Michigan Radio rebrands as Michigan Public
Michigan Radio is rebranding and changing its name to Michigan Public. The rebrand reflects the state’s largest NPR outlet’s goal of meeting people where they are: on the radio, online, on mobile devices, on-demand, and in-person at events. This name change took effect Jan. 10. “Although broadcast radio remains an essential part of our service, the biggest opportunities to grow and diversify our audience are on digital platforms, and our branding will reflect that,” Executive Director Wendy Turner said. Licensed to U-M, the station has served audiences across Michigan for over 75 years. Originally known simply as WUOM, the call letters of the original station based in Ann Arbor, the station adopted the Michigan Radio name in 1989 to better reflect its large coverage across southern Michigan. In addition to over-the-air broadcasts on five transmitters serving Ann Arbor/Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Lansing and Port Huron, listeners can tune into Michigan Public through live streaming on the station’s website as well as through the station’s smartphone app and podcasts. Read more about the rebrand.
Register now for access to backup child care in 2024
Registration for Kids Kare at Home, an occasional backup child care service for the University of Michigan community, is now open. This service is for those times when regular child care is unavailable. For example, when a care provider schedules a day off, but the parent must be on campus or at work, a Kids Kare caregiver may be available to provide backup care in the home. To use the Kids Kare at Home program, faculty and staff must first register online. Parents are encouraged to register now for easier access to the program in case they need it in 2024. Registration is free and there is no obligation to use the service. An hourly sliding-scale rate, based on total family income, will be determined upon registration. Parents who enrolled for the service in 2023 must re-register for 2024. Regular faculty or staff members currently affiliated with the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses and Michigan Medicine are eligible to register in 2024. Service in the Flint area will be a pilot program at this time to assess the need for additional caregivers in that region.
Police Department Oversight Committee annual report available
The U-M Police Department Oversight Committee’s inaugural annual report is available online. The elected members of the oversight committee include students, faculty and staff who consider grievances against U-M police officers or the Police Department and may make recommendations for disciplinary measures in such cases. The PDOC Annual Report summarizes the activities of the committee from June 2022-August 2023, with attention to grievances received and structural changes to the PDOC to advance its resources and scope. View the full report and learn more about the PDOC.
Mcard Center in SAB has moved to the Michigan Union
The Mcard Center, formerly located in the Student Activities Building, is now part of the ITS Tech Shop on the ground floor of the Michigan Union. The new location offers expanded hours, additional payment options, and convenient access to other services at the Tech Shop. For more information, including hours of operation and additional Mcard Center locations, visit finance.umich.edu/treasury/mcard.
Real-time parking space availability tool now live
Logistics, Transportation & Parking has launched an innovative new Parking Space Availability tool that provides real-time information about estimated occupancy levels for Blue-permit parking across various lots and parking structures on the Ann Arbor campus and Michigan Medicine. The tool functions based on parking permit activity, thus providing a fluid and highly dynamic overview of the parking landscape. It’s important to note that the estimated accuracy of the tool may fluctuate, particularly during times of special events where permit use is not routinely recorded, such as during football games, student move-in days, commencement ceremonies and other special events. Links to the real-time availability display can be found on the LTP website at ltp.umich.edu. It can be accessed directly at ltp.umich.edu/parking/parking-space-availability/.
HLC report says UM-Dearborn has met reaccreditation criteria
The Higher Learning Commission, which conducts comprehensive evaluations of academic institutions, says UM-Dearborn has met or exceeded all criteria for reaccreditation. The final report, which was shared with the UM-Dearborn HLC Core Committee in late November, is expected to be approved at a 2024 Institutional Actions Council meeting. UM-Dearborn will be up for reaccreditation again in 2033. The review findings were based on extensive documentation, interviews with members of the university community, and in-person conversations with stakeholders across the campus. “We’ve been accredited through HLC since 1970. If all goes well, there’s a 10-year period before an institution is reevaluated. To my knowledge, this full clean bill of health is the first time it has happened here,” said Mitchel Sollenberger, associate provost for undergraduate programs and integrative learning, who led the university’s reaccreditation process. Read more about UM-Dearborn’s accreditation.
U-M Health facilities recognized for maternity care, teaching
University of Michigan Health’s Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital has again been recognized as a top hospital in the country for maternity care by U.S. News & World Report. U-M Health was designated a high-performing medical center for delivering babies in uncomplicated pregnancies, U.S. News’ highest award for the specialty. The 2023-24 rating reflects exceptional performance on a range of quality measures, such as rates of caesarean sections, newborn complications, exclusive breast milk feeding and early elective delivery in lower-risk pregnancies. Meanwhile, the Leapfrog Group named U-M Health a Top Teaching Hospital, highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in both patient safety and quality. The Leapfrog Group is a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers that serve as standard-setters for health care safety and quality. Read more about the U.S. News award, and about the Leapfrog Group’s designation.
U-M ties school-record Graduation Success Rate in NCAA report
U-M tied its school record for its Graduation Success Rate in the NCAA’s 2023 annual GSR and Federal Graduation Rate reports for all NCAA Division I institutions. With a four-year average GSR of 96%, Michigan tied its all-time record high report, which was set last year. The 96% mark is 15 percentage points higher than it was in 2010 and one point higher than it was in 2021. U-M’s four-year rolling average FGR of 83% also tied an all-time high, set in 2022. In addition, 15 of Michigan’s 25 varsity athletic programs included in the report earned perfect GSR scores. The NCAA also released its overall Division I national averages: The four-year GSR for all member schools is 90%. Among the Big Ten Conference institutions, Michigan had the second-highest GSR (96) and FGR (83) scores. Northwestern led the conference with scores of 98 and 95, respectively. Read more about the GSR and FGR rates.
Study examines switching from fluorescent lamps to LEDs
LED lighting is up to 44% more efficient than 4-foot fluorescent tubes, according to a U-M study. The study compared the costs of six replacement options — one fluorescent and five LED — for linear recessed lighting systems and found that LED products were 18%-44% more efficient than T8 fluorescent lamps. Lighting is responsible for 11% of electricity use in commercial buildings and residential basements, garages and shops. Linear recessed lighting systems, which are also called linear fixtures or troffer lights, are among the largest opportunities for energy efficiency improvement, given their long operating hours. The study’s key takeaway is that switching to LEDs can save money and energy and reduce one’s carbon footprint, according to senior study author Greg Keoleian, co-director of the Center for Sustainable Systems at the School for Environment and Sustainability. Read more about this study.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
