Wilbur, Enarson speak at City Commission

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Mount Pleasant City Hall looked a little different than what the City Commission is used to.

For the first time since taking over as interim university president, Kathy Wilbur appeared before the

Commission along with interim Medical School Dean Cam Enarson to discuss topics ranging from the new medical school to state funding issues.

“We want our partners and our friends in the city to know exactly what it is we are about,” Wilbur said. “As the campus goes, so goes the city, and we believe that’s vice versa as well.”

Despite a record fall enrollment of 20,444 students, Wilbur expressed her concern over the university’s current budget issues.

Central Michigan University brought forward its senior staff budget advisory group to analyze the problem. The group is co-chaired by Interim Provost Gary Shapiro and Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services David Burdette.

The university is looking for ways to counter the lack of funding with a more efficient budget. Still, Wilbur acknowledged that, even afterward, there is still a possibility cuts will have to be made.

“We really don’t have state budget dollars to calculate into our budgetary planning,” she said. “We are hopeful that sometime this fall, those dollars will be finally determined. I know the city is waiting for some answers on those same kinds of questions.”

Other works

Wilbur also went over the various projects in the works at CMU, including renovations to the Events Center and the Bovee University Center.

She updated the Commission on the presidential search, with the application deadline set for Thursday.

The search for a permanent medical school and College of Business Administration dean also was discussed.

Enarson updated the city commission on the progress of the medical school and the September Board of Trustees meeting, where the Board approved an addition to the Health Professions Building not to exceed $24 million. The new building will meet LCME requirements for accreditation, he said.

Enarson said people will need to be patient when it comes to the new development of the school.

“It’s more like running a marathon than a sprint,” he said. “We fully expect to cross the finish line in time to enroll that first class in 2012.”

Mount Pleasant Mayor Jim Holton expressed his approval of representatives from CMU coming to speak to the commission about topics such as the medical school.

“We haven’t seen the president in a long time address the city commission,” he said. “It’s kind of a breath of fresh air.”