Regents Roundup — April 2014

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The Board of Regents also took the following action at its meeting Thursday:

Renovations planned at NCRC for College of Engineering

Building 28 at the North Campus Research Complex, which has been vacant since the university purchased the complex from Pfizer in 2009, will be reactivated and partially renovated to house the Department of Chemical Engineering for a five-year period during the renovation of the George Granger Brown Memorial Laboratories building.

The renovation of approximately 57,600 gross square feet of space will create laboratory and support spaces for the department’s temporary relocation. The project is estimated to cost $2.3 million, and will be funded by the College of Engineering and the Medical School. Construction is scheduled to be completed this fall.

East Hall exterior repairs planned   

A project to repair significantly damaged sections of the ornate cornice, banding, and window soffits of East Hall is planned. The $1.6 million project will be funded by General Fund resources and is scheduled for completion this fall.

Design for Athletics Operations Center approved

The Board of Regents approved the design for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Operations Center project. The new 18,000-gross-square-foot building, to be constructed on State Street just south of Stadium Boulevard, will house maintenance shops, offices, laundry, shipping and receiving, and equipment storage for the athletic department.

The $6 million project is being funded by athletic department resources with construction completion planned for the summer of 2015.

Elevators to be replaced at Glen Avenue parking structure

The Board of Regents approved a project that will replace the two elevators within the Glen Avenue Parking Structure, as well as repaint the structure and replace the existing light fixtures with more energy efficient fixtures.

The project, estimated to cost $3 million, will be funded from Parking resources and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2015.

Chiller plants to be connected to increase efficiency, reliability

A project is planned to add new piping to connect the chiller plant at Palmer Commons with the plant at the Dental Building, allowing the more efficient electric chillers at Palmer to serve the loads currently served by the steam chillers at the Dental Building, reducing energy costs and increasing reliability.

The project also will connect the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies building to the chilled water loop, allowing the removal of the steam chiller and cooling tower at Rackham that is due to be replaced.

University investment proceeds will fund the $3 million project, with a scheduled completion in the spring of 2015.

Renaming of an institute

The Institute for Human Adjustment is renamed the Mary A. Rackham Institute, effective July 1. Through a $1 million gift in 1935, Rackham established an endowment to fund the Institute for Human Adjustment, under the administration of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies.

The primary mission is to serve U-M and the surrounding region with evaluation and intervention programs of the highest quality to assist individuals, couples and families with mental and behavioral health concerns and difficulties related to language, literacy and communication. A second primary mission is to provide excellent educational opportunities and training programs for graduate and postgraduate students in these areas.

SNRE dean position given title change

As of May 1, the dean of the School of Natural Resources and the Environment will be known as the Samuel A. Graham Dean. The title change is made possible by a gift from the Graham Foundation in honor of Samuel A. Graham, a distinguished professor from 1927-61 in the former U-M School of Forestry.

The position is one of only four U-M endowed deanships, including: the Edward J. Frey deanship in the Stephen M. Ross School of Business; the Joan and Sanford Weill deanship in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; and the Robert J. Vlasic deanship in the College of Engineering.

Ann Arbor campus

Faculty appointments with tenure

Celeste L. Pearce, associate professor of epidemiology, School of Public Health, effective Sept. 1, 2014.

Dr. Mark S. Schlissel, professor of microbiology and immunology, Medical School, and professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology, LSA, effective July 1.

Administrative appointments

James T. Dalton, dean, effective Sept. 1, 2014-Aug. 31, 2019, and professor of pharmaceutical sciences, College of Pharmacy.

T. Anthony Denton, acting chief executive officer, University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, effective June 20.

Andrew D. Martin, dean, effective July 1, 2014-June 30, 2019, and professor of political science, LSA.

Robert M. Sellers, vice provost for equity, inclusion and academic affairs, Office of the Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, effective July 1, 2014-June 30, 2019.

