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August 2011
As we conclude the 2010-2011 academic year, it’s important to take a moment to reflect on the successes we’ve all shared this year. Our enrollment continues to increase as we work hard to spread the word about the excellent academic programs that we offer. Our Physical Therapy program received a ten-year accreditation renewal, we launched a new Master of Public Health degree in cooperation with our Ann Arbor colleagues at the School of Public Health, and the HLC visit to accredit our Doctor of Anesthesia Practice degree went very well. We launched a new dual enrollment program with Mott Community College, and new 2+2 programs with Wayne County Community College. We received the coveted designation of “Engaged Campus” from the Carnegie Foundation, a distinct honor for UM-Flint.
The academic year has been consumed with the work of the strategic planning and master planning processes. We have made great progress in both efforts and should expect to see final documents in the fall. We continue to develop plans to upgrade our facilities and infrastructure to keep up with changing demands and deferred maintenance issues, and we’ll be looking forward to using the “brand new” Kiva and Happenings Room in the University Center. Planning continues for the renovation of the Murchie Science Building.
As always, people are our most important resource. This year we welcomed a significant number of new tenure-track faculty, as well as a number of new staff members. Joining the leadership team were Gerard Voland (Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs), George Hakim (Facilities & Operations Director), Kimberly Butka (Director, Student Housing), Jonathan Davidson (Interim Admissions Director), Robert Barnett (Interim Dean, School of Education and Human Services), Christine Waters (Associate Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies), Ricardo Alfaro (Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences), Donna Fry (Interim Dean, School of Health Professions and Studies), and Jonathan Jarosz (Director, University Outreach).
Our community connections grow stronger each year. The “Critical Issues” lecture series was a complete sellout. We are now sharing news of our public events through a newspaper insert published three times a year, which has increased attendance at many events. Our annual “Town-Gown” dinner continues to be a meaningful event that brings local officials together with campus leaders. Our Foster Care Summit brought potential students, their caregivers, DHS personnel, and campus supporters together for a day of discussion about college readiness. We continue to actively recruit student veterans and explore ways to extend special services to address their needs; this effort has allowed us to be named one of the twelve Tillman Scholars programs in the country.
One of the best things to reflect on this year has been the great progress we are making in developing relationships with our alumni. We have been able to identify a significant number of our graduates who are great examples of success in their chosen professions and I hope that we can share some of their stories with our campus constituents in the next year.
All in all, it has been a successful year (even in spite of a challenging budget scenario) and I want to extend my thanks to all who have helped in achieving our success.
Ruth J. Person
Chancellor
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Our Physical Therapy graduates will receive their doctoral hoods at a special ceremony on August 28. We are honored to have Scott Ward PT, Ph.D., President of the American Physical Therapy Association, as a special guest at this event.
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It’s “Back to the Bricks” time in August. When I see all those vintage cars, it brings to mind all the vehicles I have owned (including six Jeeps, an AMC Javelin, several Mercury Cougars, a Pontiac Firebird, among others). But, like probably everyone else, I have special memories of “My First Car.” That would be a baby-blue Triumph Spitfire that I bought for myself after my first year of college (after my parents told me I couldn’t have a car! So much for obeying the rules!) Owning that car was a great adventure and it took me all over the East Coast. Best memory: riding to work with my dad every summer. He loved that car (well, after he got over the fact that he’d told me I couldn’t have a car!).
My first car, a baby-blue Triumph Spitfire
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