Addendum #2
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2003
NEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DIVISION
Marquette County was named an All-America City at the Annual All-America City Awards ceremony in Washington, DC in June. The designation is the culmination of several months of effort headed by the Lake Superior Community Partnership and involving a variety of community projects and organizations including Northern Michigan University. This is a program of the National Civic League that honors ten communities annually that best exemplify the spirit of grassroots citizen involvement and cross-sector collaborative problem solving. Receiving this designation is an honor and speaks to the quality of life our area offers. It provides an important marketing opportunity for Northern and we are taking full advantage of this good news in our recruitment and retention efforts.
I have been appointed to serve as CACUBO's (Central Association of Collegiate and University Business Officers) representative to NACUBO's (National Association of Collegiate and University Business Officers) Comprehensive and Doctoral Institutions Council.
Marquette County is also a finalist for designation as one of "America's Most Livable Cities" an award given only once every ten years by Partners for Livable Communities to cities deemed to be the best places for growing a business, raising a family, and visiting. An announcement on selected cities will be made at the National Press Club in Washington, DC in March.
Public Safety's Regional Police Academy is graduating 23 police recruits on August 22nd after an intensive 16 week course. The graduates are from the Upper Peninsula, Lower Michigan and Wisconsin.
Mark Delorey, NMU's Director of Financial Aid, was recently elected to a three-year term as the Financial Aid Representative for the Midwest Regional Council of the College Board. The Midwest Region serves 13 states and provides services such as the SAT test, Advanced Placement testing, financial aid Profile evaluations, and many other academic services to high schools and colleges.
Our School of Nursing received notification of its 10-year re-accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Not only did Northern’s program get re-accredited, but it did so receiving no recommendations for improvement.
NMU has received a $200,000 grant for its Gerontology Program under the direction of Professor Pish Cianciolo.
Northern's School of Education is working with the Upper Peninsula Center for Education Development on the project, Learning without Limits, and we are working with Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State as a consortium to apply for NSF grants, under the direction of Dr. Debra Thatcher.
NMU is working with school districts throughout the Upper Peninsula to provide links through the use of technology to share lessons.
Through the efforts of Jesse Roberts, a student assistant, the JOBSearch Center created a user-friendly reporting mechanism for sharing results of the annual Graduate survey.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION NEWS
Facilities Update:
The bids are due on August 13 for the Thomas Fine Arts Renovation Project and the Art and Design North Addition.
New furniture was installed last week in Whitman Hall and the academic departments are currently moving into the facility.
Administrative Information Technology Update:
The university recently implemented new on-line capabilities for students and parents with regard to payments:
ENROLLMENT NEWS
In Fiscal Year 2002 we accomplished a key FYES benchmark. For the first time since Fiscal Year 1981, NMU has reached and surpassed the 8,000 FYES plateau. This accomplishment highlights our complete recovery from the devastating blow we suffered when K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base closed. Our lowest FYES level was in Fiscal Year 1996, when our total fell to 6,243. Since then we have grown by an astounding 29%.
ALUMNI NEWS
Some of the highlights from activities over the past few months include:
Continuing to streamline duties and responsibilities as part of our office restructuring.
The NMU Alumni Association Board of Directors met June 27th on the campus of Northern Michigan University. Among the business items:
· the board voted to award three alumni awards at Homecoming, September 27th at the annual awards breakfast; Outstanding Young Alumni award to David Gregory ’92; Distinguished Alumni Awards to Mark Lovell ’77 and Albert Milford ’66.
· The board voted to increase financial support of Horizons, the magazine for Alumni and Friends of NMU.
· The Board of Directors was presented with the results of the alumni survey undertaken in January of this year. Among the results from 1,100 responses:
Key Findings: The Alumni Association is doing a good job….
--Connecting graduates to NMU
--Keeping them informed of news and events
--Advertising events and activities
Alumni are most pleased with:
--Horizons magazine
--Homecoming
--Events in various cities
--The NMU Alumni Association web site
Alumni would like to be better informed about:
--assistance with small group reunions
--hockey satellite broadcasts
--permanent email addresses for grads
--“What’s New, NMU?” weekly on-line column
Currently, 1,600 alumni receive “What’s New, NMU?” weekly.
Close to 650 people have signed up for permanent email addresses from the Alumni Association. (@alumni.nmu.edu)
Homecoming takes place Sept. 26-27. In addition to the traditional activities, NMU Sports Hall of Fame Induction will also take place, Sept. 26th. This years inductees: Scott Beattie; Chuck Klingbeil Jr., Lisa Jamula Maki; Neal Seagren; May Tan and Tom Watson.
The NMU Alumni Association hosted a 50th Reunion Weekend for the Classes of 1952-53-54, June 26 and 27th.
The NMU Alumni Association took part in three golf outings this summer: NMU Athletic Department Boyne Highlands golf outing on June 16th; NMU Wildcat Club outing on June 26th; and Golfing for a Goal in Livonia, July 21st.
We provided assistance to the TKE Reunion held July 25-26 in Marquette.
In addition, Deanna Hemmila and Interim President Mike Roy attended the Izzo Mariucci Sponsor Reception, Thursday, June 26th and hosted a dinner for selected alumni Sunday, July 20 in Livonia.
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A copy of the President's Activity Report is in the front pocket of your Boardbooks.