NMU BOARD OF TRUSTEES – ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
December 2011
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS ROAD MAP UPDATE
The Road Map to 2015 was introduced in March 2008. The Academic Affairs Division, with the
leadership of the Provost and members of the Academic Cabinet and with contributions by outstanding
faculty and staff, continues to move forward with many aspects of Road Map implementation. This
December 2011 update, while not an exhaustive listing, provides highlights of progress made since the
last report in July 2011.
Innovation
Priority: Integrate global engagement and diversity learning experiences throughout the academic
curriculum.
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Dr. Robert Legg, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences (EEGS),
delivered a Faculty Led Study Abroad trip to Scotland during the first two weeks of May 2011.
The ten students explored the rugged Scottish highlands and learned about the active pelagic
fishing industry, offshore oil production, and environmental protection in the Shetland Isles.
Dr. Susy Ziegler, Head of the Department of EEGS, drove four NMU students and a recent NMU
graduate to Chicago for the West Lakes Meeting of the Association of American Geographers,
hosted by DePaul University. The students presented an oral paper or a poster to other
conference participants. The students’ research had developed from courses offered by the
department and through internship experiences. In Chicago, the students networked with
representatives from organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and
universities offering graduate degrees in fields related to geography, geology, environmental
studies and science, and Geographic Information Science. Graduating senior Hillary Tahtinen
was awarded second place in the poster competition for the research on earthquake prediction that
she conducted while an intern in summer 2011 at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Dr. Bill Ball in Political Science developed MOUs with Rajabhat University in Bangkok,
Bangkok Thonburi University in Bangkok, and extended the MOU with STOU in Bangkok.
These MOUs are extremely useful for our students as they help facilitate transportation and
lodging for our students while they are in Thailand.
Two faculty members in the Department of Psychology have cultivated contacts in the
international community that are leading to scholarly collaboration and potential student
exchanges. Dr. Harry Whitaker traveled to Greece, with formal invited presentations at the
Universities of Athens and Thessaloniki, resulting in joint publications with Greek scholars.
Professor Paul Andronis traveled to Brazil and Greece, attending and presenting at international
conferences. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Brasilia (UnB),
supervised graduate research in the psychobiology program, and had lengthy discussions with the
Department Head and senior faculty about the possibility of having NMU students conduct
research and attend classes in the behavior analysis program at Brasilia, and having students from
Brasilia apply to the graduate program in experimental psychology at NMU.
The Center for Native American Studies produced a website entitled “Learning from the Earth”
which showcases Great Lakes Anishinaabe ethnobotany through interview with elders and
traditional knowledge holders. The project was made possible by the United States Forest
Services and the Cedar Tree Institute.
The NMU Center for Native American Studies is leading an academic research movement
exploring the relationship between people and Indigenous foods of the Great Lakes Region. This
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project is known as the “Decolonizing Diet Project.” The project was made possible by the
United States Forest Services and the Cedar Tree Institute.
From May 3-19, Jon Barch and Rachel Harris from the Center for Student Enrichment led a
group of 18 NMU students to India on a “Students Volunteer Abroad” trip. A trip requirement is
that participating students need to be enrolled in Superior Edge. Students volunteered at an
orphanage, day care center, and other locations where they taught children sports, computer
usage, English, math, first aid and basic health care practices, arts and crafts, and in the process
befriended them.
Dr. Randy Jensen, HPER, traveled with two undergraduate students to a meeting of the
International Society of Biomechanics in Sports in Porto, Portugal. The students presented their
original research and networked with international leaders in the field.
Technology and Occupational Sciences Department Hospitality Management program HM210
students operated the Chez Nous restaurant under the supervision of Yvonne Lee. Ms. Lee and
the students researched and developed two menus based on regional American Southern cuisine
and “soul food” and two additional menus focused on world cuisine specifically the
Mediterranean and Indo-Javanese.
The Study Abroad Fair provided students the chance to explore study abroad opportunities, ask
questions, and compare program options from NMU departments and partner organizations that
offer study, work, internships and volunteer abroad experiences. Nearly 400 people attended this
signature event for education abroad. The International Programs Office also coordinated with
Peter White Public Library to incorporate Passport Day into the Study Abroad Fair. More than
30 students and community members applied for U.S. passports.
