December 19, 2025

News from MASU

Congratulations to Northern Michigan University President Gavin Leach, who this week was named as full president of NMU for the remainder of his term! President Leach was previously the Interim President of NMU.

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Happy holidays from Dan, Mia, and Robyn here at MASU! We will resume publishing This Week in January.

In the News

Facilities Planning & Campus Improvement

MSU plans second indoor arena at the Ag Pavilion

WKZO FM (Dec. 15)


MSU's Beaumont Tower shines bright with new holiday tradition

Lansing State Journal (Dec. 15)


Oakland University 'cautiously optimistic' about heating repairs, says school on track for full reopening

WXYZ TV (Dec. 15)


MSU plans to build second indoor arena at Farm Bureau Pavilion

WILX TV (Dec. 16)


Governance & Speech

MSU OKs new committee to review controversial investments, but critics remain

Lansing State Journal (Dec. 16)


Higher Education Finance – Federal Funding & Financial Aid

WEMU perseveres through difficulty to serve community

Eastern Echo (Dec. 15)


MSU researchers awarded $3.1M to study impact of stuttering on children

WILX TV (Dec. 16)


Higher Education Finance — Institutional Dynamics

Sault Tribe allocates $856K to Upper Peninsula communities this fall [LSSU]

WPBN TV (Dec. 16)


Higher Education Finance — Other State Support

Lawmaker moves to block $100M for UM, Los Alamos supercomputing lab

The Detroit News (Dec. 13)


Lawmakers want to cancel $100M grant for UM supercomputer project

Crain’s Detroit Business (Dec. 15)


Higher Education Finance — State Student Financial Aid

Michigan rises from bottom in college financial aid with slate of new grants

Bridge (Dec. 18)


Michigan spent $49M to send essential workers to college. Few chose to attend [FSU]

Bridge Detroit (Dec. 18)


Institutional Leadership

NMU Board recognizes Leach, selects new head trustee

WNMU FM (Dec. 16)


Ferris State president Bill Pink named to NCAA Division II Executive Board

Pioneer (Dec. 17)


Leadership Transitions

7 months without a permanent president: What is the status of the University of Michigan search [UM-D]?

MLive (Dec. 14)


Interim Vice President for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion announced [WMU]

Western Herald (Dec. 15)


Philanthropic Support

WNMU-TV receives $576.5 K to stabilize the station’s operations from the Public Media Bridge Fund [NMU]

Keweenaw Report (Dec. 11)


Michigan Tech University announces $55 million student wellness center project

WLUC TV (Dec. 12)


$55 million gift will improve student access to wellness services at Michigan Technological University

Keweenaw Report (Dec. 15)


Largest gift Michigan Tech has ever received to fund $55M student wellness center

MLive (Dec. 15)


Michigan Tech receives $55 million for student wellness center

Philanthropy News Digest (Dec. 18)


Program Delivery

University of Michigan names $250M biomedical innovation institute ‘Unit X’

MLive (Dec. 16)


Student Success

Central Michigan University holds Fall 2025 commencement

WWTV TV (Dec. 13)


Ferris State confers degrees on 500 fall graduates

Pioneer (Dec. 15)


‘We went from we do to we did it’ [CMU]

Central Michigan Life (Dec. 15)


WMU President Kavalhuna honors WMU graduates at Fall 2025 commencement ceremonies

Western Herald (Dec. 15)


Tuition

SVSU approves housing rate increase for 2026

MLive (Dec. 16)

Commentaries

University enrollment has been falling for years. Is it time to overhaul the whole system?

Crain’s Detroit Business (Dec. 15)


Opinion: Michigan can't grow without fixing funding for universities by GVSU President Philomena Mantella

Crain’s Detroit Business (Dec. 15)


Opinion: The next purpose of Michigan universities [WMU] by WMU President Russ Kavalhuna

Crain’s Detroit Business (Dec. 15)


Opinion: Michigan could become a top 10 state for college access

Crain’s Detroit Business (Dec. 15)


3 strategies to help colleges work together and attract more students [EMU, GVSU, OU]

Crain’s Detroit Business (Dec. 15)

State and National Reports

Michigan in Context

Quarterly Policy Review Fall 2025 [PDF]

SHEEO (Dec. 2025)

Michigan activities, including the MASU grant to fund reverse transfer at the public universities, are mentioned on pages 9 and 10.