LANSING, MI - The House Elections and Ethics Committee on Thursday discussed two proposals to change how the State Board of Education and the boards of three universities are put in place.

But the chair of the committee and the sponsor of one of the proposals being considered doesn't see it actually happening.

"I think we've seen healthy opposition from the Democratic side, so this probably won't have wings as far as taking off in the legislature. So from here I'm pessimistic," said Rep. Aaron Miller, R-Sturgis.

Currently political parties select candidates at conventions and then statewide voters choose from among those options.

The idea behind one package the legislature is considering is to put a ballot question to voters: would they like to continue electing the State Board of Education and boards for Wayne State University, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, or let the governor appoint those positions?

House Joint Resolution DD from Rep. James Lower, R-Cedar Lake, would amend the constitution to allow the governor to appoint board members of those institutions. It would replace current members on Jan. 1, 2019 and appoint them to staggered terms so some would turn over every two years.

It would take a constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds vote in the state's House and Senate, to put that question on the ballot.

Lower said he'd been working on the legislation before Michigan State University came under fire for its handling of ex-Dr. Larry Nassar. Nassar sexually assaulted his patients at the university for years under the guise of providing medical treatment.

"One pro is it's completely all new people for all these boards. There's one board in particular I think a lot of people would like to see that done," Lower said.

Rep. Rob VerHeulen, R-Walker, said the proposal would but three universities - U-M, MSU and Wayne State - in line with how the boards operated at the rest of Michigan's public universities.

"I look at the model that we have with 12 universities and I say 'why make that distinction' and I can't think of any rational reason," VerHeulen said.

He's the sponsor of a companion bill to Lower's proposal and said in his conversations with people at universities with appointed boards, it's working well.

Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, said when you set aside the issues at MSU, the elected system seems to be working well at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan.

"I just don't understand why there's any water to this argument that the 12 universities that are appointed, that is a better process," Zemke said.

A separate proposal, House Joint Resolution EE, from Miller, would still elect the boards of Wayne State, MSU and U-M but in four-year terms instead of the current eight. They would be limited to two four-year terms, and still go through the party nomination process.

It also would need a two-thirds vote to pass the House and Senate and get on the ballot.

The committee did not vote on either proposal today, and Miller is not optimistic they have enough support.