Regents’ Roundup

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By Wono Lee, News and Information Services
and Diane Brown, Facilities and Operations

Administrative appointments

Administrative appointments approved by the regents at their May 16 meeting included:

Henry I. Mosberg, professor of medicinal chemistry, was reappointed as associate dean for research and graduate education at the College of Pharmacy, effective April 1, 2002–June 30, 2005.

Eric L. Dey, associate professor of education, will serve as associate dean of the School of Education, effective Aug. 1, 2001–July 31, 2004.

Barbara A. Gutek, professor of psychology and professor of women’s studies, will serve as director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender, effective May 1, 2002–April 30, 2007.

Terrence J. McDonald, professor and interim chair of the Department of History, will serve as interim dean of LS&A, effective July 1, 2002. (His nomination to the post was announced April 29.)

Jeffrey E. Mirel, professor of education and professor of history, will be associate dean of the School of Education, effective Aug. 1, 2002–July 31, 2005.

William R. Roush, the Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Chemistry and professor of chemistry, will serve as chair of the Department of Chemistry, effective July 1, 2002–June 30, 2007.

William K. Wallach, associate director of the Bentley Historical Library, will serve as acting director, effective May 1, 2002–Aug. 31, 2003.

Patricia S. Yaeger, professor of English and professor of women’s studies, will be interim chair of the Department of English, effective Sept. 1, 2002–June 30, 2003.

Geoffrey H. Eley, the Sylvia L. Thrupp Collegiate Professor of Comparative History and professor of history, will be acting director of the Program in Film and Video Studies, effective Sept. 1, 2002–Dec. 31, 2002.

Sharon C. Herbert, professor of classical archaeology and Greek, was reappointed as director of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, effective Sept. 1, 2002–June 30, 2007.

Endowed professorships

Faculty appointments to endowed and titled professorships approved by the regents at their May 16 meeting included:

Darrell A. Campbell Jr., professor of surgery, will hold the Henry King Ransom Professorship of Surgery, effective June 1, 2002–May 31, 2007.

Dee E. Fenner, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, will hold the Harold A. Furlong Professorship of Women’s Health, effective July 1, 2002–June 30, 2007.

Alan R. Saltiel, professor of internal medicine and professor of physiology, will hold the John Jacob Abel Collegiate Professorship in the Life Sciences, effective June 1, 2002-May 31, 2007. (Saltiel also was named associate director of the Life Sciences Institute.)

Michael A. Savageau, professor of microbiology, will hold the Nicolas Rashevsky Distinguished University Professorship of Microbiology and Immunology, effective Sept. 1.

Lawrence Sklar, the William K. Frankena Professor of Philosophy and professor of philosophy, will hold the Carl G. Hempel and William K. Frankena Distinguished University Professorship of Philosophy, effective Sept. 1.

Kensall E. Wise, the J. Reid and Polly Anderson Professor of Manufacturing Technology, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, and professor of biomedical engineering, will hold the William Gould Dow Distinguished University Professorship of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, effective Sept. 1.

Campbell, who also serves as chief of staff of clinical affairs, is the administrative leader of the physician faculty practicing within the U-M hospitals and health centers, said Allen S. Lichter, dean of the Medical School. “In recent years, Dr. Campbell has become interested in the related subjects of physician wellness and patient safety. He has lectured nationally on the subject of physician burnout, particularly among surgeons and, more recently, has linked this interest to how burnout might affect physician performance. Dr. Campbell currently serves as a co-investigator on two NIH-funded grants studying patient safety in surgery and the effect of health care working conditions on quality of care.”

Fenner joined the faculty as associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and director of the Division of Gynecology in 2001. “Her research focuses on the female pelvic floor, and she is an acknowledged expert in the area of anal incontinence,” Lichter said. “Her stature in this developing field has been recognized with appointments as an NIH Study Section Chair and membership on the NIH Pelvic Floor Terminology Committee. Her clinical expertise also is focused on urogynecology and anal incontinence. Dr. Fenner’s contributions to her specialty also extend to medical education, and, in 1999, she received the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Organon Award, one of the most prestigious awards given by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in recognition of her outstanding teaching.”

Saltiel is “a cell biologist and world-leading diabetes researcher,” said Jack E. Dixon, director of the Life Sciences Institute. “He has dedicated most of his studies to examining how insulin works at the molecular level to control the metabolism of glucose and lipids within cells. He focuses on the molecular biology that underlies this vital regulatory process. He specializes in the field of signal transduction—the study of how hormones relay their messages in cells. Working with his research associates, Prof. Saltiel identified a novel series of critical signaling events for insulin that take place inside specialized compartments within cell membranes called caveolae. He also discovered a group of unique scaffolding proteins that transport enzymes and other proteins to specific compartments or insulin receptors.”

