Faculty and Staff / en What does an Institutional Review Board do? /news/what-does-institutional-review-board-do <span>What does an Institutional Review Board do?</span> <span><span>lblouin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-06-30T13:41:36-04:00" title="Monday, June 30, 2025 - 1:41 pm">Mon, 06/30/2025 - 13:41</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>Faculty research is a time-consuming endeavor — even in the planning stages. Researchers have to invest hundreds of hours in finding good ideas, vetting them for originality, researching funding programs, writing proposals and hiring research assistants. And for any study that involves human subjects, researchers have one more to-do: Submitting their project to be reviewed by someone from one of two main Institutional Review Boards at U-M — or possibly the entire board if the work involves tricky ethical issues. Elizabeth Molina, the U-M research compliance specialist with the IRB Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences who handles all initial IRB review applications coming from faculty, postdocs and student researchers at -Dearborn, says IRB reviews involve carefully evaluating all aspects of a proposed research project. The goal is to make sure the methodology complies with federal and state regulations, ethical principles and U-M specific policies designed to protect the rights and welfare of human participants involved in research conducted by faculty, staff and students on U-M’s three campuses. An IRB will then give the researcher a green light or a rejection, or request changes to their project to bring it into compliance. Notably, an IRB always has a diverse mix of people, including non-scientists and community members, so that complicated issues can be evaluated from a variety of perspectives. Sometimes, if a study is reviewed by the full board, researchers and study teams are invited to the review sessions so they can work through tricky issues as a group.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In practice, Molina says her work with the IRB involves navigating a lot of nuances with consent and privacy issues. Sometimes, a review might be super quick. “The first thing we actually look for is if the work involves something that the IRB needs to review,” Molina says. “For example, if a faculty member wants to survey students in their class solely to inform their own teaching practice and not to generalize or disseminate the findings beyond their classroom, then IRB approval is not required,” Molina says. But if the faculty member envisions they might use the results down the road in a research project, then Molina would work with them to make sure they’re, say, obtaining consent in a way that complies with regulations. Depending on what a research survey is about, a review could get more or less involved. A survey asking people about what method they use to heat their homes would require a lower level of review. But if a researcher is asking people about a more sensitive subject, like their personal participation in illegal activity, then the methodology for collecting responses and how the researchers manage and present the data would have to be more carefully thought out. The goal is to ensure that nothing compromises a participant’s anonymity or inadvertently creates adverse consequences for the person.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Nuance is baked into Molina’s work. After all, it’s the nature of research to investigate novel territory, and tricky test cases are essentially how the boundaries of ethical systems get defined and refined. Moreover, while some IRB rules, like those regarding children in medical studies, are more specific, Molina says many regulations are intentionally broad and open to interpretation so they can be inclusive of a wide variety of cases. For straightforward projects, Molina can conduct a regulatory and administrative review of the application herself and communicate with the researcher or study team if she needs any additional information. If the research is “exempt,” meaning it’s research that presents minimal risk to participants and falls under specific exemption categories defined by regulations, then she can issue the approval once any issues are resolved. If a study does not meet any of the exemption categories, she refers it to another reviewer, typically an expert in the subject matter, who assesses the risk and can issue an approval. However, if the study presents more than minimal risk or there is a complicated ethical question, Molina will bring it to the IRB staff for discussion to confirm that it should go to the full board for review. The full board typically discusses three to five studies a month. Only the full board can issue a disapproval, which Molina says is rare.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>There are all kinds of tricky situations, especially regarding consent. For example, Molina says if researchers want to observe people without their knowledge, or not tell a participant everything up front, the IRB would review the proposal carefully. In some cases, the IRB can approve a waiver or alteration of informed consent, but only if the study poses no more than minimal risk, doesn’t affect participants’ rights or welfare, and couldn’t be done otherwise. When possible, participants are debriefed afterward and given the option to withdraw their data once they know the full details of the study. However, Molina says there are rare cases where debriefing might actually cause more harm than good. “For example, if someone was included in a study for an embarrassing reason, or finds out they were part of a study without knowing, it could cause distress, lead to mistrust in the research process or the researchers, and discourage future participation,” she says. Moreover, if the research involves children or teenagers, the study team has to obtain consent from both the parents and the kid (referred to in the later case as “assent”). “But there may be circumstances where it would be risky to obtain parental consent,” Molina says. “Let’s say you wanted to talk with teenagers about their sexual orientation. Asking the parents if the child could participate in the research might be risky for that teenager. In situations like that, the researcher could request a waiver of parental permission, because the benefits of doing so could outweigh the risks.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The gray areas and subtleties are essentially limitless. If a study involves observing people in a public space, that might not require consent, because people don’t have the same expectations of privacy. But if the setting were a semi-public space, like a workplace, that’s going to require a higher level of IRB review. “Or let’s say you’re recruiting participants in a public space, but you’re recruiting for an HPV study. Are participants going to feel comfortable coming to you, and are you taking steps to protect their privacy?” Molina says. Because there are so many nuances, Molina encourages researchers to reach out to talk through any questions they have before submitting their projects to the IRB for an official review. She also conducts monthly IRB “On-the-Road” sessions, where researchers can connect with her on Zoom to talk through issues, or even ask questions about the admittedly not-the-most-user-friendly eResearch software researchers use to submit their projects for review. “People often don’t know what they need to provide us, or what a particular question is asking, or the level of detail we need to provide an evaluation of risk,” she says. “Or, for approved standard studies, they might not know that if they change something on their flyer or their consent form, even something that seems small, like changing your phone number or adding a QR code, that requires an amendment. So a conversation clarifies that. That’s one reason I do the On-the-Road sessions. That way, people can meet me and see that I’m not intimidating. I’m not the police. You can tell me about your challenges and we can try to figure them out together.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>###</span></p><p><em>Want to learn more about what the IRB does and its review process? Check out the&nbsp;</em><a href="https://hrpp.umich.edu/irb-health-sciences-and-behavioral-sciences-hsbs/"><em>IRB Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences website</em></a><span>.&nbsp;</span><em>Have questions for Molina about an upcoming project? Faculty and students can reach out directly at&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:molinael@umich.edu"><em>molinael@umich.edu</em></a><em> or attend an upcoming IRB On-the-Road session.</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-research" hreflang="en">Faculty Research</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/graduate-research" hreflang="en">Graduate Research</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/university-wide" hreflang="en">University-wide</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-06-30T17:40:56Z">Mon, 06/30/2025 - 17:40</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>If a research study involves human subjects, it has to go through an Institutional Review Board evaluation. But -Dearborn’s IRB liaison, Elizabeth Molina, wants faculty, staff and students to see her as a partner, not the ethics police.</div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-06/elizabeth-molina-1360x762-72dpi.jpg?h=9e4df4a8&amp;itok=KROSDjhS" width="1360" height="762" alt="Elizabeth Molina stands for a portrait in front of a historic building on a college campus"> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <figcaption> Elizabeth Molina, a U-M research compliance specialist with the IRB Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences, handles all initial IRB application reviews coming from faculty, postdocs and student researchers on the -Dearborn campus. </figcaption> Mon, 30 Jun 2025 17:41:36 +0000 lblouin 319986 at Office of Research update for July 2025 /news/office-research-update-july-2025 <span>Office of Research update for July 2025</span> <span><span>lblouin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-06-30T08:46:18-04:00" title="Monday, June 30, 2025 - 8:46 am">Mon, 06/30/2025 - 08:46</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <h3 dir="ltr"><strong>External Awards Received</strong></h3><p dir="ltr"><strong>Principal Investigator: </strong>Joe Lo, Mechanical Engineering&nbsp;<br><strong>Project Title:</strong> Influence of hypoxia on the antiviral functions of human intestinal epithelial cells<br><strong>Sponsor: </strong>National Institutes of Health subaward (via University of Florida)<br><strong>Amount:</strong> $283,010</p><p dir="ltr"><span>The low oxygen environment (hypoxia) in the gastro-intestinal tract is fundamental for the preservation of the commensal microbiota and the maintenance of gut homeostasis. How hypoxia impacts the ability of intestinal epithelial cells to respond to enteric viruses is unknown and this constitutes the core question of this project. In collaboration with the University of Florida, Lo’s team at -Dearborn will develop a radial microfluidic gradient platform for modeling gut villi hypoxia. The device will be verified using a conventional fiberoptic oxygen probe for the initial design. The results of this study will inform the development of novel therapeutics targeting cellular responses to hypoxia to treat enteric pathogens, as well as for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases which is accompanied by oxygen-dysregulation in the gut.