The Michigan State University Board of Trustees announced that the university has surpassed its “Empower Extraordinary” campaign goal of $1.5 billion.
The campaign, which publicly launched in fall 2014, is the most ambitious in MSU’s history and has exceeded fundraising goals in areas such as student scholarships and support for student and community programs.
The campaign will continue through Dec. 31, 2018, with a focus on funding several key initiatives including health research at the Grand Rapids Research Center, a $60 million business pavilion, the expansion of music facilities and increasing endowed faculty positions.
The Michigan State University Federal Credit Union also presented MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon with a $5.5 million check toward the campaign.
Following are other items presented and actions taken by the board at its September meeting.
- The 2017-18 preliminary enrollment report was presented. This year’s enrollment is expected to be around 50,000 students. An estimated 38,950 of those students are undergraduates and nearly 76 percent of them are from Michigan. A full report can be found at the Office of Planning and Budgets website.
- A five-year review of the Energy Transition Plan was presented outlining sustainability projects that have taken place on campus since the plan was adopted in 2012. Key accomplishments have included near completion of the solar array carports, switch to natural gas from coal at the T.B. Simon Power Plant, and use of an anaerobic digester that converts food waste to energy. Because of these efforts and many others, MSU has reduced its carbon footprint by 7 percent.
- The board authorized the administration to plan for various major maintenance projects identified through capital renewal and energy conservation programs.
- Authorization was given to plan for renovations, technology and infrastructure improvements to various areas of Wonders Hall.
- The board approved the recommendation to appoint Mark Largent as the interim dean of the Lyman Briggs College until a permanent candidate is selected. A national search will begin this fall.
- The board also approved the appointment of Thomas D. Jeitschko who will serve as associate provost for graduate education and as the new dean of MSU’s Graduate School.
- Authorization was given to change the name of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, or NSCL, to the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, or FRIB. MSU was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science to design and establish FRIB, which builds on MSU’s leadership in nuclear physics and its experience operating the NSCL. The NSCL and all of its assets will be incorporated into FRIB upon completion of the facility.