Members of student groups at the Feb. 16 UM regents meeting stood in support of a speaker during public commentary who was advocating for tuition equality for students who are undocumented immigrants. (Photos by the writer.)

Martin Taylor, who introduced the resolution at the start of the meeting, described the situation as “one that is unacceptable to the regents and that we, the regents, feel we must do everything within our power to ensure that it is not repeated.” There had been a six-month lag between the time the incident was initially reported in May of 2011, and action taken by university officials to investigate. A former medical resident, Stephen Jenson, was arrested in mid-December. [.pdf of Taylor's statement]

The university administration had issued its own report on an internal audit earlier this month, with recommendations to improve security and communications. [.pdf of UM report] But regents felt more needed to be done, and have asked UM president Mary Sue Coleman to work with board chair Denise Ilitch to make recommendations for outside consultants who could be hired to carry out an additional investigation.

During public commentary at the meeting, Coleman was sharply criticized for her handling of the situation. One speaker accused her of a repeated pattern of attacking whistleblowers. The remarks prompted some regents to come to Coleman’s defense, calling the accusations unfair.

The ongoing debate about whether to allow graduate student research assistants (GSRAs) to unionize also emerged during the Feb. 16 meeting, when three students spoke about the topic during public commentary. The same issue was the focus of an unusual special meeting that regents held the following week, on Feb. 21. At that meeting – which included heated debate among regents over whether the meeting had been called in conformity with the state’s Open Meetings Act – the board voted 6-2 to oppose Michigan senate bill 197. The bill would prohibit GSRAs from collective bargaining. It was subsequently passed by the Republican-controlled state senate on a 26-12 party-line vote.

Regents acted on a range of other issues during their Feb. 16 meeting. There was no mention of the Feb. 8 special meeting that had been called to approve the use of Michigan Stadium for the National Hockey League’s Winter Classic, scheduled for Jan. 1, 2013. However, one item on the Feb. 16 agenda did relate to UM athletics: a vote to rename the basketball player development center at Crisler in honor of William Davidson, who died in 2009. His family, via the William Davidson Foundation, recently donated $7.5 million to the University of Michigan athletics department.

Another renaming was also approved – for the Computer Science and Engineering Building, in honor of Bob and Betty Beyster. Bob Beyster, who received multiple degrees from UM and founded Science Applications International Corp., recently gave a $15 million gift to the College of Engineering.

In other business, regents voted to revise the board’s bylaws, including a change that eliminated a previous requirement that executives retire after their 70th birthday. Coleman will be 70 when her current contract expires in 2014, but regent Martin Taylor said the change wasn’t being made to accommodate her – it’s to comply with the law, he said. Regents also authorized the appointment of six Thurnau professorships, and took votes that moved forward several previously approved projects, including major renovations at East Quad and the residences in the Lawyers’ Club.

Two presentations were given during the meeting – by Martin Philbert, dean of the School of Public Health, and Doug Engel, chair and professor of cell and developmental biology. Engel’s presentation highlighted recent news that the U.S. National Institutes of Health has authorized an embryonic stem cell line developed by UM researchers to be eligible for federally funded research.

The meeting concluded with public commentary on a variety of issues, including (1) better access to a childcare subsidy available to parents who are UM students; (2) equity for students who are charged out-of-state tuition because they are undocumented immigrants; and (3) criticism of the university’s relationship with China.

Security Investigation: Child Pornography Incident

At the start of the Feb. 16 meeting, president Mary Sue Coleman began her introductory remarks by giving an update on the investigation regarding a former UM medical resident who is charged with possession of child pornography. The former medical resident, Stephen Jenson, is accused of viewing child pornography on a UM health system computer, via a thumb drive that was discovered on the computer by another medical resident. The incident was reported in May of 2011 but was not acted on by university officials until November. Jenson was arrested in mid-December, and the case is now being handled by federal investigators.

On Feb. 10, the university issued a report of its internal investigation, which included recommendations for changes to ensure better security and communication. A statement was also issued by Coleman, who called the six-month delay in responding to the allegations “a serious failure on the part of our institution – there is simply no other way to describe it.” [.pdf of UM report] [.pdf of Coleman's statement] The university’s office of the vice president for communications has set up a website with documents related to the incident.

At the Feb. 16 regents’ meeting, Coleman said the UM leadership and regents have discussed the internal audit in detail. It was a frank, difficult and necessary assessment of the institution, she said, and of the safety and security of the health system as well as the entire campus.

Regent Martin Taylor.

Regent Martin Taylor then read a resolution – one that he introduced from the floor – calling for an external investigation of the situation. The resolution described the incident as “one that is unacceptable to the regents and that we, the regents, feel we must do everything within our power to ensure that it is not repeated.” [.pdf of Taylor's statement]

The resolution called for the board chair, Denise Ilitch, to work with Coleman and others to make recommendations to the board for outside consultants who could be hired to carry out an investigation. The aim would be to (1) determine individual accountability and whether further action must be taken: and (2) examine the current organizational structure for campus law enforcement and investigations, and to provide options with regard to that structure. The resolution also stated that “911 must be fixed ASAP. When people call, it should be clear who they are talking to, and under what authority.” The resolution did not specify a timeframe for these actions to occur.

Outcome: Without discussion, regents unanimously approved the resolution calling for an external investigation.

After the vote, Coleman said she shared these concerns and appreciated the board’s deep commitment. She said she’d work with Ilitch to launch quickly the actions called for by the board. The incident and the underlying issues it revealed are unacceptable, she said. Coleman vowed to take any additional steps needed in the coming weeks.

Security Investigation: Public Commentary

During public commentary at the end of the meeting, two people addressed the board on this issue, harshly criticizing the university in general and Coleman specifically for failing to deal with the situation in a timely way.

Douglas Smith, who has regularly spoken at previous meetings on issues related to campus security, told regents that this situation is another example of Coleman’s administration reacting to a scandal by attacking the whistleblower. The phrase “Punish the whistleblower” is as much a Michigan slogan as “Go Blue,” he said. Smith cited several examples, including one in which he said a university attorney threatened him with arrest because he brought forward information about grant fraud.

Smith noted that he had appeared before the board at its Nov. 17, 2011 meeting, reporting a cover up of the arrest of UM athlete Brendan Gibbons for allegedly raping an 18-year-old freshman. Smith said he wanted Coleman to have a picture of the freshman to put by her bedside so that she could apologize to her every night. Smith wished he had a photo of the girl on Jenson’s thumb drive so that Coleman could apologize to her, too. Smith also raised questions about the “mysterious” resignation of former UM police chief Greg O’Dell, who returned abruptly to his previous job at Eastern Michigan University last year and committed suicide soon after that. Coleman refused to be interviewed by detectives investigating O’Dell’s death, Smith claimed, and the state police should be asked to investigate “this obstruction of justice.”

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” Smith said. “Don’t bury your head in the sand. No whistleblower will be safe until Mary Sue Coleman is gone.”

Regent Andrea Fischer Newman immediately responded to Smith’s remarks, calling them “unfair and uncalled for.”

The next speaker was Victoria Powell, a pediatrician, who also addressed this issue and called the case abhorrent. The issue of defending the children hasn’t been mentioned, she said. If the university had reported this incident to the police, there would have been an immediate investigation that would have looked into the safety of the children whose pornographic pictures were found, as well as the safety of children in the new pediatric hospital that UM recently opened. [UM's new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital opened in late 2011.] Powell said she’d never refer a patient to UM and she’ll tell her colleagues in the medical profession how this case was handled. UM has made children the victims, she said, while protecting a man who’s been charged by the FBI with having pictures and videos of sexually abused children. “This is absolutely shameful,” Powell concluded.

