Executive Board Election

Come to the candidate’s forum, Wednesday April 23rd, 6-7pm in zoomland, register here.

Candidate for President:

Jenni Sheridan Moss

In the year since I became President of WAU, I feel that the Union have moved forward in a number of ways. Most importantly, we have moved away from the top-down leadership of the past. The Executive Board was empowered to set an agenda in the fall and then to act on it. We have a Communication and Action Team and a Social Justice Committee that are setting their own priorities. The Budget and Personnel Committee is busy drilling down into our finances to keep them in line with our values and priorities. Council is larger and more active than ever. At membership meetings we have involved members in understanding the contract. All in all, many members are now actively involved in making decisions, setting the Union’s agenda, and taking action on our collective behalf.

A more democratic union must be transparent in its actions. This year we instituted a weekly roundup to keep members up to date on what is happening on Union fronts. This has been critical as we face the challenges that come with the current attacks on higher education. Transparency is not without challenges; it sometimes conflicts with expediency at crucial moments. We will continue to work to find the balance.

I do not take credit for all the changes and advances of the Union. My goal is to empower our officers, board members, and members to own the union and keep it on the current healthy trajectory.

Candidate for Secretary:

Nicole Lynne Wheeler

I believe I would be an excellent fit for the position of recording secretary with the Wayne Academic Union based on my background in leadership, attention to detail, and commitment to effective communication.

First, my experience managing the $2.6 million HRSA ANEW grant at Wayne State University has honed my organizational skills. I have successfully overseen complex data collection, record-keeping, and meeting documentation, ensuring accuracy and consistency. This experience will translate seamlessly into the responsibility of keeping accurate minutes for Union and Executive Board meetings, General Membership meetings, and any other meetings as needed. My ability to capture key discussions and decisions, and then effectively disseminate this information, will help ensure transparency and accountability within the Union.

Additionally, my role in supervising diverse teams and collaborating across multiple departments at Wayne State has developed my strong communication and interpersonal skills. I have experience collaborating with various stakeholders to create clear agendas, communicate meeting outcomes, and maintain the flow of information. This background will be essential in drafting meeting agendas in collaboration with the President and ensuring that the distribution of minutes to the Membership is timely and accurate.

As an assistant professor, I also understand the importance of keeping well-organized records. Whether it’s tracking student performance or maintaining comprehensive documentation for grant management, I am meticulous in my approach to record-keeping. I will bring this same level of care and attention to maintaining the non-financial records of the Union and managing the Membership rolls.

Moreover, my involvement with the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) committee has reinforced my ability to work with a diverse group of people, respecting various perspectives and ensuring everyone is heard and valued. This experience will allow me to perform any additional duties prescribed by the Executive Board with a collaborative mindset, ensuring that all voices are considered.

In sum, my experience with record-keeping, communication, and collaboration, combined with my attention to detail and organizational skills, make me well-suited for the role of recording secretary with the Wayne Academic Union. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the Union’s goals and serve the Membership.

Candidate for Member-at-Large:

Jessica Pfeiffer

With over 10 years of experience at WSU and almost just as much time involvement with WAU as a Council Rep, 2N FWA Impact Bargaining Member, and Academic Staff Subcommittee Member for our most recent contract negotiations, I feel this is a crucial time in higher education that necessitates a stronger than ever commitment to community-building within our union and beyond. I would like to fulfill this commitment as your WAU Member-at-Large. It’s time for us to come together as a cohesive union to ensure WSU remains what we all want it to be – not only for ourselves, but for our students.

Candidate for Member-at-Large:

Nashat Imran

We all need a fighter — and I’m ready to be that feisty fighter for you.

I’m running to serve as a member-at-large of the Academic Union at Wayne State University because this moment demands bold and principled leadership. The first and foremost challenge we face is protecting our faculty and staff from the certain reverberations of the recent federal cuts to indirect research costs—a move just implemented by the Trump administration. These cuts threaten our research and academic mission and the livelihoods of our union members. There are many ways to address this hyper-acute problem, and a serious executive board can assert them.

As the current Division Chief of Nephrology, former director of the Nephrology Fellowship Program, current associate program director of the internal medicine residency, and President of the Faculty Senate at the School of Medicine, advocating for faculty and trainee rights, academic excellence and institutional accountability has always been my passion and goal. I’ve been honored with multiple teaching awards, including the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award, but my dearest honor has always been standing up for my colleagues.

If you honor me with this role, I will bring a deep understanding of our institution, refined negotiation skills, and, most importantly, speaking truth to power. I don’t back down — and I don’t settle for less than what we all deserve.

Let’s meet at this moment together and fight—and win—together.

In solidarity,

Dr. Nashat Imran

Faculty Senate President at the School of Medicine

Chief, Nephrology Division at WSUSOM

Chief, Renal Section at Karmanos Cancer Institute

Internal Medicine Residency Program, Associate Program Director