Savageau has earned “an international reputation for his seminal studies in integrative molecular biology, which seek to explain and quantify the interconnected behavior of complex biological systems,” said Paul N. Courant, interim provost. “He was one of the first to recognize the need for new methods of integrating the enormous amounts of data arising from the molecular study of individual components of biological systems, and one of the first to develop a new approach for analyzing nonlinear systems. Two of his contributions have laid the foundation for much subsequent work in the field. The first, ‘power-law formalism,’ provides a mathematical framework, or language, that accurately represents the integrated behavior of complex biological systems. The second, ‘controlled mathematical comparison,’ is a powerful analytical method used for the rigorous comparison of complex systems.”

Sklar was invited in 1998 to deliver philosophy’s most prestigious series of lectures, the John Locke Lectures at Oxford University, Courant noted. “His contributions to the philosophical understanding of statistical mechanics, and to the philosophy of physics generally, are unparalleled. In addition to his prodigious knowledge of physics, Prof. Sklar also is immensely sophisticated in other branches of philosophy—such as metaphysics, epistemology and the philosophy of language—that impinge on the philosophy of science. He has received wide recognition for his contributions to central philosophical questions in these areas, and many of his papers have become classics. The interdependence of physics and philosophy has been a major theme of his work on statistical mechanics and on the physics of space and time. Publication of his book ‘Space, Time, and Spacetime’ in 1974 established him firmly as one of the world’s leading philosophers of science.”

Wise has “amassed an impressive record as scholar, innovator, teacher and mentor,” Courant said. “His scholarly work is characterized by breadth and diversity, and his areas of research span the fields of biomedicine, mechanical micro-systems, chemical sensors, physics, and fluidic devices and control. A pioneer in the truest sense of the word, he has been responsible for some of the most significant innovations in his field, such as the development of neural probes, pressure sensors, miniature gas-analysis systems, un-cooled infrared detectors and imagers, tactile imagers, and micro-flow-meters. His work in neuroscience alone has resulted in devices that are used worldwide to understand biological neural networks. He continues to maintain one of the most vigorous interdisciplinary research programs within the College of Engineering and has launched new research initiatives in other schools and colleges through his collaborations with colleagues there.

Tenure appointments

Faculty appointments, with tenure, approved by the regents at their May 16 meeting included:

Letha Chadiha, a faculty member at Washington University, will be associate professor of social work, effective Sept. 1.

Diane Larsen-Freeman, director of the English Language Institute, also will serve as professor of education, effective May 1.

David P. Wood Jr., a faculty member at Wayne State University, will be professor of urology, effective July 1.

Gifts received

The regents, at their May 16 meeting, formally accepted a total of $11,043,163 in gifts received by the University during April of this year.

The total included $7,753,202 from individuals, $1,494,749 from corporations, $941,465 from foundations, and 853,747 from associations and others.

New elevators for Med Inn

Two guest elevators in the Med Inn Building will be replaced at a projected cost of $1.1 million. The Med Inn, which was built in 1952 between Mott Children¹s and University hospitals, includes a three-story hotel for patients and their families. Albert Kahn Associates will design the project. Funding will be provided from the Hospitals and Health Centers¹ capital fund. Construction is scheduled to be completed in Winter 2003.

Property to be sold at U-M-Flint

The off-campus property at 1108 Lapeer Road in Flint, which includes a one-story building of 11,000 gross square feet, 81 parking spaces and 3.67 acres of land, will be sold. The building is no longer being used by the University as the Physical Therapy Program relocated this month to the new William S. White Building. Net proceeds from the sale of the building will be applied to future needs in the new building.

Regents give 24 emeritus title

Twenty-four faculty members were given the emeritus title by the regents at their May 16 meeting.

Those retiring are: Richard H. Axsom, professor of art history at the U-M-Dearborn; Robert M. Beckley, professor of architecture and urban planning, and former dean of the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning; Paul C. Boylan, professor of music and former dean of the School of Music; Wesley M. Brown, professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology, and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology;

Edna A. Coffin, professor of modern Hebrew and research scientist; Gwendolyn E. Davidge, associate librarian; Donald R. Deskins, professor of urban geography and sociology; Jay S. Finch, professor of anesthesiology; Walter S. Gray, associate professor of physics; Lorna M. Haywood, professor of music (voice); Kathleen P. Heidelberger, professor of pathology; Alan B. Howes, professor of English; Jerold D. Lax, associate professor of urban planning;

James H. McIntoch, professor of English and of American culture; Frances K. McSparran, associate professor of English; John F. Meyer, professor of electrical engineering and computer science; Deborah J. Oakley, professor of nursing; Donald R. Peacor, professor of geological sciences; John Griffiths Pedley, professor of classical archaeology and Greek; Friedrich K. Port, professor of internal medicine and professor of epidemiology; H. Robert Reynolds, professor of conducting and director of University bands; David O. Ross Jr., professor of Greek and Latin; Hermann F. Weiss, professor of German; Ernest P. Young, professor of history.

