Administration &amp; Governance

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Mon, 02/17/2025 - 13:18

’79 College of Business graduate Carl Meyers talks about his time at ��-Dearborn and why he thinks U-M’s regional campuses are so important.

U-M Regent Carl Meyers (right) poses for a photo with Michigan Supreme Court Justice Brian Zahra at Meyers' Dec. 12 oath ceremony on the ��-Dearborn campus. Photo by Annie Barker

Highlights from the 2025 State of the University

lblouin — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:41:50 +0000

Highlights from the 2025 State of the University lblouin Mon, 02/03/2025 - 12:41

Chancellor Domenico Grasso hosted his annual State of the University address last Thursday before a standing-room-only audience of more than 250. Grasso shared the university’s progress toward key milestones, as well as some concerns and challenges, before handing the mic over to the offices of the Provost, Institutional Advancement and Facilities Operations, as well as several ��-Dearborn students, to discuss new initiatives and their impact, along with some future plans. Key takeaways from the event are below.

More students are crossing the finish line to graduation.

Several key metrics in the GOBLUEprint for Success — the university’s strategic plan — are well on track. The four-year graduation rate has climbed from 22% in 2018 to 38% in 2024. “That's a 16% increase. That is truly incredible,” Grasso noted. “Many factors have led to this success in graduation rate: our students’ determination, our professors’ skill and mentoring, our campus resources and a community that is dedicated to seeing students across the finish line.”

The transition to a need-based financial aid model means that 94% of ��-Dearborn undergraduate FTIAC students now receive enough aid that their remaining obligations are less than $2,000 a year. And half of classes on campus now include a practice-based learning component. “This approach provides distinctive and creative opportunities for our students to prepare for the next phase of their careers,” Grasso observed. “I commend the faculty who design these courses and the department chairs and deans who support them.”

Faculty continue to excel: In the past two years, faculty and staff annual citations in publications have grown from 13,500 to over 22,000, and ��-Dearborn faculty experts appeared in 119 major local and national media outlets in 2024. Research awards continue to climb as well. While the university aimed for $9.8 million in research support in FY2024, that number actually reached nearly $12 million. Awarded and recommended funding for the first six months of FY25 now exceeds $14 million.

Grasso celebrated last year’s launch of the Office of Holistic Excellence, noting that the office was supporting several storytelling initiatives as a means of building empathy and a sense of inclusion across campus, as recently discussed in Insight into Diversity magazine. He noted that the campus community will see a new set of KPIs related to belonging and inclusion. The latest GOBLUEprint for Success KPI report was emailed to campus following the event.

Overall enrollment is encouraging, but there is still work to do.

Grasso was candid about the fact that the university’s highest hurdle — one shared by nearly every college and university in the state and many across the country — is enrollment. "There are simply fewer college age students today than a decade ago, especially here in Michigan, but there are still growing opportunities,” he said. “We currently enroll 8,100 students, and have challenged ourselves to enroll 10,000 by 2032. We have experienced modest increases in undergraduate students, which is encouraging. More students should experience everything we have to offer here at ��-Dearborn.”

Grasso shared two concerns about graduate enrollment: first, it has declined, and second, the new presidential administration could severely limit the ability of prospective international students to enter the U.S. “The encouraging news is that the Institute of International Education believes enough members of Congress appreciate what international students contribute to our communities and economy,” Grasso observed. “Our university, too, will continue to advocate for this important community.”

He added that he is meeting with executive officers across all three campuses daily to monitor changes in federal policies, and that the university is regularly posting information on federal orders, policies and regulations on the Key Issues section of the ��-Dearborn website. He urged faculty, staff and students to visit this page for the latest information pertaining specifically to the Dearborn campus.

Grasso also addressed enrollment concerns in the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters and the resulting need to collaboratively reimagine the college’s future. “Together, let’s focus on creative and lasting solutions,” he said. “I would love nothing more than for the University of Michigan-Dearborn to create novel approaches for increasing the attractiveness of the arts and humanities that could serve as models for higher education.”

Fundraising is essential to maintaining the mission.

Grasso then passed the mic to Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement Casandra Ulbrich, who shared details about the university’s recently launched five-year “Look to Michigan” fundraising campaign. After announcing the campaign goal of $60 million, she shared short videos from three donors who choose to support ��-Dearborn in diverse ways: Mark Ritz and L. Lee Gorman have made a multi-year gift of $500,000 to install solar panels on the roof of the England Engineering Lab Building; Sadaf Lodhi and Riz Hussain have directed stock to the Student Opportunity and Engagement Fund; and Altair’s corporate contribution created the Altair #OnlyForward Scholarship Fund in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Ulbrich then spoke with two #OnlyForward scholarship recipients, CECS juniors Rehab Jadalla and Jide Owo, about the impact of the award. “Receiving the scholarship, to me, it means that, instead of spending time taking on additional jobs and taking on work to try to make ends meet for each semester, I have the space to take on the opportunities that I'm passionate about and are related to my ultimate career goals,” Jadalla, who is studying software engineering, said.

CECS juniors Rehab Jadalla (right) and Jide Owo (middle) spoke to the crowd about the impact of the #OnlyForward scholarship, sponsored by Altair Engineering.

“I also grew up in Dearborn, so I'm really, really proud to be attending this university," she added. "Just the culture of how encouraging and supportive the faculty and staff here are and the other students, and also the opportunities that I've had over the past three years, I don't think I would find at any other university."

