Applications open for Year of Global Engagement Event Grants
Applications are being accepted through March 17 for Year of Global Engagement Event Grants of up to $10,000 to support internationally focused events such as cultural activities, conferences, symposia and educational outreach initiatives. Applications are welcome from U-M units, including at Dearborn and Flint, with a preference for proposals developed in collaboration with students or student organizations. The proposal should provide a description of the proposed event, rationale, intended and expected audience, list of deliverables for the event, timeline for implementation, and how success is defined. Grants cannot be used for ongoing or recurring events, such as lecture series or annual conferences. For more information.
Ono updates U-M community about developments coming out of Washington, D.C.
President Santa J. Ono recently updated the university community about ongoing developments out of Washington, D.C., that could have important implications for U-M. In a Feb. 14 email, Ono discussed efforts “to ensure we are providing the maximum return on investment for the state of Michigan and the nation,” the status and impact of proposed cuts in research funding from the National Institutes of Health, and why it’s important to not lose focus on U-M’s mission of education, research and clinical care. Read his full message. In a Feb. 18 email, Ono discussed a letter from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights that broadly applies the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision, which struck down race-based affirmative action in college admissions. The letter says that “treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal.” Read that full message.
Rackham Graduate School hosting inaugural well-being symposium
The Rackham Graduate School will host its inaugural Rackham Symposium Exploring Well-being in Graduate Education in October and is seeking proposals for presentations that address mental health and well-being in graduate education. Proposals may be research- or practice-oriented, as long as they align with the symposium’s goals and objectives. Submissions will be accepted from faculty, staff and graduate students from all three campuses; mental health practitioners and researchers from other academic institutions; professional staff working in graduate education and student services; and policy makers and administrators in higher education. The deadline to submit proposals is March 14. The symposium is set for Oct. 22-23. For more information about the symposium or the request for proposals.
Record editions taking break for winter vacation
The Feb. 28 University Record email will be the last one delivered until March 10. The Record also will not publish a printed edition March 3, due to the winter semester vacation. Major items of interest to faculty and staff may be posted to the Record’s website over the break. The printed Record will resume March 10 with weekly publication through May 5. The Record email will resume March 10, with Monday-Friday distribution through May 16. Both versions of the Record will run on a reduced schedule during the late spring and summer.
UM-Flint launching Master of Science in Applied Finance for fall 2025
UM-Flint’s School of Management is expanding its graduate offerings with the introduction of a Master of Science in Applied Finance program for fall 2025. Designed for professionals looking to advance their careers in finance or transition into the field, the program will provide a practical, skills-based approach to corporate financial management, investment analysis and portfolio management. To accommodate the needs of working professionals, the program will be offered entirely online in a flexible, asynchronous format. The program offers two specialized concentrations: corporate finance and investment. For more about this new program.
Government suspicion linked to historical harm in three communities
More than half of residents surveyed in three Michigan communities believe significant events occur without public knowledge — a sentiment of government suspicion closely tied to conspiratorial thinking, according to a U-M policy brief. The study from the Michigan Metro Area Communities Study, supported by the Center for Racial Justice at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, explores the prevalence of government suspicion in Flint, Grand Rapids and Ypsilanti. Past research has shown government suspicion is associated with race and education. While the study supports this relationship, the findings point to a novel reason for this association: proximity to, and familiarity with, government harms. For more on this study.
— Compiled by Jeff Bleiler, The University Record
