Public comment sought for proposed Regents’ Bylaws change
Revisions to the University of Michigan Board of Regents’ Bylaws Sec. 2.01, which addresses top university administrators, are being posted for public comment before coming before the regents for approval. The title of “Vice President (Non-Executive Officer)” is being proposed to attract and retain top talent for certain administrative roles at U-M. A market analysis aligned the scope of responsibilities with industry trends, candidate preferences and peer institutions. Findings indicate that using the vice president title will enhance U-M’s competitiveness in the job market. Comments should be submitted by completing an online form no later than Feb. 18. Regents will consider the revisions at their Feb. 20 meeting. Read the complete text of the proposed revision online.
Board of Regents to meet Feb. 20 at University Hall
The Board of Regents will meet Feb. 20 in University Hall in the Alexander G. Ruthven Building. The meeting is tentatively scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Members of the public also will be able to watch a livestream of the meeting at umich.edu/watch/. Those wishing to make comments during the meeting must attend in person. An agenda will be posted online at noon Feb. 17 at regents.umich.edu/meetings/agendas/. Those wishing to sign up to speak at the meeting, or who wish to submit written or video comments, must do so between 9 a.m. Feb. 13 and 5 p.m. Feb. 17. To sign up or learn more about the public comments policy, go to regents.umich.edu/meetings/public-comments/. People with disabilities who need assistance should contact the Office of the Vice President and Secretary of the University in advance at 734-763-8194. For more information, go to regents.umich.edu.
Paul Barron elected as non-Senate representative on PDOC
Paul Barron, adjunct lecturer and director of learning, data and assessment in the LSA Opportunity Hub, has been elected to represent the non-Senate faculty position on U-M’s Police Department Oversight Committee. Barron will serve a two-year term on the committee that considers grievances against police officers and the U-M Police Department. It may make recommendations to the executive director of the Division of Public Safety and Security. The six-member committee includes two students, two faculty members (one Senate faculty and one non-Senate faculty) and two staff members (one union and one non-union).
UM-Flint recognized for exceptional 2024 student voter turnout
UM-Flint has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge as a “2024 Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting.” The program aims to recognize colleges and universities that make significant efforts toward increasing nonpartisan student voter participation. To be recognized by ALL IN, universities must complete four key actions: participate in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, share their National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement reports with the organization, develop a democratic engagement action plan, and commit to full student voter participation. These tasks provide the university with tools it can use to strengthen civic engagement on campus. As part of its efforts to promote nonpartisan voter engagement, UM-Flint’s Turn Up Turnout organization hosted a variety of events to get students and community members talking about the 2024 election, such as a watch party for the presidential debate and several “Dinners for Democracy” to raise awareness about various subjects. The group also collaborated with UM-Flint Housing and Residential Life to inform students of ways to vote. Read more about UM-Flint’s voter-turnout efforts.
Finding the most efficient carbon-neutral aircraft for your flight
The United States is a long way from a carbon-free electrical grid, but looking ahead to when it gets one, a team of U-M researchers is using an interactive tool to explore the most efficient way to use that energy to fly planes. Joaquim Martins, the Pauline M. Sherman Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, co-authored the study published in Progress in Aerospace Sciences. Sustainable aviation doesn’t have a silver bullet, but it does have a bunch of options. Battery-powered motors would be most efficient if it weren’t for the weight of the batteries: 85% of the electricity makes it to the aircraft. Extra weight demands more lift to keep an aircraft in the air. More lift creates more drag, which demands more thrust, which requires more battery power, which adds weight, and pretty soon the battery is taking up the entire weight formerly allocated to cargo or passengers. As a result, battery power is really best for short hops — metro to regional journeys. Read more about this research.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