Student success initiatives are having a big impact.

Associate Provosts Maureen Linker and Joan Remski discussed several initiatives led by Experience+ and the Office of Academic Success, all of which are seeing impressive results. These include the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, the Wolverine Mentor Collective, a new peer-to-peer tutoring program that enables students to get help with their studies 24/7 and the STEM Scholars program, which supports STEM majors from low-income backgrounds throughout their time at ��-Dearborn and boasts a 98% retention rate. Two STEM Scholars, Myriam Hazime and Zahra Alemarah, joined Remski on stage to reflect on their experiences. “I was always provided with a very strong support group that I felt like other students outside of STEM scholars didn't have,” Hazime, a CECS sophomore majoring in software engineering, told the audience.

Alemarah, a CASL junior majoring in biochemistry, echoed her sentiments: “Something that's really important, especially at ��-Dearborn as a commuter campus, is building a relationship your first year, your freshman year. Through STEM Scholars, I had so many different friends, and it was very crucial to keep me going to study when it feels impossible, to ask for help when I need it.”

Great spaces encourage students to stay.

Executive Director for Facilities Carol Glick closed out the event with a quick check-in on the Comprehensive Campus Plan, an overview of the design process, and a look at five priority projects, all in different phases: the Computer and Information Science Building (investigation phase), Mardigian Library (conceptual design), Social Sciences Building renovations for the College of Business (schematic design), Administrative Building renovations to support the move of the College of Education, Health and Human Services (design development) and the Renick University Center first floor, which is currently wrapping up construction. Glick shared a few “before and after” renderings and photos, revealing a significantly transformed space complete with a fireplace where students won’t just pass through, but will want to hang out for hours. After the event, many attendees took advantage of tours led by the facilities team and the University Unions and Events office to see the changes in real life.

Executive Director for Facilities Carol Glick gave an update on the Comprehensive Campus Plan.

Concluding the event, which took place on a nearly 40-degree day, Grasso invited attendees to stick around for the Winter Carnival. “We actually have winter this year,” he’d noted earlier in his address. “Sort of.”

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Story by Kristin Palm. Photos by Annie Barker. Watch the recording of the event.

Institutional Advancement

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Mon, 02/03/2025 - 17:40

Chancellor Grasso’s annual address covered enrollment good news and challenges, major research wins, promising student success initiatives and more.

Chancellor Domenico Grasso speaks to a crowd of more than 250 at the 2025 State of the University event.

Regents roundup for December 2024

lblouin — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 18:00:43 +0000

Regents roundup for December 2024 lblouin Mon, 12/09/2024 - 13:00

Chancellor's update

Chancellor Domenico Grasso provided the following university updates:

Began with well wishes and appreciation for outgoing Regent Ron Wesier’s contributions to our England Engineering Lab Building
Shared news of our annual staff awards and 50-year employee John Kaszewski
Thanked President Ono for his visit to the campus’ Natural Sciences Department in November
Provided a fall commencement update
Remarked about faculty media engagement regarding the 2024 presidential election, including 13 current/retired faculty members speaking to 56 media outlets
Recently awarded $1.65 million grant from the Department of Defense to a multidisciplinary team of faculty from our CECS Sustainability Center
News regarding Regent-elect and ��-Dearborn alum Carl Meyers' oath ceremony that will be held on campus later this week

The following personnel appointments were approved:

New appointments of regular instructional staff

Taner Onsay, PhD, Clinical Professor of Mechanical Engineering, CECS, Sept. 1, 2024–April 30, 2025

Xin Xia, PhD, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, CECS, Sept. 1, 2024–April 30, 2027

New appointments of instructional staff represented by the Lecturers’ Employee Organization

Samuel E. Enajero, PhD, Lecturer I in Social Sciences, CASL, Jan. 1–April 30, 2025

The following retirement memoir was approved

Kiumi Akingbehin, PhD, professor of Computer and Information Science in CECS, will retire from active faculty status on Dec. 31, 2024.

FY25 capital outlay request

Finally, the Computer and Information Science Building renovation project was submitted to the State of Michigan for capital outlay consideration. The renovation would address infrastructure and provide updates to the existing building with a small addition to accommodate the program. The estimated cost of this project is $40 million. This project was submitted last year to the state, however, at this time, no projects have been funded for the state’s current fiscal year.

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View the Board of Regents meeting agenda.

Faculty and Staff

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Mon, 12/09/2024 - 18:00

Get details from the December U-M Board of Regents meeting, including the chancellor’s update, new faculty appointments and the FY25 state capital outlay request for the Computer and Information Science Building renovation.

Takeaways from the Oct. 15 Conversation with the Chancellor

lblouin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:59:47 +0000

Takeaways from the Oct. 15 Conversation with the Chancellor lblouin Mon, 10/21/2024 - 08:59

The past few years have been a historically tough time for higher education, but last week’s Conversation with the Chancellor event was full of good news for ��-Dearborn. Enrollment is up. This year’s budget features a small surplus. The university’s capital campaign is off to a solid start. And the university is taking important steps on new initiatives, like broadening its DEI efforts. If you weren’t able to attend the event, we’ve recapped some of the big takeaways below. Or you can watch the full Conversation with the Chancellor.