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Announcements</strong></h3><p dir="ltr"><strong>New Research Security Training Requirement for Certain Proposals</strong></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Effective May 1, 2025, certain sponsors (e.g., Department of Defense, Department of Energy) require research security training to be completed</span><em> within 12 months prior to submitting</em><span> a funding proposal (check the terms and conditions of the proposal for any such training requirements.)&nbsp;</span><a href="https://maislinc.umich.edu/core/pillarRedirect?relyingParty=LM&amp;url=app%2fmanagement%2fLMS_ActDetails.aspx%3fActivityId%3d495395%26UserMode%3d0"><span>Follow this link to complete the Research Security Training course requirement&nbsp;</span></a><span>&nbsp;(ICH login and password required.)</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Research security training is listed as one of four elements of a Research Security Program required by National Security Presidential Memorandum 33, issued on Jan. 14, 2021, to safeguard our research ecosystem. The "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022," Section 10634, codifies the requirement for research security training for federal research award personnel in public law. See more at the </span><a href="https://www.energy.gov/ia/research-security-training-requirement"><span>Department of Energy’s website</span></a>.</p><p dir="ltr"><strong>Research Events in July</strong></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://medresearch.umich.edu/events/waivers-alterations-and-alternative-forms-informed-consent/2025-07-09"><strong>IRBMED - Waivers, Alterations, and Alternative Forms of Informed Consent</strong></a><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Presented by IRBMED, a unit of the Medical School Office of Research, this course offers an overview of some special situations relating to informed consent. Specifically, waivers and alterations of informed consent, waivers of documentation of informed consent, and obtaining consent from non-English speakers</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 2:30-3:30 p.m., virtual</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://medresearch.umich.edu/events/waivers-alterations-and-alternative-forms-informed-consent/2025-07-09"><span>Register here</span></a></li></ul></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://michr.umich.edu/enhance-your-community-engaged-research-with-the-fast-pace-toolkit-a-three-part-virtual-training-series/"><strong>Community-Engaged Research with the FAST PACE Toolkit: A Three-Part Virtual Training Series</strong></a><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>The FAST PACE Toolkit is a proven resource for fostering equitable and effective community-academic partnerships, particularly in crisis situations. This three-part virtual training series will equip researchers, community members, and practitioners with the skills and knowledge to:</span><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Build strong, trusting relationships with community partners</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Develop community-driven research protocols</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Navigate ethical considerations in community-engaged research</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Translate research findings into actionable solutions</span></li></ul></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Session 3: Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 3-5 p.m., virtual</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://michr.umich.edu/enhance-your-community-engaged-research-with-the-fast-pace-toolkit-a-three-part-virtual-training-series/"><span>Register here</span></a></li></ul></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://michr.umich.edu/responsible-conduct-of-research-rcr4k-summer-2025/"><strong>MICHR - Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR4K) Summer 2025</strong></a><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>RCR4K is a seminar that is designed to meet the requirements of the NIH K-23, or any federal or non-federal career development grant. The 5-session (10 hour) seminar is mostly interactive, practice-based, and focused on addressing RCR issues (ethics, integrity, and regulatory matters) that have arisen in the course of your own funded research. It’s relevant, interactive, and includes mentoring from experienced faculty.</span><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Session 2: Thursday, July 17, 2025, 9-11 a.m. - Research integrity: falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Session 3: Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, 9-11 a.m. - Authorship &amp; Plagiarism</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Session 4: Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, 9-11 a.m. - Clinical Trial Design: The Support Trial</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Session 5: Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, 9-11 a.m. - Public Health Research, and Research with data and specimens: Henrietta Lacks and the Common Rule debate</span></li></ul></li><li dir="ltr"><span>-Ann Arbor North Campus Research Complex, Bldg. 300, Room 376</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://michr.umich.edu/responsible-conduct-of-research-rcr4k-summer-2025/"><span>Register here</span></a></li></ul></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://ttc.iss.lsa.umich.edu/ttc/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fttc.iss.lsa.umich.edu%2Fttc%2Fsessions%2Fresearch-impact-metrics-and-visualizations-using-scival-database%2Fregister%2F"><strong>Webinar:</strong><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span><strong>Research Impact Metrics and Visualizations Using SciVal Database</strong></a><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Looking for an efficient way to analyze a large group of publications? SciVal allows researchers to explore topic analysis, co-authorship networks and citation-based metrics to track trends and learn more about groups of papers that interest you.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>This introduction to SciVal will demonstrate how to create a group of papers (e.g., by authors, topics, or other characteristics) and help researchers select metrics appropriate for determining impact. SciVal can help answer questions such as: How are researchers collaborating? What attention are my articles receiving as compared to similar articles worldwide? Researchers can also refer to the Library&nbsp;</span><a href="https://guides.lib.umich.edu/researchimpact"><span>Research Impact Assessment guide</span></a><span>, which includes the importance of using both qualitative and quantitative input when considering the impact of research articles.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://ttc.iss.lsa.umich.edu/ttc/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fttc.iss.lsa.umich.edu%2Fttc%2Fsessions%2Fresearch-impact-metrics-and-visualizations-using-scival-database%2Fregister%2F"><span>Register here&nbsp;</span></a><span>for a SciVal webinar, presented July 21, from noon to 1 p.m.</span></li></ul></li></ul><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Research Resource Highlight: iThenticate</strong></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>Every month, the Office of Research features a resource and/or tool that is available for researchers. This month we are featuring&nbsp;iThenticate.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>To help the U-M research community foster and uphold the highest ethical standards in research and creative practice, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) secured an institutional license for iThenticate. -Dearborn researchers can use the plagiarism detection software to help ensure that, in the process of advancing their research and creative practice, they do not inadvertently source others’ work without appropriate reference or repurpose their previously published work in a way that violates publication license.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>iThenticate compares submissions against a comprehensive database of web and scholarly content, including 190 million subscription sources and 81,000 journal articles. OVPR is pleased to provide free access to this tool to the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses. Information about accessing iThenticate can be found on the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://t.e2ma.net/click/7ws8gy/bgqy317/3psoy0j"><span>research compliance website</span></a><span>.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr"><strong>Upcoming Funding Opportunities</strong></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>The Office of Research maintains a list of selected funding opportunities, organized by college on our website under&nbsp;</span><a href="/research/office-research/announcements-office-research"><span>Announcements</span></a><span>. In addition, we encourage you to check out the Hanover Research subject area calendars with funding opportunities which we upload on a regular basis to&nbsp;</span><a href="/research/office-research/announcements-office-research"><span>our website</span></a><span>.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Please refer to&nbsp;</span><a href="https://research.umich.edu/fed-research-blog/"><span>OVPR’s Tracking Federal Changes 2025 page</span></a><span> for more information and updates related to the Trump administration's changes to federal research funding.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Use the updated&nbsp;</span><a href="https://researchcommons.umich.edu/"><span>U-M Research Commons</span></a><span> to look up internal (to U-M) funding opportunities and Limited Submission opportunities open to Dearborn researchers.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Contact the -Dearborn Office of Research if you would like more information about submitting a proposal to any of the programs.&nbsp;</span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-research" hreflang="en">Faculty Research</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/office-research" hreflang="en">Office of Research</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-06-30T12:44:38Z">Mon, 06/30/2025 - 12:44</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>See whose work is getting funded, browse the calendar of upcoming research events and learn about ways to support your work.