Business Affairs

Check out these six big summer campus improvements

rudmehta — Sat, 05 Nov 2022 22:54:49 +0000

Check out these six big summer campus improvements rudmehta Sat, 11/05/2022 - 18:54

If you’re feeling like it was a particularly busy summer for campus construction, upgrades and renovations, your instincts are spot on.

In fact, both Kate Pepin and Gary Taylor, who between them have 40 years of experience looking after ��-Dearborn facilities and grounds, said they can’t remember a more frenetic June, July and August. From additional parking to a new native plant garden, here are a few of the big projects our facilities teams hustled to complete in time for the fall semester.

Pedestrian bridges

Located in the heart of campus on key thruways, several totally rebuilt pedestrian bridges are one of the campus updates you’ll use every day. The new composite decks, which replace the old treated lumber planks, are made from recycled plastic that’s both more durable and sustainable.

ELB update

A ton of work on the new $90-million Engineering Lab Building has been completed since the first shovels of ceremonial dirt were flipped back in April. But you may have noticed the summer’s worth of steady activity lacked a dramatic wrecking ball moment for the old ELB. That’s actually because only a smaller part of the old structure on the southside is getting totally removed, according to project manager Emily Hamilton. The rest is being carefully deconstructed down to its concrete and steel skeleton, with a goal of recycling as much as 80 percent of the old material. (So far, the team has recycled more than 2200 tons of concrete and 15 tons of scrap metal; plus, the new building is shooting for a LEED Silver certification). Hamilton told us by the time the ELB is reskinned and fully renovated, it will basically be “unrecognizable” — except for a few industrial architectural references that pay homage to the original concrete frame. Look for construction on the all-new part of the ELB — a dramatic three-story “tower” on the south flank — to begin around October. And with basically a nonstop construction schedule, expect Richard Drive to remain closed for the foreseeable future. You can find safe alternative pedestrian routes and ways to access additional parking lots on the university's website.

New parking

For commuter campuses, parking is a key lifeline, and ��-Dearborn starts the new school year some notable upgrades. An expansion of Lot E4 off Richard Drive between the Mardigian Library and the University Center adds 60 new spots of surface parking. And the horror-movie-esque sounds coming from the Monteith Parking Structure all summer were also part of that cause: That was actually the noise of chains being dragged across the decks on levels 4 and 5, which generated acoustic vibrations that helped crews detect hollow areas in the surface. Those weak spots were then jackhammered out and replaced with fresh concrete. The top levels are now back in action.

Native plant garden

When plans for the Lot E4 parking expansion took shape, it meant that dozens of native trees — many of which were planted just a few years ago — were going to have to be removed at the site. Removed, or moved. Veteran grounds manager Keith Sudak hatched a plan to dig up 38 trees — some of which stood 25 feet tall — and replant them in an area along the western edge of the library where flooding had killed some of the campus’ oldest trees. Sudak and his team then complemented the newly transplanted forest with an understory of other Michigan grasses and wildflowers. This understory will attract all kinds of wildlife, including important pollinators like bees and butterflies. Grab a spot on the bench Sudak repurposed and installed at the northeast edge of the garden and take in the serene new surrounds.

Contemplative garden

Another garden on the south end of campus was actually designed with serenity in mind. The “contemplative garden” on the far side of the CASL Building was originally built back in 2001 with a gift from retired ��-Dearborn Linguistics Professor Randee Sorscher. Her vision then was to provide a space to quietly enjoy nature — and honor her two grandmothers. “She wanted the garden done in blue, apricot and white,” says master gardener Jeanette Whiting, who helped install the original garden. “It was blue for one of her grandmother’s eyes, apricot for the other’s hair, and then white to tie the unusual colors together.” In the 17 years since the garden was built, though, Whiting told us it had become overrun with things that weren't supposed to be there. So this summer, with funds from Sorscher's original endowment, the garden got a major rehab to restore the original color palette. Surround yourself with the new salmon-colored roses, the violet-blue of butterfly bush and some late-blooming white daisies — and contemplate away.

Hockey boards

The ��-Fieldhouse got all new dasher boards and glass for the 2018-19 ice hockey season, which may not sound like a real game changer — until you realize that not all hockey boards are created equal. When a puck comes crashing into them, some boards act like brick walls, others, like trampolines; and hockey players have been known to use their insider knowledge of home boards to their advantage. Luckily, the men’s and women’s teams still have a few weeks to get acquainted with all the quirks of the new boards before the ice hockey season kicks off with the men’s home opener on Oct. 5.

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Business Affairs

Facilities Operations

Facilities Planning

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Mon, 09/10/2018 - 05:00

New gardens, parking and major progress on the new ELB top the list of campus updates.