There’s a lot of good news on enrollment and the university budget

In the past few years, demographic challenges and the pandemic have made it a historically challenging time for higher education, with enrollments declining at hundreds of institutions across the country. ��-Dearborn actually fared better than most universities over the past few years. In 2023, the university even welcomed its largest first-year class. But in 2024, it’s unequivocally good news on enrollment. This year’s incoming class of full-time, first-year students is up 4.7%. Transfer and graduate student enrollment is also up. And for Grasso, the brightest of the bright spots are the 9% increase in the four-year graduation rate over the past three years and the 2% increase in the six-year graduation rate compared to 2023. “Our students are taking more courses, which means that they’re going to graduate faster, which means everything is going in the right direction,” Grasso said.

This encouraging enrollment picture is translating into a healthier university budget. Grasso noted that universities can, and often do, grow enrollment while still losing money because of generous subsidies to student tuition. But at ��-Dearborn, we’ve also increased our net tuition revenue. In fact, for the first time in several years, the university has a small budget surplus.

The capital campaign is off to a solid start

Speaking of money, the university is in the midst of its latest capital campaign, which has been dubbed “Look to Michigan” to highlight the state's potential to solve big-picture societal problems and the vital role higher education plays in that. ��-Dearborn has yet to publicly announce its fundraising goal for the campaign, but Grasso shared that we’ve already raised about $25 million. The public launch of the campaign is Oct. 25 and the university will be hosting a major fundraising event at the newly renovated Michigan Central Station in May 2025.

What ‘institutional neutrality’ means for ��-Dearborn

Grasso also discussed a proposed institutional neutrality bylaw, which the U-M Board of Regents was reviewing at the time of the Oct. 15 Conversation event and ultimately approved at their Oct. 17 meeting. The new policy means the U-M president, members of the president’s leadership team (which includes the Dearborn and Flint chancellors), deans, directors, department chairs and others authorized to speak for the university or an academic unit will not, on behalf of the institution, make public statements on social or political issues that are not directly connected to internal university functions. Grasso noted that his office already has a similar set of principles that inform his public statements, though it has not applied to deans and other university leaders. You can read more about the new institutional neutrality bylaw in this article from The Record. Relatedly, ��-Dearborn recently updated its expressive activities policy, which governs its approaches to things like protests, demonstrations and free speech on campus.

The future of DEI at ��-Dearborn

One of Grasso’s big priorities for 2024-25 is getting the Office of Holistic Excellence off to a good start. Created in early 2024, the office is spearheading diversity, equity and inclusion-related efforts at the university, but Grasso noted its vision is much broader than the traditional scope of DEI. While the university will continue efforts to improve student, staff and faculty demographic diversity on campus, he also wants to focus on measurable initiatives that enable students from diverse backgrounds to develop their full potential and make the university a richer place. “There is a narrative that seems to be on campus that we’re walking away from DEI. Nothing could be further from the truth. We’re doubling down on the essence and foundations of DEI,” Grasso said. “[We want to] understand what individuals are bringing not just by their demographic characteristics, but by their life experiences, their perspectives. This is why this is a more holistic approach.” You can read more about Grasso’s views on DEI in our recent article, “Can we still find a path to civil discourse?”

Other highlights

The Renick University Center’s first floor renovation remains on track to be completed by early next year.
Grasso announced that the Facilities team is putting together a plan for installing natural plantings around the campus parking lots so the front door to the university isn’t a “sea of cars.” You can read more about ideas to improve the front entrance of campus on the comprehensive campus plan.
Could the university’s budget surplus translate into a mid-academic-year bonus? Grasso teased such a possibility (to spontaneous applause). He promised additional details later this year.

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Story by Lou Blouin

Enrollment

Inclusion or Diversity

Off

Mon, 10/21/2024 - 12:59

Couldn’t make last week’s town hall with Chancellor Domenico Grasso? We have a recap of some of Grasso’s takes on enrollment, the budget, the current capital campaign, institutional neutrality and ��-Dearborn's new Office of Holistic Excellence.

Vice Chancellor for External Relations Ken Kettenbeil (left) talks with Chancellor Domenico Grasso in Kochoff Hall on Oct. 15, 2024.

Regents Roundup, December 2023

lblouin — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:26:45 +0000

Regents Roundup, December 2023 lblouin Mon, 12/11/2023 - 09:26

Chancellor Domenico Grasso provided the following university updates:

Fall semester commencement overview, including news of new student name reading software developed by CECS students
Higher Learning Commission re-accreditation clean bill of health for 10 years, a campus first
National Advisory Committee member announced a $1 million gift to the university
Student government introduced the first code of ethics for SG students among the three campuses
New ��-Dearborn social mobility ranking in media outlet

The following personnel appointments were approved:

Reappointments of regular instructional staff and selected academic and administrative staff.

Bryan C. Dadey, vice chancellor for business affairs, Office of Business Affairs, effective February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2027.

Lee A. Freeman, interim chair, Department of Management Studies, COB, effective January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024 (also associate professor of information systems management, with tenure).

Claudia S. Kocher, interim associate dean, COB, effective January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024 (also associate professor of finance, with tenure).

Joint or additional appointments or transfers of regular associate or full professors and selected academic and administrative staff.

Mahesh K. Agarwal, chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, CASL, effective January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 (also associate professor of mathematics, with tenure).

Joint or additional appointments or transfers of regular associate or full professors and selected academic and administrative staff.

Joan C. Remski, associate provost for integrative learning and faculty development, Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2028 (also chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and professor of mathematics, with tenure, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters).

