Board of Trustees: engineering center, union contracts approved
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The Oakland University Board of Trustees approved the schematics for and the bonds necessary to create a new $74.5 million engineering center on Monday, Oct. 31 in addition to deliberating over a full agenda. Pivotal actions have been approved that will impact the growth and development of OU as well as tuition, possibly.
Approval for new building
“We are going to have an engineering school,” Henry Baskin, the chair of the Board of Trustees, announced.
The board voted unanimously in favor of the construction of a new engineering building after extensive discussion of the university’s finances and debt capacity, since the school must finance $44 million of the project.
A commitment from the state of Michigan to chip in $30 million will make up the rest of the project’s funding. Baskin queried administrators and financial advisers on the impact the construction of the building may have on tuition.
Vice President of Finance and Administration John Beaghan said he has no future budget plans completed yet, but noted that tuition has increased every year he has been in his position.
“We can probably anticipate there will be some tuition increase proposed for next year,” he said.
Dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science, Louay Chamra, emphasized the benefits of the construction of the new building.
With this year’s freshman class being 35 percent larger than last fall’s, Chamra believes that the facility will contribute to the unique opportunities that OU can offer to talented applicants.
The construction of the new building will answer demands for the future, he said. Dean Chamra added that there will be a shortage of engineers in Southeast Michigan in the next 10 years.
Outreach programs will be designed to students, grades K-12, to entice an interest in engineering and science from a young age.
“I really anticipate this being a world class facility and it holds a lot of opportunities with underrepresented minorities. I commend Dean Chamra for that,” trustee Monica Emerson said.
Schematics for the building designed by SmithGroup were also approved at the meeting. Paul Urbanek, design director and vice president of the firm’s Detroit office is the lead designer on the project.
The building will be designed to fit more than double the college’s current student population and to expand faculty.
Chamra said he plans to house student services at the heart of the building with accommodations for communal gathering and food services.
The L-shaped building will be nestled between Kresge Library, Dodge Hall and Elliott Hall.
“We’re trying to create this area to build a student center area and make a quad of sorts,” Chamra said. “It will be the center of the university in such a way that the university will be a commuter university, but still be in the center of campus.”
New major
Because of an explosion in enrollment in biological studies, a new major in biomedical sciences has been developed.
“I should be asking for a new building, but I’m just asking for a degree program,” Ron Sudol, dean of the college of arts and sciences, said.
Sudol said the number of biology majors has increased by 117 percent in the last five years.
The major will use a strong integrative approach to emphasize basic science and medical training for those interested in the pre-med track.
The pre-med program is a concentration at OU and not an offered major.
No other university in the state offers the program. The hope is that the specialized degree will attract higher-achieving high school students.
Requirements for the majors — such as psychology, calculus, sociology and ethics — make for a unique combination that is appealing to medical schools.
The project estimates this program to be profitable, raising undergraduate admissions.
“We want to be able to attract the higher-achieving high school graduates in science and offer a somewhat more specialized degree in biomedical science,” Sudol said.
Oakland schools lease
The Board of Trustees accepted a real estate lease agreement for facilities in Oakland County that will offer classes to area teachers as professional development opportunities.
“We can no longer afford to be just in Pawley Hall. We need to be more assertive in programs,” said Louis Gallien, dean of the school of education.
Gallien said the lease of this space off Squirrel Road will provide outreach opportunities for OU, as they will be the only university presence in the building. It will gain revenue for the school by offering training opportunities to area school teachers.
Similar programming is already available at a Macomb County location.
Welcoming a new dean
Also on the agenda, Kerri Schuilling was appointed Dean of the School of Nursing. Previously the Associate Dean and Director of the School of Nursing at Northern Michigan University, Schuilling is a nationally recognized academic leader and an honoree of the American Academy of Nursing who came highly recommended by Virinder Moudgil, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
Union agreements
Agreements between the Police Officers Labor Council and the Police Officers Association of Michigan and the university were approved.
The labor council represents sergeants while the officers association represents officers and dispatchers.
Ron Watson, assistant vice president for human resources, served as the chief bargainer during negotiations.
Sergeants will be receiving a 2 percent pay raise in the first year of their three-year collective agreement and 1 percent raises in subsequent contract years.
Negotiations are ongoing between the university and the Campus Maintenance and Trades Union and Professional Support Association, which represent hourly grounds and maintenance workers and clerical services employees, respectively.
Nancy Strachan, vice president of the Michigan Education Association, spoke on behalf of the CMT union at the meeting.
“We remain certain we can reach an agreement that is both acceptable to OUCMT and the university and thank the university for verbally agreeing to a contract extension as we return to the bargaining table,” Strachan said.
About 15 members of the union attended the meeting, waiting until Strachan’s remarks at the very end of the two-hour session. “These members care about your facilities and take great pride in the work they do and are dedicated to the university,” Strachan said.
The next meeting will be held in the Elliott Hall auditorium on Dec. 19. More information on the board and meeting agendas can be found at oakland.edu/bot
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