The April, 2024 meeting opened on Zoom (33 members on zoom) and in person at the University of Michigan’s Anderson Room.  The meeting opened earlier than the scheduled 12:28 start time. The patriotic song was sung by club members and Shirlee Kipp provided the inspiration. Joanne Pierson led us in “Put A Little Love In Your Heart”.

President Foster welcomed members, guests and visiting Rotarians and thanked today’s meeting volunteers. Guests were introduced. Birthdays for the week were recognized. There was a moment of silence in tribute to Linda Carter who recently passed away. The visitation and funeral will be held at Nie Funeral Home on Liberty. Visitation will be Thursday, May 2 from 4-8:00 pm and the funeral will be held on Friday, May 3 beginning at 10:30 am with visitation preceding from 9:30-10:30 am. 

President Foster shared some amusing anecdotes. President-Elect Hunter shared information about the 2024-25 budget. The 2024-25 Budget Impacts & Assumptions were as follows:

Club membership used is 200 total – down from 229 used for 2023-24 with the following breakdown: 17 under 40, 78 from 40-70, 85 are 70 and over, and 20 members are active emeritus. Hybrid meetings must be continued to maintain membership levels. Michigan Union costs will increase in 2025. The President-Elect will attend the International Conference in Calgary (and did not attend the meeting in Singapore). An Officer & the Club Administrator will attend the Large Club Conference in Memphis. 4/17/2024

2024-24 Budget Fixed Expense based on membership of 200

Expense:                                                                          Total                                 Per Member Cost

Rotary International & District Dues                       $29,075                            $145.38

International Conv & Large Club Conference        $9,000                              $45

Club Administrator                                                     $13,365                               $66.83

Hybrid Meeting Costs (including zoom)                $4,680                                 $23.40

Michigan Union Room Rental                                  $16,302                               $81.51

Accountant, Auditor, Quickbooks, Adobe              $15,940                                 $79.70

                                                                                                                                        Total $441.82

The Adopt-A-Highway event of April 20 was a success! The crew collected 64 bags of trash including: nash hub cap, a Barbra Streisand CD, $5, 3 polo shirts, bed sheets, a woman’s wallet and car parts galore. Big thanks to Nishta Bhatia, Don Duquette, Norm Herbert, Ed Johnson, Tom Millard, Leo Shedden, Dennis Burke, Jim Egerdal, Downs Herold, Steve Kesler, Roy More, Rob Shiff & John White.

Shelley MacMillan reminded the club about the upcoming Wine, Women & Song event.

John White introduced today’s speaker, Sue Gott, U-M Associate Director of Planning & Communication where she presented information about U-M’s Campus: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow.

The Campus Plan 2050 is a historic moment. It will transform the Ann Arbor campus for the future with a campus plan that: 1) Ties to our new institutional strategic vision, 2) Unifies all five Ann Arbor campuses into a single integrated plan, 3) Connects our statewide portfolio for bold impact, & 4) Is generated with rigorous and transparent engagement.

The campus key plan highlights are drive by Vision 2034 which outlined 4 core impact areas – Life Changing Education, Human Health & Well-being, Democracy, Civic & Global Engagement & Climate Action, Sustainability & Environmental Justice. In support of life-changing education, Campus Plan 2050 advocates for the strategic investment in the core academic, research & student support facilities that contribute to the educational experience of students. The human, health & well-being Plan supports the holistic health & well-being of the campus population by: integrating fitness & recreation opportunities, encouraging walking & cycling, facilitating access to the natural environment, planning for a new UHS facility, planning for future development on the Medical Center & East Medical Center campuses, providing new space for multi-disciplinary research & innovation, expanding the DEIA spatial network, and increasing access to amenities across Ann Arbor.  The democracy, civic & global engagement plan promotes the equitable distribution of resources & services across U-M Ann Arbor in support of the diverse needs of the campus population. This plan will be bolstered by an emphasis on the principles of Universal Design to improve campus accessibility for all. The campus experience will be improved by new & expanded housing, expanding the DEIA spatial network, distributing child care facilities, increasing access to campus life amenities and services & creating new places for arts & humanities.

The climate action, sustainability & environmental justice plan will integrate sustainability, resiliency and climate action strategies to minimize the impact of U-M’s activities on the campus, local & global environments by: renovating building to use less energy, implementing geo-exchange for high-efficiency heating & cooling systems, switching thermal systems from natural gas to electricity,  generating electricity from renewable sources and integrating stormwater, reforestation, bio-diversity, and gardens.

The plan’s proposed new Collaboration Hubs will facilitate multidisciplinary academic, research, outreach and partnership initiatives and connect the Ann Arbor campus. The hubs will be strategically located in the immediate proximity to transit centers to provide reliable connectivity and a positive user experience that is underpinned by a new automated transit system, dedicated bus rapid transit, and an improved network of bike and pedestrian infrastructure including trails and pathways.