</div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-06/NewsHeader_OfficeOfResearch.jpg?h=9e4df4a8&amp;itok=f2zTCYEB" width="1360" height="762" alt="A graphic with a navy blue background displaying the logo of the -Dearborn Office of Research"> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:46:18 +0000 lblouin 319985 at Big changes, familiar faces /news/big-changes-familiar-faces <span>Big changes, familiar faces</span> <span><span>lblouin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-06-30T08:08:32-04:00" title="Monday, June 30, 2025 - 8:08 am">Mon, 06/30/2025 - 08:08</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>When Santa Ono announced on Sunday, May 4 that he was stepping down as president of the University of Michigan, it came as a surprise to most. Even fewer people would have predicted the cascade of leadership changes that would roll through -Dearborn in the coming days. By Wednesday that week, -Dearborn Chancellor Domenico Grasso had been tapped to serve as U-M's interim president, which prompted Grasso to schedule a conversation with -Dearborn Provost Gabriella Scarlatta. At that meeting, Scarlatta recalls Grasso matter-of-factly informing her that he’d “like (her) to be interim chancellor.” For a split second, Scarlatta says she wasn’t sure she felt ready. “Of course, I was shocked. But then I got taken over by incredible pride, knowing that our chancellor was going to be president,” she says. “This is only good for Dearborn. So, of course, I’m going to do it. It’s going to put us on the map.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Scarlatta’s move to interim chancellor set off a wave of leadership changes. Shortly after her conversation with Grasso, she called College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean Ghassan Kridli, who was en route to his son-in-law’s medical school graduation at Wayne State University, to ask him to take over as interim provost. Kridli said ‘yes,’ which left a vacancy at the top of CECS. Armen Zakarian, vice provost for research and dean of graduate studies, stepped up to take that spot, after which Joan Remski, associate provost for faculty development and digital learning, was asked to fill Zakarian’s role. Stein Brunvand, associate dean and director of graduate programs for the College of Education, Health and Human Services, agreed to step into Remski’s position, with Professor of Education Susan Everett filling Brunvand’s post. Then, in another twist, Vice Chancellor for External Relations Ken Kettenbeil shared that he would be going to Ann Arbor as well, to serve as a senior advisor for Grasso’s interim term. Casandra Ulbrich, vice chancellor for institutional advancement, raised her hand to temporarily head ER, while continuing in her current role. And Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy Bailey Ayers-Korpal and Director of Communications Kristin Palm took on additional responsibilities in ER. Rima Berry-Hung, senior director of human resources, also assumed additional duties as senior advisor to the chancellor, along with her current role.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>On paper, that sounds like a lot of leadership churn. But both Kridli and Scarlatta say that everything has gone very smoothly thus far — something they attribute to the fact that everyone in the -Dearborn leadership team is very used to working together. They both cheekily pointed out that neither one of them had to get a new boss. “I’m happy and proud that we can handle this internally, and I think it says a lot that everyone essentially said, ‘Yes, of course, for Dearborn,’” Scarlatta says. “So we’re all helping each other and cheering for each other. Plus, we’re all thinking, it’s only for a year, so we can all do it.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Scarlatta says the current plan is that everyone will return to their previous roles once a new chancellor is named and that the transition would likely happen in spring or summer 2026. She adds that she intends to give her next 11 months or so on the job everything she’s got. In some ways, she says the chancellor’s role is taking her out of her comfort zone. In particular, she notes how “external facing and Ann Arbor facing” her new position is compared to the provost’s. She’s now the one attending weekly leadership meetings in Ann Arbor, communicating with the regents and flying across the country to meet with alumni and donors. On campus, she’s bringing her highly collaborative style to the senior leadership meetings and plans to continue her “Walk and Talk” events so anyone from the campus community can share ideas directly with her. Scarlatta says she’s frankly been a little surprised by how much the new role seems to suit her, given how much she enjoyed the more behind-the-scenes vibe as provost.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Scarlatta and Kridli also know that sitting back and simply keeping the trains running on time until the next chancellor arrives isn’t really an option. The current national political environment has created a swirl of unpredictability in higher education on a variety of fronts. Right now, Scarlatta and Kridli are particularly attentive to cuts to federal research funding and the challenges facing international students. “We worked for years to obtain&nbsp;</span><a href="/news/um-dearborn-earns-r2-research-designation"><span>R2 status</span></a><span>, and now we’re there. So how do we sustain that as NSF funding is being slashed?” Kridli says. “It’s also an issue of faculty morale. They’re working hard but maybe they’re not able to get the results they expected. So we need to be thinking about a different paradigm and figure out how to evaluate and reward them given this new environment. They’re not going to be punished because of politics — absolutely not.” In practice, Scarlatta and Kridli say that means things like supporting faculty if they need to pivot to a different research focus, which can take time. Or helping them find other ways they can use their expertise to make an impact, say, through community partnerships. “The question we can be asking ourselves is, how do we advance the reputation and standing of -Dearborn?” Kridli says. “And we can do it through published research, foundations, industry and community partnerships, and staying open to other approaches. The important thing is we make an impact.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Scarlatta says, at least at the moment, international students, who make up approximately 10% of the student population at -Dearborn, have reason to be a bit more optimistic. In May, the Trump administration halted scheduling new visa interviews for international students. But recently,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-visas-trump-social-media-6632a2c585245edcd6a63594345dd8c7"><span>the administration reopened the process</span></a><span>, albeit with new requirements that students must undergo reviews of their social media accounts. Scarlatta says her team isn’t taking anything for granted. Earlier this spring, the university began reaching out to international students to provide extra support, proactively informing them of changing federal policies and visa deadlines, as well as granting automatic deferment for students who aren’t able to get their paperwork in order by the start of the fall semester. Fortunately, Kridli says a recent survey revealed that the vast majority of respondents are still moving forward with their plans to study at -Dearborn in 2025-26. Kridli and Scarlatta say it will also be a priority to make sure both international students and domestic students, say, from immigrant communities, who might feel uneasy in the current political environment, feel at home on campus. “We should not tolerate aggression against anybody. We are all human beings first,” Kridli says. “There is a lot that feels beyond our control. But we control who we are and how we are with each other.”&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Even if the politics were more hospitable, Scarlatta and Kridli say they would still have their hands full this year. The colleges are in the midst of a major initiative to expand online programs. The regents recently approved an expansion of the&nbsp;</span><a href="/go-blue-guarantee"><span>Go Blue Guarantee</span></a><span>, which, along with other aid programs, would mean that 94% of -Dearborn undergraduate FTIAC students will receive enough aid that their remaining obligations, commonly met through loans or work-study, are less than $2,000 a year. And Kridli says every college needs to make preparations for the ever-expanding influence of artificial intelligence, which is&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/ai-jobs-college-graduates.html"><span>rapidly reshaping the job market, particularly for entry-level positions sought by college graduates</span></a><span>.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Given all this, Scarlatta and Kridli both think the -Dearborn community is fortunate to have a team of people at the helm who are caring and capable, know each other well, enjoy working together and remain committed to Grasso’s philosophy of “mission first, people always.” And, like many on campus, they are celebrating having the first -Dearborn chancellor in the president's office.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>###</span></p><p><em>Story by&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:lblouin@umich.edu"><em>Lou Blouin</em></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/administration-governance" hreflang="en">Administration &amp; Governance</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/leadership" hreflang="en">Leadership</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/university-wide" hreflang="en">University-wide</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/chancellor" hreflang="en">Chancellor</a></div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/provost" hreflang="en">Provost</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-06-30T12:06:33Z">Mon, 06/30/2025 - 12:06</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>Interim Chancellor Gabriella Scarlatta and Interim Provost Ghassan Kridli talk about the whirlwind of leadership changes at -Dearborn this spring and why the transition has been mostly smooth sailing.</div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-06/gabriella-ghassan-1360x762-72dpi.jpg?h=9e4df4a8&amp;itok=Xj9tDYlN" width="1360" height="762" alt="Headshots of Interim Chancellor Gabriella Scarlatta and Interim Provost Ghassan Kridli"> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <figcaption> In May, Gabriella Scarlatta (left) was named interim chancellor and Ghassan Kridli was named interim provost at -Dearborn. </figcaption> Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:08:32 +0000 lblouin 319984 at Regents roundup for June 2025 /news/regents-roundup-june-2025 <span>Regents roundup for June 2025</span> <span><span>lblouin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-06-16T11:38:05-04:00" title="Monday, June 16, 2025 - 11:38 am">Mon, 06/16/2025 - 11:38</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <h3><span>Budget approval</span></h3><p><span>The university’s FY2026 budget was </span><a href="/default/um-dearborn-fy26-budget-approved-june-12-regents-meeting"><span>approved</span></a><span>.