About MASU
The Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU) serves as the coordinating board for Michigan’s 15 public universities, providing advocacy and fostering policy to maximize the collective value these institutions provide in serving the public interest and the state of Michigan.
The association traces its roots to the late 1940s, when the presidents of the state colleges and universities met on an informal basis to discuss the challenges of a rapidly growing public higher education system. In 1952, the Michigan Council of State College Presidents was formally established, and since that time the presidents and principal institutional officers have continued to meet on a regular basis.
For nearly the past 75 years, what was known as the “Presidents Council,” represented by the leaders of the state universities, continue to collaborate on numerous issues and initiatives. The organization was renamed in 2015 to the Michigan Association of State Universities.
Among its major activities, MASU serves as an advocate in the state capital by advancing legislative priorities on behalf of the universities, monitoring legislation and providing analysis, and conveying consensus positions on state funding matters and higher education policy issues. In cooperation with policymakers, campus administrators, and numerous other stakeholder groups, the association plays an active role in informing and advocating state higher education policy aimed at better serving Michigan’s residents, employers, and the public good.
The association serves as a forum for the development of a shared body of opinion on the needs of the 15 universities and executes initiatives to meet these needs. MASU’s staff conduct policy analysis, generate reports, and provide information services to campus administrators, state government officials, the media, and other vital constituencies and collaborators.
MASU serves as a convener of a large network of campus stakeholder groups and interfaces with an array of state and federal government, business, K-12 education, and non-profit entities aimed at achieving shared goals and priorities. Overall direction of the association is provided by the chief executive officers of the state universities, which serve as the Board of Directors.