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UM-Flint Campus News from the Desk of Chancellor
Ruth J.
Person
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Happy
New Year! September marks the beginning of our new academic
year- the year 2010-2011. Every year at UM-Flint has no doubt
been busy, but this year promises to be "over the top." First
and most important, we will be undertaking (and completing)
our strategic planning process for 2011-2016. Charting our
course for the next five years is one of the most critical
things we must do for our campus if we are to *compete,
convene and connect* in every way possible. Our challenged
economy and the prospects ahead make it critical that we make
wise choices in the way we use our precious resources. I am
excited about this task, daunting as it may be. To accompany
our strategic planning work, we have employed Sasaki and
Associates to assist us in updating our campus master plan so
that we can address future space needs and make the best use
of our physical resources as well.
As a part of our strategy to advance the academic mission of
the university, we have submitted two doctoral degree
proposals to the Higher Learning Commission (Doctor of
Occupational Therapy and Doctor of Anesthesia Practice). The
HLC has changed its review process with respect to degree
reviews, so we do not yet know whether either or both of these
proposals will require a "focused visit." Stay
tuned!
As we move our campus
forward, I hope that we can accomplish several agenda items
for the year as well as those identified above. These would
include (1) the development of an overall strategy to better
communicate information about our public events to the
community, (2) completion of alumni relations program plan,
(3) development of a campus leadership development plan for
faculty, staff and students, and (4) identification of
additional opportunities to highlight diversity efforts on
campus. Speaking personally, I want to learn more about
specific areas of faculty expertise and to explore the assets
of the region outside of Genessee county. While both of these
activities will be time consuming, they will allow me to think
strategically about our future.
Ruth J.
Person
Chancellor
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*COMPETE*
We are
doing well in this category, with a number of awards, honors,
and competitions identified in August. Our colleagues Greg
Snyder (Purchasing Manager) and Tendaji Ganges (Director of
Educational Opportunity Initiatives) were honored as
Distinguished Diversity Leaders in a ceremony held in Ann
Arbor in
August.
Greg Snyder,
Chancellor Ruth Person, and Tendaji
Ganges
Becky Armour (Assistant Director for Academic Advising and
Career Center) was selected for the Center for the Education
of Women's Advanced Leadership Seminar. SHPS Faculty members
Tom Ruediger, Huey Ming Tzeng, and Sam Oberstein have been
nominated for Leadership Genessee. I have selected Dean Mary
Jo Finney and Vice Chancellor Mary Jo Sekelsky to serve as our
representatives to the ACE Michigan Women's
Network.
Our Northbank Center's
Grand Ballroom was chosen as the "Best Place to Have a Wedding
Reception" by the readers of the Flint Journal as
part of its "Best in Genessee County"
contest.
It's almost time for Fall
sports competitions to begin. Please join us in support of our
Ice Hockey Club; see their club schedule at
www.hockeyclubumflint.com. Our breaking news is that we have
hired our first Club Sports Coordinator. Will Dyer has joined
us to oversee the development of our new club sports
program. Please stop by the UCEN and introduce yourself
to Will.
UM-Flint became a Crim
sponsor for the one-mile race, now called the "Michigan Mile."
I had the pleasure of starting the race (well, sort of. The
runners tore off down the street and across campus before I
had time to say "Runners Set. Runners Go.") this year and look
forward to this event next year. What a great
day!
A podium view of the "Michigan
Mile"
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*CONVENE*
Our social work program hosted a "Family Reunion" in August to
celebrate its 25th Anniversary as well as all-important CSWE
re-accreditation. Retiring faculty member Dr. Charles Blakely
was also honored for his service to the program and the
university. This event was a wonderful way to commemorate both
the anniversary of an academic program and also to showcase
our alumni and their contributions. I encourage other programs
to think about hosting such an event when a milestone occurs!
The Social Work
Celebration
Physical Therapy hosted its
first "hooding" ceremony for DPT graduates on August 29. These
students are typically not available for May or December
commencement, so this event was a special celebration for
them. Our PT program will be expanding to a new entering class
of 60 students, thanks in no small measure to the availability
of former WFUM space in the White Building, and to our
administrative team freeing up funds to renovate the space. As
one door closes, another opens. Our PT program is highly
competitive and has many, many more applicants than spaces
available. I look forward to shaking hands with these sixty
new students in 2013. If I've done my math correctly that will
be the 30th anniversary of our PT program, which moved to
UM-Flint from Ann Arbor in 1983. Another milestone to
celebrate!
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*CONNECT*
As part of
Flint's "Back to the Bricks" events, our office of alumni
relations hosted its first-ever "Go Blue on the Bricks" party
for alumni of UM-Flint. What a great party. We had over 400
attendees, including special guests Lt. Governor John Cherry
and Congressman Dale Kildee, as well as a celebrity Danica
Patrick "look alike" (aka our student intern Katie
Shaheen). Katie did an outstanding job for us as a summer
intern in Alumni Relations. We are sorry to see her go, but
wish her the best in her studies during the 2010-11
year!
Katie Shaheen and Chancellor Person
We plan to
make this an annual event, and we even have our own special
vehicle!
We had a wonderful group of
alumni volunteers serving as hosts, and I send my special
thanks to all of them for their hard work to make this party a
success.
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*Person(ally)
Speaking*
Because I
had to be inactive all summer as a result of having pneumonia,
I actually got to read a few books! I tried to choose reading
that would help me think "outside of the box" about the
future. Two selections were particularly compelling: first,
Alan Deutschman's Change or
Die , and second Stephen Goldsmith's
The Power of Social
Innovation. This past year I met Alan and
heard him speak. His ideas about what makes people change are
thought-provoking and not at all what I expected. Steve is an
old friend from my Indiana days; he's now the Deputy Mayor of
NYC and a faculty member at Harvard's Kennedy School, but he
was previously the Mayor of Indianapolis. Steve's message
centers around how civic entrepreneurs can create innovative
solutions to public and social problems.
I recommend both books to those of
you who are interested in the change
process.
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Thank you
for reading "BlueNotes!"
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On
My Calendar
9/1-Pre-Convocation Workshop; Academic
Convocation; Faculty/Staff Picnic
9/2-Flint Cease-Fire; New
Student Convocation
9/3-Rededication of Michigan
Stadium
9/4-Football
9/8-Executive Officers (Ann Arbor);
Provost Reception
9/9-Flint Cease-Fire; Kettering
University Award Dinner
9/14-Executive Officers (Ann
Arbor); Don Riegle Service Awards
9/15-Reception for David
Canter
9/16-Regents Meeting (Ann Arbor)
9/18-
Football
9/21- Executive Officers (Ann Arbor); CEOs for
Cities
9/22- Strategic Plan Town Hall
9/23- United Way
Kick-Off; Durant Hotel Opening; CAC/BSP Meeting
9/25-
Football
9/26- 75th Anniversary: Bentley Library
9/28-
Executive Officers (Ann Arbor); PT Accreditation Visit; Hurley
Board Retreat
9/29- Voland Dinner
9/30- Flint Cease
Fire; GISD Reception
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