After all of the public commentary was concluded (see below for additional remarks on other topics), board chair Denise Ilitch defended Coleman, saying the personal attacks against Coleman were very unfair. Coleman works tirelessly on behalf of young people, Ilitch said. Coleman and the regents are extremely disturbed and unhappy, Ilitch said. The disdain and anger that people feel should be directed toward Jenson, she concluded, not Coleman.

GSRA Debate

The issue of unionizing graduate student research assistants (GSRAs) emerged during the Feb. 16 meeting, when three students spoke on the topic during public commentary to oppose the board’s majority view that GSRAs should be recognized as employees.

By way of background, regents passed a resolution on May 19, 2011 supporting the right of GSRAs to determine whether to organize. The resolution passed over the objection of UM president Mary Sue Coleman and with dissenting votes from the board’s two Republican regents, Andy Richner and Andrea Fischer Newman. At the board’s Jan. 19, 2012 meeting, three faculty members and one student spoke during public commentary, voicing objections to the effort to unionize GSRAs.

Then on Feb. 21, regents held a special meeting where they debated and passed a resolution – on a 6-2 vote – that opposed senate bill 971. The bill would make explicit that graduate student research assistants (GSRAs) are not entitled to collective bargaining rights under Michigan’s Act 336 of 1947. A committee hearing was held later that same morning, followed by a committee vote to send it to the entire senate. On Feb. 22, the senate voted 26-12 to approve the bill, which will next be taken up by the house of representatives.

GSRA Debate: Public Commentary

At the board’s Feb. 16 meeting, Melinda Day told regents that they had overstepped their authority by forcing faculty to remain neutral on the issue – that’s like trying to overturn the First Amendment. Higher education is about debate and the free flow of information. The GSRA issue is complex, she said, and now is the time to have free and open debate about it, from all parties, including faculty.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman, and regent Larry Deitch.

The relationship between a GSRA and faculty is more like a mentor/mentee than an employer/employee, Day said. The faculty is part of the equation – they have rights, and are true guardians of the university. As for the regents, she said, ”you are merely the overseers, and temporary as well.” If the regents choose to silence the faculty, students will speak even louder, she said. Day noted that prospective students will soon be visiting campus. Don’t make current students tell them that at Michigan, professors no longer have the right to be mentors, she told the regents.

Anna Belak, a PhD candidate and GSRA, presented regents with a letter signed by over 800 graduate students and faculty expressing strong disagreement with the board’s decision to recognize GSRAs as employees. The letter outlines rationale for considering GSRAs as students, not employees, and concludes by stating that the signers look forward to a ruling by the administrative law judge who’ll be making a recommendation in March to the Michigan Employment Relations Commission – a ruling “that relegates your ill-advised action in favor of GSRA unionization to history.”

The final speaker during public commentary was Michael Slootsky, a member of Students Against GSRA Unionization. He argued that the activities of a GSRA – even things like grant writing and repairing lab equipment – are educational in nature. To view educational activities only as those that relate directly to your thesis is like studying for a test, then complaining that not everything was tested. The university has an obligation to ensure that every GSRA is fully a student, he said.

Regent Larry Deitch asked Slootsky if he was a student in LSA – the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Slootsky, a graduate student in physics, said that he was. Deitch then read from an LSA policy guide for hiring GSRAs, which stated that ”Whenever there is an expectation of a certain effort level or outcome in exchange for pay, an employment relationship exists – especially for, but not limited to, work supported by a grant.” Deitch said these are facts that the board was presented, and they should be part of the record.

Regent Andrea Fischer Newman objected, saying that any official policy would have to be approved by the board. She said she didn’t want to have this debate now. Deitch replied that he was just matching free speech with free speech.

Slootsky said he wasn’t familiar with the document that Deitch had read, but that he didn’t feel he was performing his GSRA for pay – the work was for academic purposes, he said. Deitch replied that if that’s the case, when there’s an election to unionize GSRAs, Slootsky should just vote no.

GSRA Debate: Special Regents Meeting & Vote

The following week, a special regents meeting was called for the morning of Feb. 21. [See Chronicle coverage: "UM Regents Debate Opposition"] The 30-minute meeting included a fractious debate over whether the meeting itself was legal – regent Andrea Fischer Newman questioned whether it conformed with the Michigan Open Meetings Act, because it apparently had not been publicly noticed 18 hours in advance, as the OMA requires.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman said the meeting – which she and all the regents conducted via conference call – had been called to consider emergency action, as allowed by regental bylaw 1.01. The bylaw states: ”Emergency action may be taken by the board between meetings if and when any matter arises which, in the opinion of the president, or any three members of the board, requires official action by the board prior to the next meeting. An affirmative vote by telephone, email, or facsimile from five members is required for action.” Newman questioned whether there was actually any emergency in this case.

The business of the meeting focused on a resolution proposed by regent Larry Deitch to oppose senate bill 971. The bill, which was introduced on Feb. 15 by state Senate majority leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe), states: “An individual serving as a graduate student research assistant or in an equivalent position and any individual whose position does not have sufficient indicia of an employment relationship is not a public employee entitled to representation or collective bargaining rights under this act.” A senate hearing on the bill was scheduled for 11 a.m. in Lansing, a few hours after the regents special meeting that same day.

The resolution proposed by regent Larry Deitch stated opposition to the bill, and directed Cynthia Wilbanks, UM vice president for government relations, to take “all available action” and to articulate UM’s opposition to legislators and, if necessary, the governor’s office. That action could include testimony, the development of position papers, or the hiring of lobbyists. The resolution also stated that Wilbanks should report to the chair of the board or a designee on progress related to the legislation.

At the Feb. 21 meeting of the senate government operations committee, Wilbanks was one of the nine people who testified about the bill. Wilbanks told the committee that the bill would ”interfere in the internal decision-making of the university,” according to a report in the Michigan Information & Research Service (MIRS).

According to minutes of the committee meeting, four others testified in opposition to the bill. They included Samantha Montgomery, president of UM’s Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), and GEO member Jeremy Moore.

Three people testified in support of the bill: Regent Andrew Richner, UM professor Fawwaz Ulaby, and UM graduate student Melinda Day, who had spoken during public commentary at the Feb. 16 regents’ meeting.

Michael Benson, president of UM’s graduate student body, also testified but took a neutral position.

The committee – in a 3-2 party line vote – recommended the bill for passage by the full senate. The following day, on Feb. 22, it was passed by the state senate on a 26-12 party-line vote. [.pdf of senate bill 197] It will next be taken up by the Republican-controlled house of representatives.

Player Center Named for Davidson

Regents addressed a raft of other items during their Feb. 16 meeting. Following a donation of $7.5 million from the William Davidson Foundation to the University of Michigan athletics department, the board was asked to approve renaming the basketball player development center at Crisler in honor of William Davidson, who died in 2009. The resolution was added during the meeting as a supplemental agenda item.

Denise Ilitch, chair of the board of regents, praised the family of Bill Davidson for their contribution to the university. She said she spoke as a member of a fellow sports family – her family owns the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers.

Davidson, a UM graduate and businessman who owned the Detroit Pistons and other teams, had been a major donor to the university over the past several decades. The William Davidson Institute at UM’s Ross School of Business was founded in 1992 through a gift from Davidson’s business, Guardian Industries.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman described Davidson as a beloved man who had been very generous to the university. She said she regretted that he wasn’t here to see how well the UM basketball team is doing this season. [The team, coached by John Beilein, subsequently beat Ohio State 56-51 on Saturday – they remain undefeated this season at Crisler, and have a 20-7 overall record.]

Jerry May, UM’s vice president of development, said it was tremendous that the Davidson family has stepped forward to do this in memory of a sports icon and one of the smartest UM alums May said he’s ever met. He also thanked the athletic department for its vision, in particular citing athletic director David Brandon.