Other personnel transactions for regular instructional staff and selected academic and administrative staff.

Carrie E. Shumaker, vice chancellor for information technology and chief strategy officer, Office of Information Technology effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2026.

New appointments of instructional staff represented by the Lecturers’ Employee Organization

Fadia Cudry, Ph.D., Lecturer I in Physical Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences, CASL, August 28 – December 31, 2023

Carlos C. Engler-Pinto, Ph.D., Lecturer I in Mechanical Engineering, CECS, August 28 – December 31, 2023

Jessica Francis, Ph.D., Lecturer I in Anthropology, Department of Behavioral Sciences, CASL, August 28 – December 31, 2023

Jonathan M. Kaletka, Ph.D., Lecturer I in Biological Sciences, Department of Natural Sciences, CASL, August 28 – December 31, 2023

Isidoro F. Mazzitelli, Ph.D., Lecturer I in Mechanical Engineering, CECS, August 28 – December 31, 2023

Hany M. Othman, DCS., Lecturer I in Computer and Information Science, CECS, August 28 – December 31, 2023

Adoption of Retirement Memoirs and Emeritus Naming

Pankaj K. Mallick, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering in CECS, retired from active faculty status on December 31, 2023.

Subrata Sengupta, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering in CECS, retired from active faculty status on December 31, 2023.

Dongming Zhao, Ph.D., professor of electrical and computer engineering in CECS, retired from active faculty status on December 31, 2023.

Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Outlay Submissions

��-Dearborn submitted the Computer Information Science Building renovation project to the state for funding consideration. The renovation would address infrastructure and provide updates to the existing building with a small addition to accommodate adding programming. The estimated cost of the project is $40 million.

The Regents approved moving forward with the Renick University Center first floor renovations authorizing issuing the project for bids and awarding construction contracts when the university is ready for this phase of the project.

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View the Board of Regents’ meeting agenda.

Off

Mon, 12/11/2023 - 14:25

Get details from the December U-M Board of Regents meeting, including personnel appointments, retirement memoirs and capital project submissions and approvals.

Chancellor Grasso on the past — and his next — five years

lblouin — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 17:50:05 +0000

Chancellor Grasso on the past — and his next — five years lblouin Mon, 02/20/2023 - 12:50

Last Thursday, the U-M Board of Regents extended Chancellor Domenico Grasso’s term to another five years. U-M President Santa J. Ono celebrated Grasso’s reappointment with a ��-Dearborn campuswide celebration on Friday. To a standing room-only crowd, Ono said he’s confident ��-Dearborn will continue to thrive with Grasso’s strategic mind and caring heart. “Beyond the accomplishments, which are many, in your first term . . . what resonated with me is how you made people feel,” said Ono, remarking on his time with Chancellor Grasso and the conversations he’s heard from campus community members. “We’re inspired by you, by this campus and by your leadership, Chancellor Grasso.”

Among those accomplishments: Since 2018 ��-Dearborn research funding has grown exponentially, graduation rates increased and there are record-breaking international student enrollment numbers. In addition, ��-Dearborn reorganized its financial aid model to better support students with the most financial need, the campus' Engineering Lab Building opened and we’ve navigated a pandemic.

Looking ahead to the next five years, Grasso shared with Reporter what he’s learned, the challenges he anticipates and a Judy Garland quote he applies to the ��-Dearborn campus.

One of the lines that stood out from your recent State of the University address was this idea of building a “model 21st-century nonresidential campus.” Could you paint us a picture of what that means to you, and in particular, why the nonresidential part is something we could now view as an asset?

That’s a great question, and I’m still queried about it by different people who have different views of what a university should be like. Part of the answer boils down to numbers. We have enough qualified individuals in southeastern Michigan who live within commuting distance and may not need or want a residential experience to populate our campus to its capacity and have a vibrant experience here. At the same time, we’re seeing that we can easily reach beyond our borders with online education. In terms of substance, my thinking about the 21st-century nonresidential campus draws on what I’m seeing, for example, in California, where people are excited to go to work at a place like Google or Amazon or Apple. They go to work there, they don't live there. But those campuses are very visually attractive and provide nourishing and exciting experiences while people are there. So why can’t we do the same thing?

What’s key to making that work is having activities and opportunities on campus that go beyond just taking classes. Of course, the main attraction will always involve outstanding classroom or laboratory experiences with our terrific faculty, but we want to have experiences that enrich our students' lives in other ways. You’re already seeing some of that, whether it's enhancing our outdoor spaces with the new Adirondack chairs, lawn games or student lounges like the Wolverine Commons. I’ve even asked our folks to explore the idea of sleeping pods, so students could take a nap between classes if they needed to. The idea is students can still have a rich experience with us, but they don't have to stay here at night or on weekends, and can live at home to save money, or live in a city like Detroit or Ann Arbor, if that’s more of the experience they’re looking for.

So you’ve been here five years now. Put us in the time machine and talk about how you were approaching the job then, and some ways in which your views have shifted as a result of getting to know the community better.

