Chancellor of University of Michigan–Flint
Position Profile

November 2007

View the committee »

View the charge to the committee »

View the position advertisement »

The University of Michigan-Flint invites nominations and applications for the position of Chancellor. The Chancellor exercises broad responsibilities for all aspects of the academic, student, financial, and administrative dimensions of the institution. The University of Michigan-Flint seeks an energetic, dynamic individual to lead and to engage its faculty, staff, students, and community in what promises to be an exciting era for the institution and its community.

BACKGROUND: The University of Michigan-Flint is a regional campus of the University of Michigan in an urban setting, with a growing enrollment of over 6,800 students. Of these, 85% are undergraduates and 44% are part-time. Nearly half are over the age of 26 and a large percentage work full-time. Many are first generation college students; many more are raising families. Over 60% are women; and nearly 27% are from minority populations.

The Flint campus is located about 60 miles from Ann Arbor and its sister campus at Dearborn. In response to urging by a broad base of community supporters, the campus was established in 1956 as the Flint College of the University of Michigan, a two-year upper-division institution intended to provide a high quality, low cost liberal education to local students. It expanded gradually to take on a larger role, becoming a four-year regional campus in 1965.

The institution continues to have a strong mix of liberal arts and sciences and education, business and health-related professional programs. This combination of high quality liberal arts and professional and graduate programs in an urban institution is unique and shapes the institution’s culture and opportunities. Being part of the University of Michigan was at the heart of the campus’s identity at the time of its founding, and continues to be so today.

The University plays an increasingly prominent role in Flint. Historically, manufacturing and the auto industry have been large parts of the Flint area economy. General Motors Corporation has played a significant role in the City of Flint. Additionally, Flint is notable as the birthplace of the United Automobile Workers (UAW). The area has experienced the ups and downs of its significant connection to the auto industry and a manufacturing-based economy. However, the economic base of the city has experienced change with the health professions, education and diversified manufacturing leading the way. The University of Michigan-Flint is at the center of much of this transformation.

One of the founders of General Motors, Charles Stewart Mott, established the C. S. Mott Foundation, which has contributed rich support to many of the city’s institutions, including the University, from its endowment that is currently valued at approximately $2.5 billion. To date the Foundation has pledged or gifted $95 million to the University of Michigan, with more than $40 million to UM-Flint. In addition, the C. S. Mott Foundation has provided the University of Michigan-Flint with significant gifts of land, from its founding donation of land on the Flint River to acreage on Saginaw Street and along both sides of the river in the decades since. Part of this acreage has been developed with the addition of the University’s newest structure, the William S. White Building, which houses School of Management, School of Health Professions and Studies, the Department of Communication and Visual Arts, the Early Childhood Development Center (which includes a day care facility providing services to both campus and community), WFUM-TV, Channel 28, and the Urban Health and Wellness Center (which serves the Flint community).

Located adjacent to the University’s Riverfront Campus is the Flint Cultural Center comprised of nine major cultural institutions on a single campus: Sloan Museum (history and science), Longway Planetarium, Bower Theatre (350 seats), Flint Youth Theatre, Whiting Auditorium (2,000 seats), Flint Institute of Arts (art museum and art education), Flint Institute of Music (Flint Symphony Orchestra and the School of Performing Arts which serves 3,000 students in non-degreed programs), Sarvis Conference Center, and the Flint Public Library. Mott Community College is also adjacent to this complex.

The connections between the University, the community, the Foundation and the legislature have been evident throughout the history of the University of Michigan-Flint. One example of these connections can be drawn from the process of building the campus. Facilities for the University of Michigan-Flint campus were initially rented or borrowed and were located on the campus of Mott Community College, with the University of Michigan-Flint as an upper-division institution to be fed primarily by students from Mott Community College. In 1969, the Mott Foundation and the City of Flint proposed construction of a new University classroom-office building to be built on land purchased by the Foundation with construction funded by the state. This site since has grown to become the University’s downtown campus.