What to expect from the fiscal year ‘21 budget

rudmehta — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:25:28 +0000

What to expect from the fiscal year ‘21 budget rudmehta Mon, 07/25/2022 - 13:25

There’s still plenty we don’t know about the financial picture for the coming academic year, but campus leaders want to make sure everyone is in the loop about the approach they're taking for balancing the budget. To that end, Chancellor Domenico Grasso recently led a virtual town hall to break down the financial challenges ahead and share how the university plans to address them. Below, we’ve summarized some of the major themes from the event, in case you missed it.

A quick primer on revenues and expenses

All budgets boil down to revenues, which is the money coming in, and expenses, which is the money going out. Revenues at ��-Dearborn are pretty straightforward and come almost exclusively from two major sources. Tuition accounts for about 82 percent of the General Fund budget, while state appropriations account for another 16 percent. The upside of this is we are free from many of the pandemic-related challenges faced by universities with more diverse revenue streams. Because we are a lean, efficient commuter campus without things like big athletics programs, large research operations and residence halls, we simply don’t have to find ways to cope with the financial hit those areas took this spring/summer and are likely to take in the fall.

Importantly, revenues from tuition and the state fall under what’s unknown as the General Fund. This means the university can spend that money on strategic initiatives that directly impact student success. We also have Non-General Fund revenue, which includes federal financial aid, research grants, investments and endowment and gifts. This money has to be spent on the purpose for which it was designated. Notably, the General Fund is much larger than the Non-General Fund. In fiscal year ‘20 (FY20), the former was about $159 million and the latter was $25 million.

So how does ��-Dearborn spend its General Fund revenues? Check out these two pie charts. The first one breaks down expenses by category; the second, by unit.

The three big uncertainties impacting the FY21 budget

Most of the uncertainties around the fall budget relate directly to the nature of our revenues. We simply won’t know what our final fall tuition revenues will be until students are actually enrolled in classes, and the pandemic could still impact enrollment forecasts. Similarly, the state has not yet announced what its appropriations will be for Michigan’s 15 public universities, but the state is facing an estimated $3 billion shortfall for both this and next fiscal year.

Expenses related directly to our COVID-19 response add another layer of uncertainty. Modifications to building HVAC systems to improve ventilation, supplying faculty, staff and students with PPE, and costs associated with switching to remote learning all represent expenses we could incur to keep everyone safe.

Though there isn’t yet clarity on these issues, decreased revenues for FY21 are almost a certainty. Right now, the university is planning for revenues to be down $4 to $20 million compared to FY20. Some of the biggest factors include a projected 20 percent decline in enrollment among international graduate students, who may face challenges with travel restrictions directly related to the pandemic; and a potentially sharp decline in state funding. One piece of good news: Enrollment for incoming first-year students is forecasted to be up slightly.

How will budget decisions get made?

The university has, in fact, already taken several steps to prepare for a tighter financial situation next academic year. These include increased strategic admissions efforts and financial aid leveraging, leadership salary reductions, staff redeployment, postponing and reducing construction projects, a hiring freeze, and reductions in travel, supplies and event hosting. Going forward, administration is empowering individual units to make their own cost savings plans. While leaders will be taking a broad look at every aspect of our spending, reductions in staffing and salaries are not being seen as a preferred way of cutting expenses at this time.

Importantly, all cuts made will be considered permanent, and the university does not plan to tap into reserves to make up for any shortfalls in the FY21 budget. Whatever our revenues end up being for the coming year, we’ll have to find a way to make them match our expenses.

The timeline for a final budget

So what happens next? Right now, leaders are putting the finishing touches on a proposed FY21 budget, which will then go to the U-M Board of Regents for approval. The Regents are expected to vote on the budget in June, and the university will begin implementing the budget in July. In September, we’ll have our final numbers on net tuition revenue. The final piece of the puzzle is the amount of the coming year’s state appropriation. The legislature has not yet announced when they will make that decision.

Relatedly, university leaders are also finalizing a plan for fall instruction. Chancellor Grasso is reviewing that now; after that, it will be reviewed by the University of Michigan’s COVID-19 leadership team, then President Schlissel, and finally the Board of Regents. We expect approval on a plan by late June.

###

Want to explore the FY21 budget in more detail? Check out Chancellor Grasso’s slideshow from the virtual town hall. Faculty and staff may also send anonymous cost-savings ideas directly to the chancellor.

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Mon, 06/01/2020 - 05:00

Here’s a quick breakdown of the knowns and unknowns that will shape ��-Dearborn’s fall finances.

��-Dearborn team takes the top prize in statewide energy efficiency competition

rudmehta — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:18:03 +0000

��-Dearborn team takes the top prize in statewide energy efficiency competition rudmehta Mon, 07/25/2022 - 13:18

The goal for each of the universities participating in the statewide E-Challenge competition was to craft an energy savings plan for their respective campuses, but it was up to each university to define exactly what that would look like. The team from ��-Dearborn decided to go about as big as they could. They set themselves to auditing every major building — an approach that involved walkthroughs and deep analysis of each one over the course of the winter and early spring. Lighting, complex HVAC systems and anything in between were all taken into account. The result was a 500-page report detailing dozens of specific projects with substantial returns on investment that, if implemented, could save the university $200,000 a year on its energy bills.