Axsom joined the U-M–Dearborn faculty in 1973. “He has published extensively in modern and contemporary art,” the regents noted. “He is the author of eight definitive books on the prints of several artists of this genre, including Frank Stella, Elsworth Kelly and Claes Oldenburg. He has organized exhibitions in major museums of art, including the Whitney Museum of Art and the Tretiakov State Gallery in Moscow.

Beckley returned to the faculty in 1987 as professor and dean of the Taubman College. “Under his leadership, the college expanded its presence across the globe. International programs, research and the scholarly contributions grew in their diversity, and the student body broadened to include individuals from nearly every continent. He was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 1985 and the Urban Design Institute in 1990.”

Boylan joined the faculty in 1965, serving as dean of the School of Music in 1979–2000 and as U-M vice provost for the arts in 1993–2000. “He is a visionary thinker who has served the U-M with loyalty and distinction,” the regents noted. “He was an avid supporter and promoter of the development of faculty members as artists, teachers and scholars.”

Brown, who joined the faculty in 1980, was “a founding member of the research field that uses DNA to identify individuals and infer relationships between individuals and species. In 1974, while still in graduate school, he published a seminal paper that led to a revolution whose ramifications are still being realized today. Prof. Brown subsequently went on to use his own innovation to make many substantial discoveries in the field of evolution and systematics.”

Coffin, who joined the faculty in 1970, is “a scholar of great creativity and industry,” the regents said. “She commands tremendous respect internationally as a true teacher-scholar for her pioneering work in instructional technology and for her development of numerous multimedia applications for foreign language instruction. By collaborating with colleagues in multiple disciplines from around the world, she embodies the traditional spirit of collegiality.”

Davidge, who joined the University Library in 1970, served as the undergraduate library acquisitions librarian. “In this role she provided reference service to both students and faculty and selected books for addition to the collection. In 1981, Ms. Davidge was named the graduate library coordinator of the reference department. At a time when online databases were rapidly expanding, she successfully planned and implemented their integration into the department. In 1986, she assumed the role of head of serial services (formerly serial services and records).”

Deskins joined the faculty in 1968. “In his highly productive career, Prof. Deskins made important scholarly contributions to our understanding of racial dynamics in American society. His research spans such diverse topics as residential segregation, the construction of urban space, racial factors in site location and employment patterns, economic restructuring and teen pregnancy, and changing higher educational opportunities for minority graduate students.

Finch joined the faculty in 1965. “Dr. Finch’s research focused primarily on the areas of pulmonary physiology and mechanical ventilation,” the regents said. “In 1982, he developed a medical student laboratory in respiratory physiology to provide medical students with practical experience in pulmonary and cardiovascular physiology during their rotation on the anesthesiology service.”

Gray joined the faculty in 1964. “In the late 1960s and early l970s, Prof. Gray, together with Profs. Tickle, Bardwick and Parkinson, developed a high-resolution magnetic spectrometer for use with the

U-M’s 82-inch cyclotron using the so-called ‘dispersion-matching’ technique. This cyclotron was one of the few capable of high-resolution nuclear spectroscopy.

Haywood joined the faculty in 1982. “On both sides of the Atlantic, critics have lavished their praise on the concert and operatic appearances of Prof. Haywood,” regents said. “She has sung with most of America’s major symphony orchestras, performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and appeared in numerous summer festivals including Meadowbrook, Tanglewood, Cincinnati, Aldenburgh and Edinburgh.”

Heidelberger, who joined the faculty in 1970, has demonstrated “a commitment to excellence throughout her career, especially in pediatric pathology and resident education within the pathology, pediatrics, and surgery departments. She participated in the instruction of medical students in the areas of pediatric pathology and general surgical pathology, in the training of house officers and fellows in pediatric pathology, and in counseling fourth-year students in clerkships in pathology.”

Howes joined the faculty in 1955. “In his scholarly work and in his teaching, he pursued two main tracks: 18th-century fiction and pedagogy with a special focus on language and composition. His major scholarly contributions in these areas include authoring ‘Yorick and the Critics: Laurence Sterne’s Reputation in England, 1760–1868′ and ‘The Critical Heritage Series: Laurence Sterne’ and co-editing ‘The Norton Reader.’”