The International Programs Office developed a collaborative project with the South Korean
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, to implement two South Korea Initiatives at
NMU. One of the first 17 universities in the U.S. to offer EPIK (English Program in Korea ) and
TaLK (Teach and Learn Korea) programs, NMU screens and recommends students for paid
internships to teach in rural Korean public schools. Fifteen NMU students are currently in the
application process.
The International Visiting Scholar Series continues to increase the potential for faculty research
collaboration and broaden the minds of NMU students. This year, the International Programs
Office has invited scholars from locations around the globe including Argentina, Brazil, Cuba,
Israel, and Peru. Speakers will discuss a diverse array of topics, from Agrobiodiversity in the
Andes, to the impact of youth theatre in the Gaza Strip and other parts of Palestine
Priority: Realign policies and procedures to better support students and reward faculty and staff
contributions to achieving university goals.
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Section 2 of the Student Handbook was reviewed. Recommendations for revisions are being
reviewed and will be sent to the President's Council.
Priority: Utilize corporate partners to increase internship opportunities for students.
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In June 2011, Dr. Robert Legg, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical
Sciences, co-organized and hosted a second ESRI Upper Peninsula of Michigan User Group
conference for people in the public and private sectors who use ESRI Geographic Information
Systems products. This conference enabled NMU students to network with local employers,
leading to internship and employment opportunities.
The Mathematics and Computer Science Department has strengthened its student intern presence
at Intel with eight projected internships for the 2012 Winter Semester.
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Students in the Behavior Analysis program in Psychology complete extensive practica every
semester in a variety of for-profit human service settings around the Marquette community
including the adult and child psychiatric units, the substance abuse unit, and the
anxiety/depression unit at Marquette General Hospital, Teaching Family Homes of Marquette
and Adult Learning Systems.
Professor Paul Andronis, Psychology, placed an undergraduate Behavior Analysis major, Ashley
Cole, in a summer internship with the Wisconsin Young Autism Program (WYAP), a
comprehensive treatment program, based on principles of applied behavior analysis, for children
with autism. She completed the program’s intensive training, and helped deliver therapy both in
the treatment center to which she was assigned, as well as in the homes of some of the children.
Prof. Andronis is discussing with Dr. G. Sallow, the program’s director, a more formal
placement system between WYAP and NMU’s Psychology Department in the near future.
The Online Loss Prevention Management Program recently secured the opportunity for students
to apply for twelve available paid internships with Sears Holding Company Loss Prevention
Department. Loss prevention representatives from Sears were on campus during the week of
November 7, 2011 to interview potential interns. Additionally, Jill Roadman, the divisional vice
president for loss prevention at Sears Holding, will be teaching a loss prevention course during
the winter 2012 semester. This is the first female loss prevention instructor to teach in our
program.
Priority: A growing portfolio of corporate collaborations that exploit NMU’s technical expertise,
enhance academic programs and facilitate global engagement for students and faculty both on campus
and abroad.
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The Mathematics and Computer Science Department now runs a programming contest (for
Northern students) with Intel.
Dr. Mounia Ziat, Psychology, is pursuing a research program involving propriety hardware and
software (in collaboration with the manufacturer) to improve an automobile driving simulator by
incorporating haptic stimuli (for the sense of touch) into the simulation of the driving experience.
Her research involves NMU undergraduate psychology students serving as research assistants
participating at all levels of the study.
Dr. Adam Prus, Psychology, is conducting psychopharmacological research with experimental
proprietary drugs provided by pharmaceutical companies. The drugs are targeted for use with
patients with schizophrenia, and Dr. Prus’s lab is conducting basic testing of some of the
behavioral effect of these agents. Undergraduate and graduate students in psychology participate
as research assistants in these studies, learning not only behavioral procedures, but also advanced
pharmacological techniques often found in common use only in industrial and Tier I Research
Universities’ laboratories.