The University has experienced recent enrollment growth and is anticipating and planning for more in the future. Originally, no residence halls were planned or built because the institution was intended to serve students from the Flint area that did not need housing away from home. However, the campus’ growth into a wider regional role prompted the University to work to provide student residencies on campus. The dream of campus housing took a tangible step toward becoming reality on July 16, 2007, as groundbreaking of a 310-bed structure took place. This will be the first of three residence structure phases. On-campus housing will be available to our first residential students in Fall 2008.

In addition, French Hall, our first classroom building, is undergoing a significant makeover. With $9.35 million dollars in state funding, French Hall is being renovated to offer state-of-the-art classrooms to our 6,800 students. This is the first major renovation of French Hall since it opened in the late 1970s.

INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHS: The University of Michigan-Flint has many strengths:

• The campus is an integral part of the University of Michigan, a world-class public university.
• The connections to and partnerships with the community are strong. There are numerous examples of programs and activities involving students, faculty and staff with the Flint community.
• An exciting blend of undergraduate and graduate academic programs is offered in its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Health Professions and Studies, School of Education and Human Services, and School of Management.
• Faculty and staff care a great deal about the institution and welcome the opportunity to be involved in institutional service.
• Expectations for faculty include a blend of teaching excellence and scholarly and creative work, as well as service.
• The campus is positioned for growth. The University has experienced recent growth in enrollment, programs offered and markets served. Facilities and resources are in place to support further growth.
• There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit that is reflected in the development of unique programs that serve students in a variety of new areas and markets.
• There is a strong sense of mutual respect between faculty and students. Students especially value the small classes and the easy access to faculty who make it a point to know students by name. Faculty value the diversity of the student body in terms of age, lifestyle and race and respect the sacrifices that many students must make to pursue higher education. It is not uncommon for faculty-student bonds to endure beyond graduation.
• A diverse student body that enriches the classroom environment and campus life in general. There is a widespread and genuine belief that a mix of traditional and non-traditional students produces a vibrant and exciting educational experience.
• Staff members are perceived by students as supportive, taking time to help those who may be daunted by a large institution.
• The campus that is built along the Flint River is very handsome and is made up of modern buildings linked by enclosed, elevated walkways. People take pride in the campus and are committed to maintaining its attractive appearance.
• Our graduate programs are growing and our graduate students successfully compete with graduate students from Big Ten universities.
• In 1999, the University of Michigan-Flint was the first public university in the State of Michigan to become a totally wireless campus. The University continues to invest significantly in technology.
• WFUM-TV, Channel 28, is a non-commercial, public television station, licensed to the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan and operated by the University of Michigan-Flint.
• Over the last several years, in the Safety and Security category of the Student Satisfaction Inventory, the University of Michigan-Flint has consistently garnered student satisfaction levels significantly above national comparisons.
• Approximately 19,000 of the University of Michigan-Flint’s 28,000 alumni live within Flint and the surrounding counties. This group represents almost 70% of our total alumni. Alumni leadership groups, including the Alumni Society Board of Governors, are eager to partner with the University to promote programming for current and future alumni, students, and members of the community.

ENROLLMENT AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS:

The University of Michigan-Flint serves over 6,800 students from ten counties; more than 70% receive financial aid; nearly half are over the age of 26; most work full-time; many are first generation college students; many more are raising families; over 60% are women; and nearly 27% are from minority populations. Overall the student body has over 5,800 undergraduates and over 1,000 graduate students. Enrollment has increased for Fall 2007 to a record-setting level. The increase is led by continued growth in graduate students and a nearly 20% increase in new freshmen and an almost doubling of international students. The overall increase was 5.5%.

Undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered through four schools/college: the College Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and Human Services, the School of Health Professions and Studies, and the School of Management. Graduate programs include anesthesia, biology, business administration, computer and information systems, education, English, health education, liberal studies in American culture, public administration, nursing, social science, and doctor of physical therapy.