The scope and level of detail left an impression on judges from E-Challenge sponsors DTE Energy and the Engineering Society of Detroit, who awarded the ��-Dearborn team the top spot in the competition. Executive Director for Facilities Operations Carol Glick is thrilled with the win, and says she is particularly impressed with the collaboration between students, tradespeople, faculty and staff. But she’s equally excited about what it could mean in practical terms for the campus. This is the first time they’ve had such a comprehensive understanding of how the campus buildings use and lose energy ⁠— information that helped them identify and prioritize dozens of projects, many with payback periods of just a few years. In total, their plan would reduce electricity usage by 8 percent and natural gas consumption by 10 percent over five years ⁠— a big first step in getting ��-Dearborn to meet the U-M system’s carbon neutrality goals. “I think it’s also always important to remember that we’re largely a tuition-funded university, and energy efficiency is one way we can be good stewards of the investments students are making,” Glick says.

The campus team will also get a big assist from DTE to implement the plan. The E-Challenge award earns ��-Dearborn a spot in DTE’s Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program — a one- to two-year partnership that helps the campus identify low or no-cost improvements, provides technical support from DTE energy experts, and offers additional incentives only available to those in the SEM program.

Lighting is always a big target for energy savings. This past winter, as part of their building walkthroughs, students used a smartphone app to see if some classrooms were “overlit.”

E-Challenge faculty team member and Associate Professor of Engineering Practice Line van Nieuwstadt says she’d love to see students stay involved in the implementation of the energy plan. In particular, she sees potential for “internal internships” that leverage faculty with relevant expertise, staff and students to tackle energy-related projects that improve campus facilities and infrastructure. Ideally, she says, that would involve a for-credit experiential learning opportunity, as is done with CECS’s senior design program or for-credit co-ops.

“Could we have a team that explores taking a building off the grid? Or could we have a class where the project is to design a system to recycle gray water and save energy? Or how about investigating class schedule optimization that would reduce heating needs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer? An idea like that doesn’t even require much up-front investment other than turning students loose on the data and some guidance from faculty,” van Nieuwstadt says. “So there’s a lot of potential, especially if we can offer the students academic credit for these kinds of project-based learning experiences.”

Master’s student Keerthana Ramasamy Thirugnana Sambantham would be more than happy to offer a testimonial. One of 19 graduate students who worked on the E-Challenge, she says it made such an impression on her that she hopes to make her career in the field of energy and sustainability.

“I’m from India and when I was learning about energy audits, all the learning was very theoretical,” she says. “But I’d never seen anything like this in person. In the E-Challenge, I literally counted lights in the buildings. I got to know all the features of the systems and equipment up close. I never thought I’d get to do something like that, but the learning is so much more practical when you do it this way. I think as you do, you learn.”

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College of Engineering and Computer Science

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Mon, 06/22/2020 - 05:00

A 53-member team of students, faculty and staff put together a huge energy savings plan that could save the university $200,000 a year.

College of Engineering and Computer Science graduate students who participated in the E-Challenge competition gather for a photo in the IAVS High Bay back in early March. In all, 53 faculty, staff and students participated on the universitywide team

The right balance

rudmehta — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 16:12:52 +0000

The right balance rudmehta Wed, 07/06/2022 - 12:12

This article was originally published on February 3, 2021.

��-Dearborn’s new Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Bryan Dadey, MBA, CPA, has experienced a recession, an academic merger and a pandemic. And despite challenging circumstances, Dadey continues to push forward and help campus communities succeed.

During the unprecedented 2020 year, Dadey served as Wayne State University’s senior associate vice president and deputy chief financial officer, where he — among his other responsibilities — created multiple budget forecasts and plans so the institution could quickly adapt to the pandemic’s uncertainty, and strategized how to distribute federal CARES Act funding.

While he enjoyed his work at Wayne State, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work for the maize and blue, especially on a campus that focuses on providing opportunities for underrepresented communities.

“Everyone knows U-M is an elite institution. With that, ��-Dearborn’s outreach efforts to make higher education accessible, and Chancellor Grasso’s focus on Urban Futures, I knew this was the right move for me,” said Dadey, whose first day at ��-Dearborn was Monday. “I had challenges as a high school student prior to college. Many people have challenges. But those shouldn’t limit anyone from reaching their true potential. I appreciate ��-Dearborn’s dedication to taking talented people who may be overlooked for a variety of reasons and giving them an opportunity to shine.”

