Submitted by: Patrick O. Lindsey, Vice President 1 Government and Community Affairs

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1 Submitted by: Patrick O. Lindsey, Vice President 1 FEDERAL AFFAIRS Federal Depository Library Issue The State Library of Michigan offered a proposal to provide federal depository library services for all libraries, including Wayne State University s, at the University of Minnesota. The State Library of Michigan has determined it can no longer financially support this service, and no other library in the state has expressed a willingness to take on this responsibility. In our digital age, most of the documents that people seek to access from federal depository libraries can be easily received through digital means. Thus, the need for a library to be physically located within the state of Michigan to handle this service is no longer necessary for the retrieval of documents. The Government Printing Office (GPO, which oversees the federal depository library system nationally) is insisting that the Joint Committee on Printing be the arbiter of the situation, rather than allowing Michigan s U.S. Senators to make this determination as spelled out in statute. However, GPO is refusing neither to send the proposal to the Joint Committee nor support it. GPO is also rejecting the use of virtual on-line service models, even though the vast majority of its own publications are provided on-line. Wayne State University strongly supports our U.S. Senators being able to make this decision, and has been working with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University to that end with Michigan s Senators. A decision on this matter is expected soon. Federal Budget When the first session of the 112th Congress ended two days before Christmas, it left behind nothing more obvious than a hardening legacy as the most dysfunctional legislative year in modern times. Three incidents of nationally televised countdown-clock brinkmanship averting a government shutdown in the spring, a default on the federal debt in the summer and the payroll tax increase for 160 million people in the winter had helped drive congressional approval ratings down to historic, single-digit lows. So did a summertime shutdown of many aviation programs over a seemingly minor, but predictably partisan disagreement, and the creation of a powerful deficit reduction super committee that came up empty-handed. The annual budget process ate up a lot of time and energy in 2011, starting when the House Republican majority adopted a budget resolution for fiscal 2012 that proposed radical changes in major entitlement programs and included a discretionary spending cap of $1.019 trillion. As the year progressed, a debt limit bill cleared just before the August recess that provided for an increase of at least $2.1 trillion, and up to a maximum of $2.4 trillion, in the existing $14.3 trillion statutory debt limit. While an initial $900 billion of the increase was effective almost immediately, the remainder had to wait for Congress to strike an even more painful deficit reduction deal at the end of the year. The panel tasked with doing so threw in the towel in November, thus triggering across-the-board spending cuts.

2 Submitted by: Patrick O. Lindsey, Vice President 2 The outlook is bleak for Federal support of all programs, including those for research and development, going forward. While technically a sequester is in effect for future funds as the super Committee was unable to arrive at a consensus for cuts in spending, there is a possibility that for all intents and purposes they will not be realized at the depth to which they are supposed to entail. Michigan Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Funding The Michigan Area Health Education Center (MI-AHEC) was established in 2010 to improve access to primary care for all Michigan residents, many of whom live in areas that have too few health professionals. Wayne State University is home to the first of five regions for MI- AHEC. Through recruitment and retention initiatives, as well as special clinical education programs, MI-AHEC seeks to expose disadvantaged students to health care opportunities, expand the number of underrepresented minorities in the health professions, and encourage students and health professionals to work in areas that need greater access to primary care providers. The U.S. Senate provided $33.1 million in AHEC funding, while the U.S. House had zero funding for this program. Working with the National AHEC organization, Wayne State University aggressively lobbied for the preservation of the funding of this program. For the next fiscal year, AHEC funding for FY12 has been finalized at $30,142,000. This does reflect a $3 million decrease over FY11; however, it is far, far better than zero, as initially proposed by the House. We will be seeking support for the next application of AHEC among the members of the Michigan delegation. STATE AFFAIRS Speaker Bolger Visits TechTown Speaker of the House Jase Bolger toured TechTown on January 9. He met with President Gilmour and Governor Driker prior to the tour to discuss several issues of interest to the University. Annual Legislative Brunch The Office of Government & Community Affairs and the Alumni Association hosted its annual Legislative Brunch on January 14 from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. at the Schaap Chemistry Building. The program began at noon, with remarks from President Gilmour, Patrick Lindsey, Paul Schaap and Leslie Smith. A tour of the facility s labs followed the remarks. Keely Czartorski, Student Senate Government Affairs Committee Chair, emceed the program. Approximately 80 persons attended the brunch, including a dozen members of the Michigan legislature. Community College Baccalaureate Legislation On November 30, 2011, the Senate Education Committee held a hearing on legislation to allow community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees in certain areas (HB 4496). No

3 Submitted by: Patrick O. Lindsey, Vice President 3 vote was taken on the bill. This hearing was for the community colleges to present their case to the committee. A second hearing was scheduled for the universities to make their presentations the following week, but the hearing was postponed until January 25th. A recent quote from the Governor s spokesperson seems to indicate support for the legislation. When asked about the bill, his spokesperson said, The governor is most interested in ensuring our student population is well served as they pursue higher education. That could include this option in a limited form, but it's also about moving toward dual enrollment/early college and appropriate cyber schooling opportunities. We look forward to working cooperatively with the Legislature as they consider these options." Joe Young Psychiatric Funding The House of Representatives removed the funding for the Joe Young Psychiatric initiative from the supplemental appropriations bill (HB 5014) that was signed into law by the Governor in late December Some members in the legislature have voiced their continued support for funding the initiative. We continue to work with the legislature, the State Budget Director and Department of Community Health to secure funding in a future appropriations bill. Meetings, thus far, have gone well. State of the State Address The Governor delivered his second State of the State Address on January 18 at 7 p.m. in the House chamber. President Gilmour, Vice President Lindsey, and State Affairs Director Bird attended. Revenue Estimating Conference The Revenue Estimating Conference was held on January 13. The State Treasurer and the heads of the House and Senate Fiscal Agency use the conference to determine the revenue that will be available to the Governor and legislature for use in the upcoming fiscal year. General fund revenues for the fiscal year, which began last October, are estimated to be $9 billion. That's a $278 million increase from the May forecast. School Aid Fund revenues meanwhile are predicted to total $10.6 billion, which is $138.3 million higher. For the fiscal year, for which lawmakers will set a budget in the coming months, general fund revenues are estimated to total $9 billion, which is a 0 percent growth. School Aid Fund revenue is projected to be $11 billion, which is a 2.7 percent increase from the current fiscal year. Governor s Budget Presentation The Governor will present his budget to the Legislature on February 9th.

