▁for ▁long time ▁Upper ▁Pen ins ula ▁State ▁Represent ative ▁Domin ic ▁J . ▁Jacob etti . ▁ ▁Whit man ▁Hall ▁▁ ▁This ▁facility ▁contains ▁the ▁Dean ▁of ▁Health ▁Sciences ▁and ▁Professional ▁Studies , ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Education , ▁Le ad ership ▁and ▁Public ▁Service , ▁the ▁Modern ▁L anguages ▁and ▁Liter atures ▁Department ▁and ▁the ▁Center ▁for ▁Native ▁American ▁Studies . ▁Before ▁being ▁purchased ▁by ▁the ▁university ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁an ▁elementary ▁school . ▁ ▁Govern ance ▁Northern ▁Michigan ▁University ' s ▁eight - member ▁gover ning ▁board , ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees , ▁is ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Governor ▁of ▁Michigan ▁and ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁Michigan ▁Senate ▁for ▁an ▁eight - year ▁term . ▁The ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁has ▁general ▁super vision ▁of ▁the ▁institution , ▁the ▁control ▁and ▁direction ▁of ▁all ▁exp end it ures ▁from ▁the ▁institution ' s ▁funds , ▁and ▁such ▁other ▁powers ▁and ▁duties ▁as ▁pres cribed ▁by ▁law . ▁It ▁also ▁has ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁h ire ▁and ▁evaluate ▁the ▁university ▁president , ▁currently ▁Dr . ▁Fritz ▁Er ick son , ▁who ▁reports ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁board . ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁serve ▁without ▁compens ation , ▁but ▁are ▁re imb urs ed ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁for ▁exp enses ▁related ▁to ▁Board ▁duties . ▁ ▁Athletics ▁ ▁N M U ' s ▁Wild c ats ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁NCAA ' s ▁Division ▁II ▁Great ▁L akes ▁Inter col leg iate