Dr Paul Andronis, Psychology, has collaborated with a product development team at Headsprout,
Inc. (an educational software company in Seattle, WA), to create an inexpensive, early music
education program for young children. The product currently is in beta-testing, with a U.S. patent
pending for some of the instructional technology developed specifically for this product (with
Andronis as the first patent holder).
Priority: Consolidate and/or reduce the number of undergraduate majors and streamline baccalaureate
programs to enhance quality and efficiency.
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The Department of EEGS continues to mentor and advise its majors and minors to help increase
the efficiency of students’ undergraduate programs and the quality of the learning experience.
Faculty and staff of EEGS host an advising party each semester before registration opens for the
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next semester. More than 50 students attended the session in October 2011 to learn about
curricular changes, upcoming courses, internship opportunities, student organizations, and
strategies for minimizing the number of semesters it takes to complete a degree at NMU.
The Department of Psychology is in the process of suspending its two-year (Associates Degree)
program in Applied Child Development (ACD) – since its inception, certification requirements
for early childhood education have changed, and the two-year ACD program no longer meets
those requirements; the courses involved constitute the same first two years’ courses in the
Department’s four-year major in Early Child Development; moreover, several nearby junior
colleges (e.g., Bay de Noc College in Escanaba and Gogebic Community College) offer two-year
programs of their own in early child development, so NMU’s ACD program is essentially
redundant.
Priority: Implement the Wildcat Innovation Fund to support innovative practices by faculty and staff that
will help to achieve Road Map priorities.
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With funding from the Wildcat Innovation Fund, the College of Business launched The Business
Profession Program. The Program prepares business students for the highly competitive business
job market by exposing them to practical skills, such as networking and career preparation. This
program is open to all Business majors.
Priority: Explore and act upon graduate programming (certificate, master’s, doctoral) in areas of
strength, needs and opportunities.
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Several faculty members from Psychology with formal backgrounds in neuroscience, have
entered into discussions with interested Biology faculty regarding the creation of an
interdisciplinary undergraduate major in neuroscience. NMU has both the faculty expertise and
basic research facilities to mount an excellent program in this, one of the fastest growing areas in
both the biological and the behavioral sciences.
Professors Greg Warchol and Bob Hanson, Criminal Justice, recently visited several universities
in Kenya, where they fostered avenues for faculty exchanges and the possibility for Kenyan
students to enroll in our department’s certificate and graduate programs. Online course
completion is possible in Kenya, and there is extreme interest for Kenyans to receive American
certificates and graduate degrees. Additionally, Dr. Kapla is part of a committee to explore the
offering of graduate programs in criminal justice and public administration in South Africa.
Priority: Explore and act upon opportunities to expand programs in nursing and allied health to meet the
growing demand for professionals in health care and related fields.
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In coordination with the School of Nursing and U.S. Army Cadet Command, Cadet Student
Nurses attending the U.S. Army’s Nurse Summer Training Program will receive approved credit
hours from NMU. Cadet Nurses can now earn credit for spending 130 hours with a Certified
Nurse Preceptor while caring for Soldiers at Army Medical Centers around the country. This
opportunity assists future Army Nurses while also preserving limited clinical space for other
deserving NMU nursing students.
Meaningful Lives
Priority: Create an infrastructure that integrates the Liberal Studies Program with the First Year
experience and other support services that improve retention.
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The Academic and Career Advisement Center continues to improve the Freshman Probation and
College Transition Programs while utilizing courses within the Liberal Studies Program. In
addition, this fall all CTP students are also enrolled in an academic support course – either
Learning Skill Development (EN 101) or Personal Reading Improvement (EN 102). It is hoped
that these students, purportedly the most at-risk academically, will gain skills to improve their
academic success.
Priority: Create an enhanced infrastructure that will continually expand the availability and variety of
new technological tools and services for NMU students, faculty and staff.
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The implementation of the electronic Parent PLUS application through the BANNER software
has allowed the Financial Aid Office to be more efficient in two ways. First, processing paper
applications required manual data entry for over 800 applications last year (already exceeding
750 applications to date this year); the electronic process will eliminate data entry at the staff
level and, instead, shift it to the parent as they complete the application online. Second, since the
federal web sites for both the Parent PLUS application and PLUS Master Promissory Note have
now been combined to one web site, this should streamline the process for parents, and ultimately
funding the PLUS loans for students quicker.
