This Week in Michigan Public Higher Education News

May 28, 2021

MASU Commentaries

The Peril of State Disinvestment in Michigan’s Public Universities

Daniel Hurley, OPtimizing EDucation (May 25)

A recent report from SHEEO explicitly tying state cuts to higher education with poorer student outcomes should be in Lansing policymakers’ mind as they determine how to allocate the billions in unanticipated revenue for FY2022.

A Tale of Two Capital Cities

Bob Murphy, OPtimizing EDucation (May 26)

Wisconsin’s proposed capital outlay budget for universities this year? $1 billion. Michigan’s proposed capital outlay budget for universities this year? Zero. Michigan continues to fall behind regional competitors.

In the News

Academic Operations

President Wilson announces campus reopening details

The South End (May 25)

Collaboration

Finlandia and NMU sign academic partnership

WLUC TV (May 26)

Diversity on Campus

President Montgomery details Racial Justice Advisory Committee, results of campus wide diversity climate survey [WMU]

Western Herald (May 25)

Facilities Planning & Campus Improvement

University of Michigan ‘not taking any shortcuts’ in achieving carbon neutrality, regent says

MLive (May 21)

U-M Commits to University-wide Carbon Neutrality by 2040

dbusiness (May 21)

UM panel recommends name change for Yost Ice Arena

The Detroit News (May 24)

Committee suggests Michigan remove Fielding Yost's name from arena after reviewing past

Detroit Free Press (May 24)

UM may rename Yost Arena

WILX TV (May 25)

MSU’s famous Dairy Store is returning

WILX TV (May 25)

GVSU lot in Grand Rapids soon becoming affordable housing complex

WOOD TV (May 25)

Higher Education Finance — Institutional Dynamics

Bill Beekman willing to hear ideas to reinstate Michigan State swimming and diving teams

MLive (May 21)

1,400 join committee, ACLU in requesting CMU listen to student athletes

WILX TV (May 27)

Schlissel’s “Go Blue Guarantee” survey question draws criticism from faculty, campus organizations [UM-D, UM-F]

The Michigan Daily (May 28)

Higher Education Finance — Other State Support

Grand Valley State gets $250K grant to expand veteran entrepreneur program beyond West Michigan

MLive (May 26)

Higher Education Finance — State Operating Support

Federal aid helps bring added $3.5 billion surplus to Michigan [UM, MASU]

Bridge (May 21)

Mich. House pushes plan to slash UM, Wayne State funding [MASU]

The Detroit News (May 23)

Proposed budget would change funding formulas for state universities based on MI residents enrolled [CMU, EMU, UM, WSU, MASU]

Michigan Radio (May 24)

Labor Relations

Michigan State University to end employee wage reductions from COVID-19 pandemic

MLive (May 25)

Michigan Medicine, U-M physician assistants reach tentative agreement

WDIV TV (May 26)

Contract negotiations begin between Oakland University faculty, administration

The Oakland Press (May 27)

Michigan Medicine giving employees $1,500 bonus for work during COVID-19 pandemic

MLive (May 27)

Philanthropic Support

The Windgate Foundation grants $2.2 million to EMU's School of Art and Design

The Eastern Echo (May 27)

Program Delivery

'Our lives have changed': With online learning now king, Michigan business schools focus on flexibility, diversity [MSU, OU, UM, WSU]

Crain’s Detroit Business (May 23)

Safety & Health

Michigan State University Council meeting on vaccine policy

WILX TV (May 24)

Student seeks changes at University of Michigan after sexual misconduct

WDIV TV (May 24)

WMU ends outdoor mask requirement on campus

Western Herald (May 24)

Therapy fees waived for Oakland University students

The Oakland Press (May 24)

NMU offering students, employees food credit for uploading proof of vaccine

The Mining Journal (May 25)

Advisory panel recommends COVID-19 vaccine requirements at Michigan State University

WILX TV (May 25)

Michigan Senate approves ban on requiring coronavirus vaccine for minors [UM]

MLive (May 25)

Michigan State University Council Recommends Requiring Vaccines On Campus In The Fall

WKAR TV (May 25)

Lake State not requiring proof of vaccination for on-campus students

The Sault News (May 26)

Student Success

See college success rates for Michigan’s 15 public universities and 28 community colleges

MLive (May 24)

University Accountability

EMU defends itself against rape lawsuit; says many victims didn't report assaults

Michigan Radio (May 21)

Eastern Michigan University shouldn’t be blamed for sexual assaults it did not know about, lawyers argue

MLive (May 21)

Eastern Michigan grad facing 13 sex assault charges offered 15-30 year sentence

Detroit Free Press (May 24)

8 more women accuse Eastern Michigan University of covering up sexual assaults

The Detroit News (May 26)

Second lawsuit accuses EMU of covering up rapes

Michigan Radio (May 27)

Lawsuit: MSU, Sparrow failed to protect women from sexual assault by medical resident

Lansing State Journal (May 27)

Eastern Michigan lawsuit says statistics spurred cover-up; accused man’s lawyer recalls ‘reopened’ case

Detroit Free Press (May 28)

Workforce Alignment

Northern Michigan University begins summer truck driving program

WLUC TV (May 24)

Commentaries

Editorial: Per-pupil funding puts elite colleges at risk [UM, MSU, WSU]

The Detroit News (May 25)

Michigan has a two-tier labor market [UM]

Michigan Future, Inc. (May 25)

Town or gown: the two sides of Ann Arbor [UM, MSU, WSU]

The Michigan Daily (May 26)

Opinion: Don't tie Michigan university funding to students in seats [MSU, UM, WSU]

The Detroit News (May 27)

State and National Reports

Michigan in Context

State Higher Education Finance: FY 2020

State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (May 2021)

In the first year this annual report has been released with sector breakdowns, we now know that Michigan public universities are funded at only 59% of the national average of funding for public 4-year institutions per full time student.

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