At a Board of Regents meeting on Tuesday, President Susan Martin said summer enrollment is set to exceed the target of 3.4 percent growth from the same time last year. Other administration members pointed out that fall enrollment is likely to increase between three to eight percent.
President Martin also made note of the zero percent tuition increase campaign.
She went on to discuss the results of student success initiatives put in place earlier this year. The number of first-year students put on academic probation in the winter semester fell to 16.25 percent, a drop of six percent from 2009. Every GPA range above 2.0 saw increases, with a 21.5 percent jump in the number of students with GPA’s above 3.5. The report then turned to the issue of campus construction and renovation. First on the president’s long list of projects was Pray-Harrold.
“A GIS [Geographic Information System] map is online to enable students to locate faculty and classes,” Martin said
Six new classrooms are being installed in the basement of McKenny Hall and a campus lounge will be added to the first floor. The Science Complex being added to the Mark Jefferson building is moving along schedule. Other construction projects taking place around campus include elevators and windows being replaced in the First Year Living Center and construction on College Place. Martin also discussed labor issues between the university and staff.
“We formally began contract negotiations with our two largest bargaining units: the faculty, represented by the AAUP, and the Professional Technical staff, represented by the UAW,” Martin said.
She closed her report by providing information about the newly formed crime response unit, stating it has been actively solving crimes within 24-48 hours. Next on the agenda was a detailed update of the University’s Capital Project, which laid out the specific budgets and financing for all the current construction and renovation projects on campus.
While all staff offices affected by the construction have been relocated, planning for more classroom space is still being considered.
While planners for EMU are confident they will be able to absorb up to a 5 percent increase in enrollment, the contingency plan as of now is to bring in portable trailers to house displaced classrooms.
The final phase of the meeting revolved around the Board of Regent’s management of staff and faculty. The Board approved 63 faculty promotions, granting tenure to 39 professors.
They also approved 30 new faculty appointments, 25 new staff positions and granted Emeritus status to six former faculty and three current staff members.
Key hires to EMU include Donald Ritzenhein, as assistant vice president of academic personnel and contract administration; Tara Lynn Fulton, as university librarian; and Bin Ning as assistant vice president and executive director of institutional research and information management.
Five new lecturer positions were approved. Two lecturers were promoted. Two staff members and one faculty member were OK’d for retirement.