Board chair Denise Ilitch, whose family owns the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers, said she spoke as a member of a fellow sports family in thanking Davison’s family for their contribution. She said Davidson left a tremendous legacy, and that he’s sorely missed.

The new basketball player development center at Crisler is a two-story, $23.2 million addition to the basketball arena that regents initially approved in September 2009. According to a press release from the university, the athletics department will honor Davidson at halftime of the final home men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Outcome: Regents unanimously approved naming the basketball player development center in honor of Bill Davidson.

Building Renamed for Beysters

Another renaming item was on the Feb. 16 agenda – to name the Computer Science and Engineering Building in honor of Bob and Betty Beyster. The building is located at 2260 Hayward Street, on UM’s north campus.

Bob Beyster, who received multiple degrees from UM, is founder and retired chairman of Science Applications International Corp., a research and engineering company. He recently gave a $15 million gift to the College of Engineering, which will be used in part to create the J. Robert Beyster Computational Innovation Graduate Fellows program. The effort will fund research in several fields that link high-performance computing, networking, and storage to applications of importance to society, according to a staff memo.

In presenting the item for consideration, Tim Slottow – UM’s chief financial officer – described the gift as very generous. Jerry May, vice president of development, also praised the Beysters for their contribution.

Outcome: Regents voted unanimously to rename the north campus building the Bob and Betty Beyster Building.

Building Projects: East Quad, Lawyers’ Club, Cardio Center

Three resolutions on the Feb. 16 agenda related to moving ahead on building projects on the Ann Arbor campus – including two major housing renovations initially approved last year.

Regents were asked to authorize staff to issue bids and award construction contracts for the $116 million renovation of East Quad. The overall project had been approved at the board’s July 21, 2011 meeting. Subsequently, regents signed off on a schematic design at the Nov. 17, 2011 meeting.  The 300,000-square-foot residence hall – located at 701 E. University, between Hill and Willard – houses about 860 students and the Residential College. The renovation is expected to be finished by the summer of 2013.

Authorization for issuing bids and awarding construction contracts was also on the agenda for a renovation of The Charles T. Munger Residences in the Lawyers’ Club and the John P. Cook Building. A schematic design for that $39 million project had been approved at the regents Dec. 15, 2011 meeting, with the initial authorization given in March 2011. The building is part of the Law School campus at South State Street, between South University and Monroe streets. The project is also scheduled for completion in the summer of 2013.

Tim Slottow, UM’s chief financial officer, introduced the resolution by describing the project as very challenging, but one that the university is “ready to roll on.” Regent Andy Richner, who graduated from the UM law school, said he has fond memories of his time there and knows that the project will preserve the building’s character.

Also on the agenda was a resolution related to a smaller $2.1 million project to install an uninterruptible power supply at UM’s Cardiovascular Center, located in the medical campus at 1500 E. Medical Center Drive. Slottow jokingly referred to it as a “another sexy project.”

Outcome: In separate votes, regents approved the resolutions related to projects at East Quad, the Lawyers’s Club and John P. Cook Building, and the Cardiovascular Center.

Changes to Bylaws

Sally Churchill, vice president and secretary of the university, introduced a resolution with changes to regents’ bylaws as mostly a housekeeping item, updating the bylaws to conform with current practices or statutes.

One of the changes removed a provision requiring the president and executive officers to end their service no later than the end of the fiscal year in which their 70th birthday occurs. UM legal staff determined that the provision violated protections against age discrimination contained in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman will turn 69 in October of 2012. In November 2010, regents voted to extend her contract through July 31, 2014. If the retirement cap had remained in place, she would not have been eligible for additional contract extensions.

That change to the bylaws was one of seven proposed in the resolution. Other revisions included changing the title and expanding the responsibilities for the vice president of communications – now the vice president for global communications and strategic initiatives. That position is held by Lisa Rudgers. Another change clarified that the provost is involved in recommending the appointment and promotion of tenured professors to the regents. [.pdf of complete set of bylaw revisions]

Before the vote, regent Martin Taylor said there had been rumors about what motivated one of the bylaw revisions, but it’s not about any one individual whatsoever, he said. UM’s legal counsel has advised the board that the bylaw isn’t legal, he said: “It’s as simple as that.” Regent Andy Richner clarified that Taylor was referring to the retirement-age bylaw.

Outcome: Regents unanimously approved revisions to the bylaws.

Thurnau Professors

Provost Phil Hanlon highlighted the resolution awarding the Arthur F. Thurnau professorships to six UM faculty members. The professorships honor outstanding contributions to undergraduate education, and it’s the highest honor that the university can bestow for teaching excellence, he said. Hanlon noted that he has served on the selection committee for several years, and it’s a hard decision to choose from so many qualified candidates.

This year the professorships were all given to male faculty. They are: Joe Bull, associate professor of biomedical engineering; Michael Haithcock, professor of music; Sadashi Inuzuka, professor of art; Brad Orr, professor of physics and chair of the physics department; Brian Porter-Szucs, professor of history; and Steve Skerlos, associate professor of mechanical engineering and associate professor of civil and environmental engineering.

The award includes $20,000 to support teaching activities. The faculty will be honored this year at a March 18 ceremony at Hill Auditorium, Hanlon said.

Outcome: As part of the board’s consent agenda, regents approved the awarding of six Thurnau professorships.

Conflict of Interest Items

Regents were asked to authorize five items that required disclosure under the state’s Conflict of Interest statute. The law requires that regents vote on potential conflict-of-interest disclosures related to university staff, faculty or students.

The items often involve technology licensing agreements or leases. This month, the items related to the following businesses: Structured Microsystems LLC, H3D Inc., ImBio LLC, OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc., and OcuSciences Inc.

Outcome: Without comment, regents approved the five conflict-of-interest items in one vote.

Presentations: Public Health, Stem Cell Research

Toward the start of the Feb. 16 meeting, regents heard two health-related presentations – from Martin Philbert, dean of the School of Public Health; and Doug Engel, chair and professor of cell and developmental biology.

From left: Doug Engel, professor of cell and developmental biology, and Martin Philbert, dean of the School of Public Health.

Philbert gave an overview of the School of Public Health, calling it one of the not-so-well-known jewels of the university. The field of public health looks at health issues from a population perspective, at the local, state, national and international levels, he said. The school’s vision is to be the premier academic institution in public health, integrating research, teaching, service and practice to find effective solutions to public health problems.

Philbert noted that the school recently moved up from 5th to 4th place in a U.S. News & World Report ranking. It’s one of two public schools in the top 6 – the other is the University of North Carolina, which recently received a large endowment, he said.

There are 975 students enrolled in UM School of Public Health graduate degree programs. The school also offers a variety of dual-degree programs with other units, including the Ross School of Business, the School of Medicine, and the School of Social Work, among others. Their work is heavily interdisciplinary, Philbert said, and there are funded research endeavors with every school and college except for the School of Music. However, he added, the UM School of Public Health is the only one he knows of with its own pipe organ.

In other examples of interdisciplinary work, Philbert highlighted the 33 centers and initiatives that are associated with the school. He also noted that the school has also offered executive education programs for more than 40 years.

Philbert reviewed a variety of other aspects related to the school, including student achievements and faculty research, funding and publications. He concluded by inviting regents to visit.

In response to a question from regent Larry Deitch about Philbert’s own academic background, Philbert replied that he was “neither fish nor fowl,” reflecting the field’s convergence of disciplines. He was born and bred in England – though he noted that he’s losing his accent – and studied neurochemistry and experimental neurpathology. His more recent work focused on using nanomaterials for the targeting and treatment of brain tumors. At this point, he joked, he’s a bench jockey.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman noted that the database management conducted by some UM public health researchers is exciting work, allowing researchers to sort through huge databases to answer questions about diseases. The work couldn’t have been imagined even 10 years ago, she said.