Priority: Develop a “virtual” campus that provides reliable, convenient access to online courses and
other essential student services.
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In Winter 2012, EEGS adjunct instructor Cameron Fuess will pilot a hybrid offering of GC 225
Introduction to Maps. Students will watch the weekly lecture on their own time as a podcast
through EduCat, and will meet for two hours per week in the laboratory for hands-on mapreading exercises.
On a yearly basis, the Music Department creates and utilizes a customized laptop image (beyond
the usual NMU Image) that offers access through a key server to software such as Finale (for
music notation), SmartMusic (for classical solo and jazz accompaniment), Band-in-a-Box (for
jazz improvisation accompaniment and instruction), and Sonar (for audio editing).
Dr. James Suksi, Psychology is submitting a plan to place the Psychology Department’s entire
graduate program in Training, Development, and Performance Improvement online, using the full
range of instructional technology available at NMU. This would vastly increase enrollment by
reaching remote populations, such as adult students in underserved rural areas and on military
bases, who seek higher education but who cannot attend on-campus programs.
The NMU Center for Native American Studies provides the American Indian Education courses
on-line for graduate students around the world. NAS 485 and NAS 486 are endorsed by the Tribal
Education Departments National Assembly (TEDNA).
Priority: Establish articulation agreements with community colleges that effectively evaluate and
improve the transferability of liberal studies and other courses and credits, and that will be attractive to
transfer students.
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The Department of Psychology’s Early Childhood Program is communicating with community
colleges around the U.P. to ensure that students who complete two-year early childhood programs
offered at those schools will have met the basic course requirements for the four-year program at
NMU.
Student Services and Enrollment finalized an articulation agreement with Coast Community
College District in California. The agreement establishes a transfer program for qualified Coast
international students who are eligible to transfer to NMU.
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The Engineering Technology Department completed an articulation agreement with Macomb
Community College for students completing their Associate Degree in Electronic Engineering
Technology to enter NMU’s Electronic Engineering Technology baccalaureate degree program.
Priority: Utilize the Center for Native American Studies, the Multicultural Education and Resource
Center and the Office of International Programs to recruit, retain and grant degrees to students.
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Admissions collaborated with the Center for Native American Studies and the Multicultural
Education and Resource Center to create and mail an invitation to prospective students who have
self-identified as Native American, as well as to Michigan Indian Educators, to visit campus in
conjunction with Native American Heritage Month (November). The invitation detailed the
various activities being held on campus and the types of activities that could be included in a
customized campus visit through the Campus Visit Program, including connecting with staff in
CNAS and MERC.
The Multicultural Education and Resource Center successfully wrote the King*Chavez*Parks
Select Student Support Services grant for a $50,000 to work with College Transitions Program
students and those who came from GEAR UP schools. This grant will aid in their retention.
The Multicultural Education and Resource Center successfully wrote the King*Chavez*Parks
GEAR UP/College Day grant for $70,700 to recruit students for college via outreach programs at
Gwinn Middle-High School, Wells Township School, and North Star Academy.
Priority: Develop and implement a quality advising system in each college that will meet the needs of
students, enhance retention and lead to increased graduation rates.
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In coordination with the Provost, Military Science helped energize Student Veterans to engage
each other, identify a leader, and initiate a movement to re-establish an active Student Veterans
organization on campus. The intent of this effort is to establish a support network amongst
Student Veterans to ease transition to campus and improve retention.
Leveraging Campus Attributes
Priority: Enhance the portfolio of academic programs, research and other activities that leverage the
university’s location in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
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Dr. John Anderton, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences, recently
conducted archaeological research at Fort Wilkins in Copper Harbor and at the Chapel Trailhead
Area at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Russell Magnaghi, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Upper Peninsula Studies,
has compiled “Portals to the Past: A Bibliographical and Resource Guide to Michigan’s Upper
Peninsula.” The 154 page document is available for review on the Center’s website.
