Periodic Updates - Update #49
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
March 29, 2005
| TO: | The CMU Community |
 |
|
| FROM: | Michael Rao |
|
|
|
| SUBJECT: | CMU Update 49 |
Here’s another update with information that you might find helpful.
Advocacy in State Budget Process
As discussions continue at the state level about 2005-2006 budgets, in addition to plans to solve the 2004-2005 state budget deficit, your advocacy for equitable per-student funding for institutions like CMU that have taken on important work in developing Michigan’s economic future continues to be critical. Thank you to those who have already written to your legislators. Your letters are making an important difference, particularly as you share stories reflecting the impact of such severe budget reductions on you or your area. Talking points that you may wish to include in your letters, sample letters, addresses for government officials, and other information can be accessed at http://www.cmich.edu/govrelations.
Vision Update
On March 3, the CMU Board of Trustees approved recommendations that included a modified vision statement, priorities, and strategies for the next five years, key performance indicators, adoption of a common set of terms, and a strategy for implementing the plan. Many thanks to the campus wide Vision Planning Steering Committee and members of the academic community who helped develop these recommendations. The link http://www.news.cmich.edu/news/index.asp?id=548 provides some details on each of the vision areas. In reality, this vision is quite basic and fundamentally builds on many of CMU’s existing strengths. The key to this vision rests with reversing years of declining funding and the loss of human resources. The university’s key strength is its people.
State Budget Update
The Governor’s Executive Order (EO) includes a $30 million cut for higher education; however, the final EO also includes language that calls for a review of state revenues in May before the cut is taken. If revenues increase, higher education may be able to avoid cuts. If the cuts are implemented, some funding may be available to the universities and community colleges for deferred maintenance projects.
CMU is on the top of the capital outlay funding list with $37.5 million approved for the renovation and expansion of Ronan Hall. Both the EO and capital outlay bills have been approved by the State Senate. However, they will not be considered by the House of Representatives until the week of April 12th.
We especially thank Governor Granholm, Speaker of the House and CMU alumnus Craig DeRoche, Senator Alan Cropsey, Senator Mike Goschka, State Representative Bill Caul, and former State Representative Sandy Caul for their support of the capital outlay funding for the much-needed improvements to Ronan Hall, which is home to CMU’s highly regarded teacher education program.
CMU Explores Tuition Options
On the heels of severe reductions, as necessitated by the state’s economic climate, which have resulted in larger class sizes and reduced services to students, the university continues to explore various revenue scenarios for 2005-2006. Options being considered include an across-the-board tuition increase for all students, a tiered-tuition approach with different tuition rates for lower and upper level division classes, a plan that would guarantee a fixed tuition amount for the period in which a student is enrolled, and differential tuition for programs that cost more to deliver. The university is also exploring the possibility of combining mandatory fees into tuition, thereby making the cost of attendance much clearer to students and their families. Factors important to CMU’s evaluation of options include: providing a financial base that allows the university to sustain the quality of academic programs and services that students and other constituents expect; facilitating better financial planning for students and parents; promoting student retention; and achieving one price for tuition and mandatory fees.
The university needs to consider options that enable it to recover from four consecutive years of major budget reductions by sustaining and rebuilding quality programs and services with revenues. Partly because of CMU’s lower per-student funding base, the workforce reductions of the last four years have significantly burdened the learning process. It is nearly impossible to imagine how CMU could sustain the loss of additional people or other resources if forced to cut again.
It has become clear to many in Lansing that tuition and fees at CMU rank very low compared to many of our peers. CMU is the fourth largest university and one of the most popular in Michigan, yet its tuition and fees and appropriation rank near the bottom of all Michigan public universities, resulting in less to spend on each student at CMU. Reductions to institutions that rank low in revenues arguably affect them to a greater degree. The status quo offers no hope, at least in the short term, of creating revenues needed to preserve the academic learning experience including class sizes that are already beyond room size maxima.
While CMU has been fiscally responsible throughout the state’s severe budget reductions, its greatest responsibility now is to address student needs—which, in my opinion, are great. If sustained, the impact of severe reductions to its appropriation, combined with its low tuition, will show up in the next few years in ways that will devastate the state’s impact in delivering quality academic programs through its fourth largest university. Particularly in light of the state’s interest in increasing the college-educated population in Michigan, reduced revenues per student will run completely counter to building a stronger economic base in the state.
Re-Accreditation Self-Study Efforts Continue
As has been mentioned in previous updates, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association will be visiting CMU in fall 2005 for a re-accreditation site visit. More information about this process is available at http://www.cmich.edu/hlc-accreditation/. Recently, drafts of the preface and first three chapters of the self-study report have been posted at http://www.cmich.edu/hlc-accreditation/2005-self-study.htm. Feedback on the self-study report and re-accreditation process may be made through the accreditation web site and is welcomed.
