This Week in Michigan Public Higher Education News - Jan. 28, 2022

January 28, 2022

MASU has published an updated-as-needed tracker of university operating statuses here: Operational Status of Michigan Public Universities in Response to COVID-19

MASU & Featured Commentaries

Preserving Michigan’s Vital Public Assets: An Opportunity at Hand

Daniel Hurley, Optimizing Education (Jan. 27)

Commentary: Want knowledge jobs? Help pay for college

Daniel Hurley, Crain’s Detroit Business (Jan. 28)

Why Ford's Corktown project may mean more to Michigan's future than the next battery plant

Crain’s Detroit Business (Jan. 28)

In the News

Academic Operations

WSU to resume in-person classes

The South End (Jan. 21)

MSU to resume in-person classes starting January 31

WSMH TV (Jan. 22)

MSU announces Spartans will resume in-person classes Jan. 31

WXYZ TV (Jan. 22)

Michigan State Holds Classes Online, Welcomes Basketball Fans

Inside Higher Ed (Jan. 24)

OU announces Feb. 1 return to campus, pop-up vaccine clinics

The Oakland Post (Jan. 24)

MSU students petition for online class option

Lansing State Journal (Jan. 27)

College Access & Affordability

Justices to Hear Challenge to Race in College Admissions [UM]

WWTV TV (Jan. 24)

How college students can combat the pricey foe of textbook affordability [MSU]

The State News (Jan. 25)

SAT going online and the impact it may have on students [UM-F]

WEYI TV (Jan. 26)

Educational Attainment

Gov. Whitmer, don’t forget these four pressing issues facing Michigan

Bridge (Jan. 25)

Enrollment

WMU sees drop in spring semester enrollment

WOOD TV (Jan. 26)

Spring 2022 enrollment plummets 8.5%, breaks new record low [WMU, MSU, CMU, GVSU]

Western Herald (Jan. 26)

Facilities Planning & Campus Improvement

GVSU responds to grievances about their dining services

WZZM TV (Jan. 24)

Ann Arbor debating whether to ask University of Michigan to build workforce housing

MLive (Jan. 24)

Henry Ford, MSU look to break ground on research institute

Crain’s Detroit Business (Jan. 25)

CATA extends service reductions until as late as March 6 [MSU]

The State News (Jan. 26)

Federal Policy

Supreme Court Takes Affirmative Action Cases [UM]

Inside Higher Ed (Jan. 24)

Higher Education Finance — Institutional Dynamics

WMU uses tuition, other revenue for mandatory COVID-19 tests

Western Herald (Jan. 21)

Higher Education Finance — Institutional Financial Aid

NMU scholarships now available

WLUC TV (Jan. 24)

University offers more students free tuition [GVSU]

Grand Rapids Business Journal (Jan. 24)

CMU to offer full-tuition scholarships to students who were mistakenly told they won them

The Detroit News (Jan. 26)

CMU accidentally tells prospective students they won full-ride scholarships

Detroit Free Press (Jan. 27)

CMU accidentally told students they had full-ride scholarships. It decided to give them out anyway.

MLive (Jan. 27)

MSU student affairs offering scholarships to help current students next school year

The State News (Jan. 27)

Oakland University mistakenly tells thousands they earned nearly full scholarships [CMU]

The Detroit News (Jan. 28)

Higher Education in the 2022 Elections

GV establishes on-campus voting opportunity for Allendale residents

Grand Valley Lanthorn (Jan. 24)

Institutional Leadership

Western Michigan University rejects MLive FOIA for documents from president’s performance review

MLive (Jan. 22)

President Montgomery hosts new office hours [WMU]

Western Herald (Jan. 26)

Western Michigan University trustees defend president after faculty criticism

MLive (Jan. 27)

WMU Board of Trustees responds to WMU-AAUP letter addressing no-confidence vote

Western Herald (Jan. 27)

Labor Relations

Felony disclosure unnecessary for employees, University of Michigan faculty leaders say

MLive (Jan. 27)

Leadership Transitions

Public input sought by NMU Presidential Search Advisory Committee

WNMU TV (Jan. 26)

