tremendous experience in higher education," he said.
He said his vision for the post had been to carry on some of the work he had begun as superintendent. "One thing that really seemed exciting to me was taking the institution that issues the largest number of teaching degrees in the country and align them with what the board's been doing," he said.
Mr. Flanagan also countered rumors that he was looking at the post because his health would not allow him to continue on as superintendent. "I'm 100 percent healthy," he said. He has been treated in recent months for cancer.