Periodic Updates - Update #35
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
October 15, 2003
To: CMU Colleagues and Students
From: Mike Rao
Ref: CMU Update #35
Here is another update. I hope you find it informative.
STATE BUDGET UPDATE
The State of Michigan's 2002-2003 fiscal year ended on
September 30 and the 2003-2004 fiscal year began on October
1. In recent weeks, the fiscal outlook for the state has not
been encouraging. Revenue estimates for the 2002-2003 year
are approximately $300 million less than anticipated. It is
also estimated that the state's 2003-2004 fiscal year may
include approximately $600 million in revenue shortfall. The
approximate combined $900 million shortfall will have to be
resolved during this fiscal year (October 1, 2003 -
September 30, 2004). Economic recovery is on the way but is
not happening as quickly in Michigan as had been hoped. The
state budget will either need an infusion of new revenue or
budget cuts will come. The impact on higher education
remains uncertain. Knowing that higher education shares a
significant portion of the state's general fund
discretionary spending, there is a chance that university
funding will be affected.
In light of these significant challenges at the state, I
reactivated the Senior Staff Budget Advisory Group (SSBAG)
last week. SSBAG will be chaired by Provost Tom Storch and
co-chaired by Vice President George Ross. I have requested
that the group resume its review of the university budget so
that the university can be prepared, if forced to make
additional budget reductions, to act accordingly at any
point in the course of this year. I have again requested
that the members of SSBAG maintain sensitivity to keeping
confidential any part of their review that may impact
personnel. At the same time, I have requested that they
remain sensitive to those areas that do not involve
personnel and, in these cases, work with the Budget Review
Advisory Council (BRAC) and/or other appropriate university
group that is likely to be affected by the review. An
appropriate timeline for this continued review will be
determined during the next few weeks as events at the state
level continue to unfold.
MICHIGAN STORY FESTIVAL
This weekend, events of the inaugural Michigan Story
Festival will be held at locations on CMU's campus and the
community. The festival is a collaboration between CMU, the
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, and the Mt. Pleasant
community. CMU is proud to be a festival sponsor, along with
the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the Michigan
Humanities Council. For more information about the festival,
please see
www.michiganstoryfestival.org.
FEDERAL BUDGET ALLOCATION
Thank you to U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow,
and Congressman Dave Camp, who have been instrumental in
earmarking $3 million for nanotechnology development at CMU
in the 2004 Defense Appropriations Bill signed by President
Bush earlier this month. In the past two years, the
university has received a total of $5.9 million for the CMU
program, which is supported by the Army Research Laboratory
in partnership with CMU-based Dendritic NanoTechnologies,
Inc. (DNT). The federal funding is supporting research by
the following CMU professors, who are working with Donald
Tomalia and other DNT researchers: Dillip Mohanty, Ajit
Sharma, Marco Fornari, George Kaminski, Valeri Petkov, Bob
Howell, Leela Rakesh, Brad Fahlman, Anton Jensen, Jim
Falender, and Stan Hirschi. This is research that has the
capacity to significantly impact both quality of life
throughout the world as well as the economy of central
Michigan. Congratulations to all who are involved with this
important program and with obtaining this additional federal
funding.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Continuing discussions and efforts are underway designed to
identify appropriate academic standards at the baccalaureate
level. The annual fall Raising Academic Standards Conference
will take place 9-11 a.m., November 7 in Dow 171. This will
be an update on the progress of the raising academic
standards initiative to date, with a focus on grade
inflation and other initiatives still underway. Raising
academic standards will also be the focus of an all-day
workshop in January and a series of workshops throughout the
spring semester coordinated by the Faculty Center for
Academic Excellence.
While many have simply connected academic standards to
matters associated with grades, it is prudent to clarify
that the most important aspect of our focus on academic
standards should center on expectations for learning and
teaching, rigor, and preparation for the life of a
CMU-educated graduate. Fundamentally, it is my hope that
discussions engage the majority of the academic community to
better define what it means when a graduate holds a degree
from Central Michigan University.
In September, a special General Education Task Force
reported to the Academic Senate on the outcomes of their
efforts in the spring of 2003. Included among their
recommendations were suggestions to (a) form a new Gen Ed
Task Force in 2003-04 responsible for creating an action
plan to study and revise CMU's University Program and
Writing Across the University Program policies and (b)
administer a standardized general education assessment
instrument to a pilot group of students this year. Based on
endorsement from the General Education Council, the General
Education Coordinator and the Office of Academic Affairs are
working to administer the assessment tool this year. In
addition, the Senate is currently in the process of
discussing the recommendation to initiate a new Gen Ed Task
Force and the process of selecting appropriate membership
for the proposed task force.
KRESGE CHALLENGE GRANT
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the fundraising for
the new state-of-the-art Health Professions Building and
enabled the university to fulfill the $600,000 Kresge
Challenge Grant. To receive these prestigious grant funds,
CMU had to raise $1.9 million by July 1, 2003, part of an
overall fundraising goal of $10 million for the building. On
behalf of the university, your support is greatly
appreciated.
SERVICE EXCELLENCE UPDATE
Several years ago, I engaged members of the university to
help define and focus upon service excellence at CMU.
