The University Record, October 29, 1997
Editor’s Note: The following actions were taken by the Regents at their October meeting.
Two appointed to named collegiate professorships
Two faculty members were appointed to named collegiate professorships.
Phoebe C. Ellsworth, the Kirkland and Ellis Professor of Law in the Law School and professor of psychology, also will hold the Robert B. Zajonc Professorship of Psychology.
Chien-Fu Jeff Wu, professor and chair of the Department of Statistics and professor of industrial and operations engineering, also will hold the Harry Clyde Carver Professorship of Statistics.
“Prof. Ellsworth is a leader in the field of social psychology of law,” said LS&A Dean Edie N. Goldenberg. “She is currently continuing her work on the influence of cognitive appraisal on emotion, extending it to behavior consequences of emotion. He r secondary research interest is psychological issues in the law. Her studies on death-qualified juries are said to be among the best ever. She is in part responsible for the creation of what is now a flourishing field and a Division of the American Psy chological Association.”
“Prof. Wu is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and the American Statistical Association,” Goldenberg said. “He was the recipient of the prestigious 1987 Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies Award, which is given to the best researcher under the age of 40, and is commissioned by five statistical societies. He was also the co-recipient of the 1990 Wilcoxon Prize for the best practical appellation paper in Technometrics, and the 1992 Burmbaugh Award for the single most im portant paper to quality control among the publications sponsored by the American Society for Quality Control.”
Four faculty retire
Four faculty members were given the emeritus title. They are:
Richard F. de Leon, associate professor of pharmacy; Donald F. Huelke, professor of anatomy and research scientist; Nathaniel H. Rowe Jr., professor of dentistry, the William R. Mann Professor of Dentistry, and professor of oral pathology; and Gilbert R. Whitaker Jr., professor of business economics.
De Leon came to the U-M in 1979 as associate dean for clinical sciences and associate professor, College of Pharmacy, and as director of pharmacy services, U-M Hospitals. He also assumed responsibility for directing the College’s continuing education program in 1993. “He has served on numerous local and national committees and has presented a number of invited seminars at national and international meetings,” the Regents noted. “He has provided consultative services to many outside organizations an d has served as an accreditation reviewer for the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and for the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.”
Huelke joined the U-M in 1957. “Very early in his career, he became interested in applied biomechanics as it relates to motor vehicle design and injuries from automobile accidents,” the Regents said. “His research resulted in his being appointed to the Ad Hoc Faculty Program Advisory Committee for the Highway Safety Research Institute in 1965. During the 1960s, he conducted some very influential studies on the causes of fatal injuries in automobile accidents, which had a significant impact on seat belt design and legislation. His research on automobile safety has since expanded to include airbags.”
Rowe, who joined the U-M in 1968, “has distinguished himself nationally and internationally as a dental scholar, researcher and teacher,” the Regents said. “He has served as a consultant to many governmental and professional organizations and has pub lished more than 60 journal articles and 10 textbook chapters. In recognition of his outstanding intellectual leadership and nationally recognized achievement in research, teaching and service, in 1994 he was named the first William R. Mann Professor of Dentistry at the U-M.”
Whitaker joined the School of Business Administration in 1979 as dean and professor of business economics. “He served with distinction as professor and dean until 1990, when he was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs,” the Regen ts said. “His dedication to the excellence of students and programs at the Business School was the foundation for the growth and success the school now enjoys. He laid the groundwork for the school’s prominence and readiness to maintain a leadership pos ition into the 21st century.”
Building renovation projects approved
The two chillers and the cooling tower at the Power Center for the Performing Arts are more than 25 years old. Rather than replace the system, chilled water to cool the Power Center will be supplied by the Fletcher Street Chiller with underground chilled water piping. This more efficient arrangement will also save maintenance, operating and energy costs due to the elimination of two chillers and all the related auxiliary equipment in the Power Center. The project is estimated to cost $650,000.< /li>
The steam and condensate lines to the Intramural Sports Building, Keen Arena and Weidenbach Hall failed earlier this year, and were replaced by temporary, above-ground installations. This project, estimated to cost $425,000, will provide permanen t lines in underground conduit.
A number of building system renovations will be made in the Buhr Building, at an estimated cost of $1,440,000. The underground steam line from the South Campus Boiler Plant has been a maintenance problem and will be replaced with a new boiler in the area of the existing mechanical room at Buhr.
Last April, the Regents approved a project to replace the electrical substation in the School of Education Building at an estimated cost of $300,000. Since that time the shortage of electrical trade personnel in this region has become critical. Bids for the substation have been taken and the lowest responsible bid results in a total project cost of $400,000. In a second phase of the electrical power upgrade for the building, the existing 2,400-volt primary service will be replaced with a modern 13,200-volt system, expected to cost $300,000.
Heating and air conditioning improvements will be made in the School of Nursing Building, at an estimated cost of $3 million. The School of Nursing occupies the older section of what was St. Joseph Hospital and a portion of the building was upgraded in 1987. A major portion of the facility, approximately 52,000 square feet, remains to be air conditioned, and the heating system has now deteriorated to the point of compromising the academic functions.
The School of Dentistry will renovate the student forum lounge areas on the ground floor of the Dental Building to create a more functional and attractive space for student use. The scope of work will involve approximately 4,600 square feet. The project is estimated to cost $285,000.
As a part of its program to reorganize and consolidate undergraduate teaching clinics and graduate specialty clinics, the School of Dentistry will remodel four clinic areas in the 1969 Dental Building located on the first, second and third floors. The project is estimated to cost $458,000.
Additional actions will be reported in the Nov. 5 issue of the Record.
