CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

September 14, 2004
 

TO:	The CMU Community
FROM:	Michael Rao
SUBJECT:	CMU Update 44

Welcome back. To students, faculty colleagues, and staff who are new to CMU this year, the entire community joins me in welcoming you! This is one of many periodic updates that I will post on the web to help share information and engage members of the university community in topics of mutual interest and concern.

2004-2005 State Budget

Among the very last to be settled in the state budget, appropriations for public universities have finally come to conclusion. The key contingency in the appropriations for universities is a cap on undergraduate tuition at the rate of 2.8%. In exchange, the universities receive 60% of the 5% reduction that occurred last year in the middle of the year (i.e., 3% of 5%, or in CMU’s case, $2.4 million). In the spirit of the agreement with the state, CMU is the only Michigan public university to increase its graduate student tuition rate by only 2.8% as well.

Office of the Auditor General Performance Audit Continues

Auditors from the Michigan Office of the Auditor General arrived on campus in June to conduct a routine performance audit of the university. The last full performance audit of CMU was completed in 1988. After a preliminary review of the university and its operations, the auditors established the following four objectives for the audit: to assess the effectiveness of the university’s admission and monitoring practices to help students successfully complete their classes and programs; to assess the effectiveness of the university’s efforts to evaluate the quality of its educational programs; to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the university’s use of educational and related program resources; to assess the effectiveness of the university’s administration of construction projects. The auditors will complete their on-campus work in the near future. The report writing and issuance process will take several more months. Thanks to everyone who has provided outstanding cooperation to the auditors during their work.

Vision Planning Process

Provost Storch is coordinating an inclusive process to elaborate on the broad vision statement approved by the Board in April 2004 by specifying a limited set of future directions for the campus. A steering committee, working with the provost, will soon announce a series of ways all members of the campus community may contribute their ideas. CMU’s current mission statement, with its core values and goals, along with the new vision, will be the foundations for this planning. Please take time to participate in the activities through which we as a university community will help set priorities for the next few years.

HLC Reaccreditation Efforts Continue

CMU's regional accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), will conduct its 10-year review in October 2005. There is little that is more important in the life of the university than its regional accreditation. Everyone’s assistance and support will be essential to making this review a success. Several committees have been working on the prerequisite self-study, and preliminary versions of sections are being posted on the accreditation website at http://www.cmich.edu/hlc-accreditation/default.htm. Comments and suggestions are invited.

CMU has changed significantly since our last review in 1995-96. Components of the accrediting process have also changed. For example, there now is an option to ask the accreditation team to place a "special emphasis" on an issue of major interest to the institution. The Accreditation Steering Committee has proposed, and been given preliminary HLC approval for, an emphasis on how CMU can best manage its transition to being an institution with an increased emphasis on scholarly and creative activity and national prominence for the accomplishments of both faculty and students.

A committee is being formed to work on the self-study chapter addressing the special emphasis. If you are interested in serving, please contact the steering committee chair, Professor Wayne Osborn, at 774-3320 or mailto:Wayne.Osborn@cmich.edu.

Budget Review Advisory Council

I created the Budget Review Advisory Council (BRAC) to more fully engage the university community in understanding and reviewing the budgeting process. BRAC and the administration are charged with examining CMU's priorities in relation to the budget -- this is and will remain a key task. BRAC provides consultation and advice on important decisions associated with preparing a budget for the president and the board. I believe BRAC’s work was quite effective when it began, primarily focusing on recommendations relative to allocations of new dollars. When the university found it necessary to cut deeply enough to impact personnel, however, many of BRAC’s duties appeared to be insignificant in comparison to the painful task of deciding which positions would be reduced or eliminated. Through very productive dialogue with incoming Academic Senate Chair and Sociologist Angela Haddad, it has become clear that there remain ways in which to engage BRAC more fully in recommendations relative to integrating the university’s priorities and its expenditures. With the help of Vice President George Ross, BRAC chair, changes will be visible, particularly in terms of efforts to draw opinions and ideas from group members and to provide the university community with information. 

Forums and Meetings Scheduled for Fall Semester

In a continuing effort to maintain a strong connection with our large university community, several forums and meetings are scheduled. An open forum is scheduled on October 20, 5:30 p.m., in the University Center Lake Superior Room. I will attend meetings of the Student Government Association on October 11 and November 22 and attend Residence Hall Assembly meetings on October 11 and November 15. Monthly guest columns in Central Michigan Life on topics of interest to the university community, especially students, will resume this fall. I am also attending a meeting of the Mt. Pleasant City Commission later this month. All of these efforts serve to foster communication and involvement with both on-campus and off-campus constituents, especially when my schedule so often prevents one-on-one meetings with students and others.

Year-End Report Available Online

A year-end report that summarizes many of the significant accomplishments achieved at CMU during the past year may be accessed online at http://www.cmich.edu/president/docs/YearEndReport2004.doc.

Continued Interest in Revenue Generating Ideas

I continue to be interested in revenue generating ideas forwarded by members of the university community. Please send additional suggestions to president@cmich.edu.

Changes in Leadership – Information Technology and Research Corporation

Bob Berry, CMU’s chief technology officer and president of the CMU Research Corporation (CMURC), resigned to become president of Dendritic Nanotechnologies, a world-renowned company with which CMU enjoys a close working partnership. Provost Storch has appointed Roger Rehm, associate dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts, as interim chief technology officer. Roger’s associate dean responsibilities will be assumed this year by Diane Krider, associate professor of Speech Communication and Dramatic Arts. The CMURC Board of Directors appointed Jim Hageman, CMU vice provost of research, interim CEO while a search is underway to replace Bob Berry.