Central Michigan University

CMU 2010 Vision Plan

The second round of requests for proposals for 2006-2007 funding closed on October 2. On October 8, 2007-2008 CMU 2010 Request for Proposals will be announced and a Proposal Development Workshop will be held on Thursday, October 19, to help those preparing proposals in response to the FY08 request. For the latest information about the CMU 2010 vision planning process, please visit the CMU 2010 web site at http://www.planning.cmich.edu/Updates.htm.

Provost Search Committee Appointed

The search for the provost is one of the most important undertakings of the university this year. Hopefully, it will be possible to have a new provost at CMU in the late spring or early summer. Provost Storch will be departing from CMU in January and Dean Gary Shapiro has agreed to serve as interim provost until a permanent provost is appointed.

The following have been elected by the academic senate, P&A council, or appointed by the SGA president or me to serve on the search committee that will recommend finalists for the provost position:

• Tim Hartshorne (Chair), psychology professor
• Jamie Brown, academic advisor
• Nancy Csapo, business information systems professor
• Pam Eddy, educational leadership professor
• Mike Fields, business administration dean
• Jim Hill, political science professor and honors director
• Al Jackson, physics professor
• Dianne Mark, education/human services associate dean
• Maria Marron, journalism professor and chair, chair of chairs
• Michael Powell, Affirmative Action Officer/Interim AVP for Institutional Diversity
• Brad Swartz, communication disorders professor and academic senate chair
• Michael Zeig, student
• Bob Martin, associate vice provost and staff to the search committee

One of the committee’s most important duties will be to actively recruit candidates. Please assist the committee by making nominations and encouraging interest in the position. For additional information regarding the search, please visit http://www.fps.cmich.edu/jobs/Provost Job Description.asp.

Legend CEO Award to Trustee Gail Torreano

Congratulations to CMU Trustee and alumna Gail Torreano, who was recently named Legend CEO at Automation Alley’s Sixth Annual Awards Gala. As president of AT&T Inc. Michigan and the first woman to win the award in its six-year history, Trustee Torreano was honored for her commitment to the state of Michigan, including making technology investments and attracting jobs to the region.

University Budget Advisory Council (UBAC)

A permanent group, UBAC includes the chairs of the Academic Senate and Council of Chairs in addition to most of the budget center managers. The council approved a revised budget calendar for development of the 2007-2008 fiscal year budgets and has begun discussing very preliminary budget planning parameters for next year. Two subcommittees are currently at work: Budget Philosophy and Operating Principles and a subcommittee to study the general fund’s reliance on ProfEd and Auxiliary Services revenues. Reports from both subcommittees are expected later this fall. For more information about UBAC, please see http://www.budget.cmich.edu/IUBAC.html. The budget calendars are available online at http://www.budget.cmich.edu/BudgetCalendars/budget.html.

Design Continues for Education Building

Public Act 345 of 2006 was the final appropriation authorization necessary for CMU to proceed with design and construction of a new Education Building. The design development phase will be completed by the end of the month, the construction document phase will be complete in May 2007, and construction will be complete in spring 2009. Demolition of the central quad of Washington Apartments is scheduled to occur in early 2007. This building will be the university’s first certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building, incorporating unique sustainable design aspects such as the use of recycled construction materials, energy efficiency, green roofs, water use reduction, and day lighting. Gifts have already been received to name the 200-seat auditorium and several other learning and student-centered spaces in the building. Many naming opportunities for laboratories, centers, and classroom spaces are still available.

ProfEd Initiatives in Off-Campus Programs

With nearly 70,000 alumni, Central Michigan University’s off campus programs has served well tens of thousands of working professionals. The university’s mission explicitly states its commitment to working professionals and has contributed significantly to the learning advancement of many diverse populations.

Off campus enrollments continue to be flat overall and there are programs that continue to decline in enrollment. As such, I and many of my colleagues will be spending considerable time to understand better the challenges associated with off campus programs and the best prospects for expanding offerings that are of the highest academic quality to working professionals throughout the nation.

To assist the university in its endeavor to strengthen off campus programs, a joint academic senate/presidential task force is being developed to study its challenges and recommend creative possibilities for its bright future. The task force will gather relevant information and make recommendations for changes that will promote growth, economic vitality and quality in CMU’s off campus programs. Recommendations will be presented to the president and the academic senate by November 30, 2006.

In the meantime, off campus programs are thriving in Atlanta, Georgia where final plans are underway for the grand opening ceremony for CMU’s new Atlanta Learning Center. This new center offers another opportunity to visually brand CMU as a regional and national institution of quality. As with the new Troy Center, the Atlanta center will advertise CMU’s name on the front of the building facing Georgia Interstate I-285, one of the top five busiest expressways in the United States. CMU’s academic programs in the greater Atlanta market serve to advance the professional qualifications of public school teachers and administrators through the MA in Education (MA-Ed) and Education Specialist (Ed.S.) programs. ProfEd also offers the MSA program, and recently began offering the MPA in partnership with the political science department. All of the programs are offered in a flexible time and delivery format convenient for the working professional market.

