Read Full Article at The Michigan Daily

Cynthia Wilbanks: University of Michigan Vice President for Government Relations

Wednesday, Gov. Rick Snyder suggested a 2 percent increase in funding for the state’s higher education budget during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. According to a University of Michigan press release, the proposed plans would provide the University’s Ann Arbor campus with $320.8 million. The budget would also provide the Dearborn campus with $26.1 million, a 2.6 percent increase, and the Flint campus with $23.6 million, a 2.3 percent increase.

Cynthia Wilbanks, University vice president for government relations, was pleased with the announcement.

“Investing in higher education provides greater opportunities to our residents and is absolutely critical for our state’s continued economic growth,” Wilbanks said in a statement to The University Record. “We look forward to working with our representatives in the state House and Senate as this budget process proceeds.”

Author: Remy Farkas

The Michigan Daily

Read Full Article at Michigan.gov

Situated on the International Boundary between Canada and the United States, Lake Erie’s northern shore is the Canadian province of Ontario, with the U.S. states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York on its western, southern and eastern shores.

Michigan leaders today announced formation of a unique new coalition working to improve water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin.

The Michigan Cleaner Lake Erie through Action and Research (MI CLEAR) Partnership includes farmers, agricultural and environmental leaders, universities, conservationists, landscape professionals, energy leaders, tourism and economic development interests, and more. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Jamie Clover Adams said she was encouraged to call the diverse membership to the table as a new way to tackle the ongoing water quality challenges affecting the basin.

In addition to MDARD, other members of the MI CLEAR Partnership:

• Michigan Farm Bureau
• University of Michigan Water Center, Graham Sustainability Institute
• Ducks Unlimited
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
• The Nature Conservancy – Michigan Chapter
• Monroe County Drain Commission
• DTE Energy
• Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association
• Michigan Chamber of Commerce
• American Water Works Association – Michigan Chapter
• Michigan State University Extension Institute of Water Research and Technology
• Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation

Author: Jessy Sielski

517-284-5725

Read Article at The Department of Defense Archive

The Secretary of Defense is the principal defense policy advisor to the President. Under the direction of the President, the Secretary exercises authority, direction, and control over the Department of Defense.

UM’s Institute for Research on the Labor, Employment and the Economy (IRLEE) is leading a consortium of three Midwestern universities to provide assistance to communities and to small and medium sized defense manufacturing companies in their respective geographic regions. The Defense Manufacturing Program (DMAP) is a Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Economic Adjustment initiative to assist states and communities that have been significantly impacted by reductions or cancellations in DoD spending.

The DoD press release stated that:

“The University of Michigan’s Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy, in partnership with Ohio State University and Purdue University, was awarded a $2,479,069 grant for a regional Defense Manufacturing Assistance Program. These federal funds are part of a larger $2,777,257 project that will, among other activities, assist impacted companies across Michigan, Indiana and Ohio to find new markets, support business stabilization and implement diversification strategies”.

The goal of DMAP is to provide stability, and stimulate growth, job creation and job retention in the defense supply chain resulting in keeping defense communities strong. Michigan has hundreds of companies, spread throughout the state, which could be impacted by the reduction in DoD programs and spending. IRLEE will provide the following services to these companies through DMAP: business analysis and planning assistance, project identification (core strengthening, market diversification, new technology commercialization), project development, consultant identification, new technology identification and project management and funding assistance (projects may be co-funded up to 50%).

Each of the three university partners will be responsible for their respective states, with UM coordinating the work of the consortium from Ann Arbor. Larry Molnar, Associate Director of IRLEE and Megan Reichert, Program Director for DMAP are leading the project for UM and will be the principle contacts for the Department of Defense throughout the course of the project.

Author: Michael Rein

Associate Director of State Outreach | [email protected] | 734-764-8029