The Board of Regents is canceling its formal session in January and will instead have a strategic session to focus on the future of higher education. The session will be in Ann Arbor.

Board Chair Kathy White made the announcement during Thursday’s board meeting. She said the strategic session would take the place of the Jan. 15, 2015, formal session of the board.

“January is an opportune time for such a meeting because Jan. 24 marks the one-year anniversary of the announcement of President Schlissel as the university’s 14th president and his six-month anniversary in the role,” White said. 

She said the session also would offer the board an opportunity to welcome and provide orientation for new regent Michael Behm, a Democrat from Grand Blanc, who was elected in November.

The board will resume its regular meeting schedule Feb. 19, 2015, on the Ann Arbor campus.