Special Board of Trustees meeting brings approval of Ross’ goals, land for College of Medicine

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About three months into his term University President George Ross has established his first plans for Central Michigan University.

In a special meeting of the Board of Trustees Monday, Ross explained his goals for 2010-2011.

“What I want to do, as we start there and going forward, is make sure that our university mission … will align with these desires and aspirations of various constituent groups around campus,” Ross said. “First and foremost we have to provide quality education, that’s part of the mission.”

No trustees attended the meeting in person but all members were involved via a conference call said Mary Jane Flanagan, executive assistant to the president. No members of the public attended either.

Ross focused on six goals he wanted CMU to improve on: a strategic direction, student success, diversity and global goals, scholarships, research and public activity, partnership and public engagement and resources, infrastructure and culture.

Several smaller actions under the main goals will begin immediately, Ross said.

“We’re already starting these things,” he said. “The bigger pieces, we need a full complement (to get accomplished) … we’re preparing to aggressively go after a strategic plan.”

One of the smaller actions under the diversity and global goal was to increase the number of student, faculty and research agreements with international universities by five percent by June of 2011.

“Our total enrollment (of international students) is really low,” he said. “I thought that five percent was a modest stretch goal for this first year.”

He also had a smaller goal to work with the City of Mount Pleasant to create integrated roadways and bike paths.

Ross’s contract includes a clause that states he will make 20 percent of his $350,000 annual salary as a bonus if he meets the goals. Trustees will determine if he is meeting the goals, Ross said.

Ross said he spoke with several senior staff members about his plans.

Kathy Wilbur, vice president of Government Relations and Public Affairs, said Ross’ goals were ideal.

“I think they certainly focus on what our attention should be on and I think that’s very critical,” she said. “I think anytime, especially when a new leader comes in, you really want to set out what your goals are, what the steps should be.”

David Burdette, vice president of Finance and Administrative Services said he plans on meeting Ross’ goals by starting from the ground up.

He said he will assemble a team first to focus on how they can meet them and then get to work.

“(The goals) are aggressive, they are good and they are the right thing,” he said. “What I think they will help us do is guide the investment of where CMU’s dollars ought to go.”

College of Medicine

Central Michigan University officially owns the land to build the College of Medicine.

The Board of Trustees approved a reconveyance of land back to CMU for the College of Medicine on Monday during a special session. The reconveyance was needed because the site for the College of Medicine was located on land set for the Health Professions Building.

“We have asked the state and they have granted approval to give back the land to CMU,” said Director of Public Relations Steve Smith.

The State Building Authority, a Lansing agency that issues and sells bonds for acquisition and construction of state facilities and equipment on behalf of other state agencies, approved CMU’s request May 18.

Burdette said the state of Michigan is conveying the land back to CMU because the university is paying for the College of Medicine.

“Now CMU will construct the addition to the Health Professions Building which will house the College of Medicine,” Burdette said.

Since the state of Michigan funded the Health Professions Building and is the lessee, CMU requested part of the vacant land to begin the addition of the building.

“When (CMU) built the Health Professions Building, it was funded by state funds,” Smith said. “Once the bonds are paid off, that property becomes CMU’s.”

He said CMU has been working on this process since the approval of the College of Medicine in 2009.

“We knew that right from the beginning,” Smith said. “It’s a procedural type of issue.”

The state of Michigan and the State Building Authority had to look at the request administratively and politically, Burdette said.

“In Lansing time, it went by quickly,” Burdette said.

Construction started the week after commencement and is planned to be finished for the inaugural class of 2012, Smith said.

-Senior Reporter Joe Borlik contributed to this report.