Public comments sought on proposed changes to Regents’ Bylaws
Revisions to the University of Michigan Board of Regents’ Bylaws have been proposed and are posted for public comment. The revisions include a new Committee on UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint, the addition of undergraduate degrees to the list of degree types offered at the School of Information and School of Public Health, and changes to the executive committees of the School of Nursing and the School of Kinesiology. View specific wording of the changes. Send any comments to publiccomments@umich.edu by May 18.
Board of Regents to meet virtually
The Board of Regents will conduct a virtual meeting at 4:30 p.m. May 21. Additional information will become available when the May meeting agenda is posted to the board’s website (regents.umich.edu) at noon May 18. People who wish to offer public comment during the meeting can sign up at regents.umich.edu/meetings/public-comments/form. They will receive instructions from the university on how to call in at the appropriate time to share their comments as part of the meeting. The public will be able to listen to the meeting by going to umich.edu/watch at the meeting’s scheduled time.
Police oversight panel election resumes
Non-Senate faculty members may submit a nomination for a representative to serve on the U-M Police Department Oversight Committee. Nominations will be accepted through May 8. The election process announced March 16 was temporarily suspended by University Human Resources and has been reopened. The Police Department Oversight Committee includes two student members, two faculty members (one Senate faculty and one non-Senate faculty), and two staff members (one union and one non-union representative), who are nominated and elected by their peers for two-year terms. The committee considers grievances against any police officer or the U-M Police Department and reports its findings and recommendations to the Division of Public Safety and Security executive director. Nominations submitted in March will carry forward in the process and do not need to be submitted again. The election will take place in May, and the newly elected member’s appointment will begin in late June. Non-Senate faculty members may nominate themselves or other lecturers, active emeriti, adjunct or clinical faculty members by completing a form on the University Human Resources website at hr.umich.edu/pdoc.
Siemens, U-M seek proposals for online engineering courses
Siemens Digital Industries Software and U-M’s Center for Academic Innovation are seeking proposals to help U-M faculty develop and deliver innovative massive open online course specializations that explore the future of engineering in an increasingly complex, digital world. U-M faculty will be eligible for up to $75,000 in financial support, $150,000 in in-kind support from through course design and production, and access to Siemens’ expertise in software, product support and consultation. Project proposals should focus on the future of mobility; digital twin, additive manufacturing; model-based systems engineering; or artificial intelligence or machine learning. Proposals should also include an outline of three to six MOOCs designed together to build professional skills for real-world application. Proposals are due May 15. More information about the call for proposals and the application can be found at ai.umich.edu/academic-innovation-fund/.
ASC receives $50K gift from Giorgio Guastalla to support UMAPS program
The African Studies Center recently received a gift of $50,000 from Giorgio Guastalla in support of the U-M African Presidential Scholars program. The gift is earmarked for faculty from Kenyan universities whose research focuses on agriculture, environment, tourism and technology. It will enable ASC to expand the reach of the UMAPS program to Kenya, a country from which U-M has not previously been able to recruit UMAPS scholars. “UMAPS is a fantastic program and the perfect opportunity for us to contribute to building a better world for future generations by supporting the development of the university system in Africa,” Guastalla said. “We believe African scholars spending a semester at U-M not only will be empowered with a wealth of experience that will become a precious seed in their home universities but will also enrich all the professors and students they will have exchanges with in Ann Arbor, creating a virtuous connection that will keep growing in the future.”Established in 2009, the UMAPS program is at the core of U-M’s engagement with Africa. ASC has hosted 162 faculty members from universities in more than 10 African countries for research residencies on the U-M campus.
— Compiled by Ann Zaniewski, The University Record