In the past year, the University has focused on internationalizing the campus. Five years ago there were fewer than 25 international students. For the Fall 2007 semester, over 130 international students, or nearly 2% of the student body, from 36 countries are enrolled.

Students and faculty now participate in numerous study and service abroad opportunities. For example, nursing students and faculty travel to the Dominican Republic to provide health care services. A new Educational Technology masters program combines online learning with two three-week class sessions in Geneva, Switzerland. And faculty from all four schools/college lead study abroad trips to Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America each year. We expect to continue to enhance the globalization and internationalization of the University.

The current strategic plan for the University of Michigan-Flint has charted the institutional course through 2010. Rooted in the campus vision, “Engaging Minds, Preparing Leaders,” the plan articulates the campus mission by seeking to foster growth in enrollment and initiatives that support academic excellence and student achievement. The University mission rests on three pillars: excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship; student centeredness; and engaged citizenship. Numerous strategic directions and objectives within the framework of this mission have been identified.

Continuing to provide excellent academic programs is at the center of the University’s plans. In 2006 a Blue Ribbon Commission, with campus-wide input, was established to focus on ways to enhance academic quality and enrollment growth. The Commission identified initiatives to undertake in 11 key areas of Academic Affairs to keep the University at the forefront of academic excellence.

For example, a plan to revitalize the University’s general education is making excellent progress. In 2006, a Design Team was appointed to lead this effort. The group is led by two distinguished faculty colleagues and has continued with the piloting of two First Year Experiences - one in fall 2007 and one in winter 2008. Also scheduled for piloting in winter 2008 are several interdisciplinary suites of courses. The General Education Steering Committee will provide the academic community with their findings from these pilots as the data becomes available.

The campus will be undergoing its reaccreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) during the academic year 2009-2010. This event will be marked by a site visit from a team of HLC consultant-evaluators. In preparation for this visit and the writing of the “self-study report,” an outstanding committee of faculty, staff, students and community members has been appointed. The committee is divided into six sub-committees, one for each criterion and a data/information sub-committee. Progress regarding the Self-Study can be seen by referring to http://www.umflint.edu/hlc/ for more information.

The University of Michigan-Flint operates in a highly competitive market place. The next Chancellor will be expected to determine an appropriate strategy to enhance programs and raise the profile and reputation of the University regionally and nationally.

Enrollment challenges are being addressed and met with a combination of strategies, including student housing, new degree programs, return to learn opportunities for adults, and expanded programs in critical-need fields such as health care, science, and education. One such program is the Genesee Early College (GEC) which focuses on preparing students for academic and professional careers in the health professions and life sciences. GEC is a fully operational high school, serving the needs of Genesee County area students in grades 9-12. Students attending this five-year program on the University of Michigan-Flint campus earn their high school diploma (awarded by the Genesee Intermediate School District) as well as up to 60 transferable credits towards their undergraduate degrees, and experience valuable learning and internship opportunities in their areas of interest.

Enrollment growth is expected to be spurred through enhanced and new undergraduate programs related to science, technology, engineering, and math. In addition enrollment growth is expected through new and expanded professional and graduate programs and through increased internationalization of the institution.

GOVERNANCE:

The faculties at the University of Michigan-Flint campus value their long-standing tradition of faculty and shared governance which has helped the campus grow to its present size. The chancellor, each vice chancellor, and other key administrators work with their own faculty advisory committee in order to ensure the governance system operates effectively. The new chancellor will continue to foster a climate in which deliberation is inclusive and reasoned, but decisions are made without undue delay.

The chancellor has a high level of autonomy with respect to the Flint campus and reports to the President of the University of Michigan, Mary Sue Coleman, who serves as both the head of the three-campus system, and as the head of the Ann Arbor campus. President Coleman is strongly committed to the academic mission of this system. She takes a collaborative approach to institutional leadership and includes the Flint and Dearborn chancellors in deliberations and decisions on matters of common interest and university-wide concern.

The Board of Regents of the University of Michigan oversees Flint and Dearborn as well as Ann Arbor and has fiduciary responsibility for each of the campuses. The Flint and Dearborn chancellors report to the Regents through the president.