Dadey comes to campus with an educational background in marketing, accounting and finance. So not only does Dadey understand numbers — he also understands the audience and tailors presentations to keep listeners engaged and the information relevant. He has an undergraduate degree in marketing from The Ohio State University (OSU) and an MBA from the University of Toledo (UT).

Prior to his time in higher education, Dadey worked as an auditor for Ernst & Young, where he served healthcare, nonprofits and higher education clients.

Impressed with Dadey’s work, one of those clients — University of Toledo — let him know of a campus job opportunity. That led to an exciting start to Dadey’s higher education career. During his first year working as a controller at UT, he experienced what many in higher education don’t — a merger. The University of Toledo integrated with the Medical University of Ohio to form Ohio’s third-largest public university operating budget.

In addition to his time at Wayne State and UT, Dadey also served as the vice president of finance and operations for the University of Toledo Foundation, where he oversaw the accounting and gift processing units, as well as participated in the management of an endowed investment portfolio.that's now valued at nearly $450 million.

Chancellor Domenico Grasso said Dadey’s outstanding business and finance background made him a standout when conducting the national search for the campus’ financial leadership role. At ��-Dearborn, Dadey will provide leadership and strategic oversight of financial services, budget, facilities and operations, auxiliary operations, procurement and contracts and human resources, as well as coordinating with U-M’s Department of Public Safety and Security in Ann Arbor to support the campus public safety and emergency management mission.

“Bryan comes to us with 21 years of progressive leadership experience in finance, budgeting, facilities and human resources, especially with comprehensive urban universities,” Grasso said. “He also shares our vision for ��-Dearborn's future and strategic plan. Bryan has a strong and demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, financial integrity and the transparent communication of decision making.”

Dadey is responsive and on top of university needs — it’s his first week and the 2022 budget plan is on his mind. But, even though he’s a numbers guy, one of the most important professional lessons Dadey’s learned over the past two decades isn’t an Excel function. It’s to actively listen.

“When starting somewhere new, it’s important to listen to the people around you, learn what makes a place unique and hear what students’ needs are before you create a game plan,” he said. “We are all here because we’re focused on a mission that’s about impacting lives and providing opportunities. it’s not about proving who you are in the first 90 days. We are here so we can best serve the institution. That begins with active listening.”

Another lesson? When among the Wolverines, don’t flaunt the scarlet and gray. An OSU graduate, Dadey has a home office wall that's full of OSU sports memorabilia — but he promises no one will see it on a Zoom call. Out of respect, he has his computer monitor facing the opposite direction. And he’s even purchased a few maize and blue items, including new office-attire polos.

New Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Bryan Dadey in his scarlet and grey home office.

When he comes to campus — whenever it’s safe to do so — he’ll leave most of that at home except a photo or two with his three kids (two boys and a girl), ages 8 to 14, wearing OSU colors. He says he will root for U-M too (just not on a certain fall football Saturday), but the kids may be harder to convince.

Dadey said he’s glad to be part of an institution known for helping people reach their personal and professional goals. He’s a strong believer in opportunity and said it’s important to uplift learners who are working to better their lives.

“The mission of higher education is fantastic. We are serving in a role that has a positive impact on society by working at a place that gives someone the opportunity to transform his or her life. I love my career and I’m looking forward to my time as a Michigan Wolverine.”

Administration & Governance

Leadership

Business Affairs

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Wed, 02/03/2021 - 06:00

With 20-plus years as a finance professional, new Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Bryan Dadey brings a vast array of business and finance experience to campus.

Takeaways from the March 2 Budget Town Hall

lblouin — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 18:09:23 +0000

Takeaways from the March 2 Budget Town Hall lblouin Wed, 03/03/2021 - 13:09

A late-winter, early-spring view of the courtyard outside the Administration Building.

Spring time is budgeting time at ��-Dearborn, and even under normal circumstances, you can expect a bit of uncertainty as the enrollment picture materializes and we all speculate about the size of the state appropriation. This year being anything but normal, university leadership spent Tuesday answering your questions about ��-Dearborn’s current and future financial health at a virtual town hall event, as well as introducing our new Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Bryan Dadey. We’ve recapped some of the big takeaways below, in case you missed it. Or you can watch the full event on the university YouTube channel.

Two new tools for budgeting at ��-Dearborn, explained

Typically, the discussion at our budget town hall events centers on things like enrollment and revenue. At Tuesday’s event, however, folks had the most questions about two new tools that the university is using to craft future budgets. The first is called zero-based budgeting (ZBB). This is a method of building a base budget for each campus unit based on exactly what it needs to accomplish its present mission (rather than, say, what its budget has been historically). In practice, this means the administration and unit leaders will be spending the next few months finalizing exactly what those core needs and base budgets should look like, which will then inform the university’s overall fiscal year ‘22 (FY22) budget.