• The framework plan goals on Central Campus include
  • Protecting and enhancing its historic integrity
  • Identifying reinvestment opportunities and new programmatic uses and
  • Creating a welcoming, equitable and inclusive experience for students, faculty, staff and visitors 

Key facilities include: 

• • • Central Campus Housing-Phase II,  which is south of Madison and next to the new Elbel field
    • Chemistry and North University Building renovations on North University
    • and Palmer Field geo-exchange field

The Ross Athletic Campus is planned in support of: Athletic excellence,  a positive day-to-day and enhanced gameday experience for students, athletes, and visitors. The relocation of units in the Administrative Services, Facilities Services Buildings, Fleet Services Building and the Campus Safety Services Building will enable athletics and parking expansion. The Ross Athletic Campus South Complex accommodates: a new Multisport Practice Facility, a parking structure, and a potential substation to support the geothermal electrical infrastructure.

North Campus will be dramatically transformed with a new, interdisciplinary and vibrant innovation district is envisioned as a center of education, research, innovation, mixed-uses and partnerships, which is expected to include new neighborhoods for graduate, undergraduate and potentially, workforce housing. The presence of renewable energy resources will also serve as a demonstration of U-M’s campus-wide commitment to sustainability and carbon neutrality.

Projects that are either in the planning and development phase or have been recently completed include the New Central Campus Residential Development located along Hoover Street, South Division and Hill Street. These will be our first new residence halls built specifically for first-year students since 1963. It is also transformative for Michigan Housing because it will ensure that all first-year students who want to live on Central Campus will now have that opportunity. Late last year, Regents announced one of the five residential buildings will be named after Dr. E. Royster Harper, vice president emerita for student life. This will be the first building on campus to be named after a black woman. Resulting from the new housing project, the marching band practice field will be relocated and transformed into one of the country’s most significant marching band practice facilities. The “relocated Elbel Field” will be nearly twice the size of the Michigan Marching Band’s current outdoor practice facility and it will feature upgraded technology and an array of new amenities. Heading north a bit to the south edge of Central Campus, the Edward and Rosalie Ginsberg Building will allow the Center to expand its outreach and increase collaboration among community partners, faculty, and students for enhanced community engagement including collaborative meeting spaces, a resource library, student organization space, support, and administration spaces and will also include an onsite geo-exchange system, further contributing to our carbon neutrality goals. Under construction is the Hadley Family Recreation & Well-Being Center. The family commitment represents the largest gift to date from a member of the Parent & Family Leadership Council ($20 million), as well as the largest gift ever to support campus recreation at U-M. This modern facility, which is expected to be finished in fall of 2025, will have gymnasiums, jogging and walking track, weight and cardiovascular training, squash and racquetball courts, aquatic areas, and several story-high wall-climbing areas. Also under construction is the new College of Pharmacy Building which will modernize and increase physical space for academic, research and student support functions. When finished, this will be one of two buildings (the other being Ginsberg) that uses mass timber as a major structural component. The timber helps sequester carbon, is sustainable, renewable and a very durable material.  The project is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2025. Recently completed projects include the Central Campus Classroom building, Alexander G. Ruthven Building renovation, the Detroit Observatory classroom and accessibility addition.

On the medical campus, the future Khan Health Care Pavilion is our latest large-scale project for Michigan Medicine, which will deliver extraordinary patient care when completed. The facility is currently under construction and is about a year out from being finished. When opened, the facility will offer over 250 flexible patient rooms that can also be converted to intensive care rooms. It will accommodate the relocation of semi-private rooms at the University Hospital, thus improving patient safety and their inpatient experience. Creating this new facility, which emphasizes improved access to clinical neurosciences and cardiac care needs together, will really enable Michigan Medicine to better respond to complex cases and deliver state-of-the-art treatments.

At over 900 acres, North Campus is U-M’s largest campus by far. The future Leinweber computer science & information building has been under construction for almost two years. Just north of the Leinweber site is the location of a new state-of-the art, ground-source geothermal exchange plant, which will heat and cool Leinweber when it’s finished. The geothermal facility is comprised of a geothermal field and plant. When completed, it will make the Leinweber Building our first all electric large-scale university building that will not rely on natural gas for heating and will reduce carbon emissions by tapping into the earth as a renewable resource. The new Dance Building was completed almost three years ago. Located south of the Brehm Pavilion at the Moore Building, it is home to the  newly relocated Department of Dance from Central Campus. This new facility is invigorating and highlighting dance at Michigan and bringing the School of Music, Theater and Dance’s creative community together to unleash some really exciting cross-disciplinary activity.

The most recently completed project on the Athletic Campus is the replacement of the north and south scoreboards at the Football Stadium. Unveiled during the season game opener, the new scoreboards are addressing reliability and serviceability concerns and, most importantly for the fans, enhancing the game day experience with a new state-of the art public address and studio/video systems. And if you have the opportunity to attend a night game in the Big House, you can expect to be treated to a pretty spectacular light show as well.

Quote for the Day: “The Four Way Test” 

Of the things we think, say or do: 1) is it the TRUTH? 2) Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS, 4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

President Foster adjourned the meeting at 1:30.

Respectfully submitted by,

Jennifer Fike