When I came here, I had some appreciation for the Dearborn campus, but all of my experiences to that point were on residential campuses. I was at UConn, Smith College, the University of Vermont and then the University of Delaware. They all had beautiful residence halls, especially Smith. Smith had this house system where they had dining in each of the houses and seated meals on Thursday nights. It was almost like being at a country club. When I came here, I saw that as something Dearborn didn’t have. Like many of my predecessors and many of the faculty members and even some students, my thinking was that congregate living would be the next evolution of this campus. But I think this is where that famous quote by Judy Garland applies: “Always be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.” Having been here through the pandemic, seeing the resilience of our students and how they’re successfully fitting this type of college experience into their otherwise full lives, I began to think, why not double down on this? You don’t have to emulate what others are doing to do something great. We can make it an even better experience for the students we serve and differentiate ourselves in ways that appeal to this generation of students.

The other thing I’ve really come to appreciate greatly is the difference that we make in our students' lives. Every president says that — and believes it — but the difference we make in our students' lives is truly remarkable. Because of the demographic groups we serve, when students come in, many seem timid about exploring the potential they have, or maybe even feel like they’re not worthy. By the time they leave, they’re self-confident, they have bright futures ahead of them, they’re changing their lives, the lives of their families, and then giving a hand up to others coming up behind them. That’s just so inspirational. I was somewhat familiar that this was the culture at Dearborn, but to be able to experience that on the day-to-day, that’s just the best feeling.

��-Dearborn Chancellor Domenico Grasso, his wife, Susan Hull Grasso (left), and U-M President Santa Ono (right) pose for a photo at the chancellor's reappointment reception at the Renick University Center. Credit: Michigan Photography

What are some areas you’d point to where we’re in a substantially different place now than five years ago?

Research is certainly one area. I think our faculty have enormous talent, but in the past, we weren’t always supporting them to the extent that they deserved. Now we are, and you’re seeing it pay off in a huge growth in research funding from external sources and in the impact their research is having. I think another area I see a significant shift is student success. We put a lot of new programs in place and our four-year graduation rate grew by 3%. I think we should be extremely proud of that, especially given the challenges universities and students faced over the past few years. Another thing I’m really proud of is the shift in our financial aid strategy to prioritize student need. Affordability is obviously a major factor in whether someone feels like a college experience is within reach, and frankly, I didn’t feel like we were using our financial aid resources most efficiently.

If we were doing this interview five years from now, what’s something you would hope you can add to the list of successes?

I’m hoping we can say that leveraging our 21st century non-residential experience and practice-based learning (PBL) model as differentiators is paying big dividends. I want to be able to say that we’re doing it in the classroom, we’re doing it in communities, and it’s ubiquitous across all disciplines. Our students will still be getting great classroom education, but it’s contextualized in real-world problems and on a beautiful, exciting and engaging campus. Industry and community partners are banging down our doors to be part of our practice-based programs and then hire our students. That’s what I see, and I think we can do it. I think PBL could really become a distinguishing identity of the university. A lot of schools do things like this and call it different things, like co-ops or applied work. Practice-based learning is sort of like that, but it’s a bit different because it’s not just about the experience off campus. Yes, we’ll still have internships and co-ops and other activities off campus. But during classroom time, we’re going to contextualize their work in engaging, collaborative and holistic practical problem solving, so it’s a continuum from the classroom to off-campus and then back to the classroom. This integrated approach is what will differentiate practice-based learning.

It feels like a bit of a tumultuous time for higher education. From your perch, what do you see as our biggest challenge over the next five years, and how can we cope with it?

Without a doubt, the biggest challenge will be the demographic downturn in southeastern Michigan. We’ll simply have fewer college-ready students graduating from high schools, and we, and our peer institutions, will still have the same number of faculty members and seats in our classrooms. We’ll now be competing more directly with each other, and we’ll either fill those seats or some will need to downsize. So we have to offer something that is going to be unique, or, if not unique, something that strongly differentiates us and is going to be worth coming here as opposed to going somewhere else. I think we’re still a terrific bargain, but we’re not that far away from the other public universities in this area in terms of cost. It’s a difference of only a few hundred dollars. So we have to offer something to students that they feel is worth it. Practice-based learning can be that. But of course the other thing that differentiates us is a Michigan degree. That block M is one of the most iconic symbols in all of higher education, in the U.S. and around the world. If you were going to give someone a passport for success, I think a University of Michigan degree would be high on that list of credentials.

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Interview by Lou Blouin. Introduction by Sarah Tuxbury.

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Mon, 02/20/2023 - 17:49

Fresh off his reappointment by the U-M Board of Regents, the ��-Dearborn Chancellor talks candidly about what we’ve accomplished and where we’re headed next.

Credit: Michigan Photography

Takeaways from Chancellor Grasso’s Oct. 19 town hall

lblouin — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:19:51 +0000

Takeaways from Chancellor Grasso’s Oct. 19 town hall lblouin Mon, 10/24/2022 - 12:19

If you feel like it’s “been years” since our last Conversation with the Chancellor event — you’re right! Due to the pandemic, the last time Chancellor Domenico Grasso had a chance to dialogue in-person with the campus community about big issues shaping the university was back in early 2020. Now that we’re in the midst of a more normal semester, the Conversation events are back, and last Wednesday’s covered a lot of ground. In case you missed it, we’ve summarized some of the main takeaways. You can also view the entire one-hour recording on the university’s YouTube channel.