The second strategy is known as responsibility center management (RCM). This is a decentralized budgeting model in which individual academic units are responsible for both revenue and expenses. This is typically decentralized down to the college level, with the idea that each unit would get all the revenue it generates from tuition, research, etc., but it would also have to take care of all expenses related to those activities. There are a few nuances in using an RCM-based approach. Let’s say, for example, you have tuition dollars that derive from a mechanical engineering major in CECS taking a calculus class that is taught by the math department in CASL. In that case, the revenue would actually be shared between both colleges (the exact split that is best suited to ��-Dearborn is still to be determined). Similarly, through a process known as subvention, the university could help support programs that might not be able to generate enough revenue to be self-sustaining. These are just a few examples of how RCM might work, and you’ll hear more about both ZBB and RCM as the new budget takes shape in the coming months.

The university benefited from sound planning

When the pandemic hit, no one knew how deeply the university’s finances would be affected. Now, about a year since we moved to a predominantly remote class format, we can say we are weathering the storm pretty well. Our estimated revenues for FY21 are expected to be only $400,000 behind budget, and expenses are expected to be well under budget due to prudent decisions, federal aid and savings resulting from the partial campus closure. Although overall enrollment decreased slightly, it was no greater than what we predicted in our models. And while we did face a decline in our state appropriation, it was basically offset by emergency federal funding from the CARES Act and critical savings measures implemented last spring, like our hiring and spending pause.

Next year’s budget will be fine-tuned as the enrollment picture becomes more certain (more on that below). As for the state appropriation, Governor Whitmer has proposed a 2 percent one-time increase, but that must still be approved by the legislature. Chancellor Grasso mentioned that we’re shooting for the FY22 budget to include merit pay increases. That, and other details, will be worked out over the next few months by the university’s budget office in consultation with the university budget committee and senior leadership. The budget will eventually be submitted for approval by the U-M Board of Regents in June.

Looking even further out, the core challenges facing ��-Dearborn remain the same: Our revenues come almost exclusively from two sources — tuition and our state appropriation — which makes us extremely sensitive to fluctuations in either. Second, a shrinking number of Michigan high school graduates means competition for students is increasingly intense.

New Fall 2021 enrollment looks good, but it’s still early

Very few universities saw their usual enrollment numbers during the pandemic, and many of our peer institutions saw some significant declines. While ��-Dearborn did take a hit in a few areas, our enrollment numbers have remained fairly strong overall. Enrollment among new first-year students declined only about 5 percent compared to last year; new transfer students were down about 21 percent, which was part of a nationwide trend; and graduate student enrollment declined about 14 percent, which was largely due to uncertainties around student visas and travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic. However, consistent retention in all areas provided a decent counterweight to offset some of these pandemic-related declines. Overall, by headcount, enrollment was only off about 5 percent compared to last year.

We’re just starting to get our first hints of what new Fall 2021 enrollment might look like. Vice Provost of Enrollment Management Melissa Stone says there are some bright spots in the preliminary numbers but cautioned it is too early to really know what is in store for the fall. Compared to this time last year, first-year applications are up almost 3 percent, and admitted first-year students are up 5 percent. Transfers are a little off last year’s pace, though enrollment for this group typically materializes much later, so there’s still time to make up ground. Most notably, though, graduate enrollment appears poised for a possible rebound. Applications are up 27 percent, and admitted students are up almost 50 percent compared to this time last year, although this of course is dependent on the international landscape.

In the short term, Stone says the overall enrollment landscape will take time to recover from the pandemic. But this past year reflects how effective planning will manage this regrowth. In addition, our ongoing focus on impactful strategic initiatives to enhance recruitment and retention will help move us forward.

Looking even further out, two new state programs could bolster the future transfer student pipeline. Futures for Frontliners is offering free community college tuition for frontline workers; while Michigan Reconnect offers the same benefit to Michiganders 25 and older. And the university has just announced the Focus on the Finish program to encourage students in these programs to consider ��-Dearborn for a bachelor’s degree once they complete their associate degree.

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Want more details from the March 2 Budget Town Hall? You can view the full recording on the university YouTube channel or view the budget PowerPoint slides online.

Administration & Governance

University-wide

Business Affairs

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Wed, 03/03/2021 - 18:06

University leaders shared updates on this year’s budget, projections for next fiscal year, enrollment numbers and some important changes to our budgeting strategy.

Campus finances 'on the right track'

stuxbury — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 19:57:12 +0000

Campus finances 'on the right track' stuxbury Wed, 10/07/2020 - 15:57

Photo of campus seal in the fall

Chancellor Domenico Grasso recently shared an update on the university's financial standing and how campus will maintain a positive financial position heading into fiscal year 2021.