The NMU Center for Native American Studies secured two grants (one from the Upper Peninsula
Environmental Coalition and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community) to implement the 7th Fire
project. This 60-minute interactive presentation is designed for 7-12 grade students (standards
based) and will introduce the concept of Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Middle and high
school classrooms from the Upper Peninsula will be targeted for these presentations.
Priority: Work to enhance opportunities, funding and events that strengthen and increase current
university areas that focus on the Upper Peninsula—Center for Native American Studies, Center for
Upper Peninsula Studies, Beaumier Heritage Center, and NMU and Central Upper Peninsula Archives.
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Dr. Tawni Ferrarini, Economics, began work with Yoshi Nakamoto to establish the national
Council for Economic Education – Japan. Mr. Nakamoto visited the NMU-CEEE in October to
see how a rural center has made such a large state impact while increasing its international
recognition through technology, student and teacher workshops and community outreach. She
also co-authored a publication “Advanced Placement Economics: The Good, the Bad, and the
Ugly.” This publication and ensuing conference presentations led to her invitation to be a part of
an AP curriculum revision team by the national CEE’s.
Dr. Hugo Eyzaguirre, Economics, building from the Study Tour that brought nine Latin American
Economic Educators to NMU in May 2011, is working on developing a global network for
collaborative work on economic education, using as a platform the already successful program
Rock our World (www.rockourworld.org).
The Center for Upper Peninsula Studies sponsored the 11th Annual Sonderegger Symposium,
investigating and celebrating Upper Peninsula culture and history. Topics discussed included
commercial fishing in Delta and Alger Counties, the NMU Presidency of Judi Bailey, and the
contributions of immigrants from the Habsburg Empire to the Upper Peninsula.
The Center for Native American Studies and the NMU Press published an anthology entitled,
“Voice on the Water: Great Lakes Native America Now” which celebrates the contemporary
American Indian experience in Michigan.
The Military Science Department continues to support numerous high school recruiting events
around the Midwest including the JROTC College Fair in Chicago. This fair hosted 44 Chicago
area high schools and over 1,200 Cadets which resulted in 58 leads from prospective students
wanting more information on NMU. They also hosted 75 high school students and 4 instructors
from U.P. high schools. High school students received a SROTC brief, conducted a leadership
reaction course and were treated to a barbeque and home NMU football game. As a result of this
event, NMU now has 17 additional students seriously considering returning to NMU for the fall
of 2012.
Dan Truckey, Beaumier Heritage Center, received a Michigan Humanities Council grant.
The $13,659 award will fund an exhibit based on an archaeological dig conducted by NMU
Anthropology students and faculty on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. The exhibit, on
display at the Beaumier starting in April 2012, is called “Scattered to the Winds: the
Vanished Community of Cable’s Bay” and will use artifacts, audio, video recordings and
images to tell the story of the Cable’s Bay fishing community.
Central Upper Peninsula & University Archives hosted the first event of a series called “Evening
at the Archives.” On November 17, 2011, Marcus Robyns (Archivist) and Rachael Bussert
(Project Archivist) welcomed community participants to a program about researching family
history. Thirty visitors learned about starting their own family history research project, were
introduced to genealogical resources available at the Archives, and enthusiastically began work
on their family histories.
Priority: Identify new opportunities for academic study, external funding and research in sustainability
and other related areas.
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Dr. Erich Ottem, Biology, received a $368,200 grant to support research that may provide a novel
target for understanding and treating pathology associated with neuromuscular diseases such as
ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and other disorders of muscles and motor
neurons. The funding is provided by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
of the National Institutes of Health. Ottem’s project focuses on brain-derived neurotrophic factor
(BDNF), a protein that causes certain types of nerve cells to continue to grow and survive. Dr.
Ottem is exploring how diminished or absent muscle production of BDNF may trigger processes
that lead to many of the complications and pathology associated with neuromuscular diseases.
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Dr. Steve DeGoosh, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences, chairs the
Marquette City Planning Commission and serves on its Sustainability Committee. He is certified
as both a Permaculture Designer and Instructor, and as a Transition trainer. He has brought the
Transition Initiative to four communities in Michigan, and has shown five public film series in
the U.P. to raise awareness of peak oil, economic crisis, and food security. In November 2011,
Dr. DeGoosh presented "Finding Appropriate Scale in Transition" at the 2011 International
Conference on Sustainability, Transition, and Culture Change.