&nbsp;</span></p><h3><span>​​</span>Interim Chancellor Gabriella Scarlatta provided the following university updates:</h3><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>In April, -Dearborn was&nbsp;</span><a href="https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/carnegie-classification/classification-methodology/2025-student-access-and-earnings-classification/"><span>recognized as an “Opportunity University”</span></a><span> in the Carnegie Foundation’s new “Student Earnings and Access Classification”</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>There have been several additional executive transitions, following President Grasso’s new appointment:</span><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Ghassan Kridli, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is serving as interim provost</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Armen Zakarian, vice provost for research, is serving as interim dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Associate Provost Joan Remski is serving as interim vice provost for research</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Stein Brunvand, associate dean in CEHHS, is serving as associate provost for faculty development and digital education</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Chancellor Scarlatta noted the spirit of cooperation and camaraderie on the -Dearborn campus and expressed gratitude to everyone who has stepped up during this leadership transition</span></li></ul></li></ul><h4><strong>Personnel Appointments</strong></h4><p dir="ltr"><span><strong>The following reappointments were approved:</strong></span></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Mahesh Agarwal, chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, CASL, effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 (also associate professor of mathematics, with tenure)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Lisa Martin, chair, Department of Health and Human Services, CEHHS, effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 (also professor of health and human services, with tenure, CEHHS, and professor of collegewide programs, with tenure, CASL)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Yunus Zeytuncu, associate dean, CASL, effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 (also professor of mathematics, with tenure)</span></li></ul><p dir="ltr"><span><strong>The following joint or additional appointments or transfers of regular associate or full professors and selected academic and administrative staff were approved:</strong></span></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Stein Brunvand, interim associate provost for digital learning and faculty development, effective May 15, 2025 (also professor of education, with tenure, CEHHS)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Susan Everett, interim associate dean, CEHHS, effective June 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 (also professor of education, with tenure.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Joan Remski, interim vice provost for research and dean of graduate studies, effective May 15, 2025 (also professor of mathematics, with tenure, CASL)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Nitya Sethuraman, chair, Department of Behavioral Sciences, CASL, effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028 (also associate professor of psychology, with tenure)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Armen Zakarian, interim dean, CECS, effective May 13, 2025 (also professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, with tenure)</span></li></ul><p dir="ltr"><strong>Adoption of retirement memoirs</strong></p><ul><li><p dir="ltr"><span>Daniel E. Little, professor of philosophy, CASL, -Dearborn; professor of sociology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and professor of public policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, -Ann Arbor, June 30, 2025. The regents named Daniel E. Little professor emeritus of philosophy, professor emeritus of sociology, professor emeritus of public policy and chancellor emeritus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn.</span></p></li><li><p dir="ltr"><span>Brian Patrick Green,&nbsp;professor of accounting, COB, June 30, 2025. The regents named&nbsp;Brian Patrick Green professor emeritus of accounting.</span></p></li><li><p dir="ltr"><span>Karen Strandholm,&nbsp;associate professor of strategic management, COB, June 30, 2025. The regents named&nbsp;Karen Strandholm associate professor emerita of strategic management.</span></p></li></ul><h4><strong>Other</strong></h4><p dir="ltr"><span>-Dearborn’s 2027-2028 academic calendar was approved.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>###</span></p><p dir="ltr"><em><span>View the Board of Regents’ meeting&nbsp;</span></em><a href="https://regents.umich.edu/meetings/agendas/june-12-2025/"><em><span>agenda</span></em></a><em><span>.</span></em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/administration-governance" hreflang="en">Administration &amp; Governance</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/chancellor" hreflang="en">Chancellor</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-06-16T15:36:11Z">Mon, 06/16/2025 - 15:36</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>Get details from the June U-M Board of Regents meeting.</div> </div> Mon, 16 Jun 2025 15:38:05 +0000 lblouin 319900 at A 30-year family story continues on campus /news/30-year-family-story-continues-campus-0 <span>A 30-year family story continues on campus</span> <span><span>stuxbury</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-06-04T14:16:09-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 4, 2025 - 2:16 pm">Wed, 06/04/2025 - 14:16</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>This Father’s Day will be Security Officer Stephen Sersen’s first since retiring from -Dearborn. He gave 35 years of service to the university — and, in return, -Dearborn became a big part of the Sersen family story.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“This place is my home away from home. I worked with some of the finest officers in public safety, I had a fulfilling career and I watched my daughter grow up here,” said Stephen, who retired in summer 2024. “What’s not to love?”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>His daughter Julianne attended the Early Childhood Education Center when it was in the Henry Ford Estate cottages in the 1990s. As Stephen went about his workday, he’d see her playing on campus or getting pulled in a wagon while on walks.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“I have these memories seeing their faces peeking over the side of a wagon with their class. It was pretty incredible that I got to experience that while at work,” he said. After a pause, Stephen continued with a smile, “But I’d have to be careful when I was patrolling that Julianne didn’t see me. If she did, she'd want to come with me.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>While sitting next to her dad at the Renick University Center recently, 2019 alum Julianne added: “I’ve always been a bit of a daddy’s girl. I’m glad that we got the chance to work on campus together before he retired.” Julianne is a -Dearborn student enrollment services coordinator.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Shortly before Father’s Day, the father-daughter duo — who worked at the university together before Stephen’s retirement — met up on campus. Stephen saw his daughter’s renovated office area in the Renick University Center. The day of the visit also happened to be his 60th birthday. “I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday, I’m at a place that I called home for over 35 years and with my daughter,” he said.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Inspired by her dad’s stories of campus, Julianne said working at -Dearborn was a goal of hers. When she was younger, she recalled her dad coming home from work and talking fondly about the people he met on campus. He’d share stories about helping students walk safely to their cars and the friendships he made with the people he worked with, and talk about how both diversity of thought and respect for one another coexisted on campus.</span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“I love this place. There are so many points of view here,” Stephen said. “We learn so much from each other. Even with different thoughts, cultures and religions, everybody treats each other with respect. I know from being a security officer how safe it is. We all peacefully coexist at -Dearborn. There are important lessons that people in power could learn from the students, faculty and staff here. It really is a special place and it really does shape you as an individual.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Julianne said in addition to her dad’s words and life lessons, she also had many happy memories of heading to A&amp;W for a root beer with her dad, taking walks on EIC trails or having lunch together in the RUC cafeteria. Stephen often chose the pepperoni pizza, while Julianne went for a sandwich and soup combination, especially when the soup du jour was chicken tortilla. And, when off campus, they often attend concerts and sporting events together — U2 is a family favorite — and cheer for the home teams. They plan to watch the Tigers play the Reds on Father’s Day.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Stephen’s wife of 36 years, Patricia, was his original -Dearborn connection. “Patricia and I were high school sweethearts at Thurston (in Redford). She is the one who really introduced me to -Dearborn. I’d visit her on campus when she was an education student. I’ve been on campus pretty regularly since the early ’80s,” he said. “After we got married in 1989, Patricia saw there was a posting for a security officer on campus. I applied and the rest became a part of my family’s history.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Julianne said her preschool years and their overlapping work years weren’t the only time she and her father spent time together on campus. In grade school, Julianne and her older sister Rachel attended many Bring Your Child to Work Day events with their dad. And, after high school, Julianne enrolled at -Dearborn, graduated, and is currently pursuing her MBA. Prior to starting her job at -Dearborn in 2023, Julianne worked at -Ann Arbor as a community center manager.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“I couldn’t be more proud of her. I’m proud of both of my daughters,” said Stephen, noting that Julianne helps connect students to college opportunities and Rachel, who graduated from Schoolcraft College, works in special education. “Both of them have careers where they are helping others.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>It’s been nearly 30 years since Julianne held her dad’s hand while walking into preschool on campus. She thinks about his impact on her life regularly. And she credits him with her love for her career and her connection to the university.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“My dad has been my rock, my superhero,” Julianne said. “Throughout life, he has been there every step of the way. Every heartbreak, every celebration. I hope to be just like him.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>After a pause, he replied, “You are like me — only better.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Article by&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:stuxbury@umich.edu"><em>Sarah Tuxbury</em></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/college-arts-sciences-and-letters" hreflang="en">College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters</a></div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/public-safety-police" hreflang="en">Public Safety (Police)</a></div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/staff-senate" hreflang="en">Staff Senate</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-06-10T18:13:37Z">Tue, 06/10/2025 - 18:13</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>Retired Security Officer Stephen Sersen and daughter Julianne’s -Dearborn connection has spanned decades — from his 35-year job at the university to hers today.