The first piece of good news? Last week the Michigan House and Senate, with approval by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, passed a budget that kept ��-Dearborn's state appropriation flat in comparison to last year. “Typically, receiving word that our appropriation would be flat in comparison to last year would be cause for budget difficulties and disappointment, however, given the circumstance and our planning efforts, we welcomed the news,” Grasso says.

In addition to stable state appropriation into fiscal year 2021, tuition revenue remains strong with students actively taking more credit hours. “Adopting a block tuition strategy has worked and we remain cautiously optimistic that this credit hour trend will continue during the upcoming winter semester.”

However, Grasso says campus needs to continue to make informed, careful and thoughtful decisions regarding budget planning because of uncertainties that include International student restrictions and impact on enrollment, state appropriation funding for FY22 and beyond, and the pandemic’s long-term economic impact.

For the remainder of FY21, campus units will continue restricting:

Non-essential expenditures including travel, conferences and consultants.
New non-essential construction.
Hiring of non-essential permanent personnel. Please note, requests for positions that will have an impact on student success and safety, health and well-being of the university will be reviewed and approved by the chancellor and provost.
Salary increases.

Further guidance on spending related to these areas can be found at the COVID-19 response page.

“The hard work and financial prudence shown by our community throughout the pandemic has allowed ��-Dearborn to remain on solid financial ground, but there's still work that needs to be done,” Grasso says. “We will continue to follow our current budget strategy because it is the best way to ensure the long term security of the university's resources in support of our mission to provide an excellent education to our students.”

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Wed, 10/07/2020 - 19:55

Chancellor Domenico Grasso says the campus’ financial strategy has good footing and it’s important to continue making informed and thoughtful decisions regarding budget planning.

��-Dearborn announces two new leadership appointments

stuxbury — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 13:33:34 +0000

��-Dearborn announces two new leadership appointments stuxbury Tue, 08/04/2020 - 09:33

��-Dearborn announced two new leadership appointments over the past week. On Friday, Chancellor Domenico Grasso announced that Leigh McGrath, currently the director of business operations in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, is starting this fall as ��-Dearborn’s interim budget director. In her new role, McGrath will lead campuswide budget development and planning, oversee the university’s recently launched zero-based budget initiative, and explore the development and implementation of a “Responsibility Center Management” budget system.

McGrath brings more than 20 years of experience in administrative, research and academic units on the Dearborn and Ann Arbor campuses. Her work in the engineering colleges on both campuses has earned her multiple honors, including a nomination for the 2016 Chancellor's Staff Recognition Award, the 2013 "U Make A Difference" Award and a nomination for the 2012 College of Engineering Judith A. Pitney Staff Service Career Award. “I have full confidence that she will do a great job in this new position and will continue to shape the future of ��-Dearborn in a positive direction,” Grasso wrote in his announcement to campus. “I look forward to working with Leigh to ensure that we continue to offer an excellent, accessible and affordable education to our students today while capturing opportunities for tomorrow.”

On Monday, Provost Sue Alcock announced that — pending approval by the Board of Regents — Philosophy Professor and Mardigian Library Director Maureen Linker will take on an additional role as Associate Provost. In that position, she will oversee the academic portfolio of graduate programs, coordinate and promote project-based learning across campus, and support faculty development initiatives.

Linker will continue in her role as library director. During her two years in that position, she has overseen a number of new programs that Alcock says creatively “position the library as an interdisciplinary center for student engagement, campus activity and faculty support.” These include course redesign “spa days” with the HUB, 24/7 Final Jam exam week activities, and the new project-based learning IDEA Laboratory. As a professor of philosophy, Linker’s research focuses on knowledge acquisition, production and evaluation as a collective, rather than individual, achievement. During her time at ��-Dearborn, she has also served as chair of the Department of Literature, Philosophy, and the Arts and director of the Women’s and Gender Studies program. Most recently, she co-chaired the Scholar-Teacher working group for the campuswide strategic planning effort.

Grasso also announced that he is holding off on filling the currently vacant vice chancellor for business affairs role in order to explore potential alternatives to the university’s current leadership structure. For the foreseeable future, Human Resources, Police and Public Safety (which jointly reports to the U-M Department of Public Safety and Security), Financial Services and Facilities Operations will report directly to the chancellor.

Administration & Governance

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Tue, 08/04/2020 - 13:28

CECS Director of Business Operations Leigh McGrath will become the university's interim budget director, while Mardigian Library Director Maureen Linker will take on an additional role as Associate Provost.

Leadership named for ��-Dearborn Department of Police and Public Safety

stuxbury — Fri, 03 May 2019 13:47:49 +0000

Leadership named for ��-Dearborn Department of Police and Public Safety stuxbury Fri, 05/03/2019 - 09:47

��-Dearborn Public Safety Director and Chief of Police Gary Gorski

Longtime law enforcement leader Gary Gorski has been named University of Michigan-Dearborn’s chief of police and director of public safety, effective June 17.

