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Michigan State University alumni number around 460,000 worldwide. Famous Spartans include NBA stars Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Steve Smith, MLB stars Kirk Gibson, Steve Garvey, Robin Roberts, NFL stars Brad Van Pelt, Bubba Smith, Herb Adderley and Joe DeLamielleure, actors James Caan and Robert Urich, Evil Dead trilogy director Sam Raimi, former Michigan governors James Blanchard, Fred M. Warner, and John Engler, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, former U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham, billionaires Eli Broad, Drayton McLane, Jr., Harley Hotchkiss, Thomas H. Bailey, Tom Gores and Dan Gilbert.
Michigan State's faculty and academic staff number around 4,500 researchers. Throughout the years, notable researchers have included William J. Beal, who developed hybrid corn; psychologist Erich Fromm; G. Malcolm Trout, who invented the process for the homogenization of milk; and Barnett Rosenberg, the discoverer of cancer-fighting drug cisplatin.
In addition to faculty, Michigan State has around 6,000 administration and non-academic staff. This includes the university's governing board, the Board of Trustees. Elected by statewide referendum every two years, trustees have eight-year terms, with two of the eight elected every other year. As of 2007, the Board is made up of three Republicans and five Democrats, and has a 4:4 gender balance.
Other notable staff members include athletic director Mark Hollis, men's basketball coach Tom Izzo, ice hockey coach Tom Anastos, and football coach Mark Dantonio.