The MSU Board of Trustees, for the third consecutive year, has approved a $70 million capital outlay request to the state of Michigan that would support the development of the university’s Engineering and Digital Innovation Center.

The new center will support the emergence of a strong and transformative ecosystem focused on the convergence of digital and physical technologies such as semiconductor research and heavy-ion radiation testing of chip-based systems through the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.

“The Engineering and Digital Innovation Center will serve as a catalyst for attracting and retaining top talent, including the enrollment of more than 1,000 new undergraduate engineering students over four years and accommodating more than 70 researchers and their respective teams,” said MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. “This new facility will become the epicenter of academic and research excellence in advanced manufacturing, materials science, microelectronics, artificial intelligence and other areas — ultimately preparing our students with the knowledge and skillset to become our problem solvers of tomorrow.”

The investment will provide a critical foundation to support industry needs and bring together a range of teaching, learning and research initiatives across six colleges at MSU, including the colleges of Engineering, Natural Science, Arts and Letters, Business, Communication Arts and Sciences and Social Science.

The state of Michigan appropriated $30 million toward the center via the higher education bill in July 2023. The projected cost of the center is approximately $340 million.

“The center will serve as a gateway to our shared digital future,” said College of Engineering Interim Dean John Papapolymerou. “As a premier provider of practice-ready talent and research for high-growth industries that directly benefits humanity, funding for this space is integral to MSU’s continued role in workforce and economic development for Michigan and beyond.”

Spartan Bus Tour

President Guskiewicz, during his remarks, recapped his experience touring throughout the state’s western Lower Peninsula during the inaugural Spartan Bus Tour. On Oct. 21, approximately 50 university faculty and staff embarked on a 13-stop tour to build community connections and strengthen MSU’s commitment to education, research, outreach and extension. A video highlighting the three-day event was shown during Friday’s meeting.

University finances

Citing strong fiscal health, the board adopted the university’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. MSU received a clean opinion from the university’s auditor, Plante Moran, which indicated the university is appropriately following accounting rules and that the financial reports are an accurate representation of the university’s financial position.

“MSU’s financial position continues to be strong, reflective of prudent fiscal management,” said Board Chair Dan Kelly. “A healthy financial portfolio means the university is able to continue fulfilling its mission of advancing knowledge and transforming lives, while also engaging in strategic planning to advance the institution forward.”

Research presentation

Trustees received a research presentation during Friday’s meeting from Angela Chia-Chen Chen, professor and McLaren Greater Lansing Endowed Chair for Behavioral Mental Health Nursing Education in the MSU College of Nursing. Chen’s research is focused on improving mental and behavioral health among vulnerable youth and families through technology-centered prevention programs. One of her current research programs is creating digital games and stories to help with cancer prevention in teens. Her goal is to improve understanding and communication about the human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine and help to reduce hesitancy among youth and their parents through joint decision-making.

“These two projects focus on the HPV vaccine, using different technologies to address the issue among different populations,” said Chen. “Unvaccinated children ages 11 to 14 and their caregivers in the intervention group play the health game in the waiting room before they see providers. The stories have been co-created with Vietnamese immigrant moms and are two to three minutes long. They have been tested in the community with promising results.”

Passing of Trustee Emeritus Joel Ferguson

During Friday’s meeting, the Board of Trustees and President Guskiewicz paid tribute to Trustee Emeritus Joel Ferguson with a moment of silence. Ferguson passed away Oct. 19. He served on the Board of Trustees from 1987 to 1995 and 1997 to 2020. Ferguson was the second-longest-serving trustee in university history, with more than 30 years of service on the board.

Other approved agenda items:

• Authorization to proceed – Anthony Hall Building envelope renewal
• Adoption of amended and restated bylaws of MSU Health Care, Inc., and limited delegation of corporate member duties

The next regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting is Dec. 13.