Gorski brings more than three decades of law enforcement experience to the role including 32 years with the Michigan State Police (MSP). He recently served Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids as the dean of students, protecting the health and welfare of more than 650 students and 40 faculty and staff.

Interim Police Captain Jim Knittel will serve as ��-Dearborn’s deputy chief, effective immediately.

Gorksi will report to Eddie L. Washington, Jr. the executive director of U-M Division of Public Safety and Security. He will work closely with Jeff Evans, ��-Dearborn's vice chancellor for business affairs.

“Gary has demonstrated strong leadership and team performance throughout his career," Evans said. "His strategic planning and implementation skills make him an excellent choice for this important leadership role on our campus."

Gorski served in several roles with weighted responsibilities within the MSP including executive leader, supervisor, trainer and investigator. He rose to the level of lieutenant colonel and served as the deputy director for the Specialized Services Bureau, which includes the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division and Intelligence Operations Division. During his tenure, he was instrumental in establishing MSP’s Cyber Section and the OK2Say program.

“Gary’s proven leadership skills, depth of law enforcement experience, and demonstrated commitment to servant leadership make him ideally suited to lead ��-Dearborn’s safety and security efforts,” Washington said.

Gorski holds a bachelor of applied science degree in public safety professions from Siena Heights University and is a graduate of the 204th session of the FBI National Academy.

“I am humbled and honored for this opportunity to serve as the next director of public safety and security at ��-Dearborn. I look forward to working with the department staff to support the entire ��-Dearborn community by providing a safe, secure and welcoming campus environment,” Gorski said.

Knittel has significant experience in managing multi-jurisdictional investigative units, including leading a federal task force and supervision of uniformed patrol operations. Most recently, Knittel has served as sergeant and interim captain within ��-Dearborn’s police and public safety department.

Before joining ��-Dearborn, Knittel served at the Farmington Hills police department where he was the most decorated officer in the department’s history. Knittel supervised the department’s DEA high-intensity drug trafficking area and organized crime drug enforcement task force for more than 10 years.

“In addition to Jim’s excellent credentials, he has proven himself as an outstanding leader and has been recognized as such by all on campus since he began over a year ago,” Evans said.

Knittel holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice from Madonna University and is in the process of earning a master’s degree in criminal justice from ��-Dearborn.

Faculty and Staff

University-wide

Business Affairs

Public Safety (Police)

Off

Fri, 05/03/2019 - 13:46

Law enforcement leader Gary Gorski is named chief of police and director of public safety; ��-Dearborn Interim Police Captain Jim Knittel will serve as deputy chief.

��-Dearborn launches campus bike share program to increase community access

jmcheat — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 17:30:22 +0000

��-Dearborn launches campus bike share program to increase community access jmcheat Sun, 04/07/2019 - 13:30

��-Dearborn bike share

With the warm summer months on the way, there’s a new campus option for outdoor exercise or errand running.

��-Dearborn has partnered with the bike share management company Zagster to launch a new bike share program. The university — and its neighbor, The Union at Dearborn — now is home to 15 new two-wheel cruisers. The program is complimentary for the campus community — faculty, staff and students — to use.

Bike rental stations are available near the University Center, The Union at Dearborn and Fairlane Center. Each station includes five bikes, equipped with a basket to hold riders’ personal items. And for comfort and safety, each one-speed bike has an adjustable seat, rear and front lights, and an electronic Bluetooth lock.

"There is so much to see and do in our communities, and this initiative is a way to increase micro-mobility and give additional transportation options,” said Business Affairs Senior Manager Marc Anthony Brigolin. “We wanted to give our ��-Dearborn community a free way to travel across campus and into Dearborn, and give Dearborn residents an additional way to connect with campus.”

Brigolin said the university looked at a variety of bike share options, but Zagster’s strong connection in the greater community and positive feedback from the city swayed the decision. The City of Dearborn’s program — which it implemented with Zagster in 2017 — currently includes 55 cruiser bikes available at 11 stations in the east and west Dearborn downtowns. The university’s 15 bikes will work with the existing infrastructure.

Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr. said the program has increased transportation opportunities for residents, visitors and students.

“Expanding our mobility options is a way for us to stand out as a community,” he said. “Our bike share program has been a success and we’re grateful to the University of Michigan-Dearborn for taking part, adding to the important connections we want to make geographically and socially across our town.”

Student Government President Vivien Adams, a junior living in west Dearborn, noticed the city’s bikes last year and wanted to bring the service to campus. She said campus leaders like Brigolin were enthusiastic to find the right bike sharing option when she approached them with the idea.

Adams, an out-of-state student, said the downtown bikes have helped her experience Dearborn parks, restaurants, community events and more.