The State of Michigan does not have a state board of higher education. Instead, campus budget plans are approved by the Regents, and the chancellor works directly with the legislature and receives a budget directly in state allocations.

The state's 15 public universities – including each of the three University of Michigan campuses – coordinate efforts on a range of policy matters through the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan. By agreement, proposed academic programs at any member institution are brought to the Council for review and discussion before being implemented, with specific attention paid to preventing unnecessary program duplication. The chancellor of the University of Michigan-Flint is a member of the Council.

FINANCES, FACILITIES AND FUNDRAISING:

The annual general fund budget is approximately $69 million, derived from approximately 70% tuition and fees and 30% from the State. In recent years, the level of state support has gradually declined to its current level. According to the state constitution, the University of Michigan is financially autonomous. Each institution, including the University of Michigan-Flint, is supported by a separate line item in the State appropriations bill.

Among the primary responsibilities of the new chancellor will be to assemble the resources necessary to continue providing programs of high quality, to allocate them in accordance with the mission of the university and in consultation with individual units, and the faculty Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Budget and Strategic Planning, and to communicate about the allocation process in ways that persuade the campus community of its fairness. Strategic allocation of resources to foster growth is an important challenge for a new chancellor.

The institution will experience accelerated faculty turnover during the next several years due to a significant number of retirements and furloughs, which will provide some flexibility for planning and development.

UM-Flint has made substantial progress in developing a strong fundraising and development operation in the last few years. Fundraising from foundations has benefited significantly from the extraordinary support of the C. S. Mott Foundation; without this support, the Flint campus would be a very different place. There are other loyal donors to the University including, of course, other foundations. Giving to the Flint campus this past year exceeded $3.5 million. The Imagine: The UM-Flint Difference campaign, which began in 2003 with a goal of $30 million, has set funding priorities in scholarship, research, and programming, is set to end in December of 2008. As of December 2007, the $30 million goal has been reached, and efforts are continuing to build upon the momentum. UM-Flint benefits from an endowment of approximately $70 million, which has been successfully managed by the University of Michigan.  Current Board policy has set an endowment spending target of 4.5% per annum, with a goal of strengthening the overall endowment.  Opportunities for additional giving included increasing support among individual donors and alumni and building the endowment. The alumni participation rate is approximately 3.6% out of 27,806 alumni. This rate is affected by divided loyalties of Alumni between the Flint campus and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (which also solicits Flint alumni for annual gifts).

Regarding information technology, the campus has six instructional labs, numerous computer labs for both general and instructional use, three public computer labs available to faculty, staff, and students, and also open computer stations are maintained on all three floors of the Thompson Library. In addition to the open computer labs, two computer stations are maintained which include scanning and video editing capabilities. General classrooms are supported with computing and presentation systems such as Smart Carts, Mediated Carts, and Mobile Classroom (laptop cart) technology. 

POSITION REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

The Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer of the University of Michigan-Flint and reports to the President of the University of Michigan. The Chancellor works closely with the President and Flint campus executive officers: Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Vice Chancellor of Administration, Vice Chancellor of Institutional Advancement, and Vice Chancellor for Student Services and Enrollment Management. In addition to the University of Michigan-Flint executive officers, the Director of University Relations, Executive Director of Educational Opportunity Initiatives, and Director of Government Relations also report directly to the Chancellor under the current structure.

The Chancellor will lead the University of Michigan-Flint in advancing its contributions to fulfilling the missions of the University of Michigan. In addition, the Chancellor will guide UM-Flint in its campus commitments to excellence in teaching and scholarship, student centeredness, and engaged citizenship. The University is poised to fulfill its goals in enrollment growth, residential housing, and capital campaign. The Chancellor will provide strong leadership in achieving current goals and also establishing new and ambitious ones to move forward.