Central Michigan University replaces admissions director after mistaken scholarship error

The Detroit News (Jan. 28)

Philanthropic Support

$10M donor gift to Michigan Medicine renames critical care institute

MLive (Jan. 25)

Mott Foundation gives Michigan State $25M to expand Flint-based public health research

Lansing State Journal (Jan. 26)

MSU receives $25 million grant from Mott Foundation to expand health campus in Flint

Crain’s Detroit Business (Jan. 26)

Mott Foundation gives MSU $25M for Flint-based research

WXYZ TV (Jan. 27)

$12M Chinese calligraphy gift is largest-ever donation to University of Michigan museum

MLive (Jan. 27)

Program Delivery

Need more teachers? University of Michigan is expanding its certificate program

MLive (Jan. 21)

Despite national teacher shortage, GV’s education program is booming

Grand Valley Lanthorn (Jan. 24)

New program at LSSU focuses on smart technologies

WPBN TV (Jan. 25)

Lake Superior State University offers new bachelor of science in mechatronics

The Sault News (Jan. 26)

Michigan community colleges vie for 4-year nursing programs amid shortages [MSU, MASU]

Bridge (Jan. 26)

Testimony in favor of HBs 5361 and 5362 [PDF]

MASU (Jan. 26)

MASU offered testimony this week regarding HB 5361 and 5362, amending the Community College Act and General Property Tax. The bills would eliminate community colleges’ local taxing ability if they were to offer a newly state-authorized baccalaureate degree. Video of CEO Dan Hurley’s remarks (runs from 12:30 through 41-minute mark).

Recognitions & Awards

States with the most highly ranked colleges [MSU, MTU, UM]

WNCT TV [NC] (Jan. 23)

These Michigan colleges are among the nation’s best in online education, U.S. News rankings say

MLive (Jan. 26)

Safety & Health

Where MSU is housing sick students as COVID-19 cases surge

Lansing State Journal (Jan. 21)

While still triple previous high, University of Michigan COVID-19 cases decreasing [EMU, MSU]

MLive (Jan. 24)

Hundreds of WMU students fined for missing weekly COVID-19 tests

WWMT TV (Jan. 25)

MSU mulling Red Cedar River safety measures outlined in Brendan Santo petition

Mlive (Jan. 26)

Warning of possible meningitis exposure issued after ‘positive’ person attends frat events at Michigan, MSU

MLive (Jan. 27)

Meningitis case in East Lansing prompts health department to seek frat party attendees [MSU, UM]

WILX TV (Jan. 27)

Meningitis exposure reported at UM, MSU fraternity events, health officials say

The Detroit News (Jan. 27)

Michigan meningitis case ID'd: All who attended 2 frat events at U-M, MSU need antibiotics

Detroit Free Press (Jan. 27)

MSU altering safety measures around Red Cedar River after petition takes off

Lansing State Journal (Jan. 27)

Tuition

WMU uses tuition, other revenue for mandatory COVID-19 tests

Western Herald (Jan. 21)

University Accountability

University of Michigan sued days after $490M settlement of sexual abuse claims

The Detroit News (Jan. 22)

Professor Barry Mehler suspended over COVID-19 video sues Ferris State University

Detroit Free Press (Jan. 26)

Professor sues university over suspension after profanity-laced lecture on video

MLive (Jan. 26)

Judge won’t immediately put Ferris State professor back in class

WOOD TV (Jan. 27)

Commentaries

People invited to participate in search for NMU president

Daily Press (Jan. 25)

Livengood: Piles of cash have tax-cut fever spreading in Lansing

Crain’s Detroit Business (Jan. 27)

Commentary: For real future, tech talent is where it's at [WSU, UM, MSU, MTU, NMU]

Crain’s Detroit Business (Jan. 28)

Commentary: Innovation districts can help Detroit build on success [GVSU, MSU, UM, WSU]

Crain’s Detroit Business (Jan. 28)

State and National Reports

Michigan in Context

The Colleges Where Low-Income Students Get the Highest ROI

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (January 2022)

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