Election Day for the University of Michigan Board of Regents’ race is almost here, and former University Regent Dr. Shauna Ryder Diggs likes her chances of returning to serve on the eight-member board when votes are counted and finalized from the Nov. 5 General Election. For her return engagement to become a reality, Diggs must win one of two seats in the upcoming election.
“I think the race is going very well,” Diggs told the Michigan Chronicle. “I have been campaigning all over the state, and I am encouraged by the reaction and endorsements I’m getting from people and groups. I am asking them to talk with their friends and various networks about me because I believe grassroots campaigning is the best way to run and win this election.”
On the ballot with Diggs, a Democrat, is fellow party member Denise Ilitch, a Board of Regents incumbent. Diggs and Ilitch emerged as the top two candidates after receiving nominations from the Michigan Democratic Party Convention held in August. Diggs is running for an at-large seat. Other candidates running for the University’s Board of Regents are Carl Meyers (Republican), Sevag Vartanian (Republican), Andrew Chadderdon (Libertarian Party), and Donna Oetman (U.S. Taxpayers Party).
According to the Michigan Constitution of 1963, elected Regents have “general supervision” of the institution (U of M) and “the control and direction” of all expenditures from the institution’s funds.
While serving as a member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents from 2012-2020, Diggs, an African American, said she was proud of supporting and expanding the Go Blue Guarantee, which provided free tuition to the university for individuals whose families met various guidelines. Diggs was also an advocate for increasing sexual assault awareness initiatives on the three campuses of U of M, opposing tuition hikes during the pandemic, and embracing the uniqueness of campus cultures across all three school campuses: Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor.
Diggs, the first medical doctor to ever serve on the Board of Regents since its inception almost 200 years ago, touted her expertise in the medical/healthcare field as a strength because the health system is a significant part of U of M’s budget.
“Many people don’t realize that it is a very large health care system with a $7 billion annual budget,” Diggs said. “It influences more than just the students, faculty, and staff on the Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor campuses, but also other communities around the state. As the only physician on the Board of Regents in its history, I was an impactful resource helping board members and leadership navigate through complex healthcare issues.”
The intricacies and importance of higher education issues are not lost on Diggs. She learned firsthand from her parents, who were college professors, the inner workings of higher education, complete with its strengths and weaknesses.
Diggs went on to graduate from the University of Michigan through its distinguished Integrated Premedical-Medical Program, commonly called Inteflex. The unique program provided an academic pathway to complete intensive, accelerated, and combined undergraduate and medical school studies and education in a remarkable seven years. Diggs also completed the University of Michigan Medical Center Internal Medicine internship and dermatology residency programs.
Diggs is a well-respected and sought-after dermatologist and founder of CosmedicDerm in Grosse Pointe. She is one of the nation’s leading dermatologists specializing in cosmetic and laser dermatology.
While busy professionally, Diggs remains passionate and dedicated to improving higher education on multiple levels. She is excited about her chances of returning to the University of Michigan Board of Regents after the November 5 general election. If Diggs is victorious, she will join University Regent Katherine E. White (Board Chair) as the only other African American on the University’s Board of Regents.
“I’m running because I am a dedicated advocate for change and feel that I’m needed at the table to continue working to create and advance the best educational environments for students, teachers, employees, and administrators at the Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn campuses,” Diggs said. “With the support of the voters, I will continue to ensure all can benefit from the opportunities available at the University of Michigan.”
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