Andy has been deeply involved in community service throughout his life. He has volunteered as a Boy Scout troop leader for five years and continues to support youth leadership and service.

About Andy - Andy for Wayne State University

Andy Anuzis has volunteered as a Boy Scout troop leader for five years.

For the past 13 years, Andy has worked in public education with Cornerstone Schools in downtown Detroit serving as President of the Cornerstone network. For the last five years, he has served as Principal of Lincoln-King High School, where he leads students, teachers, and families with a focus on academic achievement, character development, and real-world readiness.

Before entering education, Andy built a career in state and federal public policy, serving as a consultant and senior staff member in government. Most notably, he served as Chief of Staff in both the Michigan House of Representatives and the United States Congress, where he helped manage complex organizations, oversee budgets, and develop policy with long-term impact.

Most notably, he served as Chief of Staff in both the Michigan House of Representatives and the United States Congress, where he helped manage complex organizations, oversee budgets, and develop policy with long-term impact. That experience shaped his belief in disciplined governance, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources. Andy ran a state-wide construction trade association providing benefits, workforce training, and government affairs.

Andy Anuzis works in public education at Cornerstone Schools in downtown Detroit as president of the Cornerstone network and principal of Lincoln-King High School. He previously worked as a consultant and senior staff member in state and federal government, including as chief of staff in the Michigan House of Representatives and the U.S. Congress, and ran a statewide construction trade association.

Andy works in public education at Cornerstone Schools in downtown Detroit as president of the Cornerstone network and principal of Lincoln-King High School. He previously worked as a consultant and senior staff member in state and federal government, including as chief of staff in the Michigan House of Representatives and the U.S. Congress, and ran a statewide construction trade association.

2026 Michigan General Election

Nonpartisan

At its core, Wayne State University is an educational and research institution. The focus of the budget should be on these core missions. Ancillary projects, initiatives, and departments are often developed in complex organizations for what seem to be good reasons at the time. They all require money, and over time they can grow into permanent drains on the budget that provide little support to the core university missions.

As part of the budget process, each should be scrutinized to see if it can be self-funded. If not, there should be discussion about whether it should be pared back or eliminated.

Questions & Answers - Andy for Wayne State University

These approaches require digging into the details and asking hard questions. The first question should be whether the budgeted initiative, department, or program serves the educational and research missions of the university, and how directly.

Can it be changed, combined, or eliminated without disrupting the teaching and research that are the core of the university?

This is difficult and requires both care and a willingness to make hard decisions. But such decisions can provide more resources for the core missions, help keep tuition affordable, and ensure that our students and our state are the ultimate beneficiaries of the funding for this great public university.

Regarding endowments, my hope is that Wayne State is working to grow this source of ongoing funding provided through the generosity of donors, and also has expert professional investment advice and support. While I trust this is the case, as with budgeting and finance, I would work quickly to verify it.

Would scrutinize programs and departments for their connection to teaching and research, considering whether to change, combine, reduce, or eliminate those that do not support core missions.

Would verify that Wayne State University is growing its endowment and using professional investment advice and support.

- Would scrutinize programs and departments for their connection to teaching and research, considering whether to change, combine, reduce, or eliminate those that do not support core missions.
- Would verify that Wayne State University is growing its endowment and using professional investment advice and support.

School Facilities & Resources

Universities should foster a climate of free intellectual inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and critical thinking.

As a Wayne State Governor, I would encourage Wayne State to become a formal signatory to the Chicago Statement, which affirms universities’ commitment to free expression and academic freedom as core to their mission.

I am a supporter of the Heterodox Academy, which was formed by academicians across the philosophical spectrum to offer ideas and policy solutions that foster open inquiry, institutional neutrality, academic freedom, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement.

As a Wayne State Governor, I would work with university leadership to evaluate the feasibility of creating a Wayne State Civil Society Institute to create spaces for intellectual diversity, revitalize humanities and civic learning, and encourage free inquiry and debate.

The School of Civic Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin, which offers academic programs focused on constitutional democracy and leadership, is one example of the type of civil society center Wayne State could consider.

The Bridging Differences initiative at Wayne State University, which has included student-led efforts and discussion groups designed to bring students from different political, ideological, religious, and cultural backgrounds together for dialogue and collaborative intellectual freedom on campus, is a good start. But more work is needed.

As a Division II school, Wayne State gives students the opportunity to be student-athletes, and I support that approach.

Not every university should aspire to be a big-money, high-profile sports powerhouse.

Broadly speaking, I support student-athletes’ right to earn money from their personal brand without being paid directly by their school to play sports.

Supports fostering free intellectual inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and critical thinking at universities.

Would encourage Wayne State University to sign the Chicago Statement on free expression and academic freedom.

Would evaluate creating a Wayne State Civil Society Institute to promote intellectual diversity, civic learning, free inquiry, and debate.

Said Wayne State University's Bridging Differences initiative is a good start for cross-background dialogue but that more work is needed.

Supports Wayne State University's Division II model of student-athletics rather than pursuing a high-profile sports program.

Supports student-athletes earning money from their personal brands without their schools directly paying them to play sports.

- Supports fostering free intellectual inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and critical thinking at universities.
- Would encourage Wayne State University to sign the Chicago Statement on free expression and academic freedom.
- Would evaluate creating a Wayne State Civil Society Institute to promote intellectual diversity, civic learning, free inquiry, and debate.
- Said Wayne State University's Bridging Differences initiative is a good start for cross-background dialogue but that more work is needed.
- Supports Wayne State University's Division II model of student-athletics rather than pursuing a high-profile sports program.
- Supports student-athletes earning money from their personal brands without their schools directly paying them to play sports.

Student Wellbeing

Each of these – research, teaching, and workforce preparation – is critical for both students and our state. But excellence in teaching and learning is of paramount importance in today’s world and is at the heart of Wayne State University.

Prioritizes excellence in teaching and learning as central to Wayne State University's mission.

- Prioritizes excellence in teaching and learning as central to Wayne State University's mission.

Teachers

To that end, some universities are launching civic institutions, and I would encourage this at Wayne State. As a board member, I would financially support Wayne State’s excellent undergraduate and graduate humanities, social sciences, arts, medical, business, engineering, education, law, and other programs that deliver intellectual cultivation as well as practical and meaningful economic opportunities.

Top priorities are affordability, preparing students for successful careers, and developing a generation of intellectually cultivated citizens who will elevate our civic discourse.

As a board member, I would build those priorities into Wayne State University’s strategic plan and allocate needed budget dollars.

Students deserve affordable, excellent colleges that help them attain economic and career success, but also build their critical thinking skills. We should not think of universities solely as job training institutions. Cultivating the full human person is especially important with the advent of artificial intelligence.

Would encourage Wayne State University to establish a civic institution and financially support academic programs that provide intellectual development and career opportunities.

Prioritizes university affordability, career preparation, and intellectual development in Wayne State University's strategic plan and budget.

Believes universities should provide affordable education, career preparation, and critical-thinking skills rather than serve solely as job-training institutions.

- Would encourage Wayne State University to establish a civic institution and financially support academic programs that provide intellectual development and career opportunities.
- Prioritizes university affordability, career preparation, and intellectual development in Wayne State University's strategic plan and budget.
- Believes universities should provide affordable education, career preparation, and critical-thinking skills rather than serve solely as job-training institutions.

Education

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Andy Anuzis

- Prioritizes university affordability, career preparation, and intellectual development in Wayne State University's strategic plan and budget.
- Believes universities should provide affordable education, career preparation, and critical-thinking skills rather than serve solely as job-training institutions.