Douglas L. Strong, interim executive vice president and chief financial officer, University of Michigan, effective June 20.

Kathleen M. Wade, assistant dean of hospital social work, School of Social Work, effective March 1, 2014-Aug. 31, 2018.

* Ronald F. Zernicke, dean, School of Kinesiology, effective Jan. 1, 2015-June 30, 2016.

Named professorships

Hiroko H. Dodge, Milton and Carolyn Kevreson Research Professor of Neurology, Medical School, effective April 1, 2014-Aug. 31, 2019.

Dr. Grace Elta, H. Marvin Pollard Collegiate Professor of Gastroenterology, Medical School, effective April 1, 2014-Aug. 31, 2019.

Dinesh Khanna, Frederick G. L. Huetwell Professor of Rheumatology, Medical School, effective April 1, 2014-Aug. 31, 2019.

Albrecht O. Klemm, Frederick W. and Lois B. Gehring Visiting Professor of Mathematics, LSA, effective April 1, 2014-Aug. 31, 2014.

Dr. Amr H. Sawalha, Marvin and Betty Danto Research Professor of Connective Tissue Research, Medical School, effective April 1, 2014-Aug. 31, 2019.

David O. Ulrich, Rensis Likert Collegiate Professor of Business Administration, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, effective May 1, 2014-April 30, 2019.

Deborah H. Yalen, Louis and Helen Padnos Visiting Professor of Judaic Studies, LSA, effective Sept. 1, 2014-Dec. 31, 2014.

Establishing and renaming professorships, and selected academic administrative positions

• Establishing an endowed deanship as the Samuel A. Graham Dean, School of Natural Resources and Environment, effective May 1.

• Establishing an endowed professorship as the Shorey Peterson in Industrial Organization and Corporate Finance, LSA, effective April 1.

• Establishing a collegiate professorship as the Carl J. Wiggers Collegiate Professorship in Cardiovascular Physiology, Medical School, effective April 1.

* Reappointments

Retirements

Helen A. Baghdoyan, professor of anesthesiology, professor of pharmacology and professor of psychiatry in the Medical School, effective April 30. She joined the faculty in 1999. A pioneering and internationally renowned scientist, she studied the neurochemical mechanisms and brain regions that regulate behavioral states such as sleep, wakefulness and anesthesia. Since 2004, Baghdoyan has held a National Institute of Mental Health Method to Extend Research in Time Award that provides superior investigators with long-term and stable funding. She received the Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research’s Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award in 2013.

Dr. David E. Learned, clinical assistant professor of anesthesiology in the Medical School, effective Dec. 6. He joined the faculty in 1986, and devoted his career to developing and teaching the highest quality clinical procedures and policies within the operating room. He was a highly regarded teacher and mentor to his residents, and served as the medical director of the operating rooms (1987-91) and director of anesthesia at the Kellogg Eye Center (1991-2013). He also was actively involved in the Berrien County Medical Society, the Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists, and the Washtenaw County Medical Society.

Ralph Lydic, Bert N. La Du Professor of Anesthesiology Research, professor of anesthesiology and professor of molecular and integrative physiology in the Medical School, effective April 30. He joined the faculty in 1999. Lydic is an internationally recognized leader in the field of sleep neurophysiology. His translational research endeavors have helped to promote a new dimension in patient care by bridging the gap between clinical anesthesiology and sleep disorders medicine. Lydic oversaw the research training of countless undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty. He has received the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Excellence in Research Award.

Lucinda A. Pfalzer, professor of physical therapy in the School of Health Professions and Studies, UM-Flint, effective Dec. 31. Pfalzer joined the UM-Flint faculty in 1986. She completed an oncology clinical research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in 2001 and is a distinguished scholar in the field of physical therapy. Her recent research endeavors have provided clinically based guidance to healthcare reforms in oncology rehabilitation. Pfalzer held several key administrative leadership positions including associate director for research and post professional education, director of the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, and interim director of the Department of Physical Therapy. 

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