4/22/04
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2004
NEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DIVISION
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Robert R. Archibald, President and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis, Missouri, will be our Spring Commencement speaker and will receive the honorary degree, Doctor of History. Dr. Archibald is an NMU alumnus, having received his bachelor's degree in history and economics in 1970 and his master's degree in history in 1972. The recommendation is in the Formals, D-3.
President-elect Dr. Leslie Wong and his wife Phyllis visited NMU last week to meet with individuals and groups on and off the campus. They plan to return to campus in May for another visit and will move to Marquette in late June.
I am proud to advise you that Marquette County is one of three Michigan communities, and 30 nationwide, to receive the "America's Most Livable Communities" Award which is granted only once every 10 years. The award honors communities that have been innovative in economic growth and improving quality of life, making the communities among the nation's top destinations for travel, business development, lifelong learning and living.
Governor Granholm visited Northern recently to have a conversation with NMU students on how to create "cool cities" in Michigan – keeping young college-educated workers in the State. She talked with our students about what they are looking for in their communities and facilitated a discussion between an audience of about 175 people and a panel of 10 pre-selected community representatives with a range of skills and expertise who participated in a recent Cool Cities forum. Similar summit meetings were held at Grand Valley State University and Wayne State University.
One note of interest from Public Safety and Police Services: The Police Academy will start on May 3rd. We have the largest class ever, 55 students @ 12 credit hours each. Over 800 hours of training, (seventeen weeks) will lead to eligibility for state certification as a police officer. Students are from Michigan, Wisconsin and Washington State. We are ecstatic! But it's going to be an extremely hectic summer schedule.
I was recently notified by Northern Initiatives President Dennis West, that the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship has named Northern Initiatives as their Entrepreneurial Organization of the month. Congratulations to everyone at Northern Initiatives on receiving this recognition.
Congratulations to Dr. Austin Hummell, Assistant Professor of English, who has won the Del Sol Poetry Prize for his new book "Poppy." His work was selected from over 400 manuscripts to receive this prestigious award. "Poppy" will be published by Del Sol Press in Boston this spring.
Congratulations also to NMU Business Professionals of American student members who competed at the State Leadership Conference recently. The group collected 16 awards, including 9 first-place finishes, and qualified to compete at the National Conference in Cincinnati. We wish them the best of luck.
The Military Science Department projects that it will commission 9, potentially 10 Officers this year which is the most commissioned since 1993. The Department projects it will commission potentially 11 Officers next year.
The Nursing Department had 96 applicants for the 40 spots in our nursing program. Our nursing graduates currently have the highest pass rate on the NCLEX exam in the state (for both LPN and RN grads). Faculty searches in Nursing seem to be going well and we are receiving applications from some well qualified applicants.
A recent site visit for NAACLS Program Standards for Cytogenetics and Diagnostic Molecular Scientist, our Molecular Biology Track, was held on campus. We had a very successful site visit. They had praise for our resources, faculty, equipment, key courses, the administrative support and Mayo Clinic. Because we had such a clean report, we will be eligible for 7 years the next time our accreditation is due for renewal.
The Department of Communication Disorders' Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic is planning for it's summer clinic program to run from May 10 through July 23. This is made possible by a combination of university support and a $15,000 grant from the Scottish-Rite which the department has received for many years. The summer clinic program meets the needs of adults and children with communication disorders throughout Marquette County and the Upper Peninsula.
The HPER-Organization of Outdoor Recreation Professionals (OORP), a student organization, organized and hosted the Student Outdoor Educators Conference, April 2-4, in the PEIF. Over 90 students were registered, with students coming from Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The author of A Walk Across America, Peter Jenkins was the banquet speaker.
Dr. Linda L. Zupan, Professor of Criminal Justice, has been invited by Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa, to assist in the development of curriculum for the University’s new criminal justice program. The creation of this new program at Tshwane University reflects broader changes occurring in South African higher education where many institutions are undergoing significant restructuring and transformation. Tshwane University, which opened January, 2004, resulted from a merger between three institutions—Technikon Northern Gauteng, Technikon North-West, and Pretoria Technikon. Currently, Tshwane University offers undergraduate and graduate qualifications, including a doctoral degree, in law enforcement. University administrators are hoping to develop a broader based criminal justice curriculum that would include education in corrections.
