Update #60

TO:	The CMU Community
FROM:	Michael Rao
SUBJECT:	CMU Update 60

May Commencement Ceremonies

CMU’s spring semester concludes with three commencement ceremonies on May 6 in Rose Arena. A total of 3,502 graduates will receive degrees in May. Each ceremony will feature a guest speaker. Speaking at 9:30 a.m. is Cynthia Pasky, President and CEO, Strategic Staffing Solutions, Inc. of Detroit; the 1:30 p.m. speaker is Anne Stevens, Chief Operating Officer, The Americas, and Executive Vice President of Ford Motor Company; and the 4:30 p.m. speaker is Andrew Liveris, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of The Dow Chemical Company. The graduates and I sincerely appreciate so many of my faculty colleagues for joining us for the commencement ceremonies. Thank you.

Advocacy in State Budget Process

On April 26, I provided testimony to the House Higher Education Subcommittee. As I continue to argue for more equitable per-student funding, your advocacy for CMU continues to be critical and is making a difference! Nonetheless, I ask for your continued involvement. 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. Thank you for helping!

CMU is pleased with the budget proposal approved by the House Higher Education Subcommittee last week, which would include a $3.5 million appropriation increase for CMU in 2006-2007. Per-student funding would increase from $3,750 in 2005-2006 to $3,901 next year. We are cautiously optimistic, however, because it is still early in the legislative budget process.

No Place for Hate

On April 12, a small group from the National Socialist Movement exercised their rights to protest against the appearance of well known civil rights attorney Morris Dees. While reports I have received suggest that this event took place without violence between the protesters and CMU students, I was very disappointed to learn that racial slurs and other taunts were voiced by members of this hate group.

In January in an open letter to the university community, I shared my denouncement and disapproval of views that espouse animosity and intolerance of others. However, the university is not permitted to infringe on the constitutional rights of those with whom we disagree, despite how offensive and despicable we find their views.

I abhor and denounce the views of the hateful. Hate mongering is not welcome at Central Michigan University. The university remains steadfast in its commitment to a diverse learning community despite the disagreement with which it’s met by a group that uses racial slurs and other inappropriate language to attempt to divide humans based on their ethnicity and other differences.

University Budget Advisory and Budget Restructuring Review Committees

The interim University Budget Advisory Committee (UBAC) has met during the spring semester to review 2006-2007 budget proposals from non-general fund units, and proposals for new initiative funding. The group continues to engage in discussion about the process for developing the university’s budgets for next year and beyond. Final budget decisions await a clearer revenue picture for next year. The Budget Restructuring Review Committee (BRRC) has been discussing the recommendations contained in the Whalen consultant report and is making final its recommendations by May 15. For more information, including agendas and minutes, please visit http://www.budget.cmich.edu/IUBRAC.html and http://www.budget.cmich.edu/brrcolinks.asp.

CMU 2010 Vision Plan

Project proposals submitted this year for funding are in the final stages of review. For the latest information about the CMU 2010 vision planning process, please visit the update portion of the CMU 2010 web site at http://www.planning.cmich.edu/Updates.htm.

International Partnerships and Study Abroad

I spent a few days this semester with two CMU international partners—the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. With the experience of exchanging about fifty students from Groningen (and fifty from CMU to Groningen), I am quite comfortable that this is a partnership on which CMU should build. Our students and professors are welcome in Groningen and we welcome theirs. As such, we are working toward an exchange agreement, and possibly more, with the University of Groningen’s business and philosophy faculties. The University of Strathclyde was equally impressive, due in large part to an already excellent relationship between our departments of history (http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/History/strathclydePHD.htm). We are also currently working toward exchange agreements and collaborations in mechanical engineering and materials science. I remain grateful to the Gerstacker Foundation, whose grant has helped enhance CMU’s international partnerships. I am also grateful to my colleagues across the university who help foster these important partnerships, including those in history and emeriti members of the faculty who remain so supportive and helpful, such as history Professor Emeritus Dennis Thavenet.

In the meantime, CMU offers excellent opportunities to study abroad. Please see http://www.oie.cmich.edu/studyabroad/default.asp for additional information on studying abroad. As most know, global learning is one of five university priorities in CMU 2010 (http://www.planning.cmich.edu/PriorityII.htm).

Campus Connections: SAP Campus Management Update

SAP Campus Management, the university’s much anticipated new student information system, is scheduled to “go-live” July 1. Information on the implementation schedule and system is located at http://www.sap.cmich.edu/cm/. An information meeting will be held in May, and training targeted for specific staff will begin the first week of June. The coming weeks will be challenging for a number of individuals and offices as the university makes this transition to Campus Management. As with any new complex system, the university community should expect to identify immediate needs for improvement. I appreciate very much the hard work and professional commitment invested by so many people in this project.