Enrollment is mostly a good news story

With the exception of one area, which we’ll get into below, there is a lot to feel good about in the Fall 2022 enrollment numbers. Growth in graduate education is one of the biggest bright spots: Compared to Fall 2021, master’s enrollment jumped more than 20%, bolstered by our largest ever incoming class of international students. One other pleasant surprise: After being down for the past several years, transfer student enrollment shot back up more than 6%. That’s our first increase since 2017. The one not-so-great number was among FTIAC students (First Time In Any College), where enrollment dropped 7.3%. As you probably know, this isn’t totally surprising: Michigan has an aging population, and there are simply fewer high school seniors than there used to be. Overall, enrollment decreased by just 1 percent compared to last year, and new students were up 1.2 percent. Two other positive data points: Our four-year graduation rate increased by 3 points to 33%; and due to some changes in our financial aid strategy, net tuition revenue increased by 9%.

The university’s financial standing is strong

That net tuition increase is important because tuition makes up roughly 80% of university revenue. But other numbers also demonstrate ��-Dearborn’s increasingly strong financial footing. University reserves have more than doubled since 2018 and now stand at $38 million. “This is still less than where we should be for a university of our size and budget,” Grasso said. “But we’re on the right track. We’ve never had this level of reserves in the past, and now, if we do encounter downturns, we won’t be as negatively affected.” Earlier this year, our endowment also reached an all-time high of $86 million, though Grasso noted that because of the recent slide in the stock market, that number is a bit less now. External research awards also reached a historic high, topping $11 million. That is more than double 2018’s number, and the percentage of federal awards has risen from 35% to 65%. Internal awards to support faculty research climbed to $400,000 — double 2021’s total. There is good news on the development side as well. Our current capital campaign has already raised $16.5 million; this year’s Giving Blue Day was the biggest ever, raising $130,000; and the total number of donors giving to ��-Dearborn increased by 35% compared to last year.

We’re making steady progress on our strategic plan

��-Dearborn is continuing to implement initiatives from our Go Blueprint for Success strategic plan. On the academic side, the provost is working on an effort to transition many courses to a 4-credit format. This would allow faculty to teach fewer courses overall and devote more time to scholarly work — and give students fewer courses to focus on each semester. On the business side, Business Affairs began implementing its responsibility-centered management (RCM) budget model for fiscal year ‘23. “This model moves the responsibility to the units, so the deans will have more financial management control over their units,” Grasso said. “They’ll be responsible for revenue generation, and they’ll also be responsible for expenses. They’ll have much more control over their destiny with this new model.” In the area of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), we appointed two inaugural Inclusive Excellence Fellows; completed a DEI Climate Survey, with results expected this fall; and are hosting several guest lecturers and Thought Leader sessions relating to DEI.

In-person campus life is perking up

With the worst of the pandemic apparently behind us, it’s fascinating to watch which aspects of our lives are returning to normal and which may have undergone a paradigm shift. There are still lots of questions when it comes to the nature of work and campus life. But regarding the latter, Dean of Students Amy Finley said students are showing a lot of enthusiasm for a return to in-person activities. “For example, on Victors Link, where our student organizations go to submit their events, between now and the end of the term, we have 286 events and 80-85% are in-person events,” Finley said. Foot traffic at the University Center and Campus Involvement Hub have also ticked up — as have checkouts of the free lawn games. Participation at events, including the Homecoming dance, Cardboard Boat Race and the Homecoming tailgate, has also been strong. When it comes to work, Grasso said the university continues to provide a lot of flexibility and hybrid opportunities. The new Common Days policy has brought more faculty and staff to campus on Mondays and Thursdays, restoring the lively feel many missed during the height of the pandemic. A Future of Work Task Force is also developing a more comprehensive set of recommendations and will be holding focus groups so faculty, staff and students can share their ideas.

Best of the rest

Chancellor Grasso got a chance to meet with new U-M President Santa Ono, who has expressed interest in a tighter relationship with the regional campuses. Ono will visit ��-Dearborn on Friday, Dec. 9.
External Relations is working on a brand refresh and new recruitment and advertising campaigns for 2023.
The University Center will be officially renamed the James C. Renick University Center in a ceremony on Nov. 17. ��-Dearborn is also commissioning an oil painting in honor of the accomplished ��-Dearborn chancellor, which will be on display at the UC.
��-Dearborn student-athletes are on a tear! The volleyball team’s Brooke Wetherill currently leads the nation in blocks per set. The men's cross country team has two second-place finishes this year and the women's team has two third-place finishes. In a new Big 10 regional campus rivalry, the men's and women's basketball teams are set to take on Penn State-Schuylkill at the Crisler Center on Dec. 20
Apparently the donuts at the Conversation with the Chancellor event were very good. Chancellor Grasso has promised donuts at every event — if it will help encourage people to turn out. We don’t think he was kidding.

###

Want more details from the Oct. 19 Conversation with the Chancellor? You can watch the full one-hour event on the ��-Dearborn YouTube channel.

Strategic Planning

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Mon, 10/24/2022 - 16:19

Couldn’t make last week’s Conversation with the Chancellor event? We’ve broken down the big news on enrollment, strategic plan progress, hybrid work policies and more.

New policy focuses on maintaining campus safety

stuxbury — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 02:36:21 +0000

New policy focuses on maintaining campus safety stuxbury Mon, 10/10/2022 - 22:36

Employees identified as campus security authorities (CSAs) are required to report information about crimes to the university.

This is an obligation under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crimes Act. The Clery Act requires colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to maintain and disclose crime statistics and security information to the public.

A new U-M policy — Standard Practice Guide 601.91, Clery Act Compliance — outlines the expectations of the U-M Division of Public Safety and Security and CSAs under the Clery Act. It applies to the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses.