4 Submitted by: Patrick O. Lindsey, Vice President 4 Legislative Calendar Legislative session for 2012 began on January 11. COMMUNITY RELATIONS Community Meeting on Admissions Policy On Wednesday, November 30, 2011, President Gilmour hosted a community meeting to discuss student success and policy for WSU admission. A number of President s Community Advisory Group members attended, along with community members eager to learn and hear President Gilmour s thoughts. Wayne Cares Winter Warmth Collection Drive Starting November 16, 2011 and running through December 12, 2011, Wayne Cares collected warm items (hats, gloves, scarves, jackets, boots, socks, etc.) at fifteen campus locations to donate to individuals and families in need of assistance this winter season. More than 1,000 items were collected, including men s, women s and children s coats, gloves, scarves, boots, shoes, socks, mittens, and hats. Wayne Cares partnered with the DO Foundation and Tri-County Outreach to assist in the distribution of the donated items to the community, and the following WSU departments joined with us in support of this project: Housing and Residential Life Business Services Receiving and Distribution Marketing and Communications Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service On Monday, January 16, 2012, Wayne State will partner with United Way for Southeastern Michigan to participate in a day of service to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We are planning for 150 Wayne State students and community members to volunteer. Volunteers will meet at the WSU Law School early Monday morning and travel by bus to the Georgia Street Community Collective in Detroit, Gleaners Warehouse in Warren, an AmeriCorps Urban Safety Project in Detroit in conjunction with the WSU Center for Urban Research, Belle Isle in Detroit, and Sabbath Middle School and Walter White Middle School in River Rouge. Additionally, some volunteers will stay at the Judge Damon J. Keith Center to create cards for veterans, basic needs kits for the homeless, and work with Arts and Scraps on various projects. MLK Day of Service volunteers will participate in various activities including hosting an emergency preparedness community fair, sorting and packing donated food items that will

5 Submitted by: Patrick O. Lindsey, Vice President 5 be delivered to local charities and shelters, boarding up abandoned houses, beautification on Belle Isle and in two middle schools, creating cards for veterans and creating basic needs kits. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute This year s MLK Tribute was held on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at the Max M. Fisher Music Center and featured a luncheon after the program. The keynote speaker was Donna Brazile, best-selling author, adjunct professor at Georgetown University, syndicated newspaper columnist for United Media, columnist for Ms. Magazine and O Magazine, and on-air contributor to CNN, NPR and ABC. Net proceeds from the event will benefit Adopt-A-Classroom, a nationally recognized organization that invites the community into classrooms to increase opportunity for student success by empowering teachers with community partnerships and funds to purchase resources for their classrooms. Two Community Leadership Awards were presented at the event. The awards are given to an individual and organization whose contributions affect our community in a positive way. The entire WSU community was invited to submit nominees for consideration Community Leadership Award Winners Focus: HOPE In 1968, Father William Cunningham ( ) and Eleanor Josaitis ( ) co-founded Focus: HOPE, an organization dedicated to intelligent and practical solutions to the problems of hunger, economic disparity, inadequate education, and racial divisiveness. Together, they adopted the following mission: Recognizing the dignity and beauty of every person, we pledge intelligent and practical action to overcome racism, poverty and injustice. And to build a metropolitan community where all people may live in freedom, harmony, trust and affection. Black and white, yellow, brown and red from Detroit and its suburbs of every economic status, national origin and religious persuasion we join in this covenant. Focus: HOPE was selected as Wayne State University s 2012 Community Organization Leadership Award winner because, Focus: HOPE s basic needs, adult education and career training, and neighborhood revitalization programs have made enormous contributions to the lives of southeast Michigan s citizens, particularly underrepresented minorities and low-income families. It is a unique organization that has served the metropolitan Detroit community for more than 43 years, constantly evolving its activities to meet the needs of its thousands of clients and stakeholders and to strengthen Detroit and its people. While keeping a constant focus on aiding its community, it also serves as a national model for workforce development, food distribution, and passionate advocacy.

6 Submitted by: Patrick O. Lindsey, Vice President 6 Eleanor Josaitis (posthumously) Eleanor Josaitis, co-founder of Focus: HOPE, is widely regarded as a leader who fought with courage and tenacity for causes close to her heart. Where there was a problem, she found a solution. The housewife turned civil rights activist dedicated the last 43 years of her life to intelligent and practical action to overcome racism, poverty and injustice as proclaimed in the Focus: HOPE mission statement. She became a national advocate for a food program designed to meet the nutrition needs for children and seniors; a proponent of job training programs that gave women and minorities access to the financial mainstream, and a passionate Detroiter who strove to revitalize the city and its neighborhoods. Eleanor was selected as Wayne State University s 2012 Community Individual Leadership Award winner because, While she is no longer with us physically, the mark she has left on this community continues to inspire people to action and the staff and leadership of Focus: HOPE are committed to making her work live on. It is particularly appropriate and significant that this award would be made during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. event as Eleanor and Fr. Cunningham, Focus: HOPE founders were devout followers of Dr. King.