Tag: University

The May issue of Smithsonian Magazine highlighted many of the wonders contained in the UP of Michigan.  “With Lake Superior to the north, Lake Michigan to the south and Lake Huron to the east, the UP covers 16,542 square miles, or about 28 percent of Michigan’s landmass.”

To read more about the UP, including the Ford Center in Alberta which hosts Michigan Tech’s forestry research center see Smithsonian.

At a regular meeting last Friday, the Board of Control passed a $160 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2012, which begins July 1, 2011. It includes an increase of 6.95 percent in tuition and mandatory fees. The Board previously increased room and board rates by 2.2 percent for next year.

The general fund is that component of the budget covering most general academic and administrative costs. The total University operating budget, which includes sponsored research, will be $251 million, an increase of $6 million over fiscal year 2011.

The tuition increase meets the Governor’s budget proposal guideline, which lowers a recommended 22 percent decrease in appropriations for state universities to a 15 percent decrease, providing tuition and mandatory fees increases are kept under 7.1 percent.

Michigan Tech’s new budget is based on this expected 15 percent decline in State of Michigan appropriations, from $47.9 million this year to $ 40.7 million next year.

This year billing will be simplified by combining tuition and mandatory fees, which will go up from an average of $13,007 for the 2010-2011 academic year to an average of $13,910.50 in 2011-2012.

“Accounting for inflation, state funding has been rolled back to the level of the late 1960’s, when the University had only 60 percent of today’s enrollment and little research and graduate school activity. Despite severe state funding reductions, Michigan Tech is committed to preserving the core qualities of our educational programs and supporting our outstanding faculty and staff,” said President Glenn Mroz.

Commenting on the appeal of Michigan Tech to students in favorable or difficult economic times, Mroz said, “Our undergraduate students enroll because Michigan Tech offers them advantages they will not find elsewhere. They will be on a first-name basis with professors who care about their development. They will experience hands-on learning, have access to leading-edge equipment and laboratories, and enjoy small class sizes. Students seek these distinctive advantages which will make them stand out in their career pursuits. Despite the state funding cuts, our students clearly value a Michigan Tech education. And, we will stand firm in continuing to provide that unique educational experience.”

Marty Richardson, Board chair, said: “Though the decline in state support is challenging, this budget reflects a continuing focus on what is most important at Michigan Tech. Our vision is to be a world-class technological university and we have not wavered from that. Students, graduates and employers expect and deserve that.”

The budget increases financial aid for students from $26.3 million to $27.3 million. It also includes $3.8 million in spending reductions. Those for administrative units averaged 4 percent, and those for academic units averaged 2 percent.

“The message is clear,” said Steve Hicks, chair of the Board’s Finance and Audit Committee. “We have extended our commitment to increase access to students, and the funding of academics remains our top priority.”

Michigan Tech will continue to implement continuous improvement measures, positioning the University for success in a rapidly changing economic environment, Mroz also told the Board.

Included in the new budget is a pool of funds for promotional increases for faculty, specifically those who will move up in the academic ranks.

The Board re-elected Marty Richardson as its chair and Steve Hicks as vice chair for the coming fiscal year.

In other business, the Board:

• Approved and saluted the promotion of 7 full professors, 13 associate professors and 3 lecturers.
• Congratulated the 753 undergraduates and 204 graduate students who received degrees at Spring Commencement.
• Granted an honorary posthumous Bachelor of Science in Forestry to Stephen Eagal.
• Passed a resolution of appreciation for Edward Maki for 38 years of service.
• Approved a proposal for Michigan Tech to offer a Master of Science in Geospatial Technology.
• Approved renaming the former Blizzard Snowplow building near the airport the Advanced Power Systems Research Center.
• Changed the name of the Department of Exercise Science, Health, and Physical Education to the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology.

Published in Tech Today
by Jennifer Donovan, director of public relations

Norman Augustine, a leader in both business and government and a powerful advocate for science and engineering education, will address the graduates at Spring Commencement, Saturday, April 30.

The University will honor the achievements of nearly 1,000 graduates, including 753 students receiving undergraduate degrees, 156 master’s degree recipients and 48 PhD graduates.

For more information, visit: commence.

Michigan Tech will provide live and on-demand video/audio streaming of the ceremony. For more information and to test your browser for compatibility, the link is also available on the commencement webpage. Click on “Watch Live,” highlighted in yellow.

Published in Tech Today.

Keweenaw Pride, the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally (GLBTA) organization on campus, kicked off its annual Pride Week celebration last week. This week has been a work in progress for the organization since September, and it is a celebration of diversity, bringing together many people of many different origins and orientations in a week full of discussions and panels meant to open minds and break stereotypes.

The week began with a film about the controversial California Proposition 8 that was passed and put into effect in November 2008, and it was followed by a discussion panel that allowed attendees to share their opinions.

Following are the events for the week:

Tuesday, March 29
The annual event, “Guess the Straight Person,” will be at 7:30 p.m., in the DHH Ballroom. This event is meant to prove that not all stereotypes indicate a person’s sexual orientation. Come meet the panel and guess their orientation.

Wednesday, March 30
A presentation by activist JAC Stringer will be at 7:30 p.m., in the Memorial Union Ballroom. JAC is well known for his educational and entertaining presentations.

Thursday, March 31
Taboo Talk will be at 7 p.m., in the DHH Ballroom. Got a topic that is taboo in your community that you want to know more about? Come to this event.

Friday, April 1
The 11th Annual Michigan Tech Drag Show will be at 8 p.m., in the Rozsa Center. This year the show will feature the extraordinary talents of Joey Black, Tabitha Stevens, Cass Marie Domino, and, coming all the way from Las Vegas, DuWanna Moore. Seats fill up fast, so get there early.

For more information, see the Keweenaw Pride website, www.keweenawpride.org, or the Michigan Tech Calendar.

Published in Tech Today.

Michigan Tech will host faculty, staff and administrators from public and private colleges and universities, community colleges and precollege GEAR UP programs across Michigan at the annual King Chavez Parks Equity Within the Classroom Conference, March 27-29 in the Memorial Union Ballroom. The conference theme is “The Changing Face of America: Helping Michigan Compete.”

Featured speakers will include:

Monday, March 28

• 8:45 to 9:45 a.m., Valerie Young, an expert on the “imposter syndrome” and author of a popular career newsletter called “Changing Course,” will present “How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are: Why Smart People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrome and What to Do About It.”
• 1 to 2 p.m., Howard G. Adams is the founder and president of a Norfolk, Va.-based consulting firm that provides, leadership, career planning and diversity-related training programs for universities and other organizations.
• 4:45 to 5:30 p.m., Maya Kobersy, assistant general counsel at the University of Michigan, will talk about the legal landscape for diversity in higher education.

Tuesday, March 29

• 8:15 to 8:45 a.m., Kimberly Houston-Philpot, president of the Dow Corning Foundation and global community relations director for the Dow Corning Corporation, will present a corporate view of equity and diversity.
• 10 to 11 a.m., Michael Boulus, executive director of the Presidents’ Council, State Universities of Michigan, will present “Moving Michigan Forward into the Knowledge Economy.”
• 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Sandra Begay-Campbell, who leads efforts at Sandia National Laboratories to assist Native American tribes with renewable energy development, will talk about how America can stay competitive in the STEM fields.

Workshops will also be offered on effective cross-cultural communication, recruiting minority students to graduate school, the Michigan College Access Network, getting a campus climate survey started, free web-based math programs, partnerships and 3M’s science outreach programs.

Registration is free, but space is limited. To register for one or more sessions, visit www.diversity.mtu.edu/equityconference.

Published in Tech Today.