“The new policy increases awareness of the important role DPSS and CSAs have in maintaining campus safety and security,” said Eddie Washington, executive director of DPSS. “While employees identified as campus security authorities have an obligation to share information with campus police under the Clery Act, all members of the U-M community are encouraged to report any information about crime.”

DPSS/��-Dearborn DPS shares crime statistics publicly in an annual security report each October. The types of crimes covered include sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, stalking, theft and aggravated assault.

��-Dearborn DPS conducted a Campus Security Authority identification project, which identified all CSAs for the campus. All CSAs have been notified of their roles and responsibilities to train and report. Collaboration with DPSS/��- Ann Arbor is underway in establishing the new robust process to continue to identify, notify, train and track employees.

As noted under the policy, CSAs are required to complete annual training to help them understand their role and how to report information on crime to the university. The training is available through My LINC and needs to be completed annually.

Training for the CSAs was made available this summer. If there are employees who have not completed the training, ��-Dearborn Clery Compliance Coordinator Celia Robinson will work with the appropriate dean, director or department head to ensure compliance.

CSAs include:

All DPSS/��-Dearborn DPS personnel
Other individuals who have responsibility for campus security, but who do not work for DPSS/��-Dearborn DPS (including contracted security providers)
Officials who have significant responsibility for student and campus activities outside of the classroom, such as all deans, department chairs, directors, coaches, advisers to sponsored student organizations and anyone involved with children on campus. Faculty with no other leadership obligations generally are not CSAs

The new SPG policy was developed with input from the Clery Compliance Workgroup, including DPSS, the Office of the General Counsel and national experts on Clery Act compliance.

Note: CSAs are different than IROs.

CSAs differ from individuals with reporting obligations, known as IROs, who also have a responsibility under the U-M Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy to report information about certain crimes to the university.

IROs are required to share information with the Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX office about alleged prohibited conduct under U-M policies, and include university administrators and supervisors and employees in certain designated positions and units or departments. Wondering if you are an IRO? Check out this chart.

Public Safety (Police)

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Tue, 10/11/2022 - 02:35

U-M has developed a new process to identify, notify, train and track employees who have responsibility under federal regulations to report certain crimes to the university.

A look at Fall 2022 enrollment

stuxbury — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 23:57:19 +0000

A look at Fall 2022 enrollment stuxbury Mon, 09/26/2022 - 19:57

The Fall 2022 numbers are in. New student enrollment is up, and so are ��-Dearborn’s graduation rates.

The university saw its top new student enrollment gains among master-level students (+20% compared to Fall 2021), with campus’ largest incoming international student class to date. In addition, ��-Dearborn’s overall international population is the highest recorded in campus history with more than 1000.

On the undergraduate side, ��-Dearborn saw a 6.6% growth in transfers — the first increase since 2017.

“We are seeing that we’re a popular choice among new students who see the benefits of commuting, flexibility and a Michigan degree,” said Vice Provost of Enrollment Management Melissa Stone. “Not only do they see the value in a ��-Dearborn education, they also see the benefit of completing their degrees and doing it within four years.”

With improved completion rates, there are some strong trends in enrollment that campus leadership is excited to continue to build upon in the coming years. As Chancellor Domenico Grasso reported to the U-M Board of Regents last week, the four-year graduation rate for First Time In Any College (FTIAC) students saw an increase of 3% over the prior year, and the transfer three-year completion went up 3.7%.

“We continue to implement the priorities derived from and identified during our strategic planning process. Our focus on enrollment is reflective of this important work,” Grasso said. “I recognize and thank our dedicated faculty and staff team for their hard work during this post-pandemic period. These results are reflective of a team effort.”

One strategic change was a transition to a block-rate tuition model, where undergraduate students who take 12 credits or more per semester pay the same flat rate. This encourages full-time enrollment and faster completion. Undergraduate students taking full course loads — which often leads to a more focused graduation path — was 76.3% in 2022, compared to 75.1% in 2021 and 74.5% in 2020.

Not only does this benefit students, it also helps Michigan create a prepared 21st century workforce and stay economically competitive. To close the current skills gap and prepare residents of the state for jobs today and in the future, the governor’s office is leading an initiative to increase the number of working-age adults with a skill certificate or college degree from 49% today to 60% by 2030.

“College education reaches beyond just preparing one individual — it is a transformative experience that impacts families and entire communities,” Stone said. “The university will continue developing innovative ways to support highly qualified, talented and motivated students to succeed in a 21st century workforce.”

The university continues to attract students in the southeast Michigan region, with strong representation from Wayne (4,657 students), Oakland (954 students), Macomb (353 students) and Washtenaw (478 students) counties.

But even with all the good news, total enrollment is slightly down (1%) compared to last year. Fall 2022 ��-Dearborn enrollment is 8,224 students (6,117 undergraduates, 2,107 graduate-level), compared to 8,331 in 2021.

There are several reasons why there weren’t overall enrollment gains even with a larger Fall 2022 class. Stone noted that the university is still rebuilding from smaller prior year classes, especially in the transfer pipeline. There also is a new trend of high school students delaying starting college, as reflected with a 79% increase in deferrals compared to last year.

There’s also the above-mentioned Fall 2022 data that shows more ��-Dearborn students are finishing faster. “Graduating our students quicker is a good thing — yes, it decreases enrollment, but it shows that we are successful in our mission,” Stone said.

��-Dearborn’s retention rates are stable and the focus continues to be on implementing innovative strategies to further enhance college readiness and student success.