The new Chancellor will demonstrate:

• Deep understanding of and respect for academic values and the traditions of higher education, as well as the ability to grasp and manage the demands of the market and the new forces of technology that have an impact on all universities today.
• Capacity to articulate a broad vision for the Flint campus within the University of Michigan that will allow the campus to build on its unique strengths and position.
• Ability to build support and marshal resources for various initiatives and to achieve goals through appropriate engagement with the campus community.
• Commitment to serving and advocating for students.
• Commitment to faculty and staff development.
• A record of sensitivity to issues of diversity in terms of race, class, and gender and sexual orientation, and the ability to lead a campus that embraces difference. Strong demonstrated commitment to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity.
• Familiarity with the complexities of leading a regional campus within a University, and the ability both to maintain appropriate levels of institutional autonomy, and to work collaboratively with the president and her senior officers.
• Ability to work effectively with legislative leaders.
• Commitment to advancing the University of Michigan-Flint mission as an urban campus in the City of Flint, including articulating views and values that build partnerships and collaboration with the local and regional community.
• Ability to strengthen alumni relations and engage graduates from the varied eras of the institution’s history.
• Credentials and characteristics that will earn the respect of the academic community.
• Personal qualities including integrity, selflessness, and being an effective listener, a skilled negotiator, a creative problem solver, decisive and yet respectful of the deliberative process, patient, and trustworthy.
• Ability to attract the external resources necessary not only to balance the budget but also to achieve a higher level of institutional success.

Strong candidates will have a demonstrated record of leadership as an executive officer and have extensive experience with higher education. A deep knowledge and understanding of the academic mission is strongly preferred. Candidates should demonstrate strategic thinking and also possess outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, be collaborative and creative, and be able to articulate a vision to diverse audiences. In addition to a strong record, candidates will possess a terminal degree or the equivalent.

FLINT AND THE REGION:

There are many advantages to life in Flint. The Cultural Center is an extraordinary resource, the campus is beautiful, and there are handsome residential neighborhoods. The chancellor’s residence is spacious and ideally located near campus and adjacent to the Cultural Center. Flint’s Bishop Airport is one of the fastest-growing in the United States. Widely varied recreational opportunities exist nearby.

The University of Michigan-Flint, and especially the campus housing project, is viewed as a key to downtown redevelopment. A new face to the downtown and campus area is taking shape. Uptown’s Saginaw Street redevelopment projects have included the completion of the First Street Lofts, the Brown Sugar Café, the 500 Block – or “entertainment block” – which will include the new headquarters of Rowe Engineering as well as a Blue Collar Gourmet restaurant and brewery. Flint’s Mass Transit Authority terminal was recently renovated. In addition to Wade Trim Engineering’s new headquarters in the Mott Block, plans include five entertainment-oriented restaurants or retailers, an outdoor pedestrian plaza through the center of the block for outdoor dining and small community events. One of the state’s largest farmers’ markets and Red Ink Studios, a wonderful art studio with co-op exhibit space, are adjacent to the campus. These venues and attractions are combining to rejuvenate the downtown by changing the area from an industrial city to a college town. The collaborative efforts are producing tangible results.

The Flint area is also brimming with festivals and special events. From the Sloan Summer Fair, which attracts nearly 1,000 classic and historic automobiles, to the Flint Art Fair and the Jazz Festival, nearly every summer weekend features a special family activity. Major area sporting events include the Crim Festival of Races, including a 10-mile run which attracts runners from around the world, and the prestigious Buick Open, a PGA tour event held at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club.

PROCEDURES FOR CANDIDATES:

The confidential review of applicant materials will begin in January, 2008, and will continue until the position is filled. Application materials should include a letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position; a curriculum vitae; and the names, addresses (including email), and telephone numbers for at least five references which may include trustees, administrators, faculty, students, and community leaders. Applications and letters of nomination should be sent electronically to:

Steve Leo
UM-Flint Chancellor Search
Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates
1400 North Providence Road, Suite 6000
Media, PA 19063
e-mail: s.leo@storbeckpimentel.com
fax: 703 666 9062
phone: 703 635 7373

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.