Presentations: Stem Cell Research

In introducing Doug Engel, chair and professor of cell and developmental biology, Coleman noted that he joined UM about the same time she did – 10 years ago. She highlighted the recent news that the U.S. National Institutes of Health has authorized an embryonic stem cell line developed by UM researchers as eligible for federally funded research. The line – known as UM4-6 and cultivated by Gary Smith, co-director of the UM Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies – is now listed as the 147th stem cell line in the NIH registry. Coleman said the work is possible because Michigan voters, in a 2008 statewide referendum, approved the use of embryonic stem cells in research.

Engel began by reviewing the timeline of UM’s stem cell initiative, starting with a program he and Sue O’Shea initiated in 2003. Their goal was to establish a center of excellence in stem cell biology, and they were able to achieve it with a variety of support and funding, including an NIH award and support from Coleman’s office for the retention of Sean Morrison. [Morrison, a leader in stem cell research, was a vocal advocate for Michigan's 2008 voter referendum. In 2011 he took a post at the University of Texas.]

Engel gave a brief tutorial on three different types of stem cells – human adult stem cells, human embryonic stems cells, and human induced-pluripotent stem cells – and highlighted some of the work being done by UM researchers.

The 2008 Michigan voter referendum was crucial, he noted, because without it, the work being done now at UM would be a felony. The fact that it wasn’t possible to do this kind of work prior to the referendum “distinguished Michigan from all other states,” he said.

Referring to the embryonic stem cell line that’s now listed in the NIH registry, Engel said it allows the line to be used by researchers worldwide. In 2008, UM researchers struggled to identify what type of stem cell work they could do that would be truly unique, compared to research being done elsewhere. Under the leadership of Gary Smith and Sue O’Shea, Engel said, they’ve been able to generate human embryonic stem cell lines from patients that bear specific genetic diseases, including Hemophilia B and Huntington’s disease, among others.

Engel highlighted work by other UM researchers, including Yukiko Yamashita, one of three recent MacArthur Fellows who spoke to regents at their December 2011 board meeting. He concluded by saying ”you can obviously see why I’m so proud to be part of this enterprise.”

Coleman asked how many other institutions are producing stem cell lines. Only about four or five have been successful in doing it, Engel said, although more than a dozen other schools are in production. Coleman noted that the work is difficult, and requires a high degree of technical expertise.

Regent Larry Deitch asked how close researchers are to being able to treat patients using stem cell-based therapies. Engel said he was recently asked in a radio interview if those treatments would be available in the next five years, and it’s safe to say no. It’s fair to be reasonably skeptical until researchers better understand how those cell-based treatments integrate into a patient who’s not healthy. That’s a major difficulty.

In response to another question, Engel said that even though the timeline is long, the thing that motivates researchers on a day-to-day basis is the excitement of discovery – finding something new that no one else on earth has ever seen before.

“We’re happy about your persistence,” Coleman said.

Public Commentary

Ten people had signed up for public commentary at the end of the Feb. 16 meeting. One of them – Linda Martenson – did not appear for her speaking turn. In addition to the public commentary reported above, here is a summary of the speakers’ remarks.

Public Commentary: Student Transcript

Gulala Abraham spoke on behalf of her daughter, Sara Abraham, asking that the university remove a W (withdrawal) from her daughter’s transcript. She described the circumstances that led to the situation. Her daughter did not intend to take the class, and was in Iraq when she discovered that she was still listed on the class roster. An email was sent to the university, Abraham said, but internet service was sporadic and it’s not clear that the email was received. The W on the transcript is unfair, and is affecting her daughter as she applied for medical school. Abraham asked regents to help address the situation.

Regent Andrea Fischer Newman indicated that regents had received email correspondence about this issue, and said she thought they had asked it to be resolved before the board meeting. Regent Andy Richner said he believed the university was in litigation over the matter.

Public Commentary: China

As he has on several occasions at past meetings, William Kauffman, a retired UM engineering professor who is a candidate for the board of regents in the 2012 election, harshly criticized the university’s relationship with China. For nearly three decades, he said, illegal activities – including plagiarism, intellectual property theft and police brutality – have been rampant at the university. UM’s relationship with China is “substantially damaging the economic and military security of the U.S.,” he said, and thousands of Chinese on campus displace American students, “taking home their own little nugget of American assets.”

“As an individual trained concerning national security considerations during the Cold War,” Kauffman said, “it is my opinion that the damage done to our nation via the loss of industrial and military technology to Communist Chinese visitors studying at the UM exceeds all that done by all traitors since Benedict Arnold.”

Public Commentary: Childcare Subsidy

Introducing herself as chair of the parents’ caucus for the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), Melissa Sanders told regents that issues of parents have emerged prominently during the last few negotiation cycles between the union and the UM administration.

The son of a GEO member attended the regents meeting and helped hold a sign for his mother during public commentary.

[Childcare subsidies are available for eligible students in the following amounts: $2,250 for one child; $3,300 for two children; and $4,350 for three or more children. The subsidy will increase annually based on the annual average tuition increase at UM childcare centers. (.pdf of application for UM childcare subsidy)]

Sanders said the GEO membership is concerned that some students are excluded from access to this subsidy. She gave several examples, including a work/study requirement for spouses to work at least 20 hours per week, and constraints for some international students regarding the amount of time they can work. Sanders expressed frustration that a joint GEO/UM steering committee has made little progress so far in addressing these issues, citing meetings that have been postponed or canceled. She asked regents to urge members of the committee on the administration’s side to actively engage and work toward solutions that both parties can accept.

As Sanders was speaking, another GEO member stood behind her with a small child, holding a sign that stated “Work With Us.” After Sanders’ remarks, regent Denise Ilitch told the boy: “Good job, honey!”

Public Commentary: Tuition Affordability

Daniel Alejandro Morales began by saying that he and his group – the Coalition for Tuition Equality – fully supported the GEO’s efforts. But he was there to talk about how many of the state’s brightest students are prevented from attending UM because they’re required to pay out-of-state tuition, but can’t afford it. He was asking regents to adopt a more inclusive policy regarding undocumented students from Michigan.

Morales recounted his own story, arriving in America when he was one year old. His parents are first-generation immigrants from Mexico, but he has never been back to that country. He went through public schools here, and achieved success as a student leader. The proudest day of his life was receiving a letter of acceptance from UM, he said, but that moment was quickly overshadowed by realizing that his immigration status would jeopardize everything. “Some people would say I was ‘illegal,’” Morales said, “but the only crime I ever committed was that of existing in a xenophobic society.”

He was able to defer his admission while working to secure a green card. When he told the agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that his admission to UM was riding on getting the green card, the agent smiled, Morales said – he was a Michigan graduate. Morales got the green card and enrolled at UM in 2011. He joined the Migrant and Immigration Rights Advocacy group, and co-founded the Coalition for Tuition Equality. He asked regents to remedy the injustice of residency classification for undocumented students in the state, saying it was a moral and ethical obligation that will also benefit the university.

At the end of his commentary, Morales asked for other students who were attending the meeting in support of the coalition to stand. More than two dozen stood, many of them holding signs from the organizations they represented, including the Muslim Students’ Association, the American Civil Liberties Union undergraduate chapter, the Latino Students Organization, and the South Asian Awareness Network.

Present: Mary Sue Coleman (ex officio), Julia Darlow (via speaker phone), Larry Deitch, Denise Ilitch, Andrea Fischer Newman, Andy Richner, Martin Taylor, Kathy White.

Absent: Olivia (Libby) Maynard.

Next board meeting: Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 3 p.m. at the Fleming administration building on UM’s central campus. [confirm date]

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Before the start of the Jan. 19 board of regents meeting, UM president Mary Sue Coleman scanned an article from The Chronicle – but not this Chronicle. It's a report from The Chronicle of Higher Education. (Photos by the writer.)

