Michigan Tech Adds Honors College
HOUGHTON (WWJ) -- Michigan Technological University's Board of Control approved establishment of the Pavlis Honors College at its regular meeting Friday. It is the first named college at Michigan Tech.
Named for longtime friend and advocate Frank E. Pavlis, a 1938 alumnus of Michigan Tech, the Pavlis Honors College will provide a home for a number of high-impact academic programs such as the Honors Institute, the Enterprise program, the Pavlis Institute for Global Technological Leadership and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program.
"Over the past 16 years, Michigan Tech has created some of the most exceptional academic offerings in the country," said Provost Max Seel. "As their success caused them to grow, it became clear that we needed to bring these programs together."
The Board also approved two new master's degree programs. One will grant a Master of Science in Kinesiology through the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology. The other will award a Master of Science in Accounting from the School of Business and Economics.
The MS in Kinesiology will enable students who do not plan to pursue a professional degree to be more competitive for a career in strength and conditioning, fitness or sports administration. The MS in Accounting is designed to prepare students to take professional certification exams such as the one for Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
After a closed session to discuss real estate transactions and to evaluate the performance of Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz, the board voted to sell a parcel of land on Quincy Hill back to the Quincy Mine Hoist Association for $1 and to convey a highway easement and small piece of property to the Michigan Department of Transportation for highway realignment in the vicinity of Mont Ripley. The board also decided that it is not in the best interests of the university to enter into a lease operating agreement for Daniell Heights with
Julien Properties.
The board also voted to show appreciation for President Mroz's recent performance by raising his pay. The board's leadership committee will do further analysis before recommending an adjustment amount.
"In spite of the hesitancy on the part of the Board to approve a salary increase for faculty and staff during a difficult economic period for the university, President Mroz stood firm in supporting a raise to recognize their hard work," said board member Tom Baldini. "It is only right that we reward his outstanding performance accordingly."
The Board also heard reports from
* CFO Dan Greenlee, who said the University's total assets including the Michigan Tech Fund were $487.9 million as of Dec. 31, 2013. Liabilities totaled $169.6 million.
* Vice president for research Dave Reed, who reported that research funding totaling $24.8 million was received by Michigan Tech researchers during the second quarter of fiscal year 2014, which ended Dec. 31, and that research sponsored by industry totaled $6.1 million. Total research expenditures through the first two quarters of the fiscal year were $33.6 million, Reed said.
