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Please remove me from your email lists. Thanks. Quoting "Redmond, Rudy (DLEG)" <[log in to unmask]>: > -----Original Message----- > From: John Matlock [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 10:32 AM > To: John Matlock > Subject: Editorial: Diversity matters to Michigan's economy by Mary Sue > Coleman The Michigan Chronicle > > > > Colleagues - FYI > > > > <http://www.umich.edu/> > > Newsclips Home <http://newsclips.vpcomm.umich.edu/listall.php> | Search > <http://newsclips.vpcomm.umich.edu/search.php> > > > > ________________________________ > > Editorial: Diversity matters to Michigan's economy > > by Mary Sue Coleman > The Michigan Chronicle > June 4, 2008 > > ________________________________ > > Earlier this spring I spoke at Detroit's Charles H. Wright Museum of > African American History, as part of a forum hosted by this publication. > Many of the engaged and vibrant people I spoke with that evening were > concerned about the future of our state and its citizens. > > > > Whether in the heart of Detroit or on the steps of Mackinac Island's > Grand Hotel, my message then and now is straightforward: If this state > is to prosper and take a leadership role in the knowledge-based economy, > we must ensure more of our citizens obtain the best possible education > beyond high school. A highly educated, diverse workforce is among the > most critical resources our state will need to compete in the global > marketplace, where knowledge-based industries are essential to success. > > We cannot afford to leave anyone behind. Yet Michigan is still well > below most other states in the percentage of the total population with > four-year degrees. > > Our citizenry and our policymakers share the vision of a state with a > broad range of high-tech companies in fields such as alternative energy > and nanotechnology. We believe we can make enormous strides in advanced > manufacturing based on our traditional strengths. We hope to lift > ourselves out of Michigan's economic crisis on the shoulders of > university research and development, which sparks new companies and new > products and which draws existing business to our state. In fact, the > University of Michigan has formed an alliance with Michigan State > University and Wayne State University focused on these very issues: to > accelerate economic development by harnessing the collective strength of > our powerful university based R&D. > > All of these aspirations require a skilled and diverse workforce. Our > transforming economy brings with It new ways of doing business. The > state's workforce needs the best possible higher education and must know > how to work effectively across racial, ethnic and social backgrounds. > > In the wake of Proposal 2 banning affirmative action, I asked our > university community to develop ways to maintain and expand diversity on > campus within the parameters of the new law. In the past 18 months, we > have implemented a range of programs and initiatives, including our new > Center for Educational Outreach and Academic Success. The Center's > mission is to strengthen partnerships between U-M and K-12 school > systems and communities across the state. > > We learned a great deal from peer institutions in states where > affirmative action was no longer available, including the need to > develop robust pipelines between higher education and the K-12 system. > When we work in tandem with our K.12 colleagues, we can promote academic > achievement, improve educational opportunities, and continue to identify > and recruit a diverse student body representative of all Michigan > communities. > > Our Center for Educational Outreach and Academic Success will work to > connect our resources with communities, focusing on long term > partnerships that can strengthen over time. We will work with students, > parents, teachers, community leaders, and school administrators in these > efforts. > > We also are working closer with all 31 community and tribal colleges > across our state, from nearby Wayne County Community College to Keweenaw > Bay Ojibwa Community College in the Upper Peninsula and Lake Michigan > College in western Michigan. We are encouraging community college > students to continue their education at U~M. and are strengthening our > transfer programs in hopes of seeing more of these students on our > campus. > > The leaders of the University of Michigan will continue to do personal > outreach as well. The University's vice presidents have joined me in > calling prospective students, talking with their parents and sharing the > message that a college degree is absolutely essential in today's > economy. > > I believe our state must have a collective aspiration for every one of > its young people to achieve some form of secondary education whether it > "is a community college, specialized technical program, a degree from > the University of Michigan or one of many other excellent universities > in this state. Our citizens deserve' a high quality of life and economic > security. We can help our state's youngest citizens understand that > these hopes and dreams are realized through education and we can provide > the support necessary for them to achieve their dreams. > > And when we accomplish that we will create the diverse workforce to fuel > our state's economic revival and enduring prosperity. ' > > > Mary Sue Coleman is the President of the University of Michigan. > > ________________________________ > > Newsclips Home <http://newsclips.vpcomm.umich.edu/listall.php> > >