</div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-06/Sersen%20Fathers%20Day.jpeg?h=99224294&amp;itok=LVkzin5Q" width="1360" height="762" alt="-Dearborn staff members Julianne and Stephen Sersen, a father-daughter campus duo"> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <figcaption> Father-daughter duo Julianne Sersen and Stephen Sersen are pictured in the Renick University Center. Photo by Annie Barker </figcaption> Wed, 04 Jun 2025 18:16:09 +0000 stuxbury 319782 at Remembering John Kaszewski /news/remembering-john-kaszewski <span>Remembering John Kaszewski</span> <span><span>stuxbury</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-06-02T07:29:04-04:00" title="Monday, June 2, 2025 - 7:29 am">Mon, 06/02/2025 - 07:29</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>There’s a Siberian husky calendar on the wall in the Facilities Operations building. Every year, John Kaszewski — a 50-year -Dearborn employee who delivered mail across the university — replaced it with an updated edition. Even after he retired earlier this year, Kaszewski would come back to the office to see his friends and flip the calendar page.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“John loved dogs. John had an American Eskimo and, most recently, a Siberian husky. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't show a picture or two or talk about them. He would share stories, pictures or videos,” says Mail Services Manager Bonnie Southerland, who worked with Kaszewski for 40 years.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>But, in June, Southerland changed the month. Kaszewski, who retired as Mail Services’ motor vehicle operator in January, died May 9, aged 68.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“This has to be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do,” Southerland says when talking about Kaszewski for this article. “I just wish John could have enjoyed his retirement. We are sure going to miss John greatly.”&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Kaszewski started at -Dearborn in September 1974 when he was 17, graduating high school only months before. He first worked in the university cafeteria and, not too long after, shifted over to work as the Mail Services motor vehicle operator in the Facilities Operations department.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“John never looked back. This was his forever job,” Southerland says. “John handled the shipping and receiving and deliveries on campus. Over the years, he delivered so many packages that he knew how to identify things by heart. He would sometimes announce what the package was to the surprise of the recipient before he even handed the package over to them. John was an all-around good guy — always pleasant, kind, sincere, smiling and willing to lend a helping hand.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Last November, Kaszewski was honored for his 50 years of service at the Chancellor's Staff Recognition Awards. The audience gave him a standing ovation.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Kaszewski was one of the first people Southerland met at -Dearborn when she began four decades ago. She says he was a wealth of information at that time and his campus knowledge only grew over the years. “Many times when someone new was hired, John would give them the history of the buildings or would just tell them something he saw in his time here,” she says. “John never wanted to take time off as he loved his job and was just that dedicated. He enjoyed the campus atmosphere and people he worked with over the years. I miss John. We all miss his warm heart and smile.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Outside of work and his huskies, Kaszewski loved being an uncle and great uncle, as well as fishing and watching rocket launches and air shows.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Here is a link to his&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.vermeulenfh.com/obituaries/johnny-kaszewski/#!/Obituary"><span>obituary</span></a><span> — it’s straightforward and family-focused, just like Kaszewski’s nature&nbsp; — for people who may want to share a memory.</span></p><p><em>Article by&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:stuxbury@umich.edu"><em>Sarah Tuxbury</em></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/facilities-operations" hreflang="en">Facilities Operations</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-06-02T11:27:50Z">Mon, 06/02/2025 - 11:27</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>Longtime staff member John Kaszewski, who retired in January after 50 years at the university, passed away May 9. He was 68.</div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-06/John%20Kaszewski%2C%2050-yeaer%20staff%20member.jpg?h=9e4df4a8&amp;itok=6nRus7Gi" width="1360" height="762" alt="Photo of John Kaszewski, a 50-year staff member, who passed away May 9, 2025"> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <figcaption> John Kaszewski, left, was honored at the Chancellor’s Staff Recognition Awards Ceremony in November, where he received a standing ovation. He is pictured with then-Chancellor Domenico Grasso. Photo by Annie Barker </figcaption> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 11:29:04 +0000 stuxbury 319739 at New faces, new responsibilities for Department of Public Safety /news/new-faces-new-responsibilities-department-public-safety <span>New faces, new responsibilities for Department of Public Safety</span> <span><span>kbourlie</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-05-28T09:55:12-04:00" title="Wednesday, May 28, 2025 - 9:55 am">Wed, 05/28/2025 - 09:55</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>-Dearborn’s Department of Public Safety is in the midst of a significant transformation. Over the last year, DPS has increased its workforce by hiring six more officers, with plans to hire an additional six officers by August 2025.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>&nbsp;As the University of Michigan system branches into new locations — such as the Marygrove Learning Community in Detroit — Dearborn DPS’ responsibilities have expanded across Wayne County. DPS officers currently provide service to Marygrove in conjunction with the Detroit Police Department, with DPS officers responding from the Dearborn campus during the day and working on site overnight. The department plans to transition to round-the-clock coverage at Marygrove to provide consistent service and build essential relationships within the community. “As U-M expands our presence in Wayne County, there's a potential that we would support more areas as well,” notes Deputy Chief Paul Tennies. This could include the U-M Center for Innovation in Detroit which is expected to open in spring 2027.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>DPS’ primary focus, however, will remain the Dearborn campus and its affiliated programs. With funding from Ann Arbor to facilitate its expansion, “we're getting more service, more people, and without any impact to service or budget for our campus,” Tennies says.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>With increased staff and responsibilities comes new equipment and upgraded technology. This includes advanced radio systems, computer-aided dispatching, and installation of physical security systems, like security cameras at Marygrove.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>With many new faces in the department,&nbsp;</span>Reporter<span> chatted with three DPS employees who were recently hired or promoted about what led them to a career in law enforcement and why they chose to serve at -Dearborn.&nbsp;</span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <h3><strong>Deputy Chief Paul Tennies</strong></h3><figure role="group" class="align-left"> <img alt="Headshot photo of Paul Tennies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6a0e0484-b189-47cf-a092-5c54ce3adb75" height="301" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Tennies%20headshot.jpg" width="260" loading="lazy"> <figcaption>Deputy Chief Paul Tennies</figcaption> </figure> <p dir="ltr"><span>Joining the -Dearborn Department of Public Safety in April 2024 as a captain — and recently promoted to deputy chief — Tennies brings with him more than 20 years of experience in law enforcement. While Tennies has spent the bulk of his career with Northville Township, retiring in 2021 from his role as the chief of police, his journey in law enforcement started right here at -Dearborn. While a student in the behavioral sciences program, Tennies got a campus job — and soon after a full time offer — as a security officer with Campus Safety. He transferred to Ann Arbor, working in hospital security and at the campus police department. He ended up leaving -Dearborn for a program that enabled him to get his associate’s degree and police certification simultaneously.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>After completing the police academy at Schoolcraft College, Tennies was hired by Northville Township in 2002. “Like most cops, I did a little bit of everything. I was a patrol officer, a field training instructor, investigator, undercover officer with the DEA and the state police, and then held leadership positions across the organization and retired as chief of police,” he says.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In his day-to-day role with the department, Tennies serves as the operations commander responsible for “scheduling, hiring, personnel, issues, strategy, budget — kind of everything but the kitchen sink,” he says. DPS’ growth in recent years — not just in size but expectations — has brought both challenges and opportunities.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“The department is about 50 years old, starting as a security agency, and is moving into a full service law enforcement agency. That requires a lot of effort to make sure that we're in line with some of our other partners who have been doing police work for 75 to 100 years. We’re embracing that challenge, supporting our team to make sure that they have what they need to be successful,” says Tennies. “The benefit of working in a university environment is we typically have the ability to put the time and effort into situations that sometimes you don't get to in cities just based on volume. We're able to build relationships and work to find solutions with a lot of resources that the university has invested.”</span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <h3><strong>Sergeant Sean Murphy</strong></h3><figure role="group" class="align-left"> <img alt="Sergeant Sean Murphy in uniform sitting in a patrol car, smiling at the camera." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="05b81fbd-76bd-4666-b460-73101711a7c8" height="312" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/4_3.jpg" width="554" loading="lazy"> <figcaption>Sergeant Sean Murphy</figcaption> </figure> <p>&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr"><span>While Sergeant Sean Murphy has been with the Department of Public Safety for 10 years, his connection to campus goes back even further. A CASL alum, Murphy graduated with his bachelor’s in political science and criminal justice in 2013. After receiving his diploma, Murphy attended the police academy before joining the Canton Township Police Department. After about a year, Murphy came back to work on -Dearborn’s campus as a public safety officer.