Editor’s Note: The following actions were taken by the Regents at their January meeting
By Wono Lee, News and Information Services, Diane Brown, Facilities and Operations and Laurel Thomas Gnagey, Executive Editor
Regents discuss board structure
Governance of the Board of Regents was a brief topic. Regent David Brandon said the board has looked at the way other university governing bodies operate and concluded that the U-M Regents may be due for a change. Possibilities include a chair and vice chair to be elected by the board and a committee structure. Brandon said he hoped the board might take up the issue at a future meeting. Regent Rebecca McGowan agreed that board organization is a matter for further discussion but said she believed exploring options now could detract from the presidential search. She also said restructuring of the board ought to be an issue for the new president. No action was taken at the meeting.
Presidential residence to get a closer look
Regent Laurence Deitch suggested that the University do a survey of the physical condition of the presidential home while it is not in use. Interim President B. Joseph White is not living in the home located on South University. Deitch asked the facilities and operations department to check for any structural concerns in the home, “to keep it fresh and important in the life of the community.”
Gifts received
The Regents, at their Jan. 17 meeting, formally accepted a total of $25,823,699 in gifts received by the University during December of 2001.
The total included $20,658,834 from individuals, $2,300,704 from corporations, $1,578,521 from foundations, and $1,285,639 from associations and others.
Bentley to expand
The Bentley Historical Library will be expanded to accommodate increased growth in archival materials, and building systems will be upgraded following the Regents’ approval of a $5.8 million project. The new 36,000-gross-square-foot addition will add approximately 53,000 feet of shelf storage space to the current 28,000 feet, as well as add work space and a basement conservation lab.
Many building systems also will be upgraded during the project, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, fire detection and protection, plumbing and electrical. The infrastructure upgrades alone will cost approximately $1 million. Funding will be from central administration sources.
The Regents also appointed the original building architect, Jickling Lyman Powell Associates, as the project architect. Construction is scheduled to begin next winter and will take approximately 18 months to complete.
Two Health System projects approved
The Regents approved expansion of the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers’ (HHC) Dentistry Clinic and Acute Dialysis Program. More than 2,200 square feet of space next to the existing Hospital Dentistry program will be renovated to create four new dental exam rooms, recovery space and improved support space. The project is estimated to cost $800,000 and will be funded from the HHC’s capital fund. Construction, which will be completed in phases in order to limit disruption to existing services, is scheduled to be completed next winter.
The Acute Dialysis Program will expand into adjacent space previously occupied by the Chronic Outpatient Dialysis Program, which relocated off-site in July 2001. The Acute Program, which has five beds, provides care to inpatients and temporarily chronic outpatients requiring dialysis treatments and other procedures. It is anticipated the Program will reach 100 percent utilization this fiscal year.
The expansion will provide three additional beds to the Acute Program as well as a private area for other medical procedures. The project is estimated to cost $651,000, including $200,000 for equipment and technology, and will be funded from the HHC’s capital fund. Construction is to be completed this fall.
Business School project moves ahead
The Regents authorized issuing for bids and awarding the construction contracts for a new financial analysis and securities trading facility for the Business School. The project, approved at the June 2001 Regents’ meeting, was to be located in the Kresge Business Administration Library. In its new location in the Computer and Executive Education Building, the 7,000-net-square-foot facility will include a trading floor classroom, a flexible and wireless electronic classroom and an E-lab seminar room. Building systems also will be upgraded to accommodate the needs in the renovated space. The facility will be named the John R. and Georgene M. Tozzi Electronic Business and Finance Center in recognition of a $2 million gift commitment from John R. Tozzi and the John R. and Georgene M. Tozzi Foundation that will fund the entire project. Construction is scheduled from March through August.
Faculty appointments
Faculty appointments, with tenure, approved by the Regents at their Jan. 17 meeting included:
Dee E. Fenner, a faculty member at the University of Washington, will be associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, effective Jan. 18.
Yogesh Gianchandani, a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin, will be associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at U-M, effective Jan. 1.
W. Michael King, a faculty member at the University of Mississippi, will be professor of otorhinolaryngology, effective Jan. 18.
Katherine R. Spindler, a faculty member at the University of Georgia, will be professor of microbiology and immunology, effective Jan. 18.
Administrative appointments
Administrative appointments approved by the Regents at their Jan. 17 meeting included:
Dionissios N. Assanis, the Jon R. and Beverly S. Holt Professor of Engineering, the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and professor of mechanical engineering, will serve as chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, effective Jan. 1.
Paul N. Courant, associate provost for academic and budgetary affairs and professor of economics and public policy, will serve as interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, effective Jan. 1, 2002. (Nomination to his new post was announced Nov. 7, 2001.)
Leonard D. Eron, who most recently served as an adjunct research scientist at the Institute for Social Research, will serve as interim assistant dean of research of the School of Social Work, effective Jan. 14, 2002.
Bruce W. Frier, professor of classics and the Henry King Ransom Professor of Law, was reappointed as interim chair of the Department of Classical Studies, effective Sept.1–Dec. 31, 2002.
Richard D. Gonzalez, professor of psychology, will serve as chair of the Department of Psychology, effective Sept. 1.
Terrence J. McDonald, professor of history, will be acting chair of the Department of History, effective Jan. 1–June 30, 2002.
Michael W. Mulholland, professor of surgery, will serve as chair of the Department of Surgery, effective Feb. 1.
Thomas J. Veryser, clinical associate professor of dentistry, will serve as interim assistant dean for community and outreach programs of the School of Dentistry, effective Nov. 1, 2001.
Emeriti Faculty announced
Two faculty members—Rudi Ansbacher and Csaba L. Martonyi—were given the emeritus title by the Regents at their Jan. 17 meeting.
Ansbacher, who joined the U-M faculty in 1980 as professor of obstetrics and gynecology, served as acting and interim chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “He has played an active role in the residency training program and has been a mentor to numerous junior faculty members,” the Regents noted. He has more than 200 publications in the areas of andrology, infertility and climacteric endocrinology, and has been active in numerous professional organizations. In recognition of his outstanding teaching, Dr. Ansbacher was selected four times by the graduating resident physicians to receive the Silver Speculum Award: in 1988, 1991, 1996 and 2000.”
Martonyi, associate professor of medical and biological illustration in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, joined the faculty in 1975. “During his career as an ophthalmic photographer, Prof. Martonyi used his intellect, his considerable creative talents, and his technical expertise to help physicians and patients, to teach residents and fellows, and to create a formal national organization to train and certify ophthalmic photographers. For many years he taught an annual 40-hour course on ophthalmic photography to students in the medical and biological illustration program. He founded the department’s Ophthalmic Photography Unit and led it as an academic and service program of great importance.”