Two Sociology faculty members continue their work with non-traditional groups: Prof. Michael Loukinen is expanding his documentary work on traditional culture of the Lac Vu Desert band of Upper Peninsula Ojibwa; Dr. Renxin Yang is continuing her work in mainland China, investigating the impact of economic reform on women.
Highlights from Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports for 2003-2004:
Athletics:
▪ First Annual Academic Awards Banquet:
Over 100 student-athletes recognized for academic achievements. Awards were given by NMU Wildcat Club (3.20 GPA), National College Athlete Honor Society (3.40 GPA), National Student Athlete Day, NMU SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Council) and others.
▪ Ski Team named NCAA All-Academic Team
▪ Dean’s list, Fall 2003 – 78 student athletes (minimum 3.25 GPA)
▪ NMU Male Athlete of Year – Craig Kowalski (Ice Hockey)
NMU Female Athlete of Year – Kathie Cole (Diving), NCAA II All- American
▪ Josh Sherko (Football) – GLIAC Conference honoree, Jack McAvoy Award for academic record and community service.
▪ Volleyball Team, 26-1, undefeated in regular season play; NMU hosted NCAA Regional Tournament.
▪ Women’s Track/Field – competed in its inaugural season with good success; Jennie Lahr qualified both indoor and outdoor (3,000) event for Nationals.
Recreational Sports Highlights
▪ 40% of student employees on Fall, 2003 Dean’s List (minimum 3.25 GPA). Department hires approximately 300 students/year.
▪ New CARDIO equipment (treadmills, steppers, bikes) installed in Rec Center to replace worn out equipment, $63,000.
▪ Approximately 3500 students purchased passes to use the Rec Center each semester.
▪ Sport Club of Year – NMU Figure Skating Club
▪ Rookie Sport Club of Year – NMU Women’s Alpine Ski Club
▪ Student Organizations Advisor of Year – Darryl Davis, NMU Crew Sports Club
▪ Pilates Fitness Program averaged 49 participants/class – very popular
▪ Intramurals – 20% increase in number of teams from last year
▪ Group Fitness is at an all time high with an average of 18/class (7/class in previous years)
Last month, WNMU-TV received first place in the Special Interest category of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) annual station competition for its production of “An Evening with the Governor”. This program aired last fall on our station when the Governor took her bad news budget program on the road. In the most recent issue of NMU’s Horizon on page 14, Mary Dettloff makes a point of describing the difference between WNMU’s ability to produce the program and downstate stations producing the same program for their areas.
WNMU-TV’s production “Lumberjack Life: UP Days of Yore” took second place in the News Special category competition sponsored by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and is the same DVD Board members received at their last meeting. This program – in addition to being our #1 fundraising show last December - has since aired state-wide on all Michigan Public Television programs.
Faculty and students from Northern Michigan University presented at the 2004 convention of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters. In the Language and Literature section of the convention, NMU English faculty and graduate assistants helped to organize a new area, Native American Perspectives, and presented their work on Native American education, language, literature and health. Instructor Shirley Brozzo, Pofessor Melissa Hearn, and graduate assistants Grace Chaillier, Jamie Kuehnl and Leann Miller took part in this. Other English faculty and graduate assistants presented in the Rhetoric and Composition section of the convention. They were: Pofessor Bill Knox, adjunct instructor Heidi Stevenson, and graduate assistants Erin Celello and Rick Hunter. NMU also had several participants in the Psychology section of the convention. Professors Sheila Burns and Charles Leith, along with students Julie Anderla, David Brunning, Amanda Cross, Josh Dobias, Lacy Gregg, Diana Hudson, Brian Peterson and Mike Simpson, presented on mental and manual rotation and the Mueller-Lyer illusion.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION NEWS
Update on Construction/Renovation Projects on Campus:
1. Student Services Center: Departmental Office areas to be completed in late July. Move departments in August. Reynolds Recital Hall to be completed in October.
2. Thomas Fine Arts: PHASE I to be completed in July. Move departments in August. PHASE II renovation of Band/Choral Rooms to start in June with completion in September.
3. New Art & Design Building: Completion to be in October. Move departments in immediately upon completion.
4. Parking Lots: Lot 28 start in May, with completion in July. Lot 62 start in July, with completion in October.
Through a reorganization, we are combining the operations of Athletics and Recreational Facilities and Services into the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports. Also, we will replace the title "Sports Training Centers" with "United States Olympic Education Center."
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A copy of the President's Activity Report is in the front pocket of your Boardbooks.