Instead, regents dealt with less high-profile matters, approving a range of action items with little discussion. Those included funding for a major expansion of the UM Health System into Wayne County, along the I-275 corridor; renovations that will transform the entrance to Schembechler Hall and make a museum of football memorabilia more accessible to the public; and improvements to the university’s Northwood apartment complex on north campus.

But much of the meeting consisted of reports. Stephen Forrest, UM’s vice president for research, presented a sobering outlook for future research funding, calling the climate for federal funding “worrisome.” After his talk, regent Andrea Fischer Newman pointed out that tuition is helping to support the university’s $1.2 billion research program – about 25% of those research expenditures are covered internally.

Regents also heard from dean Alison Davis-Blake, who described how the business school is countering the caricature of managers that are only focused on short-term profits, and whose management skills consist of the ability to say, “You’re fired!” Graduates of Ross are taught to think more broadly, she said.

An item not on the agenda of the Jan. 19 meeting received considerable attention during public commentary. One student and three professors spoke against an effort to unionize graduate student research assistants (GSRAs).

Also during public commentary, the chair of the Sierra Club’s Huron Valley group raised concerns over the proposed Fuller Road Station, saying that the joint UM/city of Ann Arbor project runs counter to the university’s sustainability efforts. Fuller Road Station’s initial phase is a proposed parking structure, located near the UM medical campus, that could hold over 1,000 vehicles.

President’s Opening Remarks

The board typically meets in the regents boardroom of the Fleming Administration Building, but the January meeting was held in a sixth floor conference room of the Ross Business School. Another event was scheduled in the same room following the regents meeting, so UM president Mary Sue Coleman began her remarks by noting that they needed to move through their agenda “with alacrity.”

Coleman thanked the business school and dean Alison Davis-Blake for hosting the meeting. Construction of the new building had been made possible through philanthropy, she noted. [The school is named for businessman Stephen J. Ross, who donated $100 million – the largest donation ever to UM.]

Coleman said she wanted to revel in the Sugar Bowl one last time. Several regents and UM executive had traveled to New Orleans for the game, she said, and it had been terrific to see the resurgence of the historic American city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Alumni were enthusiastic, the marching band outdid themselves, and coach Brady Hoke and the football team made the fans proud, she said, though at times nervous. It was a magnificent display of spirit and intercollegiate athletics, Coleman said.

Turning to academic honors, Coleman reported that UM chemistry professor Brian Coppola had received Baylor University’s Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching. It’s the most financially lucrative teaching award in the country, she said – $250,000 to the winner, plus $25,000 for his home department, to further develop teaching skills there. Coppola is known for his innovative teaching, Coleman said – he won the U.S. Professor of the Year award in 2009, and UM’s Golden Apple teaching award in 1994. She said she’d watched one of his lectures that’s posted on the Baylor website, and she highly recommended that others watch the video too.

Calling it a landmark event, Coleman also highlighted the fact that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has decided to open a satellite location in Detroit – its first office outside of Washington D.C. This region was selected because of its high number of patent applications, from the auto industry as well as university research. Coleman reported that UM, Michigan State and Wayne State had worked hard to convince government officials to open the office here. She said she expects the university law schools will form alliances with the office, too.

Unionization of GSRAs

By way of background, at the board’s May 2011 meeting, regents had passed a resolution of support regarding the rights of graduate student research assistants (GSRAs) to decide whether to organize and be represented by a labor union. The resolution was passed over dissent from the board’s two Republican regents – Andrew Richner and Andrea Fischer Newman. Before the vote, UM president Mary Sue Coleman had spoken in opposition to the action.

On Jan. 19, Newman asked provost Phil Hanlon for an update on a UM graduate student who had spoken at a press conference the previous day. [The event had been organized by the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), a group that hopes to represent GRSAs if they decide to unionize. The student, Jennifer Dibbern, was a GSRA who alleges that she was fired by professor Rachel Goldman over her support of efforts to unionize the GSRAs.]

Hanlon responded to Newman, saying that a lot of faculty members had inquired about the situation. He said he had personally reviewed the student’s academic record and is convinced that the decision was justified and appropriate, and that the decision was made based on academic grounds. He strongly supported the action.

Unionization of GSRAs: Public Commentary

During public commentary at the end of the meeting, four people spoke against the unionization effort.

Stephen Raiman, founder of Students Against GSRA Unionization, started off the public commentary by noting that he had spoken to regents on the same issue at their November 2011 meeting. Now, he wanted to talk about the negative effects on the faculty. He said he’s talked to many people across campus at various levels, and encountered people who are afraid to speak out. One faculty member said his department chair didn’t want anyone to address this issue for fear of retribution from the board of regents, Raiman said. This feeling is pervasive, he said, and stems from the disagreement between the majority of board members and the university administration. He contended that the overwhelming majority of faculty are against the unionization of GSRAs.

Raiman noted that in order for the unionization effort to move forward, signatures from more than 50% of GSRAs needed to be collected – and this was completed by the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO), he said. But many of the signatures were secured through misinformation or outright deception, he contended. He cited some specific examples of people he’d talked with, who told him that they hadn’t been informed about the $400 in dues they would owe to the GEO if the GSRAs are unionized. One person told him ”I signed their card to get rid of them,” Raiman said. These examples are anecdotal, he acknowledged, but he’s hearing more instances like this.

Victor DiRita, UM professor of microbiology and immunology, spoke during public commentary against the unionization of graduate student research assistants (GSRAs).

On Feb. 1, the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) will hold an administrative hearing on the legality of the election to unionize GSRAs, Raiman told regents. But his group is barred from attending – that means only one side of the issue will be represented, he said. He asked the board to ensure that the election is fair, if there’s an election. Raiman concluded by saying he was glad to see that there were faculty members brave enough to come and speak during public commentary.

The next three speakers were UM faculty: Victor DiRita, Finn Larsen, and Cagliyan Kurdak.

DiRita, a professor in the department of microbiology and immunology, is also associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies at the UM Medical School. He agreed with the sentiments expressed by Raiman. Saying he understood the impulse to offer choices to students, DiRita said that in this case, the choice is based on the flawed premise that students are employees. The faculty views that premise as a serious affront, he said. Faculty take mentoring and academic progress very seriously, and in fact it’s a red flag if someone treats a student like an employee, he said.

Larsen and Kurdak also raised concerns over possible GSRA unionization. Larsen, who’s chair of the physics department’s graduate program, said it’s meaningless to distinguish between thesis research and GSRA-supported research. Doing so will have a negative impact on the education and research missions of the university.

Kurdak, director of the applied physics program, also objected to characterizing GSRAs as employees. The relationship between faculty and students is very personal, he said. When problems arise between the faculty member and student, often times the problems are academic in nature – and union involvement would not be effective. In fact, it might result in escalating the situation so that there are no solutions that benefit the student, he said. Kurdak encouraged regents to recognize the academic nature of GSRA appointments.

Regent Andrea Fischer Newman thanked the faculty for coming to speak to the board on this issue.

Annual Research Report

Stephen Forrest, UM’s vice president for research, began his presentation by noting that this was the 90th annual research report to regents, but that it would be a more sober report than previous reports, because the university is entering sobering times. [.pdf of fiscal 2011 UM research report]

To put the research enterprise in context, Forrest noted its $1.2 billion in expenditures makes research the third-largest segment of the university, behind the health system ($2.4 billion) and education ($1.3 billion). He cautioned that these numbers can be misleading, because the three segments interlink in many ways.

