Dear Spartans and Friends, I’m looking forward to being in Detroit this week to congratulate the inaugural class of graduates of the Apple Developer Academy. The academy is a collaboration between Apple and Michigan State University, bringing training in iOS application development and entrepreneurship to diverse learners in the Detroit region and beyond. Ranging in age from 18 to 64, the members of this initial group are preparing to take their skills into the workforce in areas such as software development, user experience design, user interface design and project management. Some might return for paid internships or enter higher education programs. Supported by the Gilbert Family Foundation and Rocket Companies, the Detroit Apple Developer Academy is the first of its kind in the United States. Apple and MSU share a vision for the academy to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the information technology industry and reinforce Detroit’s position as a Midwest hub for technology and entrepreneurship. Board approves budget and facilities planningMeanwhile, back on campus, we are preparing for the coming academic year. The MSU Board of Trustees last week laid the financial groundwork for the university’s new fiscal year with approval of a $3.2 billion all-funds operating budget that supports goals outlined in our MSU 2030 strategic plan. Student success is one of those goals, and next year’s budget includes $11.9 million more in student financial aid, for a total of $208 million, to help offset the 3% tuition increase approved by the Board in a multi-year plan last year.As I mentioned in my Spartan Community Letter last month, state appropriations have for many years not kept pace with the rising costs of educating students, shifting increasing burdens to them and their families. The new MSU budget is part of a measured approach to continued investments in supporting student success, including academic counseling programs targeting opportunity gaps while helping ensure access to the world-class education MSU offers. The new budget also helps ensure our facilities are equal to the strategic goals we’ve set for education and research. Trustees approved the start of planning for an Engineering and Digital Innovation Building to accommodate digital learning enrollment growth and our research in advanced materials and manufacturing, ultrafast sciences, quantum computing and semiconductors. In addition, trustees authorized planning for a new Plant and Environmental Science Building, which will reinforce MSU’s leadership in this area of global concern. The new building will add capacity, modernize our facilities and help bring our faculty and students under one roof to facilitate collaborative research, instruction and mentorship. Outreach and stewardshipWe are working to strengthen infrastructure not only on our campus but also across the entire state, continuing our long legacy of service to the people of Michigan. In particular, MSU and Merit Network recently received a $10.5 million federal grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to extend high-speed internet to areas of Michigan with limited or no broadband service.Dubbed MOON-Light, this initiative will support equity of opportunity, helping to close the digital divide among the 380,000 Michigan homes and businesses lacking internet connectivity and the many more that struggle with affordability or other barriers to access. I’m proud MSU is working to serve even our most remote communities in this way, and I look forward to our continued efforts to position students, families and businesses for future success. Just as we’re advancing community outreach and engagement, so too are we moving forward with our strategic commitment to good stewardship and sustainability. For the second time, MSU earned a gold rating for sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. From contributing to a greener future through the university’s research and operations to incorporating sustainability into academic curriculums, we are well on our way to reaching our goal of a platinum rating by 2030. And I want to thank everyone in our community who has helped establish us as No. 1 among state schools for sustainability in these ratings. Welcoming new coachesI’m pleased to share with you that two Spartan sports have new leaders.Sharonda McDonald-Kelley will bring her Women’s College World Series experience to MSU as head softball coach. She was a four-time All-Big 12 selection at Texas A&M and steps into the cleats of Jacquie Joseph, who led the Spartans for 29 seasons and has moved into athletic administration. And Harry Jadun is the new coach of men’s tennis, becoming the ninth head coach with the retirement of Gene Orlando after 31 years. He’s been an assistant coach for the team for the last five years and is a former Spartan All-American. Fostering a culture of belongingI want to thank all those who participated with me in our second annual Juneteenth celebration this month at Breslin Center, in particular our speakers and performers. It was a joyful way to represent MSU’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and I’m grateful to the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion for coordinating the event.Remembering Joanne McPhersonI conclude my letter today with sad news about a much-loved Spartan. Former MSU First Lady Joanne McPherson, the spouse of MSU’s 19th president, Peter McPherson, passed away last week. Peter was president from 1993 to 2005 and has been preparing to retire as president of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities later this summer.Joanne was a remarkable woman whose loss will be felt deeply in our university community. She and Peter welcomed and supported me when I came to Michigan State and continued to support the university through generous giving and engagement. She might best be remembered as the guiding spirit behind the creation of the MSU Safe Place in 1994. It’s the first university-based shelter where students, staff, faculty and their partners experiencing abusive relationships can find refuge and support. More recently, the McPhersons made a $50,000 challenge gift to create a Safe Place endowment in commemoration of its 25th anniversary. Joanne was an active partner to Peter in his years here, hosting gatherings at Cowles House and traveling the country to work with alumni groups. She will be missed by many. I send my — and the university community’s — condolences to Peter and his family with deep gratitude for Joanne’s service. You can hear more about the topics above in my monthly MSU Today podcast. Go Green! | |
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Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. (he/him) President |