Provost Gabriella Scarlatta said that an important part of making a ��-Dearborn education accessible and navigable is providing support to students once they arrive. “The university is prioritizing support services such as college preparation and resource guidance, identified in our strategic plan,” she said.

To help students realize their graduation goals in a timely fashion, the university offers resource-connecting initiatives like the Wolverine Mentor Collective, and scholarships like the Dearborn Comeback and the Go Blue Guarantee. Last year 1200 students took advantage of the Go Blue Guarantee, a free tuition program for high-achieving students in families earning $65,000 or less. This year, 374 more Go Blue Scholars joined the Dearborn Wolverine community. ��-Dearborn also provides extensive financial aid support to students outside of the program.

“Chancellor Grasso asked that we ensure our financial aid model focuses our institutional funds on those students who need it the most,” Stone said. “We are dedicated to access and affordability. We’ve since adopted a need-first financial aid model to make a ��-Dearborn education more affordable for traditionally underserved populations.”

Another way to keep focused on access — but ensure that there’s the needed educational foundation — is by creating cohesive pipelines with two-year colleges.

Stone said the university recently launched its Destination Dearborn program, which provides enhanced resources and support to incoming community college students in order to prepare them early in their academic journey for their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.

“Many students gain experiences in community colleges that prepare them with foundational skills needed to succeed at ��-Dearborn and attain their dream jobs,” Stone said. “By developing intentional partnerships with these colleges, we can engage with students early and guide them on their pathway to earning a University of Michigan-Dearborn degree.”

Scarlatta said students attend ��-Dearborn to seize opportunities for a better life and the campus has faculty and staff giving their all to help these students reach their goals.

“We know this education can change the trajectory of our students’ lives,” she said. “We will continue to work toward positive outcomes. Our campus provides a plethora of academic support, from our learning centers, to advising, tutoring and supplemental instruction. Moreover, this year, we are collectively focusing on students’ mental health in order to help them prosper in the classroom and in life.”

Get more information on ��-Dearborn’s Fall 2022 enrollment and trends.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

Academic Excellence

Enrollment

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

College of Business

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Undergraduate Admissions

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Mon, 09/26/2022 - 23:55

��-Dearborn welcomed a higher percentage of new students to campus this semester, along with a record number of international students.

Regents Roundup, July 2022

stuxbury — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 05:52:59 +0000

Regents Roundup, July 2022 stuxbury Tue, 07/26/2022 - 01:52

Chancellor Domenico Grasso provided the following updates at the public July 21 meeting:

Pride points and overview of ��-Dearborn since many in the audience were less familiar with the Dearborn campus.
Recent awards of ��-Dearborn-��-Flint Collaborative Research Funding Program.
Naming of the University Center in honor of James Renick, the university’s fourth chancellor.

The Regents approved the following personnel actions:

Reappointments of regular instructional staff and selected academic and administrative staff.

Suzanne L. Bergeron, Helen Mataya Graves Collegiate Professor, CASL, effective September 1, 2022 through April 30, 2023 (also professor of women’s studies, with tenure, and professor of social sciences, with tenure).

Stein Brunvand, associate dean, CEHHS, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2027 (also professor of education, with tenure).

Sven Morgan, chair, Department of Natural Sciences, CASL, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 (also professor ofgeology, with tenure).

Lee S. Redding, interim associate dean, COB, effective September 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 (also Chair, Department of Accounting and Finance, and Associate Professor of Business Economics, with tenure).

Joan C. Remski, chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, CASL, and Letters, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 (also professor of mathematics, with tenure).

Karen S. Strandholm, Interim Chair, Department of Management Studies, COB, effective September 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 (also associate dean, and associate professor of strategic management, with tenure).

Armen Zakarian, chair, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, CECS, effective September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023 (also vice provost for research, and professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, with tenure).

Joint or additional appointments or transfers of regular associate or full professors and selected academic and administrative staff.

Francine Banner, chair, Department of Behavioral Sciences, CASL, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 (also professor of sociology, with tenure).

Christopher J.F. Burke, chair, Department of Education, CEHHS, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 (also associate professor of science education, with tenure).

Lisa A. Martin, chair, Department of Health and Human Services, CEHHS, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 (also associate professor of health and human services, with tenure, CEHHS, and professor of college-wide programs, with tenure, CASL).

Yunus E. Zeytuncu, associate dean, CASL, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025 (also associate professor of mathematics, with tenure).

Committee Appointments

��-Dearborn College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters Executive Committee: Pamela J. Aronson, three-year term, September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025; Wessam MH. Elmeligi, three-year term, September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025, and Kelly A. Jabbusch, three-year term, September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025

��-Dearborn College of Business Executive Committee: Yi-Su Chen, three-year term, September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025, and Claudia S. Kocher, three-year term, September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025.

College of Education, Health, and Human Services Executive Committee: Kim Killu, three-year term, September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025.

��-Dearborn College of Engineering and Computer Science Executive Committee: Jie Shen, three-year term, September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025.

Retirements

Kamalesh Kumar, Professor of Business Administration, with tenure, Department of Management Studies, COB, June 30, 2022.

Rashmi Luthra, Professor of Communications and Composition, Department of Language, Culture and Communication, with tenure, CASL, April 30, 2022.

The university’s 2024-2025 academic calendar was approved.

View the entire Board of Regents’ meeting agenda.