Forrest then cited a 1962 quote from Harlan Hatcher, UM’s 8th president, on the occasion of the 40th annual research report: “The university fulfills three basic, interlocking functions: to educate youth in the widest possible variety of intellectual disciplines; to collect, increase, and disseminate knowledge that bears on these disciplines; and to perform those services for society, both individually and collectively, which, consistent with its education and research functions, it is peculiarly qualified to perform.”

Stephen Forrest, UM's vice president for research.

The statement was true then, Forrest said, “and it’s certainly true today.”

The challenge now, he said, is how to make the research enterprise thrive during a time of flat or declining federal support. Federal funding is the largest source of research dollars at UM, accounting for 66.7% – $824.75 million – of total research expenditures in fiscal 2011. For UM, federal funding has always increased year-to-year, Forrest noted, even when the overall amount of federal dollars available for research nationwide has declined. In fiscal 2011, federal funding for UM research increased 9.8% compared to the previous year.

In fiscal 2012, the university had expected federal funding to drop, but it didn’t, Forrest said. Regardless of the noise coming out of Washington, both political parties agree that innovation is a driver of American economy, he said.

In looking at funding received by UM from specific federal agencies, 46.2% of all UM research expenditures in fiscal 2011 were funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase of 12.6% compared to the fiscal 2010. UM’s medical school is the sixth largest recipient of NIH funding in the country, Forrest noted, and they ?? need to be concerned a little – “or maybe a lot” – about diversification, he said.

The university’s second-largest federal funding source is from the National Science Foundation. NSF funding increased 10.3% to $74.25 million in fiscal 2011. Federal energy funding grew 30.4% to $35.40 million – the largest percentage increase.

Research funding to UM dropped from two federal sources – NASA and transportation funds.

Total non-federal funding also decreased by 1.1%, to $105.63 million. Industry support accounts for $40.84 million of that non-federal total, an increase of 4% for the year. (Other non-federal sources are foundations and state or local government.)

Overall, funding from industry sources makes up only a small percentage of total research expenditures, Forrest noted. But it’s important, he said, because it serves as a catalyst for other funding. In the 1980s, the federal government started emphasizing “use-inspired” basic research – work that can eventually lead to the creation of jobs or that supports an “innovation economy,” Forrest said. Very often, federal grants require some kind of industry partnership.

Looking ahead, Forrest said the growth forecast is worrisome. The global growth domestic product (GDP) is hovering just above recession levels. The GDP dip in 2008 was “terrible,” he said, and subsequent shocks, like the tsunami in Japan or the debt crisis in Europe, have had an impact.

In the future, Forrest expects to see significant budget cuts across all federal agencies, as the nation’s debt catches up with it. The university dodged a bullet in 2012, he said, but shouldn’t get complacent. These trends are likely to persist over the next 5-10 years.

So what should UM do? It’s important to focus on the university’s research strengths that are priorities for the federal government and industry, Forrest said. The university’s “sweet spot” is use-inspired basic research, he said, in areas including health, energy, intelligent vehicle systems, advanced manufacturing and sustainability.

Secondly, UM needs to build on its culture and research environment, Forrest said. The university already has a reputation for strengths across disciplines, and for interdisciplinary cooperation, ties to industry, and international relationships, he said. Forrest also described the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) as the university’s “secret calling card,” with rapidly developing potential.

Finally, Forrest told regents that UM’s research operations need to streamline the administrative process. One example is the need to mentor young faculty, he said, so that they can more quickly start getting research grants. UM’s research administration needs to improve, he continued, by forging better relationships with the university’s office of technology transfer, business engagement center, and individual academic units.

The administration also needs to reduce barriers to working with industry, he said. Forrest concluded by telling regents that they can look forward to announcements about how the university will make it easier to craft intellectual property agreements, and in general improve its relationship with industry.

Annual Research Report: Regent Commentary

Andrea Fischer Newman said it seems that the university is losing money on its research – is that the case? Forrest replied that internal funding accounts for about 25% of UM’s total research program, paying for things like fellowships, infrastructure, and packages for startups that license university technology. Research returns a great value, he said, but it does cost a lot.

Newman said she wasn’t criticizing it. But she wanted to point out that tuition is used in part to subsidize the university’s research program.

Update from the Business School Dean

Alison Davis-Blake, dean of the UM Ross School of Business since July 2011, gave a brief overview of the school’s mission and approach to business education. Much has been written about the ill effects of business school graduates, she began – people who are narrow-minded, focused on short-term profits, and whose management skills consist of the ability to say, “You’re fired!”

Alison Davis-Blake, dean of the UM Ross School of Business.

That’s a caricature, she noted, yet there’s some truth to it. The future of business requires managers who think broadly and who have subtle management skills – and those are the kinds of managers that the Ross School is training, she said.

The school offers the traditional business disciplines, Davis-Blake said. But it also take an action-based learning approach, she added, focusing on organization sustainability – doing more with fewer financial, human, temporal and environmental resources, while creating positive outcomes for people and organizations. The approach is done in a multi-disciplinary way, she said, and involves not only faculty and students, but also alumni, businesses, nonprofits and government organizations.

Davis-Blake gave three examples to illustrate this approach. An “advanced model factory” at the Tauber Institute will be coming online in September, she said. Located at the North Campus Research Complex, it will be a small-scale replica of a real production environment. Because it will be easy to reconfigure, it will allow students to examine the effectiveness of various production methods. The focus will be on lean manufacturing and “green” techniques, she said, using principles of “factory physics.” In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate students, workshops will be offered to Michigan businesses as well, she said.

Davis-Blake also cited work done by the school’s Center for Positive Organizational Scholarship. The emphasis is on cultivating positive emotions, positive connections and positive interpretations of events. A “job crafting” tool, for example, helps people change the way they work to make it more positive and productive.

In her final example, Davis-Blake described environmental sustainability work at the Erb Institute, a joint venture of the business school and the School of Natural Resources & Environment. Graduate students complete a thesis that involves a real client, and alumni teams choose projects that are suitable for publication. Three books – printed locally by Thomson-Shore – have been produced so far, she said, on the topics of climate strategies, hybrid organizations, and sustainable hotels.

Davis-Blake concluded by noting that her father had been a business school dean, and photos from his tenure showed an all-male faculty. Ross is not your father’s business school, she said.

Coleman thanked Davis-Blake, and commented that the energy from students in the building’s Winter Garden – the first floor lobby – was palpable.

Health System Expansion

A major expansion into western Wayne County by the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers was on the Jan. 19 agenda for regents to authorize.

The $39 million project entails opening a new clinic along the I-275 corridor, at a site located at Seven Mile and Haggerty Roads in Northville Township – about a half mile away UM’s existing Livonia Center for Specialty Care. Attracting patients from outside the market of Livingston and Washtenaw counties is part of the UM Health System’s strategic plan.

The plan calls for signing a 25-year lease on 100,000 square feet, with base rent of $27.25 per rentable square foot per year, increasing 5% every five years. The base lease covers expenses related to the land, site work, design and management fees, and a part of the building construction. Operating costs would be an additional expense.

Ora Peskovitz, UM's executive vice president for medical affairs.

The location is expected to include primary and specialty care; a musculoskeletal program; eye care for adults and children; radiology services; infusion for cancer and non-cancer treatment; and a medical procedure unit.

The site is expected to be ready by the winter of 2014.

When he introduced the item, UM chief financial officer Tim Slottow noted that there were several reasons why this particular lease required board approval – the lease is longer than 10 years, more than 50,000 square feet, and over $1 million annually. He said the project is something that has been worked on for several years.

Ora Pescovitz, UM’s executive vice president for medical affairs, spoke briefly about the project, saying it was a very important facility and pivotal for the health system’s strategic plans. It’s responding to the burgeoning clinical needs in communities along this stretch of I-275.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved the lease for the Northville Township health system expansion.

Executive Officer Reports

During every meeting, UM’s executive officers have the opportunity to give verbal reports, supplementing any written communications they provide to the regents.

