Sep 11, 2025 - News

Wayne State board eyes leadership shake-up

Joe Guillen

Wayne State President Kimberly Andrews Espy. Photo: Courtesy of Wayne State University via Flickr

Wayne State's board and some of the university's faculty are planning to oust university president Kimberly Andrews Espy, the Detroit News reports.

The big picture: Anonymous sources outlined the board's displeasure with Espy's leadership, including a lack of communication when a medical school dean was placed on paid leave in August and a belief that Espy should be more involved in Wayne State's community, per the News.

Zoom in: The Board of Governors was previously scheduled to meet on Friday, but the meeting has been canceled.

Its next meeting is Oct. 23.

Catch up quick: The university's board unanimously elected Espy as its 13th president in 2023.

Espy came from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she was provost and senior VP for academic affairs.
She is Wayne State's first female president, having succeeded M. Roy Wilson, who served for 10 years.

The intrigue: Wilson overcame an attempted removal by some board members in 2019.

What they're saying: Wayne State spokesperson Matt Lockwood said in a text that the Espy report "is a board matter" and directed Axios to a local public relations firm that could not be immediately reached for comment.

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Wayne State board eyes leadership shake-up

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