Lax joined the faculty in 1974. “Civil litigation, land use planning, municipal government, and employment law are his areas of specialty,” the regents noted. “During his time at the University he has taught many excellent courses in these areas. His work in conflict resolution at the state level and his law practice in Ann Arbor have made him a valuable asset to the program at the University.”

McIntosh joined the faculty in 1975. “From the start, his scholarship was distinguished by an ambition to focus on major writers of the American Renaissance and to offer his own perspective on a body of literature that already had received a good deal of attention. Based on his research, he wrote several rich and subtle essays on Emerson, Hawthorne and Melville and a major book, ‘Thoreau as Romantic Naturalist: His Shifting Stance Toward Nature.’”

McSparran joined the faculty in 1968. “In her career at the University, she made truly extraordinary service contributions in directing the summer program at Oxford University and in her administrative and academic contributions to the completion of the Middle English Dictionary. Her scholarship is characterized by painstaking primary research with the manuscripts of the Middle English period and her care and penetrating analysis as lexicographer and editor.”

Meyer joined the faculty in 1967. “His research focused on fault-tolerant computing. He is best known for his introduction of the concept of performability, which has since become an important measure of the quality of fault-tolerant systems. He was named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 1985 for his contributions to the theory of fault-tolerant computing.”

Oakley, who joined the faculty in 1977, “introduced research-relevant information technology into course activities; developed and taught doctoral seminars on nursing and health policy, globalization, culture and women’s health; and was a major contributor to improving the quality of undergraduate research at the University,” the regents said. “She worked with colleagues to introduce more accurate measurement methods into the study of oral contraceptive use and to study maternity care.”

Peacor joined the faculty in 1963. “His early research focused on the crystallography of rock-forming minerals. He designed and built a device for structure refinements of crystals at high temperature and evaluated phase transition in situ for important compounds such as anorthite and cristobalite. He also described a very large number of new minerals over the years, and he has been deeply involved with research using transmission electron microscopy.”

Pedley joined the faculty in 1965. “His scholarship centers mainly on Greek art and architecture during the archaic and classical periods. His work is very tightly connected with his extensive excavations in various Greek or Greco-Roman sites: Sardis in Turkey, Apollonia in Libya, Carthage in Tunisia, and Paestum in southern Italy. These excavations provided him with a basis for the original observations that illuminate his book on Greek art and archaeology and his forthcoming book on sanctuaries and sacred ritual in Greece.”

Port, who joined the faculty in 1974, is “a prominent member of the renal research community with a national and international reputation for outcomes research. His contributions include the comparative assessment of mortality risk for dialysis patients versus transplant recipients. His ground-breaking studies minimized patient selection bias and time-to-treatment bias while describing the changing mortality risk over time after transplantation.”

Reynolds joined the faculty in 1975. “During his tenure at the U-M, he conducted the Michigan bands in the premiere of an opera for La Scala Opera (Milan) and in concerts at the Maggio Musicale (Florence), the Tonhalle (Zurich), and the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) as part of the 750th anniversary of the City of Berlin. He also served as a lecturer in the School of Education, director of the Division of Instrumental Studies, chair of the conducting department, and member of the School of Music Executive Committee. He received a tribute from the state of Michigan for his contributions for his dedication to the performance of American music.”

Ross joined the faculty in 1974. “His scholarly interests were mainly in the area of Latin poetry, especially of the period from the end of the Roman Republic to the early years of the Empire. This was an exciting period in which Roman poets revolutionized verse by introducing sophisticated, often introspective motifs drawn from Greek Hellenistic poetry, while simultaneously drawing on one another for inspiration. Through his precise analysis of surviving texts, Prof. Ross firmly established the main lines of this poetic revolution.”

Weiss joined the faculty in 1968. “As a scholar, he has long enjoyed international visibility and recognition stemming from his book that documents and interprets much previously unknown material on H. Von Kleist and that will unquestionably remain a cornerstone of research on this much admired and timely writer. He is equally well known for his definitive editions of letters written by A. von Arnim and of von Arnim’s critical writings.”

Young joined the faculty in 1968. “As an historian of Chinese history, he published numerous articles on nationalism, reform, and revolution in early 20th century China,” the regents said. “This focus was exemplified in his book published by the University of Michigan Press, ‘The Presidency of Yual Shih-k’ai: Liberalism and Dictatorship in Early Republican China.’ More recently, he began exploring Catholicism in 19th and 20th century China through an examination of an institution—the French Religious Protectorate.”

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