Rema Vassar

Rema Vassar (Democratic Party) is an at-large member of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees. She assumed office on January 1, 2021. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.

Vassar (Democratic Party) ran for election for an at-large seat of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees. She won in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Vassar completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Rema Vassar was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She earned a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles. Her career experience includes working as an associate professor at Eastern Michigan University.^[1]

Elections

2020

General election

General election for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pat O'Keefe (R)	24.2	2,377,241
✔		Rema Vassar (D)	24.1	2,364,939
		Brian Mosallam (D)	23.7	2,329,011
		Tonya Schuitmaker (R)	23.4	2,301,355
		Will Tyler White (L)	1.3	123,719
	Submit photo	Janet Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan)	0.9	87,637
		Robin Laurain (G)	0.8	74,495
	Submit photo	Brandon Hu (G)	0.7	66,409
	Submit photo	John Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan)	0.6	60,077
	Submit photo	Bridgette Abraham-Guzman (Natural Law Party)	0.5	46,193

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,831,076
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Incumbent Brian Mosallam and Rema Vassar advanced from the Democratic convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on August 29, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Brian Mosallam (D)
✔		Rema Vassar (D)

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican convention

Republican convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Pat O'Keefe and Tonya Schuitmaker defeated Ken Stanecki in the Republican convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on August 29, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Pat O'Keefe (R)
✔		Tonya Schuitmaker (R)
	Submit photo	Ken Stanecki (R)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Green convention

Green convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Brandon Hu and Robin Laurain advanced from the Green convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on June 20, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Brandon Hu (G)
✔		Robin Laurain (G)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Will Tyler White advanced from the Libertarian convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on July 18, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Will Tyler White (L)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Natural Law Party convention

Natural Law Party convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Bridgette Abraham-Guzman advanced from the Natural Law Party convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on July 30, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Bridgette Abraham-Guzman (Natural Law Party)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention

U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Janet Sanger and John Sanger advanced from the U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees on July 25, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Janet Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan)
✔	Submit photo	John Sanger (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan)

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Vassar's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

Rema Vassar completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Vassar's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Dr. Rema is a former K-12 public school teacher, counselor, administrator, and parent organizer with over two decades of experience. With a focus on developing transformative servant leaders, Dr. Reynolds Vassar has taught and presented at professional conferences throughout the United States and in over 20 countries. She is enamored with two Spartans-her husband who is a 2-time alum, and her daughter, a sophomore at MSU. They are both counting on her to work hard and maintain MSU's international prominence with a dedication to equity, access, inclusion, and safety for every student, faculty, staff, and alum.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Every Michigander should have the opportunity to be a Spartan! Affordability, equity, and access are key priorities for MSU leaders.
Students' safety and belongingness is a collective responsibility and we must all work within our roles and responsibilities to act with transparency and accountability when Spartan has been violated.
If we change schools, we change the world. With leading scholars, supportive staff, and stellar students MSU is cultivating global leaders and thinkers. MSU is a world changer!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about Education. All facets of Education.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Education is the beginning and end of every aspect of society. What, how, and who we teach directly influences every system locally, nationally, and globally. Higher Education veritably shapes our world.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

There are so many outstanding folks. As a child, I devoured biographies. I can find admirable pieces of people's lives in most any story. Of course, there are individuals who have left indelible impressions on my life and helped shaped my character more than others. I work on my love walk, try to love everyone in action (even if I don't particularly care for them), and follow the examples of agape love Jesus provided. I try to be brave like Toni Morrison, daring like Brene Brown, giving like Saint Francis of Assisi, nurturing like my mentors, Dr. Tyrone Howard and Dr. Mike Rose, connecting like my husbae, forgiving like my daughter, bold like my sun, affirming like my mother, and attentive like my father.

I could go on and on...

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

There are too many to name. Maybe Strength to Love by Dr. Martin Luther the King, Jr.?

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity and relationships.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Honesty, integrity, and love.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Listen to lead WITH the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to change the world by changing schools.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

We Are the World was released. Then Michael Jackson's Thriller changed music forever. I was 10. I was able to attend the Victory tour in Detroit. My concert attendance in the big city made the front page of the newspaper in my small hometown.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job outside of the house (I've heard chores since kindergarten) was in the corn fields. I grew up in a small town in Southwest Michigan. Young people would detassel corn in the summer. You had to be 13. I was big for my age. I started working in the corn fields, paying into social security when I was eleven years old. I did that for four summers. Today, I think child labor laws would prevent this experience. I am grateful. I have a strong work ethic.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I don't have a favorite book. I have read the Bible many times, the Autobiography of Malcolm X a few times, and Brene Brown's Daring Greatly twice. I just finished Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and Mary Trump's book, and my students read Bettina Love's book and Muhammad Khalifa's book on Culturally Responsive Leadership this semester.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Wonder Woman. She is undefeated and even though I don't like bracelets, I would rock those wristlets.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Maxwell's Ascension.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have no struggles, just opportunities for growth.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Governance must be inclusive. When making decisions for MSU, it is important to interrogate proposed policy with an anticipatory eye toward identifying who may be served, harmed, excluded, or marginalized.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

I believe that the powers and responsibilities of Trustees are not generally known. Relationships with constituents need to be strengthened.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes and no. I think an eclectic group of thinkers with varied experiences is the key to responsible governance.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Right now, in this political climate, I put a premium on rationality and reasonableness.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

External links

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Candidate

Michigan State University Board of Trustees

Officeholder

Michigan State University Board of Trustees

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2020

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2020

[1]

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Rema Vassar

Contents

Biography

Elections

2020

General election

General election for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Republican convention

Republican convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Green convention

Green convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Natural Law Party convention

Natural Law Party convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention

U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention for Michigan State University Board of Trustees (2 seats)

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

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