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“I think because I went to school here as an undergrad, it's interesting to see how much has changed and how much has stayed the same since I was a freshman,” he says. “Seeing a lot of familiar faces that I've built relationships with since 2008 and seeing their journey is rewarding.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Murphy earned his second diploma from -Dearborn in December after graduating with his master of public administration and policy. He was also recently promoted to sergeant. Building relationships with staff and students is something Murphy prioritizes in his role.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“We recognize that sometimes people need help with things that aren't necessarily criminal or law related. I think that our officers really take the time to interact and help our campus community in ways that typically you don't think of a police officer doing,” says Murphy. “The way I think of it is something that could take us five minutes could completely change the course of someone's day and be the make or break of whether that person's having a good day or not. And I think that we have a really good group of officers who recognize that.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Murphy emphasized, however, that he wants the campus community to feel comfortable engaging with him and other officers anytime — whether they need assistance or just want to chat.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“It doesn't have to be someone having a bad day or a victim of a crime. We want to have the relationships where if you see us in the UC, you can stop and talk to us about non-police related matters like sports or whatever else is going on,” he says.</span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <h3><strong>Public Safety Police Officer Quentin Maxey</strong></h3><figure role="group" class="align-left"> <img alt="Police Officer Quentin Maxey wearing a badge and a friendly smile stands in front of a University of Michigan-Dearborn banner." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f72d7fc2-6dea-474c-a84c-478b8fe828dc" height="312" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_2.jpg" width="554" loading="lazy"> <figcaption>Public Safety Police Officer Quentin Maxey</figcaption> </figure> <p dir="ltr"><span>From a young age, Quentin Maxey knew he wanted to be a police officer. “My mom will tell you and validate that, at a very early age, I always wanted to be a police officer, from dressing up in police costumes for Halloween and watching a lot of the old sitcoms of cops. This was my chosen profession from a very young age,” says Maxey. He also drew inspiration from his grandfather, Gilbert Maxey, the first African American police officer in Indianapolis.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Maxey’s career began in 1995 at the Detroit Police Academy. After graduating, he rose through the ranks, working in various divisions including gaming, bicycle patrol and as a shift lieutenant in downtown Detroit. After retiring from the Detroit Police Department, Maxey joined the -Dearborn Department of Public Safety in September of 2024, bringing with him almost 30 years of law enforcement experience.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>For him, transitioning from the bustling streets of Detroit to the slower pace of the -Dearborn campus isn't a retirement job, but a fulfilling second career. Maxey says his favorite part of the job is being there to help — even with something as simple as a vehicle lockout or retrieving a left-behind item.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“We had a student who lost his coat, and I was instrumental in helping him relocate it. His winter jacket had some pretty valuable items inside — obviously, his wallet, his personal ID – but he actually had his dad's house keys, who resides in the City of Cleveland. So to be able to unite the jacket with the student who called for our service was very rewarding,” says Maxey.&nbsp;</span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <h3><strong>DPS is available 24/7, 365</strong></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>All three officers had the same message when it comes to safety on campus: If something doesn’t seem right, notify Public Safety right away. While people may hesitate to call because they do not want to be a bother, Tennies says it is the complete opposite. “We would much rather you call and it be nothing than not hear about something and not be able to support the community,” he insists.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Adds Murphy: “We're here, 24/7, 365. There's always someone here, no matter the day or the time, and our main focus is your safety. So if they ever need anything, reach out to us and have us assist.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><em><span>Story by </span></em><a href="mailto:kbourlie@umich.edu"><em><span>Kathryn Bourlier</span></em></a>. <em>Photos by </em><a href="mailto:bannie@umich.edu"><em>Annie Barker</em></a><em> (Deputy Chief Tennies photo courtesy of Paul Tennies)</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/public-safety-police" hreflang="en">Public Safety (Police)</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-05-28T13:53:52Z">Wed, 05/28/2025 - 13:53</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>DPS has scaled up with more staff and modern technology. Find out what it means for our campus — and beyond. </div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-06/Untitled%20design%20-%202025-05-29T112940.474_0-500x.jpg?h=700c5488&amp;itok=e-yM9tSf" width="1360" height="762" alt="Public Safety badge with the University of Michigan Dearborn logo on a door."> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <figcaption> Photo by Annie Barker </figcaption> Wed, 28 May 2025 13:55:12 +0000 kbourlie 319694 at A bond strengthened through love, advocacy and -Dearborn /news/bond-strengthened-through-love-advocacy-and-um-dearborn <span>A bond strengthened through love, advocacy and -Dearborn</span> <span><span>stuxbury</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-05-08T12:10:00-04:00" title="Thursday, May 8, 2025 - 12:10 pm">Thu, 05/08/2025 - 12:10</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>Graduate program coordinators Sherry Boyd and Rebekah Awood have each worked in -Dearborn’s College of Engineering and Computer Science for decades. They have the same role at the college, but are responsible for different programs. And their offices are, literally, five steps away from each other.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Awood, a 2001 alum who started working at -Dearborn in 2005, and Boyd, who started at CECS in 1998, are a good team. They love their students. They travel together. They spend holidays together. And they share a family bond: They are mother and daughter.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“But I don’t call her ‘mom’ at work — that would be a little weird for people who didn’t know that I’m her daughter,” Awood says with a smile. “We are a lot alike. We are both detail-oriented, methodical and practice empathy. Of course we love each other, but we genuinely like each other, too. I am fortunate to have that with my mom.”&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>For Mother’s Day, Awood took her mom to Sheeba restaurant, which serves Yemeni Mediterranean cuisine — Boyd’s pick. They both had it for the first time at a CECS holiday party a couple years ago. “The food is so good. One of the best things I received from working here is what I have gained from meeting people from different cultures,” Boyd says. “You learn about people, food, places, traditions and celebrations. I came here from a Baptist background and now have a Shiva statue in my office. Through my co-workers and students, I’ve learned so much — I’m always learning something new. It keeps me young. Well, feeling young anyway.”&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Awood says CECS graduate students — especially the international students — often see her mom as their mom, too. Boyd has attended a student’s wedding in Morocco. She met an alum’s new baby at Naamkaran, a Hindu baby-naming ceremony. And she listens when they come to her in difficult times — like health scares, domestic violence situations and financial hardships.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“Our job is to keep our students on track for graduation. But what we do here goes beyond academics,” Boyd says. “I have impressed upon all of my students that this is your life — and you need to make the choices for your life. Don’t let life happen to you. You have support and options, even when the situation feels impossible.” Without missing a beat, Awood adds, “We will create a safe space for you. We are here to listen and we also know there are&nbsp;</span><a href="/admissions-aid/graduate-admissions/admitted-graduate-students/new-graduate-student-orientation-1"><span>great resources on campus</span></a><span> and in the community.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Sitting at a table in her daughter’s office, Boyd talks about how instrumental supportive people have been in her own journey. “I had a friend who saved my life and saved my children’s lives,” says Boyd, who is a mother of six, with Awood being the oldest. There’s also Jeremy, Rachel, Joanna, Julia and Sarah — in that order. “This wonderful friend listened, she cared and she helped me escape from an abusive relationship,” Boyd says. “We are sitting here today because of her. One person who listens and advocates for you can make all the difference. That was more than 30 years ago. But I live my life with that in mind.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Through Boyd’s first husband, she was a member of the Independent Fundamental Baptist church. Boyd, who grew up in Dearborn Heights, met and married her ex-husband as a teenager. She moved out of Michigan at his insistence and he slowly separated her from parents, friends and family. They belonged to several IFB churches including the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana, which is featured in the 2023 HBO docuseries, “</span><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29926213/"><span>Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals.</span></a><span>” Boyd says she and the children were surrounded with messages of racism and sexism, as well as physical abuse. “When I voiced my concerns to church leaders, they told me to pray for him, to stop complaining and being bitter. I was told the worst thing possible for my children was divorce,” Boyd says. “I didn’t know to what extent he was physically abusing the children — he threatened them with more beatings if they told me. When I realized what was going on, I needed to leave. I needed to save my kids.”&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Sitting across from her mom, Awood recalls the day their new life began. “It was the summer before I turned 13. My mom woke me and said we were leaving. We snuck away. The abuse from my dad — physical, mental and emotional — was so bad that it’s hard for people to even comprehend when we’ve been through,” says Awood, her eyes welling with tears. “My mom got us away from that.” Awood helped her mom gather her siblings, who were ages infant to 10, and their belongings.