Executive Officer Reports: Health Care Costs

Tim Slottow, UM’s chief financial officer, said that in light of changes to health benefits made at the state level, he wanted to remind people of the successes that the university has seen in its health benefits strategies. Changes that UM has made since 2003 have resulted in about $94 million of savings annually, Slottow said, or about $400 million cumulatively. Of that, greater cost-sharing by employees accounts for about 65% of the savings. Employees pay for 30% of their health care premiums and co-pays.

Other savings were gained from use of generic drugs, instituting a one-year waiting period before new employees get university contributions toward their retirement savings accounts, and reducing administrative costs, he said.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman said the administration recognizes that faculty and staff have been partners in cutting costs. Everyone is aware of the need to do that, she said.

Executive Officer Reports: Development

Jerry May, UM’s vice president of development, reported that there was a strong uptick in donations in December, but fiscal year-to-date giving to the university is only up about 2% – $140.88 million for the first six months of fiscal 2012, compared to $138.05 million for the same period in fiscal 2011. [.pdf of development report]

May noted that in 2009, UM president Mary Sue Coleman had issued a challenge grant, with $5 million in matching funds to provide a $1 match for every $2 in endowment gifts of up to $500,000. That meant that the development office needed to raise $10 million in contributions to the university to fund undergraduate and graduate study abroad.

That goal has been met, May said, and there is now a permanent $15 million endowment that over the years will benefit thousands of students.

UM Athletics: Renovations, Finance

Two action items on the Jan. 19 agenda related to university athletics – for renovations of Schembechler Hall and Yost Ice Arena. In addition, regents were provided with supplemental information related to a financial audit of the athletics department.

UM Athletics: Renovations – Schembechler Hall

Regents were asked to authorize a $9 million renovation to the entrance of Schembechler Hall, which will integrate the Margaret Dow Towsley Sports Museum area. The building at 1200 S. State St. was constructed in 1990 for UM’s football program, and contains locker rooms, meeting rooms, medical treatment rooms, training areas, weight rooms, and administrative offices. The project will add about 7,000 square feet to the building, and renovate an additional 7,000 square feet. Funding will be provided from athletic department resources.

Tim Slottow, UM’s chief financial officer, said the renovations would completely change the look and feel of the entrance. Regent Andrea Fischer Newman asked whether the changes would make the museum more accessible. “Absolutely,” Slottow replied. The museum is significantly underutilized, he said, and this project is rethinking its whole use.

Newman said that if the university is going to spend $9 million on renovations, the public needs better access. Slottow said the changes will result in the museum being far better used.

The museum is a collection of UM football memorabilia, including some of the program’s championship trophies. In a statement released after the regents meeting, athletics director Dave Brandon indicated that more interactive displays will be added to the museum during the renovations. There’s no admission and it’s open to the public, but hours are limited. It’s open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Outcome: Regents unanimously approved the renovations to Schembechler Hall.

UM Athletics: Renovations – Yost Ice Arena

In a separate vote, regents were asked to authorize issuing bids and awarding construction contracts for a $14 million project at Yost Ice Arena. The overall project was initially approved by the board at its June 2011 meeting, with a schematic design subsequently approved in October.

The project includes replacing seating on the east, south and west sides of the rink, improving accessibility and emergency exits, converting the west side media balcony into a series of loge boxes, adding a new level five on the west side for media, and constructing new corner and stair platforms for additional seating. The project will be paid for out of athletic department revenues, and has been designed by Rossetti Architects Inc. of Southfield, Mich.

There’s the potential that a donor might provide additional funding for enhanced window treatments at Yost, Slottow said – UM athletics director Dave Brandon and Jerry May, the university’s vice president of development, are working on that. If the donation comes through, Slottow said he’ll be returning to the regents asking for an approval of an additional $1-2 million for the project.

Outcome: Without comment, regents unanimously approved issuing bids and awarding construction contracts for renovations at Yost.

UM Athletics: Finance – Supplement to Audit

As an item of information, Slottow pointed regents to a supplemental report for the athletics department financial audit covering the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011. [.pdf of supplemental audit information] Slottow noted that the information is required by the NCAA. The report includes reviews of financial contributions from various booster organizations, financial aid for one student athletic in each of 10 sports, compensation for 12 coaches, and several other items. No exceptions were noted.

Renovation Projects: Kraus, Northwood

Regents were asked to approve renovation projects totaling nearly $10 million for academic and student housing purposes.

Renovation Projects: Kraus

A $1.7 million renovation to the auditorium of the Edward Henry Kraus building was on the Jan. 19 agenda for approval. The Kraus building is used by biology departments and was constructed in 1915. Its auditorium – one of the largest on central campus – was last updated in 1990.

The current project would renovate about 5,100 square feet and include accessibility improvements, new seating, power for laptops and other devices, and other upgrades. The renovation will be funded by the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and the provost’s office. The work is expected to be complete by the summer of 2012.

Outcome: Regents unanimously approved the Kraus renovations.

Renovation Projects: Northwood

The board was asked to authorize a $7.5 million upgrade to the fire alarm and boiler systems at Northwood I, II and III – a 58-building apartment complex on north campus with 686 units of student housing.

The complex had been mentioned at the regents’ Nov. 17, 2011 meeting in the context of other housing changes on north campus and elsewhere throughout UM’s student housing system. At that meeting, regents approved renovations at two dorms – Baits II on north campus, and East Quad on central campus – and discussed the need for a broader strategic plan for student housing. Royster Harper, the university’s vice president for student affairs, had informed regents that the living/learning communities in the Northwood apartments I and II would be expanded to Northwood III.

The renovations to Northwood will be designed by UM’s department of architecture, engineering and construction, in collaboration with Riverside Integrated Systems Inc. and Structural Design Inc. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2013.

Outcome: Regents unanimously approved the Northwood renovation project, without comment.

Michigan Energy Institute

As an item of information, Stephen Forrest – UM’s vice president for research – noted that the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Institute is being renamed. As of Feb. 1, it will be called the University of Michigan Energy Institute.

When the institute launched six years ago, Forrest said, its name was chosen to reflect the legacy of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Institute, which had been formed in 1948 to focus on peaceful uses for atomic energy. It was a way to honor the more than 500 students and alumni who sacrificed their lives during World War II.

A prominent display about the Phoenix project will be located in the lobby of the building, he said, and the building itself will be named the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Laboratory on North Campus. [The building is located at the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) on Plymouth Road, site of the former Pfizer research operation.]

The institute’s new name will reflect a more interdisciplinary approach that draws on a range of disciplines, including science, technology, policy, business and other fields, Forrest said. It’s an academic research unit of the office of the vice president for research, with the mission of developing and promoting energy research and education.

Regents had no comments regarding the name change.

Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures

Regents were asked to authorize five items that required disclosure under the state’s Conflict of Interest statute. The law requires that regents vote on potential conflict-of-interest disclosures related to university staff, faculty or students.

The items often involve technology licensing agreements or leases. This month, companies involved are Edington Associates LLC, ArborMetrix, Valley View Farms, FlexDex LLC, and Diapin Therapeutics LLC.

Outcome: In one vote, regents authorized the five conflict-of-interest disclosures, without comment.

Public Commentary

In addition to the four people who spoke during public commentary against the effort to unionize graduate student research assistants, as reported above, a fifth speaker raised concerns over the proposed Fuller Road Station.

Public Commentary: Fuller Road Station

Nancy Shiffler, chair of the Sierra Club’s Huron Valley group, congratulated the university for its Planet Blue sustainability efforts, saying she was impressed by its goal and scope. However, she’s concerned about a project that runs counter to those goals.

Nancy Shiffler, chair of the Sierra Club's Huron Valley group.