Faculty Excellence Awards
At the Faculty Excellence Exhibition held on March 23, it was a pleasure to view the presentations by faculty colleagues and participate in the presentation of awards to faculty in recognition for outstanding research, teaching, and service. Congratulations to the excellent recipients of this year’s awards:
| President’s Awards | Provost’s Awards |
|
Felix Famoye Pete Orlik |
Brad Fahlman Mike Pisani |
| Excellence in Teaching Awards | Faculty Distinguished Service Awards |
|
Kathy Benison Luz Hurtado Mike Kennedy Lori Ann Pietrandrea Kathy Rosier |
Claudia Douglass Jim Gillingham |
| Research Excellence Fund | |
|
Greg Colores Tracy Galarowicz Dale LeCaptain and Choon Lee Alan Jackson, Marco Fornari, Mihai Horoi, Valeri Petkov, Sudha Srinivas Jim McDonald, Tim Brannan, Shane Cavanaugh, Lynn Dominguez, Ray Francis, Dan Henry, Tom Kromer, Bill Leibfritz |
|
Service Excellence
Since its inception four years ago, the Service Excellence
initiative has been a core focus of both the Dean of Students
office and Human Resources. The Human Resources department has
developed and delivered a wide range of programs tailored to
individual offices, which has assisted CMU in enhancing its
service delivery. To date, 73% of staff members - representing
more than 90 university units - have participated in at least
one service excellence training program. Through the Service
Excellence Nomination program implemented in 2003, we continue
to keep these concepts alive by recognizing our peers for
delivering excellent service. For this, I thank the HR staff. To
recognize someone for providing excellent service, please
contact Human Resources at
http://www.hrs.cmich.edu/PCD/ServExcel.htm.
Funding of Graduate Initiatives
Recently, I requested that the colleges, including the College
of Graduate Studies, propose several initiatives designed to
help promote information about CMU’s strong graduate programs.
Though under the current budget model, I have limited
flexibility in terms of spending once a budget is established in
July, I will provide some one-time funding through savings from
my own office. A web page consultant will be hired to evaluate
the user interface of graduate program web pages. A plan is also
being developed for marketing initiatives for programs, to
include items such as direct mailings and web site improvements.
Additionally, if resources are sufficient, I hope to assist a
few academically strong baccalaureate degree programs that are
experiencing lower enrolled majors with marketing, particularly
to off-campus populations.
Colleague Research, Scholarship and
Creativity
Many of you continue to generously share copies of your
published books, articles, and originals, photos, or prints of
creative work with me. Thank you for taking the time to send
these to me. As you continue to make discoveries, publish, or
complete your creations, please consider sharing these with me.
I am interested in the work of my colleagues at any level. If
you have any questions regarding how to transmit your work,
please contact Jane Sasse (fox1jm@cmich.edu).
Again, thank you.
CMU Research Corporation Update
With a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, CMU Research Corporation
(CMURC) CEO Nathan Long is using his experience as CEO of a
biomedical start-up and corporate R&D. His academic background
has also been an asset in working with CMU’s talented faculty.
CMURC continues to manage The National Dendrimer and
Nanotechnology Center (Dendrimer Center) at CMU, established by
the Army Research Laboratories in 2003. The Dendrimer Center has
yielded intellectual property with commercial potential, created
several new jobs, engaged CMU faculty and students in valuable
research, and led to more than $1 million in additional research
support from other funding sources.
The Dendrimer Center’s success and growth have led to plans for
a 17,000 square foot wet-laboratory facility, which is
financially supported by CMU and funds secured by CMURC
including a $2.15M grant from the EDA and a $750,000 grant from
the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. A team of CMU and
CMURC staff are finalizing schematics with architects currently,
with a ground breaking ceremony scheduled in May. The wet-lab
expansion will house current Dendrimer Center partners Dendritic
NanoTechnologies and MultiGEN Diagnostics, and be a central
resource for future collaborators and young research firms. This
expansion project demonstrates CMU’s commitment to increasing
the research capacity of the university, region, and state.
The 4th International Dendrimer Symposium (IDS-4) will be held
on the campus of CMU May 18-21st, bringing 350-400 international
researchers to campus to hear the latest developments in
dendrimer nanotechnologies. CMURC is coordinating the event with
CMU and Dendritic Nanotechnologies. This is the first time the
conference has been held in the U.S., with former IDS held in
Berlin, Tokyo, and Frankfurt. For more on IDS-4, visit
www.ids4.org.
CMURC has completed Business Intelligence (BI) projects with
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Henry Ford Health Systems, Eli
Lilly, and Dow Chemical. CMURC is also planning the 4th Annual
BI Forum June 9th, which brings 100 professionals from various
industries to campus. Business Intelligence activities continue
to be an effective model that leverages the computing capacity
of CMURC and the content expertise of CMU faculty and students,
while providing Fortune 500 firms with insights to very complex
business issues.
Congratulations CMU Athletics
Congratulations to the CMU athletic teams, coaches, and
student-athletes who, through their achievements, have brought
great credit and well-deserved recognition to themselves, their
teams, the department of athletics, and the university. MAC team
championships were won by the men’s cross country, wrestling,
and men’s indoor track teams. The wrestling team was also the
MAC tournament champions. Four coaches who are members of the
regular faculty at CMU were named MAC Coach of the Year:
Craig Fuller (men’s cross country), Jim Knapp (men’s indoor
track), Tom Borrelli (wrestling), and Jerry Reighard
(gymnastics).
Coach Knapp was also named the Regional Coach of the Year for
the Great Lakes Region. Additional information about individual
championships and honors is available at
http://cmuchippewas.collegesports.com/ot/cmu-honor-roll.html.
Alternative Spring Break Programs
Recently, 130 CMU students left for sites all over the country
to spend their spring break week volunteering to address issues
such as HIV/AIDS, rural poverty, national park preservation, the
environment, diversity, disabilities, terminally ill children,
inner city rebuilding, an orphanage, and renovating housing in
Romania. I offer warm congratulations to these students for
their involvement in important public service projects—many of
which will have an impact on them for years to come. For more
information about alternative breaks programs, please visit
http://www.stulife.cmich.edu/volunteer/alternative_breaks.shtml.
Posters in the Capitol
On April 12, CMU undergraduate students will present "Posters in
the Capitol," featuring their work on a wide range of
significant problems, issues, and interests. CMU’s "Posters in
the Capitol" will take place from 3-7 p.m. in the Capitol
Rotunda.
