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Update #37

CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

December 11, 2003

TO: CMU Colleagues and Students

FROM: Mike Rao

SUBJECT: CMU Update 37


As the semester comes to a close, I wish all CMU students the best on their final exams and future success to those who are graduating on December 13. Monica and I also wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season. We value the varied contributions of this entire university community and its supporters.

BUDGET UPDATE

The Governor has issued an executive order that results in a five percent current-year state appropriation callback for public universities, which amounts to $4.1 million for CMU. This appropriation cut is the fourth cut to higher education in the last 11 months and, for CMU, totals $12.6 million in decreased funding in the last year and a half, dropping the university’s per-student funding back to 1998 levels. Funding for higher education continues to be a state and national problem. Unfortunately, current estimates suggest that in Michigan, at least a $500 million problem will exist in the state’s budget in 2004-2005. Michigan may not see relief from this economic stress for a while.

A Supplemental Bill includes tuition restraint language that would prohibit mid-year tuition increases and limit Fall 2004 tuition increases to 1.7% (the Detroit Consumer Price Index). If universities comply, they would receive a 3% return from the State. The Governor’s intent would be that those in compliance with tuition restraints would receive no budget cut in the 2004-2005 fiscal year. As of today, the legislature is split on this issue, making the future of tuition restraint uncertain.

At CMU, any new budget reductions will be in addition to the $14.3 million in expenditure reductions made by the university in its current 2003-2004 budget. Coupled with the annual growth of CMU's budget due to contractual personnel agreements, and increased costs in utilities and employee benefits, reductions in state appropriations of any amount are difficult and painful. Wherever cuts are made, some members of the university community will not approve. The university’s budget, however, must be balanced and, therefore, expenditures must be reduced. As I anticipate recommendations from the senior staff budget advisory group and the vice presidents, I will do my best to continue implementing reductions that reflect as many of the principles that I established last year. (Please see Update 27 and references to the budget at http://www.cmich.edu/president/updates/update27.html.) The university’s top priority remains student and faculty learning, geared toward teaching and research. We will continue to work diligently to maintain the academic integrity of the university and any recommendations for budget reductions will reflect the goals and values of CMU. Reductions will be programmatic, rather than across-the-board, and will reflect the university’s future and strengths. While it is hard sometimes to think beyond the current budget crisis, it is still important that we focus long-term and continue efforts to build a strong future for CMU. While nearly all administrative areas were cut about 10% or more, we need to continue to focus our efforts and investment in areas such as outreach, research, fundraising, government relations, marketing, and admissions—all of which have an important return for the institution in the long term. Most of these areas support academic excellence at the university, as well as help relieve pressure from dwindling resources. It is important to be careful not to allow appropriation reductions to create a downward spiral for CMU.

JAMES EARL JONES TO BE LEM TUCKER EVENT SPEAKER

CMU is pleased to sponsor the Eighth Annual Lem Tucker Speaker Series and Scholarship Dinner on Thursday, April 22, 2004, at the International Center in the Atheneum Hotel in Detroit. The keynote speaker at the event will be James Earl Jones, who is particularly known for his resonant basso voice and commanding presence. Jones is well known for his movie, theater, and television roles. The annual Tucker event attracts more than 400 business and community leaders, alumni, editors, and reporters from the metro Detroit area. Tucker, who graduated from CMU in 1959, was a pioneer in broadcast journalism. The two-time Emmy Award winner worked for all three major television networks before his death in 1991.

DECEMBER COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES

CMU’s fall semester concludes on December 13 with two commencement ceremonies in Rose Arena that include 2,681 prospective degree and certificate recipients. Each ceremony will feature a guest speaker. The 10 a.m. speaker is Heath Meriwether, publisher of the Detroit Free Press; the 2 p.m. speaker is Dick DeVos, a Grand Rapids businessman. At the 10 a.m. ceremony, CMU will also bestow an honorary degree upon Herbert “Ted” Doan, a Midland community leader and chairman of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation.

NEW VISION OF EXCELLENCE CAMPAIGN

More than $38 million has been raised so far during the "New Vision of Excellence" Campaign. With a goal of $50 million, CMU's first comprehensive capital campaign is attracting significant funds for student scholarships, faculty endowment, improved facilities, and support for national quality academic programs. We are grateful for the many donors, campaign volunteers, deans, and development officers who are responsible for this impressive progress and for making a difference for the university’s students.

CMU PUBLIC BROADCASTING UPDATE

Occasionally, it seems to make sense to focus in these updates on areas of the university less well-known. I believe that CMU Public Broadcasting is a valuable educational and outreach arm of the university. Ours is the largest university-owned public broadcasting network in the U.S., with seven radio and six television stations covering well over one-third of Michigan. (For more information about CMU Public Broadcasting, please see http://www.wcmu.org/.) WCMU serves a number of university constituencies with a growing number of outreach efforts. Here are a few.

• WCMU’s Ready-To-Learn program prepares children for success in school through workshops for parents and others. The Ready-To-Learn program has served more than 3,300 children and 511 parents, caregivers, and educators in 2003.
  
  
• CMU Public Broadcasting partnered with CMU Police to distribute more than 1,300 free gunlocks as part of Project ChildSafe, a national initiative to raise awareness about safe and responsible firearm ownership and storage. Additional community partners included the Michigan State Police, Jay’s Sporting Goods and WCFX-FM.
  
  
• WCMU's new satellite truck will be used to broadcast statewide a professional development teleconference for physicians as part of a grant-funded project titled "The Forgetting." The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions is collaborating with CMU Public Broadcasting in the production of the teleconference. Goals are to increase early diagnosis and improve quality of life for persons with Alzheimer's and their families. CMU Public Television also is creating public service announcements to air throughout 2004 for the Michigan chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
  
  
• Involving CMU professors, Public Broadcasting and Michigan Coordinated Community Child Care were awarded several grants to raise awareness about early childhood obesity and provide strategies for prevention and intervention.
  
  
• Live broadcasts of CMU men’s and women’s basketball games continue for the fourth year in a row.
  
  
• CMU Public Broadcasting provides broadcast, journalism, and graphic arts students with valuable work experience directly related to their major fields of study. 30-50 students are employed in these positions.