“There are so many areas to explore on campus and in Dearborn — like the trails, hidden parks, or mom and pop shops — that we don’t get out and see because we don’t have accessible transportation or because we are locked into commuter thinking,” she said. “We now have a free enjoyable way that encourages us to get outside and feel more connected to our community and each other. Let’s use it.”

Participating in the Bike Share Program

To ride, download the Zagster app to your phone and register with your umich.edu email — your campus connection notifies Zagster to waive the standard annual fee. Then head to a bike station, select a bike by number and tap the digits into the app to for a unique unlock code.

When done, return the bike to a Zagster station in Dearborn or on campus, lock it in place and hit “end ride” in the app. Zagster reps regularly check the stations and return bikes to the original location to keep distribution as expected.

Rides returned to a station within two hours of check out are free; riders have no limit to rides they can take per day. Go over your two-hour ride? There’s a $2 per hour fee.

Campus Life

University-wide

Business Affairs

Off

Thu, 04/11/2019 - 16:25

The program — which complements the City of Dearborn’s existing program — gives faculty, staff and students a convenient and free way to explore campus and Dearborn’s downtowns.

Rima Berry-Hung named human resources director

jmcheat — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 22:21:27 +0000

Rima Berry-Hung named human resources director jmcheat Fri, 11/30/2018 - 17:21

Rima Berry-Hung

Those who know Rima Berry-Hung are already aware of the positive energy she radiates. And, if you aren’t familiar, step into her office. There are pink chairs, uplifting quotes and a few stickers with the number 26.2.

That number reminds ��-Dearborn’s newly named human resources director of her run in the Chicago Marathon and in the Dearborn Martian Marathon. “People may have seen me training on campus when I did these a few years back,” she said.

With the U-M journey she’s had, you can see that Berry-Hung is someone whose persistent steps push her toward achieving goals — for herself, her team and her campus.

Berry-Hung previously served as ��-Dearborn’s HR associate director. Prior to that, she was HR director at the School of Education in Ann Arbor. She’s also had roles at ��-Dearborn as HR lead consultant, senior generalist, associate and assistant; and in Ann Arbor as HR functional analyst and the HR coordinator at the Stamps School of Art and Design.

And before that? She was a ��-Dearborn student.

Berry-Hung has a ��-Dearborn Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and anthropology and a Master of Arts degree in communication from Eastern Michigan University.

“I’m so happy to have spent so much of my life with the University of Michigan. Caring for people deeply and sincerely is the Michigan way. It’s our culture; it’s at the core of who were are,” she said. “It’s something I feel is very important. My parents came here from Lebanon to build a good life for me; I am first generation. I want to honor their hard work with gratitude and live by their example. Kindness, caring and positive thinking go a long way.”

Vice Chancellor of Business Affairs Jeff Evans said Berry-Hung’s inclusive leadership style and U-M longevity made her a natural fit for the position.

“Rima's succession, growth and development at U-M over the last 18 years is an exemplary example that has come as a result of her hard work, dedication and team impact in all of her experiences,” he said.

Taking her experience, Berry-Hung said she plans to continue building the campus’ inclusive community practices, focus on staff and faculty growth and development, and make sure all know that her office is a comfortable place for people to come. She said that is a must — especially since HR plays a major role in handling challenging situations.

Berry-Hung knows that she’s got the right team around her to continue helping people on campus find successful solutions.

“My team is awesome. Some of these people have been here for years, others have recently joined and bring new energy,” said Berry-Hung, who first met HR senior consultant Renee Mainor when Berry-Hung worked in the office as a ��-Dearborn student. “But no matter when we got here, we’re all working toward the shared goal of making this campus the best place possible. We’re poised to really provide great support for our campus.”

Berry-Hung is grateful for the education she’s received from her ��-Dearborn degree — she said cultural understanding and communication are essential in HR. She’s thankful for the letters of recommendation that people on campus have written to support her career path. And she’s appreciative of the mentors and professors she’s had.

“The people on this campus have helped me get to where I am. All that time they spent grading my papers, critiquing my writing and speaking with me about graduate school has led me to today,” she said. “I want to give that same level of dedication and service. Know that if you want to talk, I’m here.”

And — when you do find that time to connect — know there is a pink office chair waiting for you.

Off

Fri, 11/30/2018 - 22:20

With 18 years HR experience, the ��-Dearborn alumna took on this newest leadership role in November.

Business Affairs

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������-Dearborn announces two new leadership appointments

Leadership named for ������-Dearborn Department of Police and Public Safety

������-Dearborn launches campus bike share program to increase community access

Participating in the Bike Share Program

Rima Berry-Hung named human resources director

��-Dearborn team takes the top prize in statewide energy efficiency competition

Two new tools for budgeting at ��-Dearborn, explained

��-Dearborn announces two new leadership appointments

Leadership named for ��-Dearborn Department of Police and Public Safety

��-Dearborn launches campus bike share program to increase community access