Efforts to Increase On-Campus Graduate Enrollment

CMU has renewed efforts to increase on-campus graduate program enrollment. Roberta Niedsen of graduate studies has been meeting with departments to identify the programs on which to focus in the near term, while also initiating discussions with all programs about their recruitment needs. Market analysis work is beginning to help analyze current enrollment data and help us project future opportunities. The analysis will include a review of the profile of students who currently enroll in graduate programs, an analysis of the competitive environment for the programs offered, and the development of a predictive model to help segment and target different prospective students. New promotional plans and materials are under development, including a new Office of Graduate Studies web site. My plans and expectations for significant advancement of graduate programs remain high. I appreciate the support of the graduate school, but particularly my faculty colleagues who will have to work diligently to meet new expectations in a competitive graduate student marketplace.

Faculty and Staff Appreciation Picnic

On April 26, it was a pleasure to host a faculty and staff appreciation picnic to recognize and thank all CMU employees for their diligence and good work during the past few years of economic challenges that resulted with the university having to cut $30 million from its annual operating budget. Rich Morrison and Jim Wojcik and some of Jim’s public relations students made this a class project with the theme “Thank You For All You Do.” More than 1200 CMU employees attended the picnic on the Warriner Mall. Costs for the event were covered by donations. The event was a success by virtually any measure, and a valuable and memorable learning experience for the student organizers.

University Community Advisory Panel

Six years ago, I created UCAP (university community advisory panel) to help improve communication and coordination among all employee groups and the student leadership at CMU. Regular meetings have provided an opportunity for campus constituencies to discuss issues, interests, and concerns. UCAP has a home page with minutes and membership for those interested: http://cmich.edu/ucap. Recent feedback suggests that this group continues to be an important vehicle for fostering communication and respectful relationships.

Annual Lem Tucker Speaker Series and Scholarship Dinner

CMU is pleased to sponsor the 10th Annual Lem Tucker Speaker Series and Scholarship Dinner this week in Detroit. The keynote speaker will be Emery King, broadcast journalist, television programming business owner, and director of communications for the Detroit Medical Center. Approximately 400 business and community leaders, alumni, editors, and reporters from the metro Detroit area are planning to attend. This year’s journalism scholarship recipient, who is honored each year at the dinner, is Allen Park High School senior Angela Hernandez. I thank the organizations that help sponsor this event, the many people who make the event and sponsorships possible, and those who attend.

Student Research and Creative Endeavors Celebrated at CMU

Congratulations to our students and my faculty colleagues who participated in the thirteenth annual Student Research and Creative Endeavors Exhibition on April 19. More than 385 exhibits involving more than 675 student participants and 160 faculty members were on display that day. Joining me at the exhibit were Trustees John Kulhavi and Sam Kottamasu, M.D., who were also very impressed with the quality of the work and creativity displayed.

Student and Colleague Honors

Below are a few more recognitions of which I have become aware since Update 58. Congratulations to:

Marketing professor J. Holton Wilson, the first recipient of the Jerry and Felicia Campbell Endowed Professorship in CMU's College of Business Administration.

Monica Hines Craig, winner of the 2006 American Library Association/Association of College and Research Libraries Distance Learning Librarian Conference Sponsorship Award.

Senior Casey Manning, one of 40 students (from more than 400 national applicants) selected to display her work at the national Undergraduate Research Posters on the Hill in Washington, D.C.

Moore Hall Television (MHTV), named College Station of the Year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for the fifth consecutive year.

Senior Wynn Michalak (wrestling), junior Mark DiSalvo (wrestling), and senior Tamera Thomas (indoor track and field), named All-American athletes from CMU winter sports teams.

Wrestling coach Tom Borrelli, named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year for the eighth time.

Softball coach Margo Jonker, who earned her 900th career NCAA Division I coaching victory in March and ranked 11th in Division I history at the time.

Dedication Ceremony at Troy Center

A dedication ceremony of CMU’s Troy Center will be held on June 7. The celebration of learning will begin at 5 p.m. and include remarks by alumni honorees Judge Fred Mester, Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence, and Kathleen M. Oswald, as well as tours and the dedication of the new Vehicle Design Center mural.

Capital Projects to Begin This Summer

Two major capital projects on and near campus will begin this summer—the Broomfield Road Safety Project and the Utility Supply Upgrade project. More information about these two projects is available at http://fmgt.cmich.edu/pep-summer-2006.html and http://fmgt.cmich.edu/utility_supply_upgrade/index.html. Meanwhile, planning continues for the Education Building Project—for more information, please visit http://www.academicadministration.cmich.edu/capital projects.htm.

Sincere Thanks to a Senior Officer

Finally, I offer my gratitude and best wishes to Maureen Eke for her work as CMU’s chief diversity officer for four years. Maureen announced that she will be returning to the English department this week. Provost Storch will soon announce an interim appointment and more permanent plans to carry on the university’s diversity plans.