Priority: Enhance processes throughout campus operations to guide the use of resources and
inform resource allocation.
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Dr. Claudia Hart’s MBA course, Managerial Communication, is collecting and analyzing the data
for the first part of the AQIP Action Project “Developing Feedback Mechanisms and Enhancing
Campus Leadership Communication”.
Priority: Examine classroom and other learning spaces to create the highest quality learning
environments, and to advance the application of new pedagogies and technologies.
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Instructional Design and Technology (IDT), in collaboration with Learning Resources Division
and Engineering & Planning, completed work on the Active Learning Classroom (LRC 108). Dr.
Jill Leonard (Biology) moved one of her classes into the room the first week it was open. IDT
also hosted an interactive workshop with fourteen faculty participating in a simulation exercise
moderated by Nancy Sturm (The Sextant Group, Inc.). Rather than hearing about how to use the
active learning classroom, participants experienced the classroom: by analyzing volcanic and
hurricane data provided by “mission control,” teams provided the rescue team information they
needed to successfully save people on the island of Montserrat. Faculty described the activity as
engaging and inspiring, leading them to think about how to redesign their own classes to
incorporate active learning.
Community Engagement
Goal: Increase collaboration with local communities, schools, governments, development groups and
other partners to enhance community and economic development in the Upper Peninsula.
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The Center for Rural Community and Economic Development awarded two research grants of
over $10,000 to faculty members from Sociology (Tim Hilton and Rem DeJong) and Political
Science and Public Administration (Steve Nelson) to perform applied research on local policy
issues. One project is looking at the issue of homelessness in the Upper Peninsula. The second
project is examining the economic impact of the local agricultural industry in the Upper
Peninsula.
Graduate students from the Department of Psychology are conducting applied research on
implementation of a technology-assisted early reading program (Headsprout Reading Basics©) in
regional classrooms (Calumet, Gwinn) seeking improved educational outcomes with at-risk
children.
Continuing Education and Workforce Development in collaboration with the NMU department of
Social Work and Great Lakes Center for Youth Development hosted a fall social work seminar
“Addressing the fine lines: ethics, problem solving, and pain management”. More than 70 social
workers from across the U.P. attended this day-long workshop participating in break out groups,
presentations and reconnecting with peers. Techniques learned will benefit practitioner and client
alike in the social workers respective communities.
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Continuing Education and Workforce Development acting on behalf of the Center for Rural
Community and Economic Development was one of the sponsors assisting Rio Tinto (Kennecott
Eagle Minerals Corp) staff with coordination and planning for a series of meetings with
community stakeholders from Baraga and Marquette Counties and Ernesto Sirolli of the Sirolli
Institute. Community members participated in discussions regarding Sirolli’s grass roots method
of economic development and exploring new opportunities for greater collaboration and
networking in a new age of mining and how his methods could potentially help entrepreneurs
using existing resources in the counties of Baraga and Marquette.
Goal: Include all units of the campus in the process of community engagement; that is, collaborations
between the university and its larger communities (local, state, regional, national, global) for the
mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity.
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Dr. Ronald Sundell, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences, serves as a
U.S Delegate and the Co-Chair of the Ecosystem Committee on the Lake Superior Bi-national
Forum. This Forum is the international public advisory committee for the Lake Superior Binational Program. Its purpose is to advise both the U.S. and Canadian governments about critical
issues relating to Lake Superior, such as the discharge of toxic substances, pollution prevention,
and environmental restoration of the Lake Superior ecoregion. The members of this international
Forum are also responsible for developing creative new strategies for eliminating pollutants and
contributing toward the foundation of a healthy economy.
A partnership with the Alger County Conservation District has supported internships for twelve
EEGS students in 2011. Interns indentified, mapped, removed, and monitored invasive plant and
animal species; installed structures to control erosion; restored native vegetation; worked with
federal and state governmental organizations and with private industrial forest managers to help
implement conservation practices; presented status of projects at countywide public board
meeting.
