Senate and non-Senate faculty nominations sought for police panel
Nominations are open for Senate and non-Senate faculty representatives to serve on the University of Michigan Police Department Oversight Committee. The committee considers grievances against any U-M police officer or the department and reports its findings and recommendations to the Division of Public Safety and Security executive director. The six-member oversight committee includes two faculty members, one Senate and one non-Senate; two staff members, one union and one non-union; and two students. Committee members are nominated and elected by their peers through separate processes and serve two-year terms. Non-senate faculty members on the Ann Arbor campus and in Michigan Medicine may nominate themselves or someone else through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 6. Only submissions from those eligible to vote in the election will be considered. University Human Resources is conducting this election. A staff member will contact eligible nominees for their consent to run in the election. Online voting will take place Oct. 21-27. The Faculty Senate Office is coordinating the election of the Senate faculty representative, and nominations of Ann Arbor campus Faculty Senate members are open through Oct. 11. Senate members may submit nominations at forms.gle/Q8gCzi2C3Z5CebMu6. Nominees will be contacted to verify interest and provide a supporting statement of up to 100 words. Online voting will take place Oct. 21-27. Ann Arbor campus Faculty Senate members will be emailed a link to vote electronically, once the ballot opens. More information about the candidate slate, when available, will be provided on the Faculty Senate website at facultysenate.umich.edu. The newly elected committee members will serve two-year terms.
Michigan Medicine notifies patients of health information breach
Michigan Medicine is notifying approximately 57,891 individuals about an employee email account that was compromised, potentially exposing some patient health information. One Michigan Medicine employee email account was compromised due to a cyberattack. A Michigan Medicine employee accepted an unsolicited multifactor authentication prompt, which allowed the cyberattacker to access the employee’s email account and its contents. The event occurred July 30. The account was disabled as soon as possible so no further access could take place. Notices were mailed to the affected patients or their personal representatives starting Sept. 26. Read more about this incident online at myumi.ch/eg9PQ.
Auto plant workforces grew after transition to EV production
U.S. auto plants producing battery electric vehicles have required a larger workforce than traditional internal combustion engine plants — a finding that runs counter to early predictions about how EVs would impact the industry. Researchers at U-M have shown that plants in the ramp-up stages of transitioning to full-scale EV production saw assembly jobs increase as much as 10 times. And at one plant studied, now with over a decade of EV production, the number of workers needed to make each vehicle has remained three times higher. “There is a shortage of information out there about how the transition is shaping up,” said the study’s senior author, Anna Stefanopoulou, William Clay Ford Professor of Technology, and professor of mechanical engineering and of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering. “What we’re seeing, with the data that’s available, is that the loss of employment predicted for EVs is not happening.” Read more about this study.
Report highlights racial, gender bias in crime victim compensation
Significant racial and gender disparities exist in U.S. crime victim compensation programs, revealing Black and Indigenous people as well as survivors of gender-based violence face unique challenges in obtaining financial support, according to a new report from U-M. Despite intentions to alleviate the financial burden for crime victims, eligibility restrictions based on perceptions of innocence and cooperation with law enforcement disproportionately exclude these groups. “Over the last several years, we have learned more and more about implicit and explicit bias in policing,” said Jeremy Levine, U-M associate professor of organizational studies. Levine authored the report from U-M’s Center for Racial Justice and Poverty Solutions. Read more about the report.
UM-Flint, Alma College partner to advance occupational therapy education
UM-Flint’s Occupational Therapy program and Alma College signed a collaborative agreement Sept. 20 that will foster new educational opportunities for students in the region. The agreement will provide two Alma College students with direct conditional admission into the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at UM-Flint every year, creating an exciting pathway for students passionate about entering the dynamic and rewarding field. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the relationship between the two institutions, and both parties have emphasized the impact it will have on the future of OT education in the state. The agreement reflects a growing need to not only prepare highly skilled occupational therapists but also to respond to the increasing demand for health care professionals capable of improving the quality of life for individuals across various communities. Read more about this collaboration.
— Compiled by James Iseler, The University Record