</span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <figure class="captioned-image inline--left"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2025-05/Family%20Photo1-500x.jpg" alt="CECS staff member Sherry Boyd and her children in the early 1990s. They escaped from a cult."> <figcaption class="inline-caption"> In the early 1990s, Sherry Boyd and her children took a family photo after starting their new life in Michigan. </figcaption> </figure> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>They left their Indiana home and stayed with the aforementioned friend, who helped them make arrangements to move to Michigan, where Boyd’s parents still lived. In addition to her friend in Indiana, Boyd says Wayne County’s </span><a href="https://www.firststep-mi.org/"><span>First Step</span></a><span>, a domestic violence crisis center and shelter, supported the family by giving them a safe space to reside and assisted them in the transition to living in Michigan. State resources from Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services — which provided some food, child care and shelter costs — gave Boyd the help needed to become independent.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“My mom and I are bonded. Not a trauma bond, but a close supportive one that has been forged by fire,” Awood says. “As an adult, I think how she must have felt as a parent in that situation. We are both very maternal. Family means everything to her and to us.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>After the move, Boyd started school at Schoolcraft Community College. The campus was within walking distance from her new home. “I don’t know if I fully believe in Providence any more, but that worked out in our favor,” she says. “I got an associate’s degree and that really helped me in this new life I was creating for us.” That degree led to a support staff position at an accounting office.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Awood says her mom was vocal about the importance of earning an education: “She told us that we weren’t allowed to get married until we had earned a college degree. She saw how important it was in her own life.” Awood listened. She was admitted to -Ann Arbor, but decided to enroll at -Dearborn. It was closer to home and she liked the smaller size. “Our campus feels so approachable and welcoming. It felt right and it was — I loved my time here,” says Awood, who did a study abroad trip to Valencia, Spain, worked as a student at the Early Childhood Education Center and has met people from all walks of life. “I was isolated for a large part of my childhood and grew up hearing about the importance of sameness. There was a lot of talk about white supremacy. That didn’t sit well with me even as a child — at what shade of tan, beige or brown do we become different? It didn’t make any sense,” Awood says. “I got to see how wrong those racist teachings were when I was a student here. On campus, so many people from a variety of places and backgrounds came together. We helped each other with our goals. We cared for each other. Diversity is beautiful and it’s what makes us stronger.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Hearing about her daughter’s positive experiences at -Dearborn, Boyd started looking for job opportunities at the university. Then one day in 1998 — through a newspaper ad — she found one: A $12-per-hour five-month temporary administration position in the -Dearborn Alumni Office. Boyd applied and was hired. “I saw it as a way to get in the door so they could get to know me,” she says.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>When that ended, Boyd was hired for a position in CECS — her work home for the past 27 years. First hired in the college’s co-op office, she worked there for about a year and a half. Then she was hired in the Department of Interdisciplinary Programs in 2000 as an administrative assistant. Boyd’s role has evolved over time to her current position as an automotive engineering and data science graduate student coordinator.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>After Awood earned her bachelor’s degree in international and Hispanic studies in 2001, she began working at a southwest Detroit nonprofit organization where she helped connect low-income families to child care and other needed resources. She enjoyed the job, but there were concerns about the organization closing due to a lack of state funding.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>So just as Awood inspired her mom to look for a job at -Dearborn because of her good experience as a student, Awood started to look for a position at the university because of her mom’s positive experience as an employee. Awood was hired as a mechanical engineering graduate student coordinator in 2005. But she didn’t work directly with her mom until 2017, when CECS’ Department of Interdisciplinary Programs — where Boyd worked — was dissolved and one of its programs was absorbed by the mechanical engineering department.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Awood says working at -Dearborn has given her more than a great career. She also met her now-husband, Brian, in 2005 through her job. He was a -Dearborn information technology staff member.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Sitting in Awood’s office, the two women are surrounded by photos of children — including Awood’s children, Ben and Abby, and her nieces and nephews; thank you cards from students and a picture of a vacation cottage on Lake Huron. They are all reminders of the life they enjoy, the family they have and the memories they continue to build at -Dearborn and beyond.</span></p><p><em>Story by&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:stuxbury@umich.edu"><em>Sarah Tuxbury</em></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/college-engineering-and-computer-science" hreflang="en">College of Engineering and Computer Science</a></div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/staff-senate" hreflang="en">Staff Senate</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-05-08T16:08:24Z">Thu, 05/08/2025 - 16:08</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>Two CECS colleagues, Sherry Boyd and Rebekah Awood, share a connection that goes beyond working together for 20 years — they are mother and daughter.</div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-05/05.13.25%20Mother%27s%20Day.JPG?h=8c16923b&amp;itok=qcbsSBHY" width="1360" height="762" alt="CECS graduate coordinators Sherry Boyd and Rebekah Awood are more than 20-year colleagues: They are mother and daughter. Photo by Annie Barker"> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <figcaption> Graduate program coordinators Sherry Boyd and Rebekah Awood are mother and daughter in addition to colleagues. Photo by Annie Barker </figcaption> Thu, 08 May 2025 16:10:00 +0000 stuxbury 319579 at The Administration Building and Social Sciences Building are getting makeovers /news/administration-building-and-social-sciences-building-are-getting-makeovers <span>The Administration Building and Social Sciences Building are getting makeovers</span> <span><span>lblouin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-04-23T08:24:20-04:00" title="Wednesday, April 23, 2025 - 8:24 am">Wed, 04/23/2025 - 08:24</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>Moving the College of Business and College of Education, Health and Human Services, both now housed in the Fairlane Center, to the main campus is one of the key parts of -Dearborn’s current&nbsp;</span><a href="https://campusplan.umdearborn.edu/"><span>Comprehensive Campus Plan</span></a><span>. If all goes according to schedule, the faculty and administrative staff from CEHHS will make a move to what’s now the Administration Building in time for the Fall 2026 semester. (The building will also likely get a new name!) By late the following year, COB plans to take up residence in a renovated Social Sciences Building, much of which has been vacant ever since the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters brought its social science faculty to the CASL building a couple years ago, though some classes are still taught there.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Facilities teams will be kicking off one of the first big steps in that process in just a few weeks when they relocate administrative staff from the AB to temporary offices in the SSB in order to make way for construction teams. Director of Facilities Planning and Construction Emily Hamilton, who’s overseeing both projects, characterizes this as a more “modest” renovation than the recent overhaul of the Renick University Center’s first floor. But like that project, one of the guiding principles is to do a lot more within the same amount of space.&nbsp;Business Affairs will consolidate Financial Services and Student Accounts into the existing suite. All other administrative departments within the AB — the Chancellor’s Office, Provost’s Office, Office of Research, External Relations, Institutional Advancement and Alumni Engagement, and Human Resources —&nbsp;will be consolidated into the east wing of the building, making the west wing available for CEHHS.&nbsp;Hamilton says to accomplish that, the design teams are taking advantage of hybrid and remote work schedules, a dramatic decrease in the need for paper file storage, and shared reception areas, which have left many units needing less physical space. This new administrative wing of the building is also gaining a kitchen, a flexible meeting room space, a few flex offices and a copy room, all of which can be used by any of the administrative units.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Most of the renovation budget is being funneled into the CEHHS wing of the building, where&nbsp;the plan calls for new faculty offices, a dean’s suite, a college-level advising office, two classrooms, open student collaboration and lounge spaces, and several multipurpose spaces that faculty and staff can use for meetings or lunch breaks. Hamilton says that if the budget allows, the team is also planning to update the underutilized open space in the middle of the building. Cosmetically, the interior is getting new paint, carpet, ceilings and some modern sliding office doors like those in the renovated RUC, which save a lot of space compared to conventional in-swing doors.&nbsp;</span></p><figure role="group"> <img alt="A rendering of an open collaboration area in the renovated Administration Building. Credit: Neumann/Smith Architecture" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b82be935-5f03-47f3-b648-2ebfc825810e" height="1250" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/AB-rendering2.jpg" width="2048" loading="lazy"> <figcaption>A rendering of an open collaboration area in the renovated Administration Building. Credit: Neumann/Smith Architecture</figcaption> </figure> <p dir="ltr"><span>The renovation of the SSB is currently in the early design phase, but Hamilton says they’re already discussing some exciting renovation ideas. On the exterior, the east side of the building will be getting a new, more welcoming entry. And inside, the team will be rethinking the two auditoriums. In conjunction with the Registrar's Office, the facilities team recently completed a space utilization study and found that there is diminishing need for this once-quintessential style of college classroom. (She says COB doesn’t use this classroom style at all anymore.)