10. Several professors gained acknowledgements for their research developments that were published in a research magazine, including Associate Professor of Chemistry Ferman Chavez, Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences Andy Golberg, Associate Professor of Education Mary Lose, Assistant Professor of Psychology Lakshmi Raman and Associate Professor of Nursing Barbara Penprase.”These are doors that have not been open before,” Henry Baskin, Board of Trustees director, said. “I’m proud to be recognizing you … you do what you do without acknowledgement.”

9. Mary Beth Snyder and Eleanor Reynolds purposed that the university switches it’s constituent relationship management software to the SunGard Higher Education product after current contracts with HOPS expire on June 30, 2012.

8. Meadow Brook Hall has increased it’s wedding industry, bringing in an additional $328,000 of revenue. In 2011, 55 weddings were planned at the venue.

7. MBH is also in the process of becoming a National Historical Landmark. “In May, we publicly presented to the Landmark’s Committee,” Geoffrey Upward, executive director of MBH, said. “I’m pleased to report that we passed the test unanimously. We’re hoping they’ll sign off on it in 2012.”

6. According to Baskin, $40 million was authorized for the creation of a new engineering building.

5. The grand opening of the new Stephan Sharf clubhouse, which was donated on behalf of a $4 million gift by Sharf, is planned to open in 2012.

4. The golf course is also hosting the Professional Golfers Association’s Michigan Professional Championship in August, which will be the first in a three year agreement with the PGA. “I’m hoping to get exposure to national PGA and hope to get on their schedule for national, possibly televised events,” William Rogers, the director of golf and learning center, said. “With the clubhouse in place … we’re going to have the ability in the future to try and solidify those things.”

3. In regards to the shootings at Virginia Tech, school officials are taking extra precautions to protect the Oakland University community. “By establishing high ranking officials, it helps manage emergency events,” Samuel Lucido, chief of police at the OU police department, said. “(There is) total commitment of the safety and security on campus.”

2. The OU Professional Support Association-MEA/NEA, which represents the clerical and technical workers on campus, ratified a tentative agreement on Dec 5th with 157 yes votes, 23 no votes and 3 abstentions. Also ratified by the BOT, it included a 4.25 percent pay increase over a three year period for OUPSA members.

1. BOT members received a letter from the OU Campus Maintenance and Trade Association that argued against OUPSA ratifications. The plan, which is a tentative agreement, was ratified by the board, but there is still some dispute about it. “I am troubled by it,” Mark Schlussel, BOT member, said. “I really believe that we’ve chosen a group of employees that are asked to sacrifice more than other faculty … my belief is that there were solutions that could’ve been offered that wouldn’t have had the effect that this contract does. I think that this group, particularly the custodians, have scarified the most. Basically what they’re going to be paid, even though it’s higher than the outsource, it’s relative to the a family of four, close to the poverty level. Having two classes of employees in the long run is going to be very bad.”