The quality reputation that CMU has earned in Atlanta has now opened additional opportunities for expansion into other southern states. CMU recently submitted its formal application to the State of Alabama to offer its Masters in Education programs in the state capital, Birmingham.

ProfEd continues to advance its partnership efforts with the College of Education and Human Services. Most recent discussions include the development (in an on-line delivery environment) of the MA in Education Technology program and a graduate program for Special Education Teachers seeking additional state and professional certification.

In the area of community service, ProfEd once again is participating in the national Make a Difference Day by hosting and coordinating a literacy event in Finch Fieldhouse for about 1000 local kids. Many CMU students help out as volunteers. Julie Wagester is the lead ProfEd coordinator for this event on October 28th.

Regular Faculty Positions Added

Many of us have worked toward increasing the number of regular faculty positions and it is my hope that further growth will continue. The number of regular faculty positions at CMU has increased from 673 in Fall 2001 to 713 in Fall 2006 (636 positions filled, 60 authorized to be under current search.) Five additional faculty positions have been approved this fall in the following areas: Marketing-Sales Institute; Photojournalism; Integrative Public Relations; Electronic Media Management; and Mechanical Engineering.

New Vision of Excellence Campaign Concludes

Central Michigan University recently shattered its fundraising goal for the historic New Vision of Excellence Campaign by raising $78 million to support student scholarships, faculty and program endowments, campus environment enhancements, and ongoing and special programs. The campaign has provided many members of the CMU community opportunities to create bridges to alumni and community partners. Monica and I experienced the personal pleasure of meeting many alumni, connecting with them, and re-engaging them in the life of the university. On behalf of the university, I extend my sincerest thanks to everyone who contributed to the overwhelming success of CMU’s New Vision of Excellence campaign.

MAC Football Graduation Rates Top Division I-A

Data compiled recently on football graduation rates revealed that the Mid-American Conference has the highest percentage of institutions with a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 70 percent or above (8 of 12 schools, of which CMU is one) and a GSR of 50 percent or more (12 of 12 schools) for public institutions. In football Graduation Success Rates, the MAC leads all other I-A leagues as eight of the 12 schools top the 70 percent or better rate. This strong academic achievement is consistent with the Mid-American Conference Membership Standards Plan that was adopted by the Council of Presidents in June 2006. It reflects the comprehensive commitment each of our institutions has made to the overall success of MAC student-athletes.

Annual Events Planned for Fall

Several annual events are scheduled on the Mt. Pleasant campus for fall semester. Homecoming events begin on October 8 and culminate on October 14 with the annual parade, football game versus Ball State, and dance. Speaker of the House and CMU alumnus Craig DeRoche will serve as Grand Marshall of the Homecoming parade. For a complete schedule of events, please visit http://www.stulife.cmich.edu/programs/homecoming/homecoming.shtml.

The Michigan Story Festival, developed as an initiative between Central Michigan University, the Mount Pleasant Community, and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, is October 20 and 21. More information is available at www.michiganstoryfestival.org.

This fall’s Griffin Policy Forum is scheduled October 25, 7:30-9:00 p.m., in Moore Hall’s Townsend Kiva and is titled "November 7th: What Will Happen?” The forum is preceded by a public reception in the lobby of the Townsend Kiva at 6:00 p.m. Please visit http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/griffin/Default.htm for more information.

Information Technology Update Available Online

The Fall 2006 information technology update is available at http://www.oit.cmich.edu/docs/Fall_2006_Technology_Update.pdf and contains information about projects recently completed and underway.

Annual University Campaign to Begin

Central Michigan University faculty, staff and retirees may support CMU departments, programs or scholarships of their choice when they give to the Annual University Campaign. This year’s campaign begins October 16 and continues through December 8. Once again, the university will match all gifts and pledges made during the campaign with $1 for every $2 given. I thank campaign co-chairs Rose and Ben Prasad for their leadership and support. Please consider the additional and often immediate impact you can make on the learning experiences of our students and professors with a gift to the campaign. For more information, including information on the university match and the on-line gift form, please visit http://www.giving.cmich.edu/campaign.asp. Thank you for supporting CMU.

Support CMU License Plates

Please support Central Michigan University by purchasing a CMU license plate, available at Michigan Secretary of State offices. As of mid-September, 6,772 CMU license plates have been sold. The Office of Alumni Relations is working with two new classes, MKT 492 and MKT 221, on ideas to promote the plates to students as well as alumni.

Thanks for Broomfield Road Safety Project

As mentioned previously in many updates, including 52 and 61, I have been very concerned about the safety of pedestrians and vehicles on Broomfield Road for years. I am grateful for the safety improvements constructed this summer, including the construction of “Michigan left U turns,” relocating a portion of East Campus Drive to a safer location (away from Mission), upgrades to the traffic signal at West Campus Drive, and the installation of a pedestrian activated traffic signal at the main crossing to Rose Arena and the Student Activity Center. Particular thanks go to Steve Lawrence and Linda Slater of CMU Facilities Management; Crawford Contracting; Three Seasons Landscaping; Michigan Department of Transportation; Isabella County Road Commission--Pat Gaffney, Engineer and James Miller, Manager; Lapham Associates; and Rowe Incorporated--Craig Schripsema, Project Manager contracted by CMU.

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