Service excellence initiatives have been implemented during
the past two years and continue this year. This initiative
has been highly successful. Data again will be gathered from
students and others this year to determine their
satisfaction with CMU-provided services. Human Resources is
leading this initiative and provides training programs
delivered on a regular schedule and that are available upon
request from units. Please contact Human Resources at <http://www.hrs.cmich.edu/PCD/ServExcel.htm>
for additional information.
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
An important part of every public university's role and
mission is the advancement of its communities, particularly
where its alumni live, lead, and work. Many members of the
CMU team continue to engage key business and industry
leaders, community and education officials throughout
Michigan, CMU alumni, legislators, and media
representatives. Their outreach efforts are focused on
expanding external relationships and partnerships to
identify student scholarships (our top fund raising
priority), student internships, graduate job placements,
sponsored faculty research opportunities, and funding
resources. Relationships developed between staff and members
of the president's advisory boards have been exceptionally
helpful (http://www.pab.cmich.edu).
The advisory boards serve as only one model for continuing
to develop relationships between the university and
appropriate external constituencies. Ultimately, outreach
from offices and individuals other than the president will
be critical to the future of the university's opportunities
to fulfill its mission, move ahead, maintain its
competitiveness, and expand its support from Michiganians.
VISITORS TO CMU
It was an honor to have the opportunity to welcome to campus
several special guests recently, among them First Gentleman
Daniel Granholm Mulhern, Attorney General Mike Cox,
Congressman Thad McCotter, State Senators Mike Goschka and
Deb Cherry (Chair and member, respectively, of Senate Higher
Education Appropriation Subcommittee), State Representatives
Sandy Caul, Judy Emmons, and David Palsrok, and the Higher
Education and Capital Outlay staffs of the House and Senate
Fiscal Agencies. This week, State Representatives Jack
Hoogendyk, David Farhat, and Glenn Steil, all members of the
House Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, will be
visiting. It is fundamentally important to our government
relations efforts for visitors such as these to see the
Mount Pleasant campus first-hand and understand not only the
opportunities that we are able to provide to our students
but the university's needs as well. I appreciate the efforts
of Vice President Kathy Wilbur and her staff in making these
visits possible and for the relationships that she is
helping to build in Lansing and beyond. To help in CMU's
advocacy efforts, please refer to
http://www.cmich.edu/govrelations/ for more information.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WEB SITE
In September, the university officially kicked off its
historic $50 million capital campaign. The campaign, which
will extend through 2006, is focused on raising funds to
support student scholarships, promote faculty research and
creativity, encourage student engagement in research, global
environments, work environments, activities that require
critical thinking, enhance the learning environment, and
support ongoing and special programs. Please see
http://www.vision.cmich.edu/ for more information about
the campaign, including the opportunity to view a dynamic
campaign video.
CAMPUS KEY CONTROL
The university routinely captures data about losses of
university assets on campus and in recent months, a more
in-depth review was conducted of some aspects of physical
security. A primary measure for protecting assets involves
control of keys to university buildings in Mount Pleasant.
Weaknesses have been identified and a plan for addressing
these weaknesses is in the process of being developed.
Options considered may include asking for the assistance of
building coordinators across campus in strengthening
procedures for the assignment and issuance of campus keys.
The vice presidents will share more information relative to
this topic with their areas at the appropriate time.
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT COMPLIANCE
When the Family Medical Leave Act, a federal law, was first
implemented almost a decade ago, university-wide training
for supervisors was provided. The training was important to
provide necessary information and resources to supervisors
to ensure that provisions of the law were consistently
applied. Since that time, there has been turnover in
supervisory positions. Inconsistent application of the
provisions of the family medical leave act could lead to
legal problems for the university and perhaps personal
liability for individual supervisors. To address these
concerns, Human Resources will be providing training to
supervisors. More information will be forthcoming. For more
information about the Family Medical Leave Act, please refer
to
http://www.hrs.cmich.edu/policy/spg-family-medical-leave.htm.
CITIZENS RESEARCH COUNCIL PANEL
On October 10, approximately 250 people who are important to
shaping public policy in Michigan attended the 87th annual
meeting of the Citizens Research Council in Michigan, which
included a panel presentation about the future of higher
education in Michigan. It was an honor to join University of
Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman and Marygrove College
President Glenda Price on a panel moderated by former state
senator Joe Schwarz. Please see
www.crcmich.org for
more information about the Citizens Research Council.
ANNUAL UNIVERSITY CAMPAIGN
Faculty, staff, and retirees may support CMU departments,
programs or scholarships of their choice when they give to
the Annual University Campaign. The campaign, formerly
called the Campus Campaign, begins October 13 and continues
through November 21. From academic departments across campus
to scholarship programs, the faculty, staff and retiree
gifts significantly impact CMU's ability to help our
students and strengthen programs. The university will match
donations on a 1-to-2 ratio - the university matches $1 for
every $2 given. I thank campaign Co-Chairpersons John Fisher
and Jim Hornak for their leadership and support. For more
information, please see
http://www.giving.cmich.edu/campaign.asp.
