Office of Academic Governance
Owen Hall
735 E Shaw Ln, Room W32
East Lansing, MI 48825
(517) 355-2337
Secretary for Academic Governance
Tyler Silvestri (he/him) has served as Michigan State University's Secretary for Academic Governance since August 10, 2020.
Silvestri earned his Juris Doctor degree from Michigan State University College of Law in 2020 and is a licensed attorney in Michigan. He also graduated from MSU’s James Madison College in 2017 with a degree in Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy and a minor in Philosophy in Law. He is a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.
Prior to his appointment as Secretary for Academic Governance, Silvestri was heavily involved in academic governance at MSU for several years. Between 2015 and 2020, Silvestri served on the University Committee on Student Affairs, chaired the UCSA Subcommittee on Policy, was a member of both University Council and Faculty Senate, played a key role on the Ad Hoc Committee on Bylaws Reform, and was variously the secretary, vice chairperson, and chairperson of the University Committee on Academic Governance. He was the first student to chair UCAG in at least thirty years.
Other roles Silvestri previously held at MSU include Resident Assistant in Mason-Abbot Hall from 2015-2017, President of Mason-Abbot Hall Government from 2016-2017, and Assistant Director of the Associated Students of Michigan State University’s Student Rights Advocates from 2016-2017. During law school, Silvestri worked as a journalist for his podcast and website, On the Banks, which focused on MSU-related issues.
Deputy Secretary for Academic Governance
Taylor Thrush (she/her) has served as Deputy Secretary of Academic Governance since October 11, 2021.
Taylor graduated from MSU’s James Madison College in 2016 with a degree in Social Relations and Policy. While attending Michigan State, she served as a Resident Assistant in Holden Hall, as well as Executive Secretary for the 45th session of the Residence Halls Association. She continued her involvement at MSU as a 2017 Michigan Political Leadership Program fellow through the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at MSU.
Prior to her role in academic governance, she served as committee clerk for the Michigan House of Representatives. Her work included the Tax Policy, Oversight, Education, Ways and Means, and Communications and Technology committees. She also worked as a legislative assistant for then House Appropriations Chair, State Representative Al Pscholka from 2015-2016.
Assistant to the Secretary for Academic Governance
Rebecca Yang (she/her) has been the Assistant to the Secretary for Academic Governance since August 31, 2020.
Yang is a masters candidate in the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations and will be graduating in December 2023. She graduated from Michigan State University's College of Social Science in 2021 with a degree in Human Capital and Society.
Prior to this role, she was a Resident Assistant in Case Hall, as well as an advisor to Case Hall Government. She was heavily involved in the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American community on MSU's campus as an Asian Pacific American Student Organization Representative, Event Planner, and Public Relations Chair for the Chinese-American Student Association. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Chinese American Student Organization.