President’s forum gives updates on academic affairs, enrollment, CMED

University President George Ross talks to a member of the audience during the presentation of the University Forum on Wednesday afternoon at the University Center Auditorium. (Bethany Walter/Staff Photographer)

Approximately 70 people attended the president’s forum held on Wednesday afternoon in the Bovee University Center Auditorium, and another 70 joined via live stream online.

Academic affairs and colleges, enrollment and student services, development and external relations and finances and administrative services were discussed by Provost Gary Shapiro, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services Steven Johnson, Vice President of Development and External Relations Kathleen Wilbur and Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services David Burdette, respectively.

University President George Ross began the forum explaining its purpose in relation to strategic planning efforts.

“The purpose of these meetings is to get your input regarding where this university should go,” he said. “We are attempting not only to share and inform, but to involve you in the flow of information.”

Shapiro said that Central Michigan University has filled two senior officer positions, received numerous accreditations and continues to move forward with online courses.

The senior officer positions that have been filled are the Dean of Education and Human Services and the Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs.

The College of Medicine has passed the Liaison Committee on Medical Education accreditation standards and continues to work towards its scheduled 2013 inaugural class. Additionally, the Teacher Education program has re-earned accreditation from the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, and both the journalism and health administration programs have been reaccredited as well.

“The amount of accreditations we have received shows that CMU has high quality programs delivered in an excellent manner to our students,” Shapiro said.

Johnson outlined new enrollment initiatives designed to increase the amount of students not only applying, but accepting offers to attend CMU.

“At this point, the amount of applications we have received are 1.5 percent behind the usual trend. We are looking at what is causing that delay,” he said.

Included in the enrollment initiatives are plans to create greater synergy across enrollment units, develop a comprehensive recruitment plan, expand out of state marketing, review and update admissions standards and restructure financial aid.

Johnson will create an Enrollment Management Committee to analyze all aspects of enrollment trends.

“The committee will be a university wide representation from all enrollment areas,” he said. “This includes faculty, staff, students and representatives from the global campus. They will examine the mix of undergraduate students, including elements such as gender, size of class and diversity.”

Wilbur presented the financial side of the university and said the governor proposed that CMU has a 3 percent restoration from last year’s 15 percent budget cut. Additionally, the Senate proposed a 2.6 percent restoration and the House suggested 4.4 percent.

In terms of university fundraising, for the 2010-11 year, annual donor support brought in just over $12 million, and this year’s annual university campaign, which raises money internally, raised just over $1 million.

Construction of CMED’s Saginaw campus and the graduate student housing complex are in the works. The renovation of Anspach Hall is scheduled to begin this summer, and the construction of a new Data Center on campus is in the final stages of planning.

After a question and answer portion, many of the questions coming from online listeners, Ross ended the forum discussing the transparency and sharing of information between faculty, staff, administration and students.

“We’re going to try our best to be more effective communicators of information and to be more responsive. You deserve that,” Ross said.