The Department of History established a new relationship with the recently re-opened Marquette
Regional History Center which will allow departmental majors to have access to the History
Center’s extensive archives.
For the 20th straight year, the Spanish program at NMU hosted a Spanish day for area high
school students. This year nearly 400 students from the region attended, participated in a variety
of competitions, showcased their talent, and engaged in a giant simulation of visiting a Spanishspeaking country.
The College of Business has recently completed the first phase of their 5th annual New Business
Venture Competition. The Competition has grown in popularity with participants from every
College. This competition awards $9000 in cash prizes to help students launch their business
ideas. Representatives from the local business community as well as alumni serve as judges.
The College of Business is pleased to announce its 2011-2012 Executive in Residence is Dr.
Matthew Songer. Dr. Songer, a successful surgeon and entrepreneur from the Marquette area, will
present to a public audience on Monday, December 12, 2011 at 5 p.m. in the Huron Room, UC.
During the Fall 2011 semester, Dr. Songer delivered the MBA elective Entrepreneurial Finance.
Continuing Education and Workforce Development in partnership with California-based Heyn,
Molitor-Gennrich, LLC., provided 160 hrs. of real estate appraisal continuing education via live
webinar delivery to over 1,000 participants from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Many of the
appraisers attending the live webinars reside in remote or otherwise under-served (by CE
providers) areas of the country. Beginning as a pilot program in summer 2010, continuing
education webinar offerings were made available several times each month from February
through October 2011.
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Funded by a Marquette Community Foundation Grant, Dr. Mary Jane Tremethick’s, HPER, HL
311 Health Communication class developed a peer educator program to increase diabetic
screening among Marquette County senior citizens. In collaboration with the UP Diabetes
Outreach Network, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and area Senior Centers, Dr.
Tremethick and her students addressed a high level health need in the community by engaging the
very community affected by this health issue.
Priority: Significantly increase the number of NMU students who participate in the Superior Edge,
academic service learning and other leadership development opportunities.
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The Music Department’s Opera Theater Workshop (MU 174) was again designated an ASL
course. Students presented performances at Marquette area schools during the winter semester.
Mu Beta Psi, the music fraternity, and MENC continued to be involved in service activities.
On Saturday, October 22, a record-setting Make a Difference Day was conducted. A total of
1,383 students representing 110 student organizations completed 225 service projects for the
elderly and disabled. Projects consisted of raking, yard work, putting away lawn furniture, and
minor repairs. Projects were completed in Marquette, Harvey, Ishpeming, Negaunee, and Gwinn.
Military Science, in coordination with Superior Edge identified criteria to develop a model
intended to assist veterans returning to civilian life and ease their transition onto a college campus
while rewarding them for their service to our country.
Priority: Implement and fund strategies to increase the number of students and employees from underrepresented and nontraditional groups.
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The Center for Native American Studies and the NMU Communications and Marketing created
the “Memories and Milestones” campaign in honor of significant milestones reached by the NMU
Center for Native American Studies during 2011-2012 academic year.
Priority: Provide ongoing diversity training and education for faculty, staff and students.
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The Multicultural Education and Resource Center presented a faculty/staff diversity training
session about engaging with multicultural students. This was taped and is available online from
the MERC web site.
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Guest speaker Robyn Ochs presented four workshops for students, faculty and staff on GLBTQ
students. One workshop on interacting with gay students was taped and is available online from
the MERC web site.
Priority: Implement strategies to assist students to more effectively communicate the skills and
competencies developed through their achievements in community engagement.
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The Construction Management program hosted the fourth annual Upper Peninsula Skills
Challenge on Friday, April 15, 2011. The event brought together eight high school construction
programs that were to each construct a pre-designed structure in a time-limited competition.
Coordinating partners for this educational competition were Northern Michigan University’s
Technology & Occupational Sciences Department faculty and Department Head, the Northern
Michigan Constructors, the Upper Peninsula Construction Council, the Marquette-Alger Regional
Educational Service Agency, and Michigan Works. The event is used as a recruiting tool for both
the construction management program, and the skilled trade organizations of the Upper
Peninsula.
10