The proposed Fuller Road Station would be a parking garage for potentially 1,600 vehicles, and would directly contradict the university’s sustainability goals, she said. The garage would primarily be used by UM employees commuting by car, although eventually it might include a commuter rail station.

Shiffler outlined several concerns. If a train station is eventually built, having a large parking garage there would discourage people from using commuter rail, she said. The structure would increase air pollution and traffic congestion, especially during hospital shift changes. Building on parkland, repurposing the land for non-park uses, violates city zoning. An extended lease or use agreement amounts to a de facto sale of parkland, which by city ordinance would require a vote by residents for approval.

In addition, Shiffler noted that the project’s first phase is expected to be funded by UM and an undetermined source of local funding. For phase 2, the city hopes to secure a federal grant, she said, which would require an environmental assessment and possibly an environmental impact statement. However, construction could begin on phase 1 and negate the results of those environmental reports. The Sierra Club has contacted the Federal Rail Administration about this issue, she said.

Shiffler concluded by saying that UM appears to tout its sustainability program, but ignores the program when it’s convenient to do so. She didn’t think this was the image that UM wanted, and she urged regents to look at the project from the point of view of sustainability.

Regents gave no response to Shiffler’s commentary. Other residents have raised this issue at previous board meetings. For example, in March 2010 Rita Mitchell also spoke to regents about Fuller Road Station, urging them not to proceed with the project. Mitchell attended the regents’ Jan. 19 meeting, but did not address the board during public commentary.

Present: Mary Sue Coleman (ex officio), Julia Darlow, Denise Ilitch, Olivia (Libby) Maynard, Andrea Fischer Newman, Andy Richner, Kathy White.

Absent: Larry Deitch, Martin Taylor.

Next board meeting: Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012 at 3 p.m. at the Fleming administration building on UM’s central campus. [confirm date]

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Rebecca McGowan served her last meeting as a UM regent on Thursday, after 16 years in that role.

UM Board of Regents (Dec. 18, 2008) Thursday’s meeting of the University of Michigan regents was overshadowed by news about its purchase of the former Pfizer facility, but before they voted on that item, the board spent an hour dealing with a range of other issues – including a farewell to one of its longest-serving current members.

Early in the meeting, the board paid tribute to Rebecca McGowan, who has served for two terms – a total of 16 years – but did not run for reelection this year. Regent Libby Maynard gave an emotional presentation, calling McGowan a friend and an important colleague. “Becky, you’ve given Michigan your wisdom, your vision, your care – no institution could ask for more.”

Among her accomplishments, Maynard cited McGowan’s role in championing anti-discrimination measures, including a 1993 clause to university bylaws protecting students and employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation, and a more recent revision passed in 2007 protecting gender identity and expression. Later in the meeting, the student government president, Sabrina Shingwani, praised McGowan, saying “you relate really well to students.”

Abdulrahman M. El-Sayed, a UM graduate student and Rhodes scholar.

The regents also honored Abdulrahman M. El-Sayed, who was recently awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. A 2007 graduate who delivered one of the commencement speeches that year, he is now pursing a joint medical/doctorate degree at UM. Regent Katherine White recalled how El-Sayed had impressed Bill Clinton, who also spoke at the 2007 commencement and who said, “I wish every person in the world could have heard you speak today.” El-Sayed thanked the regents, saying “this will always be my academic home.”

Finance and property

Tim Slottow, the university’s chief financial officer, did not elaborate on the investment report other than to say “we continue to experience the same environment that the rest of our peers are experiencing.” That “environment” – referring to the roiling financial markets – caused the value of UM’s long-term portfolio to fall from $7.6 billion at the end of June 2008 to $6.9 billion by Oct. 31. Results for November were not yet available.

Later in the meeting, the board quickly voted to approve several projects, with minimal discussion. They included:

• Hiring Integrated Design Solutions as architects for a 10,000-square-foot addition to the Engineering Programs Building on north campus. The entire project is estimated to cost $4.8 million.
• Hiring SmithGroup as architects for a $20 million relocation and renovation project of the Alexander G. Ruthven Museums building and the Museum of Zoology collection.
• Renovating the business school’s executive dormitory and 105 guest rooms in Sam Wyly Hall, for an estimated $4 million.
• Building an ultra-low vibration research lab in the basement of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud building on north campus, for an estimated $5.3 million.
• Increasing the budget for the Intercollegiate Athletics Soccer Fields project from $2 million to $2.8 million.
• Renovating and adding 11 inpatient beds to the University Hospital’s General Clinical Research Center for $4.2 million, and renovating and adding a new PET/CT scanner for $4.5 million.

The regents also approved six conflict-of-interest disclosures between the university and various businesses, without comment.

Environmental update

Hank Baier, UM’s associate vice president of facilities and operations, gave a report on the university’s environmental efforts. He passed out a 44-page report – printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper (and to be posted eventually online) – that highlighted UM initiatives in a variety of areas, including waste disposal, water use, energy use, electronics recycling and more.

Kudos to Coleman

As a prelude to her summary of the board’s finance committee, Regent Katherine White thanked UM President Mary Sue Coleman and her husband Ken Coleman for giving $25,000 to kick off fundraising for an effort to increase students’ opportunities to study abroad. Regent Martin Taylor said he’d noticed a pattern – that every time regents gave Coleman a raise, she ended up donating it back to the university. “So next year I’m going to move that we double her salary,” he joked. (In September, regents approved a 4% raise for Coleman, bringing her salary to $553,500. According to an annual salary survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education, she is the fifth-highest compensated president among U.S. public universities.)

Public comment

Six speakers made comments during the portion of the meeting set aside for the public. (Speakers are required to sign up in advance. More details on how to do that are here.)

James Toy: A UM alumnus, Toy expressed gratitude for Rebecca McGowan and her work toward seeking justice for the gay community. He said her example will guide and inspire others as they continue the work of justice and healing.

Tiernan Seaver: Justice was also the topic for Seaver, a UM student and member of Students and Workers Together for Justice. Her group is asking the university to reconsider its $65 million investment in HEI Hotels & Resorts. Seaver said HEI workers are struggling and have tried to unionize, but those efforts have been met with resistance and even retaliation by HEI. The university, Seaver said, has the responsibility to express its concern about what’s happening.

Ken Srdjak: Srdjak is also involved with Students and Workers Together for Justice, and also spoke about the HEI situation. He said that Tim Slottow, the university’s CFO, had agreed to send a note to HEI executives saying that the university was paying attention to the situation. Srdjak asked regents to consider signing a letter that sent the same message.

Richard Ryskamp: A resident of Caledonia, Michigan, Ryskamp criticized the university for “killing babies” and urged the regents to end the practice and teaching of abortion in its medical system. “No doubt you would get a lot of criticism for it, but it’s still the right thing to do.”

Jerry Lobbezoo: Lobbezoo also asked that regents use their authority to end abortions at UM, and said that instead they should direct women to alternatives like the ArborVitae Pregnancy Help Center.

Keiva Shults: Shults spoke about UM’s in-state residency requirement. She said her family moved here five years ago so that her husband could attend graduate school at UM. She has been working as a licensed nurse here, they own a home and pay taxes. Now she has applied to graduate school herself, but is not considered a resident because her husband moved here for school. She said this policy views spouses as attachments, and is especially difficult for women who often put their careers on hold to move with their husbands. After her comments, Regent Martin Taylor said that the regents plan to look into the criteria used for establishing residency, and that he’ll be looking at her case as well.

Supplemental agenda item

At the end of the regular agenda, UM President Mary Sue Coleman added a supplemental agenda item: the authorization to buy real estate. After several comments by UM executives about the decision to buy Pfizer’s former research complex, Rebecca McGowan moved the motion to approve, calling it “a 100-year decision.” It was her final motion as a UM regent.