&nbsp;In a portion of these spaces, the plan calls for removing every other row of fixed theater seating so the new wider terraces can host fixed tables and moveable chairs, suitable for case study use.&nbsp;The design team is also investigating making a portion of these rooms ground level to&nbsp;house the college’s labs, including its flagship Bloomberg Lab. Similar to the lab’s current location in the Fairlane Center, you can expect lots of glass, so passersby can look in on the action. The SSB’s main hallway will also be widened to carve out more informal hangout and collaboration spaces for students, as well as space for events.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>With both the AB and SSB, Hamilton says the facilities team has collaborated closely with the colleges to create designs that best serve their needs. Work on the AB is currently out for bid and will begin this summer. Because the SSB is being used to temporarily house the administrative units, work won’t start on that project until the AB renovation is complete.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>###</span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Want to learn more about -Dearborn’s plans to reshape its physical campus? Check out our&nbsp;</em><a href="/news/new-comprehensive-campus-plan-really-taking-shape"><em>recent story on the Comprehensive Campus Plan</em></a><em>. Story by&nbsp;</em><a href="mailto:lblouin@umich.edu"><em>Lou Blouin</em></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/interest-area/faculty-and-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty and Staff</a></div> <div><a href="/interest-area/university-wide" hreflang="en">University-wide</a></div> </div> <div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/college-business" hreflang="en">College of Business</a></div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/college-education-health-and-human-services" hreflang="en">College of Education, Health, and Human Services</a></div> <div><a href="/organizational-unit/facilities-planning" hreflang="en">Facilities Planning</a></div> </div> <div> <div>On</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div>Off</div> </div> <div> <div><time datetime="2025-04-23T12:16:22Z">Wed, 04/23/2025 - 12:16</time> </div> </div> <div> <div>It’s been two decades since all four of -Dearborn’s colleges were on the main campus. One of the first big steps in the plan to bring COB and CEHHS back is kicking off in June. </div> </div> <div> <div><article> <div> <div> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner/public/2025-04/AB-rendering-1360x762-72dpi.jpg?h=9e4df4a8&amp;itok=0nwuzpcx" width="1360" height="762" alt="An architectural rendering of a new collaboration/hangout space in a renovated building."> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> <figcaption> The Administration Building is set to become the new home of the College of Education, Health and Human Services. The renovation includes several new informal hangout and collaboration spaces for students. Rendering by Neumann/Smith Architecture </figcaption> Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:24:20 +0000 lblouin 319386 at Natalie Sampson named Distinguished Professor of the Year /news/natalie-sampson-named-distinguished-professor-year <span>Natalie Sampson named Distinguished Professor of the Year</span> <span><span>lblouin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-04-16T08:32:16-04:00" title="Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - 8:32 am">Wed, 04/16/2025 - 08:32</time> </span> <div> <div> <div class="copy-media paragraph l-constrain l-constrain--large paragraph--type-text-media paragraph--display-mode-default"> <div class="text"> <p dir="ltr"><span>Anyone who knows Natalie Sampson knows one of her more endearing (and perhaps Midwestern) traits is her reluctance to be in the spotlight — even when the attention is obviously due. Whenever we interview her about her work, which often has some connection to grassroots community organizations, she is quick to play up others’ hard work and contributions and lower the volume on her own. So it’s unsurprising that it's been a little uncomfortable for Sampson since the Michigan Association of State Universities shared that she had been selected as one of three&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.masu.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/press-release-final.pdf"><span>Distinguished Professors of the Year for 2025</span></a><span>. The news wasn't even public yet and Sampson was already sweating whether the invitations for her allotted guest list of seven for the Lansing awards ceremony should include her colleagues. "I didn’t want to bug them — ask them to drive to Lansing. They’re busy!” Sampson says, laughing. Luckily, her longtime friend and collaborator, the straight-talking Associate Professor of Sociology Carmel Price, told her to get over it.&nbsp;"She was, like, ‘They’re going to be upset if you&nbsp;</span><em>don’t</em><span> ask them.’”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Sampson’s aversion to attention is perhaps amplified a bit by the fact that, for much of her life, she’s not always been exactly comfortable in the world of academia. She says she definitely did not grow up with an eye on becoming an academic. Her father, who was an airline mechanic, and her mother, who was a customer service representative, grew up in an era where college degrees weren’t necessarily seen as prerequisites for solid, well-paying jobs. But both she and her older sister excelled in school, and their parents were huge cheerleaders when their daughters landed at the University of Michigan. In retrospect, Sampson sees it as a moment of generational transition in her own family — and one that also says something about the region. “My parents grew up at a time when it was Papa Ford and Papa Chevrolet, and people did quite well for a very long time without going to college,” Sampson says. “So for my family, this college thing was a different trajectory — especially because my sister studied sociology and I did environmental studies. I was lucky because my family was always very supportive. But I think there was this curiosity about what this would translate to.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>It took a little exploration during her undergraduate years at U-M to find her niche. Sampson says she gravitated to her major because she liked the outdoors, but not all of the coursework clicked: “I remember taking the woody plants class and memorizing all the different Latin names and the different kinds of acorns and thought, ‘Well, I’m definitely not going to be a conservationist,’” she says. However, through U-M’s&nbsp;</span><a href="https://lsa.umich.edu/mrads/students/urop.html"><span>Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program</span></a><span>, which is akin to -Dearborn’s&nbsp;</span><a href="/summer-undergraduate-research-experience-sure-program"><span>Summer Undergraduate Research Experience</span></a><span>, she found something that was a little more her speed. She got paired with a faculty member who was doing research around the health impacts of truck traffic on people living in neighborhoods near Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge. During her assignment, she got to talk with dozens of people in the neighborhood and witness some of the inner workings of grassroots community organizations. “I remember thinking, ‘This is research? If this is research, then I like research,’” she says.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>It was indeed research — or a particular brand of research that was coming of age in the public health discipline at that time. Sampson says beginning in the late 1980s, some academics in the field were going through a bit of a what-is-it-all-for moment. There was an impulse to not simply use research to document, say, epidemiological trends, but to try to more deliberately use the data to actually improve, well, the public’s health. This sometimes meant interacting more directly with community organizations who were taking on big corporations or government agencies, or interrogating long-held assumptions about academic research, like the value or validity of “objectivity.” During her master’s program at Portland State University, Sampson got exposed to more examples of this kind of “action-oriented research.” During one of her internships, she collaborated closely with a small nonprofit that was working with residents on issues related to asthma. “I saw faculty listening to residents, and their experiences were shaping the research. I started to see, ‘Oh, this is how it works,’” she says.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Today, it’s easy to see the imprint of this approach on Sampson’s work. Along with Price and several partners, she co-created&nbsp;</span><a href="https://ehra.umd.umich.edu/"><span>Environmental Health Research-to-Action</span></a><span>, the flagship program of which is a summer academy that teaches high school students to do things like air and water quality monitoring, and to understand how environmental health science can support policy work. She’s also been working with community organizations and other academics on a plain language initiative, which is pushing government agencies like the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to use language that is understandable to everyday people, so they don’t feel alienated from decision making processes. And a few years back, during the planning stages of the Gordie Howe International Bridge — a project that promised to bring a vast amount of truck traffic to a neighborhood already burdened by poor air quality — her team’s community health survey of residents in Southwest Detroit&nbsp;</span><a href="/news/how-researchers-can-help-win-long-game-public-health"><span>helped push the city and state to agree to a landmark $45 million community benefits package</span></a><span>. That agreement included an unprecedented relocation program that provided some residents of Detroit’s Delray neighborhood with the option of moving to a renovated Detroit Land Bank home. In typical Sampson fashion, she’s quick to point out that, in her opinion, her work made an impact because the timing was right. “This result is 100% due to the fact that this group had been organizing for 10 or 20 years, but they took that data and used that to support their argument for this community benefits agreement,” she says. “At that moment, the data just fit into that story.” Now, she says, another group, which is trying to get the city to design truck routes that don’t go through residential neighborhoods is using similar data that their community-academic teams are continuing to collect. The organizers’ work recently prompted&nbsp;</span><a href="https://planetdetroit.org/2025/02/detroit-truck-route-ordinance/"><span>the city to propose a new truck route ordinance</span></a><span>.</span></p><figure role="group"> <img alt="A professor walks along a sidewalk with two students in a Detroit neighborhood during the summer" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="37153598-a402-43e8-875d-c51b0531bf92" height="