The Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 8:30 a.m. via Zoom.
The meeting was announced at the last minute on Sept. 2, with less than 24 hours’ notice.
In the agenda released for the meeting, it was noted that an informal closed session would be followed by a discussion on the President’s Compensation and Benefits.
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the university, responsible for overseeing institutional expenditures.
Members of the board serve designated eight-year terms, appointed by the Governor and with the consent of the State Senate.
The President of the university sits on the board alongside the members, but does not have the right to vote.
Current members of the board are Kent A. Hofman, Michael B. Fisher, Vivian TerMaat, Ronald E. Snead, Matthew M. Evans, George K. Heartwell, Michael D. Ryan and Lashanda R. Thomas.
All members of the board were present for the meeting.
Following the call to order and roll call, the board allowed a hearing from the public, but there were no issues brought to the table.
The board then entered an informal closed session to address a “personnel issue.”
Members of the board were engaged in the informal session for about 10 minutes, after which discussion began regarding President Bill Pink’s compensation.
Vice Chair Michael B. Fisherman provided the motion for the discussion, stating that the board’s evaluation of Pink’s performance proved satisfactory.
“The board has evaluated Dr. Pink’s performance with reference to President Pink’s goals and found his performance to be exemplary,” Fisherman said. “Therefore, I would move that the Board of Trustees amend President Pink’s compensation and benefits by granting a discretionary bonus in the amount of $60,000.”
The motion was supported by George G. Heartwell.
All members of the board voted yes on the compensation advancement for President Pink.
The bonus comes shortly after President Pink’s third anniversary with Ferris State.
Over the past three years, Pink has made significant efforts to update university infrastructure and buildings, expand the university’s name and reputation and campus involvement.
Despite Pink’s efforts, Ferris has continued to face several infrastructure challenges, including a water main break and a water pipe bursting in FLITE at the beginning of 2025.
Second-year optometry student Morgan Eiseler expressed indifference regarding the President receiving the sudden bonus.
“I’ve personally never met him, but I also never met President Eisler,” Eiseler said. “I guess I really don’t notice a difference between the two.”
Eiseler noted that Ferris has a lot to offer students besides engagement with the President, such as affordable in-state and out-of-state tuition costs.
Before Ferris State University, President Pink served as President of Grand Rapids Community College and vice president of academic affairs at the Oklahoma City campus of Oklahoma State University.
Pink is further involved with several West Michigan boards, serving on the boards of Corewell Health West Michigan, Board Chair of the Heart of West Michigan United Way and board vice-chair for The Right Place.
Pink receives compensation through his positions on these boards in addition to his campus salary, which board member Ronald Snead inquired about during the meeting.
English junior Natalie Timmerman praised President Pink for his positivity but questioned the dollar value of the bonus.
“I think he’s a really optimistic president, he really seems to care about the students here,” Timmerman said. “It is a lot of money. I think everybody deserves a bonus, but that definitely is a lot.”
Timmerman expressed a desire to see President Pink engage more with students in a personal way, rather than through giving speeches or making appearances.
Meeting minutes for the special Board of Trustees meeting are available on the board’s page on the Ferris website.